



iite 






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PAST AND PRESENT 



OF THE 



CITY OF OUINCY 



AND 



ADAMS COUNTY, 
ILLINOIS 

BY 

HON. WILLIAM h/ COLLINS 

AND 

MR. CICERO F. PERRY 

Including the late Colonel John Tillson's History of Quincy, together 

with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Leading and 

Prominent Citizens and Illustrious Dead. 

ILLUSTRATED 




CHICAGO: 

THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING CO. 

iyo5 



l»«/o( 



THIS IS f HC l»$OPEf»Ty OF 

'on 



CJHifent Hi«toric/<»| Associatl 



CHAMMtR O^- CpMbttRCE SLOG. 

JNOIANAROLIS. <*i^D. 



w 



\J\. ,y 



I S ^ O 1 -, I 



2)cMcatcb to the 

IPioncers 
of HDams County. 






PREFACE 

^'^^^^^N many respects Adams county is without a i)eer among the one hundred and two coun- 
S X * ties comprising the great state of Illinois. Its historj' has repeatedly been written, but 
% jL^ notwithstanding, the publishers of this volume thought the time was ripe for the publica- 
^:#0#i»i^ tion of .still another one, and the success attending their venture justifies them in their 
conclusion. The work is along a little different line from any that have preceded it, and it will 
be found a veritable poi'trait gallery of the best people of the county, and as such will be doubly 
appreciated by all. 

The history of the city of Quincy was written by Gen. John Tillson, but revised and cor- 
rected by Hon. William II. Collins, while the history of the county has been written by William 
II. Collins and Cicero F. Perry, men whose qualifications for the work will be acknowledged by 
evei'yone. The biographical sketches are of sj^ecial interests, our corps of writers having gone to 
the people, the men and Avomen who have, by their enterj^rise and industry, brouglit this county 
to a rank second to none among those comprising this great and noble state, and from their lips 
have the story of their life struggles. No more interesting or instructive matter could be pre- 
sented to an intelligent public. In this volume will be found a record of many whose lives are 
worthy the imitation of coming generations. It tells how some, commencing life in poverty, by 
industry and economy have accumulated wealth. It tells how othei-s, with limited advantages 
for securing an edvication, have become learned men and women, with an intluenee extending 
tlironghont the length and breadth of the land. It tells of men who have risen from the lower 
walks of life to eminence as statesmen, and whose names have become famous. It tells of those 
in every walk in life who have striven to succeed, and records how that success has usually 
crowned tlieir efforts. It tells also of many, very many, who, not seeking the applause of the worlcl, 
have pursued the "even tenor of their way," content to have it said of them, as Chi-ist said of 
the woman performing a deed of mercy — "They have done what they could." It tells how 
many, in the pride and strength of young manhood, left the plow and the anvil, the lawyer's 
office and the counting-room, left every trade and profession, and at their country's call went 
forth valiantly "to do or die," and how through their efforts the Union was restored and peace 
once more reigned in the land. In the life of every man and of every Avoman is a lesson that 
should not be lost upon those Avho follow after. 

Coming generations will appreciate this volume and preserve it as a sacred treasure, from 
the fact that it contains so much that would never find its way into public records and which 
would otherwise be inaccessible. Great care has been taken in the compilation of the Avork and 
every opportunity possible giA^en to those represented to insure correctness in Avhat has been Avrit- 
ten : and the publishers flatter themselves that they give to their readers a Avork Avith fcAV errors 
of consequence. In addition to biographical sketclies, poi-traits of a number of representatiA'e 
citizens are given. 

The faces of some, and biographical sketches of )nany, will be missed in this volume. For 
this the publishers are not to blame. Not having a proper conception of the Avork, some refused 
to giA-e the information necessary to compile a sketch, Avhile others Avere indift'erent. Occasionally 
some member of the family Avonld oppose the enterprise, and on account of such opposition the 
support of the interested one Avould be Avithheld. In a fcAv instances men ncA^er could be found, 
though repeated calls Avere made at their residence or place of business. 

June, 1905. THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING CO. 



HISTORY OF OUINCY 



By GEN. JOHN TILLSON 



CHAPTER I. 

-ILLIXOIS COUNTRY." CONTESTS FOR ITS POS- 
SESSION. EARLY POLITICAL HISTORY. AN 
OUTLINE SKETCH" OF ITS HISTORICAL SET- 
TING. MAY PROPERLY INTRODUCE A HISTORY 
OF THE "GEM CITY." 

"What was known as the "Illinois Country" 
for the ninety years which intervened between 
the early French discoveries and the surrender 
of the region to the English, in 1763, was 
bounded by the Mississippi on the west, by the 
river Illinois on the north, by the Ouabache 
(Wabash) and Miamis on the east, and the Ohio 
on the south. The Act of Congress defining the 
boundaries of the State, included all the terri- 
tory west of the Illinois to the Mississippi, and 
north to what is now the Wisconsin line. Thus 
the site of the present city of Quincy was in- 
cluded in the State of Illinois. 

The French explorers were the first to visit 
the "Illinois Country" and for nearly a cen- 
tury, they held undisputed possession. Spain 
held a claim to the whole region, but it was 
feeble, and she was kept too busy elsewhere, to 
make it good, and in 1763, she relinquished it. 
The country at this time, passed under the au- 
thority of the British crown. England held it 
for fifteen years. In 1778, General George 
Rogers Clark, in command of a small, but gal- 
lant army, took possession of it for the colony 
of Virginia. At the close of the war of the Rev- 
olution, England, by treaty, surrendered for- 
ever her claims to supremacy. 

Virginia had already in 1780, ceded to the 
Confederate colonies all her acquired rights as 
conquerer; and made the deed of cession, and 
relinquishment by the celebrated ordinance of 
1787. During the preceding nine years, a sort 
of quasi sovereignty, partially recognized and 
less enforced, had been asserted by Virginia. 
The entire countiy north of the Ohio and east 
of the Mississippi had been, in October 1778, 



formed into the "County of Illinois," and Col. 
John Todd was appointed "Lieutenant Com- 
mandant." He was invested with a blended 
military and civil authority, which he exer- 
cised, nominally, until his death at the noted 
Blue Lick battle in 1782. After him a French- 
man, Timothy Montlrun by name, appears to 
have been vested ■«dth whatever of authority 
was exercised in Virginia. 

In 1787, Congress assuming control of the 
country, embracing what is now the States of 
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wiscon- 
sin, entitled it the "North-west Territory" and 
elected General Arthur St. Clair its Governor. 
In 1790, Governor St. Clair declared all that 
country lying between the Wabash, Ohio and 
Mississippi rivers and an east and west line 
about on the parallel of the present site of 
Bloomington, Illinois, the County of St. Clair, 
Cahokia being the county seat. Five years 
later, in 1795, all south of the present county 
of St. Clair was set off and called Randolph 
county. These two counties constituted all of 
Illinois as organized, until 1812. 

In 1800 (May 9th) Congress divided the 
North-west Territoiy. All west of what is now 
the State of Ohio, was declared the territory of 
Indiana. The population at the beginning of 
this century, of what now constitutes four great 
states, was estimated at 4875 whites : 135 negro 
slaves, and about 100,000 Indians. AVilliam H. 
Harrison (afterwards President of the United 
States) was appointed Governor, and Vincennes 
was selected as the territorial capital. Gov- 
ernor Harrison's administration was vigorous 
and successful. During his first five years, he 
concluded ten ti-eaties with the various Indian 
tribes, extinguishing their title and securing 
the cession of their lands to the LTnited States. 
By the treaty of November 3rd, 1804. made 
with the Sauks and Foxes he received from 
them the surrender of all the land between the 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAIMS COUNTY. 



Illinois and Mississippi rivers (embracing the 
•'Military Tract") to which this tribe laid 
claim and the greater portion of which they held 
in possession. On the 3rd of February," 1809, 
Congress formed the territory of Illinois iu- 
clnding what is now the states of Illinois and 
Wisconsin. This was the first Federal recog- 
nition of the name Illinois, although following 
the action of the Virginia colony in 1778, the 
term "Illinois" had been in popular use, gen- 
erally applied to all the northwestern country. 
The word "Illinois" is a French perversion of 
the name claimed by the Indian tribe, which at 
the time of the French advent, controlled the 
principal portion of what now forms the state. 
Afterward, overborne and crowded southward 
by superior numbers, it passed out of existence. 
The various remnants to the last retained their 
original name, "Leni," or "Illini," as the 
French pronounced it. It is the general Algon- 
quin term for "superior men." 

The population of the new territory in 1809, 
was estimated to be about 9,000 whites and 
somewhat less than 50,000 Indians. 

An imperfect census taken in 1810, returned 
ll,oOl whites. 168 slaves, and 613 "mixed" ex- 
clusive of Indians. 

Kaskaskia became the capital of the infant 
territory. Settlements were sparse. They lay 
along the Mississippi from about Kaskaskia to 
near the mouth of the Missouri ; up the Kas- 
kaskia or Okaw river for a short distance : 
skirting the Ohio river and running up the 
Wabash lieyond A'inceiines. by far the larger 
portion of the iiiha])it;nits. being of French 
birth or extraction. 

Beyond the lines above named, the Indians 
held almost luidispnted control. Xiniau Ed- 
wards was appointed tci-i-jtorial Governor, an 
office which he retained. \>y successive re-ap- 
pointments, until the ici-rilory became a state. 
He was a i^ifted, bi-illianl. imposing man, far 
superior to most of his public associates, and 
while his positive nature created for him al- 
most constant political conflicts, his position, 
high character, and admitted ability, kept him 
until the day of his death, more than any other, 
the representative man of Illinois. 

The first delegate to Congress was Shadrach 
Bond, a popular man of fair native ability. He, 
in 181-1:. was succeeded by Ben.jamin Stephen- 
son. Nathaniel Pope (Tei'ritorial Secretary) 
succeeded Stephenson in ISlti. 

Pope was afterwards made T'nited States 
District Judge. He held the office until his 
death, in 1850. 

Randolph and St. Clair were the two original 
comities, but in 1812 Johnson, Gallatin and 
Madison were formed. The latter comprehend- 



ing all the northern portion of the State. Sub- 
sequently other counties were formed in the 
southern part of the territory until 1818, the 
number amounted to fifteen. Congress on the 
18th of April, 1818, acceding to the applica- 
tion made by the territorial legislature in the 
preceding winter, passed a bill admitting Illi- 
nois into the Union as a State. The constitu- 
tional convention representing the fifteen coun- 
ties, nu't at Kaskaskia in July of the same year 
and completed the con.stitution on the 26th of 
August, 1818. It was not submitted to the peo- 
ple but went into ett'ect immediately. 

At the first State election September, 1818, 
Sliadracb Hi>ni\ was chosen Governor and 
I'ici-rc Menard, Lieutenant Governor, without 
opi)ositi(Ui. 



CHAPTER II. 



FIRST WHITE MKN TO SEE THE SITE OF THE FU- 
TURE CITY. EXPIX)R.\TIOX OF JOLIET AND 
M.iiRQrETTK. FIRST INHABITANTS. ITS EAR- 
LIEST COMMERCE. TOPOGR.\PHICAL. 

In the month of M;iy, 1673, Louis Joliet and 
Jaques Marquette, with five voyageurs in two 
canoes, started from St. Ignaee in Lake Michi- 
gan on a tour of exploration. They passed 
through Green Bay and up the Fox Rivers; 
then through Winnebago Lake, thence west- 
ward, crossing a portage into the Wisconsin 
river. They .journeyed down the Wisconsin, and 
on the 17tli day of June found themselves upon 
the waters of a great river. To this, they gave 
the name Rio de la Conception. The Indian 
name was, according to some etymologists, 
"MeaclL ('liass('ei)e." Its signification was 
"gatherer cjI' all waters" or "great river." 
Some of the early French explorers gave it the 
name of "Colbert" in honor of their prime min- 
ister. The Indian name of Mississippi has hap- 
pily survived. 

Spanish explorers had seen the river in its 
lower waters, and De Soto had been buried in 
its liosom, but those Frenchmen were the first 
to see it in the higher latitudes. 

It was a thrilling moment to these bold ad- 
venturers, when, emerging from the mouth of 
the Wisconsin, their canoes floated ui)on the 
broad Ixisoni of the swift flowing river. It then 
flowed clear and pure. The plow and spade of 
civilization had not bi'oken up the sloping sur- 
face of its vast watei'-sheds to pulverize the 
soil and transform it into a muddy torrent with 
every serious rain-fall. Rootlets and leaves 
of the forest and the grasses of plain and 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



prairie, caught, filtered aud tempered the flow 
of its contributing streams. No city polluted 
it with sewage. Innumerable schools of fish 
swam in its waters and bred, by countless mil- 
lions, in its quiet sloughs and bays. Its banks 
were lined with virgin forests of elm, sycamore, 
walnut, Cottonwood, oak and pecan. They had 
never echoed to the stroke of the pioneer axe or 
the crack of his rifle. Pi-airie bottom-lands 
alternated with woodland and stretched away 
on either side to the distant bluffs. Islands 
abounded, as now, roofed with a tangle of vines 
aud fringed with drooping willows. Sharply 
defined against a stretch of forest green oc- 
casionally was seeu some tall, dead tree, 
bleached by the storms of many years, lifting 
up its leafless branches, gracefully festooned 
with the green and scarlet of the trumpet-vine. 
The white and blue heron waded the swamps. 
The eagle and the halcyon darting from the 
high over-hanging boughs with a splash, broke 
the mirrored surface of the river. Flocks of 
pelicans covered the low-lying sandbars, look- 
ing at a distance like banks of snow left by the 
retreating winter. Herds of buft'alo sought the 
river to slake their thirst and grazed upon the 
grasses of the ad.iacent bottoms. Deer with 
lifted heads and wild eyes gazed for a moment 
upon the voyageiu-s and vanished into the 
thickets. Flocks of geese, swan and ducks were 
without number, and upon alarm rose into the 
air with a beating of wings, which sounded like 
the roll of thunder. 

Those explorers traded with the Indians for 
supplies of maize and venison, while they often 
used the dry breast of the wild turkey, broiled 
upon coals, as a substitute for bread. 

Following the flow of the great river, they 
.sought that which was the prime incentive for 
all the daring and enterprise of the age, viz: a 
western water route to the East Indies. Mar- 
quette's journal tells us that in thirty days. 
(July 17th), he reached the mouth of the 
Arkansas, about fourteen himdred miles below 
where he entered the Mississippi ; that during 
this time he made a halt of six daj's, in the 
earlier part of his voyage ; that diu-ing the first 
four days he jurneyed 180 miles. This shows 
his average daily travel to have been, not far 
from fifty miles per day. 

While no special mention or description is 
made in his .journal that would apply to this 
locality as it does to Alton, Rock Island and 
other points, yet on the rough chart which he 
has left, there is drawn high land at just the 
place on the river where our bluffs appear. 
Taking all these facts together, his total aver- 
age distance travelled per day, time consumed 



and halts made, he probably reached the site 
of the present city about the 1st of July, 1673. 

We can imagine these exploi-ers landing upon 
the bank of the river, which now is the wharf 
of Quincy. As their two canoes neared the 
shore, the Indian dogs greeted them with their 
noisy and wolfish yelps, while the l)rowu men, 
women and children rushed forward to see for 
the first time in their lives, the "pale face." 
Undoubtedly, Marquette asked them about the 
bay. It would have appeared to him as a 
tributary river. Some Indian making a rude 
drawing in the sand with a stick, would answer 
his inquiries aboiit the geographical features 
of the country, its forests, lakes, sloughs and 
tributary streams. 

At this time they all abounded in fur-bearing 
animals. Mink, musk-rat, otter, raccoon, wolf, 
fox and beaver were numerous. The Indians 
liegan to learn that they could exchange the 
products of the trap and the chase, for the 
calicoes, hatchets and trinkets which men from 
the North offered them in trade. This was the 
first rude beginning of commercial transactions 
associated with the site of the future city. 

These early inhabitants of the locality dis- 
appeared, and left as memorials of their ex- 
istence, the mounds upon the bluffs and a few 
stone hatchets and flint arrow-heads. 

In 1805, Gen. Zebulon Pike was sent by the 
War Department to explore the ^Missi.ssippi 
from St. Louis to the Falls of St. Anthony. 
He started from St. Louis on Friday. August 
9th, 1805, with a Sergeant, three corporals and 
seventeen privates in a keel boat seventy-five 
feet long. He was provisioned for four months. 
As he passed up the river, he considered the ad- 
vantages of various points for the location of 
Forts. The bluff", on which the city of Warsaw 
was afterwards built, being near the mouth of 
the Des ]\Ioines river, and nearer to the Indian 
country, was selected as being a better strategic 
point for militaiy purposes than the site of the 
future city of Quincy. There Fort Edwards 
Avas built. 

In 1813. a military expedition consisting of 
two battalions of mounted rangers, started from 
old Fort Edwards, lying east of the present city 
of Alton, and passing through what is now Cal- 
houn County, came northward along the river 
to the .site of Quincy. Here they struck the 
Indian village and destroyed it. The small 
trading with the French was broken up. 

This cruel attack was, in part, in retaliation 
for some injuries some of the frontier pioneers 
had suffered. The Indians were driven north- 
ward, some of them escaping into Iowa to seek 
revenge afterward, under the leadership of the 
chieftain Black-hawk. The site of the future 



PAST AND PEESEXT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



city again became a wilderness. The only 
human being to break upon its solitude was an 
occasional trapper or hunter, landing from his 
canoe and camping for a night. 

Little can one who today looks upon the 
broad and beautiful area on which our bustling 
city stands, realize the contrast of the present 
scene, with the wild solitude that revives in 
the retrospection of nearly a century. One may 
indeed imagine the aspect of the locality, were 
the buildings all removed, the streets aban- 
doned and all tokens of life taken away. But 
permanent changes have been effected; land- 
scape lines are now gone ; physical features for- 
ever effaced, which, only a few survivors ever 
saw. 

Years ago, as the hrst white settler saw it, 
before axe or plough had desecrated nature's 
sanctity, the city was marked by alternations of 
timber and prairie : timber in the ravines, along 
the streams, covering also the crest and river 
face of the bluff's ; and prairie generally on the 
level land and the ridges which separated the 
ravines. The timber was usually heavy except 
near the heads of the "draws," where it became 
gradually lighter or altogether disappeared. 
The prairie was luxuriant, not with the long 
swamp grass of the bottom lands, nor of the 
prairies in southern Illinois, but with a grass 
about breast high and very thick. It did not, 
as many imagine reach to the river, or even to 
the verge of the bluffs. Along the river bank 
from what is now known as Broadway to Dela- 
ware, there stood a scattering growth of trees, 
while south of the latter point, the rank, 
luxuriant, almost impenetrable vegetation, com- 
mon to our bottom lands, prevailed. The strip 
of land below the bhiffs, and along the river 
was then much narrower than at j^resent ; the 
hills having been cut and blasted aAvay. From 
Broadway south to Delaware the rock cropped 
out continuously and was always visible at an 
average stage of water. For keel and steam- 
boats, the usual landing place was then and 
long after between Vermont and Broadway: 
probably selected, because the trees here were 
convenient to tie to. and the river plateau was 
broader ; also because they were more sheltered 
from the wind. It was easy to get into the 
river again from there, as at that time, the 
point of the "island" lay much higher up than 
at present; in fact the main river channel ran 
directly over, where, is now the highest groAvth 
of willows on the "Tow Head." 

The present area of the city, Avas about 
equall,y divided betAveen timber and prairie, the 
latter slightly predominating. The prairie from 
the east threw out four long arms, or feelers, 
as if striving to reach the river; one of these. 



extended as far as Eighth street in what is now 
known as Berrian's Addition; a second about 
the same distance on State Street : a third 
creeping into the heart of the city and narrow- 
ing down, pushed diagonally across the public 
s(puire. nearly to Third Street, and the fourth, 
broke in about Chestnut and Twelfth, thence 
"with many a winding bout," almost lost at 
times, reached nearly to Sunset Hill. East of 
Eighteenth Street all was prairie save a short 
thicket spur which ran eastward a few blocks 
from the Alstyne qimrter near Chestnut, and a 
small grove of j-oung trees at what is now High- 
land Park, which has greatly increased in size. 

Between Twelfth and Eighteenth, in John 
Moore 's Addition, all excepting a small slice off 
the northwest corner, was prairie. On the south 
side of Gov. Wood's large field about ISth and 
Jeft'erson there stood about twenty acres of 
heavy timber, part of which yet may be seen. 
Along the rear of the present residences of 
Messrs. L. Bull, McFadon and Pinkham, lay a 
small thicket, and a similar shaped strip of 
larger ^rowth, stretched across the Alstyne 
quarter, from near Broadway and Eighteenth, 
to the coi-ner of the Berrian quarter, uniting 
west of Twelfth with the heavy forest in Cox's 
addition. 

To follow the division line between the 
jirairie and timber, let one commence in Eigh- 
teenth street on the south line of the city facing 
north. On his right all was prairie, on the left 
timber. The line ran nearly due north almost 
to Jefferson street, crossing the latter a little 
west of Eighteenth, pushed three or four hun- 
dred feet into Gov. Wood's large field, then 
turned sharply around in a soutliAvesterly direc- 
tion, reerossed Jefferson about Fourteenth, 
crossed Twelfth near Monroe, thence ran 
through Berrian's Addition in a direction some- 
Avhat south of Avest to near Eighth, AA^here 
curving back almost on itself, it enclosed a 
I)retty little prairie islet of about ten acres. 
Thence it bore northeasterly, crossing Jefferson 
about Ninth, touching TAvelfth (but not cross- 
ing) at Payson AA'enue. there SAviuging around 
toAvard the Avest, it folloAved nearly the line of 
Ohio to Eighth, then north along Eighth to near 
Avhere Dick's BrcAvery uoav stands, thence east; 
irregularly parallel Avith Kentucky, just touch- 
ing the northeast corner of Gov. Wood's gar- 
den : here, veering sharply northAvest, it crossed 
TAvelfth, just north of York, then ran eastAvard 
nearly to Eighteenth. 

From this point. (Jersey and Sixteenth), it 
turned Avest again and passing through the 
back part of L. Bull's grounds gradually 
neared Maine Street so as to take in the Web- 
ster School House, a fcAv of the trees standing 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAJIS COUNTY. 



there yet. From the corner of Maine and 
Twelfth, it ran by a wavering line to the corner 
of Hampshire and Eighth. This part of the city 
(Droulard's qnarter between Eighth and 
Twelfth) was cut up by ravines running from 
north to south, all of them sustaining thickets 
of various length, according to the size of the 
ravine and all pointing northward. The Post 
Office building stands on what was prairie, but 
just on the southei-n edge. The line from there 
ran west, slightly inclining to the south, so as 
to cross the corner of Sixth and Maine street 
diagonally. It passed southwest, touched 
Fifth Street, followed it down on the east side 
as far as the Engine House, crossed the street, 
there, leaving Eobert Tillson's lot, corner of 
Fifth and Jersey, part in the prairie and part 
in the brush; thence it went southwest to near 
the corner of York and Fourth, crossing Fourth 
at the alle.v between York and Kentuckj'. Bend- 
ing then somewhat south, then west, then north 
all in this same block, it recrossed York near 
Third. This was the most westerly limit, the 
nearest approach that the prairie made to the 
tiver. Immediately west, across Third Street, 
there lay, embosomed in the thick timber, a 
pretty little pond, a noted resort for wild 
ducks, covering about three acres, its western 
limit reaching nearly to the crest of the bluff. 
Vestiges of this little lake existed as late as 
1840 and later. Long before this the timber 
had disappeared, and the pond was finally 
drained in cutting York Street through to the 
bluff. 

From here the prairie line went back, passing 
north, up Third to Jersey, thence diagonally 
across block 18. to the corner of Maine and 
Fourth, thence north along the west side of 
Fourth, ^\^th the square (all prairie) on the 
right, it turned across Fourth .ju.st north of 
Hampshire, struck Vermont at Fifth, passed 
along the southern edge of Jefferson Square, 
about one-third of the square being prairie. 
That portion which was afterward a burying 
ground crossed Broadway near Seventh, still 
running northeast, crossed Eighth, then took 
a nearly direct course to Twelfth. Not cross- 
ing Twelfth, it bore off in an irregular line to- 
wards the northwest, and running almo.st to 
Sunset Hill, before reaching which, it swept 
around to the right and noi'th, and again east 
and southeast, joining itself to the heavy tim- 
ber in Cox's addition, making in this part of 
the city just such a pi-airie island as we have 
mentioned in Berrian's addition, only a greatly 
larger one. 

The natural drainage of the city was defec- 
tive entailing no .small amount of difficulty and 
expense in providing for needed sewerage. The 



reason of this is that along the river front 
the ravines which ran up into the bluff, were 
extremely short, scarcely draining as far east 
as the Public Square. A larger portion of the 
city, especially that most easily settled, was 
di-ained to the east. 

By far the largest portion of the water that 
fell ran in the water shed inclines toward the 
east instead of direct to the river, and found 
its way there finally through the great ravines 
that seamed the eastern and central portion of 
the place. 

The crest of the blutt' immediately overlook- 
ing the river, scolloped as it was on the western 
face, by these scant ravines was yet highest 
about the line of Second and Third Streets and 
thence toward the east the land descended for 
some distance. The average height of the bluffs 
above low water mark was 126 feet. The crest 
occasionall.v rose into little conical peaks, in 
many of which bones, weapons, and other re- 
mains of the Indian race have been found. 

The highest among all these was "Mount 
Pisgah. ' ' It stood on the south side of Maine, 
near Second, and was much the highest peak 
on the bluffs, commanding a most attractive 
view of the river and our rich surroundings in 
every direction. Its name was earned first by 
the promising prospects it offered, and after- 
wards was kept ancl claimed, so it is said, from 
the many promises there made, when, in later 
years, it became the trysting place of negotiat- 
ing lads and lassies during the dusky hours. 

The streets have shorn away its northern and 
Avestern face, the vandal grasp of improvement 
toppled its high head to the dust, the vei-y 
heart of the haughty hill has been washed into 
the waves of the river on which it had frowned 
for centuries but there is many a peruser of 
these pages who will always cherish pleasant 
and regretful remembrances of the venerable 
mount. 



CHAPTER III. 
1821. 

BIOGRAPHICAL. JOHN V\OOD. WILLARD KETES, 
THE FIRST INHABITANTS OF QUINCY. THEIR 
EXPLORATIONS. LEGEND OF "TREASURE 
TROVE." PIKE COUNTY ORGANIZED. 

Pioneer history must be mainly biographical. 
It is the record of the actions of individuals. 
Often seemingly insignificant, they lead to re- 



i'AST AND PRESENT OF ADA.AIS (JOUNTY 



suits oi' liigh import.niee. The pioueer goes into 
the wilderness, often i)n)mpted by a i"estless- 
ness of temperament, and unconsciously with his 
axe and rifle, help lay the foundations of city 
and state. He builds more Avisely and broader 
than he knows. 

But the founders of the eity of Quincy. laid 
its foundation with tdear conception of, and a 
confident faith in the future of their enter- 
prise. The actions and the utterances of our 
pioneers, so far as we have any record of them, 
bear testimony to their firm confidence in the 
ultimate growth and prominence of the city. 
Fortunate it is, that in the later i)eriod of their 
lives, they have found solace and satisfaction 
for the trials and hardships of frontier life, in 
the realization of the prosperity for which they 
had long looked and labored. They founded 
one of the most pro.sperous and beautiful cities 
in the State of Illinois. 

To Governor Wood belongs the distinction 
of having been the first actual settler of Quincy. 
A native of Cayuga County, New York, coming 
to Illinois in 1819, in search of a location, he 
met in the winter of that year with Mr. Willard 
Keyes, a Vermonter who, like himself, a single, 
young and adventurous man, was on the look- 
out for a fitting place in which to "settle down 
for life." 

They established themselves in all the royal 
independence of a log cabin in the "Ijottom." 
some thirty miles soutli of where QUINCY now 
is and resided there for two or three years on 
the northern skirt of settlement, in what was 
then lladison, now Pike County. 

Before anchoring themselves, these two 
men, with others, (in the tenth of February, 
1820, started <in an exploring expedition 
through the soutlicni jiart of the Military 
Tract. This joiii'iicy in'cupied several weeks 
and (^rried them along the sections next the 
Illinois River as far north as the base line and 
thence east and south towards the junction of 
the two rivers. Wood and Keyes wanted to 
visit and inspect this ])lace. The pul:)lished 
niajis oT tlie (•(niiitr\'. dd'ccti^'e as tlioy Avere. 
all showed that here was a lilult liank on the 
east side of the river, the only really available 
point north of the mouth of the Illinois for a 
town, that M'nuld always be above overflow. 
It so happened, that these poor boys. Wood 
and Keyes. I'odc liniT(iw<'d horses, and although 
anxious to go, having at last got in its neigh- 
borhood, to the bluffs of the river which their 
imaginations and conversations had fixed upon 
as the site of a future city, could not persuade 
the older heads of the party to go there, and 
hence, passing through about where now is 
Camp Point, then only a point of timber, jutting 



into the prairie and known as Intliau Camp 
Point, and coming in their travel, within about 
twelve miles of QUINCY on their southern re- 
turn, they "put for home," which they reached 
on the first of March, having been eleven days 
on their tour of exploration. This little 
i'l>isode indicates how nearly our pioneers came 
to fixing their location some years jirior to the 
period of their permanent settlement. Still 
clinging to their original thought, awaiting the 
litting chance for its development, they oc- 
rnpieil tliciiiselves with farming and occasional 
exjilorations with seekers for land, whom their 
knowledge of the country and skill in wood- 
craft enabletl them to efficiently aid. From a 
private journal kept by the father of the writer, 
describing a business tour he had made in 1821, 
from his residence in the southern section of the 
state through the military tract, we copy the 
following allusion to our future city fathers. 

"Passed the night with two young bachelors 
from northern New York, Wood and Keyes by 
name. These young men propose to be perma- 
nent settlers and have all the requisites of char- 
acter til make good citizens, much as will add 
to the chai'acter of a community ami the de- 
velopment of landed values about them." 

It was on one of the land-seeking excursions, 
as above named, in February, 1821, that Wood 
at last struck upon the long-thought-of El 
Diiradii. Pihiting two men, Molfatt and Flynn. 
in se;irch iif a (piarter section of land owned by 
the latter, it i)roved to lie the ([uarter section 
immediately east of and ailjoining his present 
residence, on the corner of Twelfth and State 
Streets. The primitive beauties of the location 
touched his fancy: and he determined that it 
was just what he desired and should be secured, 
if within his power. The locality we have de- 
scribed in our second chapter. It was a dis- 
a])pointment to Flynn, Avho was impressed with 
its loneliness, and said he would not have a 
neighbor in fifty years. He carried away with 
him these feelings of dissatisfaction. On 
Wood's return to his cabin he lost no time in 
[louring into the eager ears of his jiartner his 
enthusiastic impressions: and his intention of 
returning to ])lant himself for life. Catching 
the infection A\liich so blended with his own 
predilections and desires. Keyes, at Ins first con- 
venience, bori'owed a horse from his nearest 
neighbor, eight miles distant, and going up 
alone to look at the promised land and see for 
himself: needed but a single glance to become 
convinced that he need seek no further, or, 
to use his own words, that "not the half had 
been told." lie laid out for the night at the 
foot of the bhii'f near the river, returned on the 
following day, and thenceforth, the purposes 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



of the young adventurers were fixed. Their 
home was ehosen, the site of the future city was 
selected and they waited only the opportunity 
to establish themselves. 

These details are given as indicative of the 
ideas that stimulated our ancestoi's in their 
settlement of the place. Circumstance, as has 
been seen, conspired to lead them to conceal the 
profoiuid satisfaction which they entertained 
respecting their future home. Wood, it will be 
remembered, was "tongue-tied" by the pres- 
ence of parties from whom he expected to pur- 
chase, and before whom it was not judicioiis 
to too strongly express himself, and whatever 
Keyes maj' have said or thought, could hardly 
have been remendiered and brought away by 
his sole companion, another man's horse. 

The primitive appearance of the place has 
been heretofore portrayed. It was an un- 
broken wild with no evidences of past perma- 
nent occupation, save the remains of a few rude 
stone chimneys or fire-places on the river bank 
about the foot of Broadwa^' and Delaware 
streets. These were known to be the vestiges of 
the huts erected by French traders who in past 
years had occasionally Avintered here, or some- 
times made it a temporary rendezvous in their 
occasional dealing with the Indians. 

There was a tradition connected with the 
locality current among the Indians and fron- 
tiermen. of a "treasure trove" that may yet 
start up to the enrichment of some child of 
fortune. 

The story, fully as well authenticated as the 
legends of Capt. Kidd and Aladdin, is. that a 
wealthy Indian trader by the name of Bauvet, 
who lived here about the year 1811. buried two 
kegs of French crowns and was shortly after- 
ward killed by the Indians, leaving the secret 
of his deposit unrevealed. The proof of this 
story will lie established by the finding of the 
crowns. 

The site of Quincy was at this time in Madi- 
son County. 

The Legislatui-e on the 31st of January. 1821. 
formed the county of Pike, embracing all the 
territory between the Illinois and Mississippi 
rivers, reaching on the noi'tli to the Wisconsin 
line. Cole's Grove, now in Calhoun county, and 
since called Gilead. was the county seat. At the 
same session. February 14tli, a legislative ap- 
portionment law was passed making Pike a rep- 
resentative, and Pike and Greene counties a 
senatorial district. So numei'ous and .sometimes 
so conflicting were the applications for new 
counties, that on the 30th of January, a law 
was passed requiring that all intended applica- 
tions to the General Assembly for the forma- 
tion of counties must be previously published 



twelve times in a newspaper. The only news- 
paper in the country was published at Ed- 
Avardsville. John Wood led the movement, 
which after a few years resulted in the forma- 
tion of Adams County. 



CHAPTER IV. 



1822. 

JOIiN- WOOD'S LOG CABIN THE FIRST BUILDING 
IN QUINCY. SIXTY DOLLARS FOR ONE HUN- 
DRED AND SIXTY ACRES. DANIEL LISLE AND 
JUSTUS PERIGO. THE FIRST SETTLERS IN 
ADAMS COUNTY. (THEN PIKE). FIRST STATE 
ELECTIONS. EFFORT OF THE PRO-SLAVERY 
ELEMENT TO CHANGE THE CONSTITUTION. 

Wood and Keyes had but little difficulty in 
securing from Flynn the "refusal" of the land 
whose fertility and surroundings had so fast- 
ened upon their fancy. Flynn was as zealous to 
get rid of, as they wei-e to accjuire it. There 
was, however, a difficulty of another natui'e and 
one ecpially important to overcome. It took 
money to buy the land, and the enormous price 
askecl by Flynn of sixty dollars for these 160 
acres, was a fabulous sum to our young ad- 
venturers. They had, however, twenty dollars 
of their own and a neighbor forty miles away, 
happened to have the forty more to loan them 
and the trade was completed, to the satisfaction 
of all parties, in the summer of 1822. In the 
fall of this year. Wood came up and making 
"camp" on the bank of the river near the foot 
of Delaware street, commenced the erection of 
the first building within the limits of the pres- 
ent city. Not very pretentious was this lone 
structure, no architectural skill elaborated its 
style, no "sealed proposals" heralded its con- 
struction, no scheduled "estimate or written 
contracts," formalized its birth. It Avas a log 
cabin of the most primitive sort, 20 by 18 feet 
in size, built without the use of a single nail, a 
stranger to the ai'istocrae.y of "salved lumber." 
clay chinked. Avith puncheon floor, rough stone 
fire place and chimney built of sticks bedaubed 
Avith clay. It Avas truly a Avooden structure 
both in material and maker. With occasional 
aid from his distant neighbors in Pike, especial- 
ly at the "raising," Mr. Wood Avas eniibled to 
complete his home sufficiently to Avarrant mov- 
ing in on the eighth of December, 1822. This 
cabin, long since destroyed, is remembered by 
some of the old settlers. It stood on the south- 
east corner of Front and DelaAvare streets, 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAAIS COUNTY. 



faeiug west. Const niuted with more care than 
was usual in those early days, subsequently, 
with additions made, a porch attached, wliite- 
Avash liberally used and surroundings attended 
to, it became noted for an appearance of com- 
fort and taste superior to most of tlie houses 
iu the country. 

For the first seven years, its ownership was 
a divided or doubtful one between two claim- 
ants, John Wood, the constructor and occupant, 
and the United States, in which rested the 
ownership of the laud. For a while, the gov- 
ernment claim was the only valid one. Although 
Mr. Wood at this time owned the land which 
he had purchased from Flynn and "which he 
was now preparing to farm, the first soil, in this 
section broken, by a plow (he was a "squat- 
ter") was on the spot where he lived. Then 
and for some years later, the squatter on unsold 
government land was an intruder, (in law, a 
"trespa.sser. '■) Subse(iuently, a judicious and 
liberal reversal of the government policy, gave 
to the squatter a color of prior claim to the 
ownership of the land on which he had located 
whenever it came into market through the oper- 
ation of the pre-emption laws. Excepting the 
patent on bounty lands, all the land in this sec- 
tion south of the base line wa.s not siabject to 
entry or purchase, until 1829. 

At the time of Wood's settlement there were 
but two other white residents within the limits 
of Avhat now constitutes Adams county. These 
were Daniel Lisle (afterwards County bommis- 
sioner) who lived a short distance south of 
where the town of Liberty now stands; some 
of whose descendants are yet residents in that 
neighborhood, and Justus I. Perigo, an old sol- 
dier who had settled in Section 9, 3 S. 8 W, on 
the quarter section which he had drawn. This 
land joins the well known "Chatten" farm in 
Fall (ireek township and was probably the first 
improved, or perhaps we had better say culti- 
vated land in the county. Taking the statement 
reported to have been made by its owner in the 
early times, it must have been in a singularly 
advanced condition of culture for those days. 

The story is that Perigo. practically "con- 
scious of what Adam had been told thatit was 
"not well for man to be alone," went for a 
wife in the southern part of the state, and suc- 
cessfully dazzled the fancy of a "confiding fe- 
male" by the representation that he owned a 
farm of one hunclred and sixty acres, on which 
he had two thousand bearing apple trees. Rec- 
ord has not perpetuated Mrs. Perigo 's com- 
ments, Avhen. on coming up to the farm, she 
found that the two thousand apple trees were 
wild crabs. 

Throughout the succeeding winter. Wood, 



with an occasional assistant, found ample em- 
ployment iu clearing the premises about his 
cabin, "mauling rails," etc, preparatory to his 
farming operations in the coming year, keeping 
"bachelor's hall" in the single tenement of 
which he was the sole occupant in 1822. 

The elections in August, 1822, had generally 
a fortunate result, Edward Coles was chosen 
governor over three contestants, receiving a 
minority vote, but a larger one than any of his 
competitors. A. T. Hi;bbard was chosen Lieu- 
tenant Governor. He afterwards resided in 
Quincy and his remains lie in the "old grave 
yard" now called Jefferson Square. Daniel P. 
Cook was again elected Representative to Con- 
gress by an increased majority over John Mc- 
Lain, his opponent, in 1820. Thomas Carlin, 
afterwards Governor, was elected State Sena- 
tor from the Pike and Greene District, embrac- 
ing what is now Adams, and Nicholas Hanson, 
representative to the General Assembly. The 
election of Coles and Cook was an advantage 
to the cause of freedom that can never be over- 
estimated. They represented, the former es- 
pecially, anti-slavery element in the state and 
to Governor Coles, his position, example, en- 
ergy and efficient action perhaps more than to 
any other man, is due the redemption of Illinois 
from the designs of the slavery propagandists. 
Now, for the first time, fairly entered this fire- 
band into the political arena which it inflamed 
with intense excitement, to the exclusion of all 
other issues, throughout the two succeeding 
yeai's, absorbing all minor questions and draw- 
ing a line of division through the political ele- 
ments on which the political organizations of 
all subsequent time have stood and still exist, 

Jesse R. Tliomas was re-chosen Ihiited States 
Senator by the Legislature this year. 

Two questions of exciting nature came before 
the Genei-al Assembly in 1822 and 1823, and in 
reference to them, the representatives from the 
"Kingdom of Pike." as our huge county, three 
hundred miles long and with an average width 
of fifty miles, was called, became part of a "cu- 
rious piece of political history, which has oc- 
casionally been published as an illustration of 
sharp practice iu the early days. The seat of 
Nicholas Hanson, representative from Pike, was 
contested by John Shaw, and after an exami- 
nation into the question, Hanson was allowed 
the place, as was proper, he having, undoubt- 
edly, been elected. The election for LTnited 
States Senator came on soon after and Jesse B. 
Thomas, the former member, was re-elected. 
Hanson voted for him. The other issue to 
which allusion was made above, tlien came 
forward. An organized effort was made to in- 
troduce slaverv into Illinois, 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



13 



Forbidden in the Coustitution of 1818, it 
could only be legalized by the revision of the 
constitution and in that instrument it was pro- 
vided, that, to call a convention for such pur- 
pose two-thirds of each branch of the legisla- 
ture, must order an election and the people 
then vote in favor of such call and then the 
legislature order, etc. The senate had a two- 
third majority of pro-slavery men, so that there 
no difficulty was found ; while in the House 
they lacked just one of the requisite two-thirds. 
But where there is a will there is a way to 
shape desired ends. Wrong never knows 
scruples. Consistently with the policy, it ever 
after possessed, of defying law, right and de- 
cency when its interests demanded, slavery re- 
solved upon its course. Shaw, a coarse, pliant 
and not scrujjulous man, the unsuccessful con- 
testant of Hanson, was sent for and he agreed 
if the seat would be given to him that he would 
vote for the convention. So the question de- 
cided ten weeks before was reconsidered. Han- 
son, who had been admitted and held the office 
for ten weeks, was turned out. Shaw was 
voted in, and casting his vote for the conven- 
tion, it carried, and three days after Shaw's 
admission the General Assembly adjourned. 
These facts have been heretofore published, but 
usually with an impoi'tant error. Probably to 
give piquancy to the story, it has been said that 
Hanson was admitted to vote for Thomas, which 
Shaw would not have done, and that Shaw was 
afterward brought in to vote for the conven- 
tion as Hanson would not do. This is not cor- 
rect. The senatorial election had no influence 
in determining Hanson's claim to a seat. It 
was decided on its merits. The turning him out 
was an after-thought, resorted to, when it was 
found, towards the close of the session, that one 
vote was needed, and Shaw's pliabilit}^ and 
general views were known to be just what was 
required. Shaw was a rough, course natured 
man. of some means and more notoriety, of a 
most suspiciousl.v contraband complexion and 
appearance, and not burdened with any amount 
of scruples to unload, that would have pre- 
A^ented him from voting any way on any sub- 
ject (or promising to do so) to get his seat. He 
was known as the "Black Prince" of Calhoun. 
The effect of this high-handed defiance of rule 
and propriety, was most seriously damaging to 
the cause of the pro-slavery men, and was a 
charge during the .succeeding canvass which 
they could not deny or defend. 

At this session.' December 30th, 1822. the 
boundaries of Pike County were more complete- 
ly defined, the base line six miles north of 
Qtiiney being the northern limit, all above, be- 
ing "attached." Provision was also made for 



the selection of a county seat which should be 
south of the base line. Calhoun county was 
subsequently cut off from the lower portion of 
Pike with Cole's Grove (Gilead) as its county 
seat, while the county seat of Pike was estab- 
lished at Atlas, forty miles south of Quincy, 
which thus became the legal centre of this part 
of the county for the next three years. 



CHAPTER V. 

18 2;-!. 

JEREMIAH ROSE. PIONEER HOSPITALITY. FIRST 
STEAMBOAT TO LAND. FIRST PASSENGER. 
STEAMBOATS DESCRIBED. SALE OF LANDS IN 
•■MILITARY TRACT" FOR TAXES. KEYES BUYS 
A HALF SECTION. 

The legislation bearing especially upon this 
section (what is now Adams Coimty) during 
the year 1823, was not exten.sive or important. 
On the 28th of January, Fulton County was 
formed by detaching that portion of the mili- 
tary tract lying east of the Meridian; and on 
the 18th of February, as stated in the preced- 
ing chapter, by the aid of Shaw, the bogus rep- 
resentative from Pike, the call for a conven- 
tion to revise the Constitution of the State, 
passed the General Assembly, and thereupon, 
commenced the fierce political struggle, which 
raged throughout the farthest bounds of the 
state and was ended by the decisive result at 
the polls eighteen months later. 

In ]\Iarch of this year. Major Jeremiah Rose, 
with his wife and daughter, moved up from the 
lower part of Pike County, where he had been 
residing, and commenced "housekeeping" in 
Wood's cabin, its proprietor boarding with 
them. 

The same sjiring. Wood and Rose broke and 
put under tillage about thirty acres of the land 
on either side of State street, just east of 12th, 
which Wood had enclosed during the winter, 
this being the land bought by him of Flyun, 
and the first cultivated ground in the vicinity. 

There was very little immigration during the 
year, though a few settlers dropped in at scat- 
tered points throughout the county. Tyrer, on 
his land in Melrose, southeast of the city. ^lajor 
Campbell and the Worleys in the Rock Creek 
section, and perhaps half a dozen other fami- 
lies, or, generallj^, single men, settled in other 
localities. The little family of four monarchs 
of all they surveyed plodded diligently on 



14 



I'AST AXU PRESENT OP ADA.MS COUNTY. 



through the inouotoiioiis time, gradually sur- 
rounding themselves with more and more of the 
comforts of home, plain as these comforts were, 
and extending the sphere of their farming la- 
bors as the months rolled along. An occasional 
land hunter; a straggling squad of Indians; 
the monthlj- passage by of the military mail 
carrier from below to Fort Edwards (War- 
saw) : now and then a United States Army offi- 
cer on his tour of duty; these were the ran- 
dom links that gave them some connection with 
civilization. 

Whoever came, stepped at once into the hos- 
pitalities he sought without doubt as to wel- 
come or waiting for an invitation. 

Hotels were unknown, or i-ather it might be 
said, that every cabin, tent, or camp was a free 
hotel, a "'lodge in the wilderness" open to the 
unasked use of all. Those were the days when 
"every stranger seemed a friend and every 
friend a brother."' and the traveler more than 
rei)aid the care he caused when he opened his 
budget of news and gossij) from the far-off 
world. 

Such was the social condition throughout the 
whole frontier of the west here and elsewhere, 
and this, like some others, from location or ac- 
cident, became one of the noted stations for the 
traveler's hospitable welcome. Statelier struc- 
tures have since arisen, from which reach out 
more tempting offerings of luxury and style, 
but never has the wearied wayfarer been sol- 
aced with truer comfort and rest, than in the 
rough-hewn huts of our pioneer sires. Rugged 
as might lie the outer seeming, welcome smiled 
on the threshold and i)lenty crowned the board, 
and in the little clean-kept cabin, from stranger 
and sojourner faded away all thought of home- 
ly cheer while partaking of the land hospitality 
of their hosts. 

A salient episode in the UKjnotony of the 
time, was the appearance of the "Virginia," 
the first steamboat that attempted the naviga- 
tion on the upper Mississippi. It was a stern 
wheeler with a cabin on the lower deck, and no 
upper works, not even a pilot house. It was 
steered by a tiller in the hands of the pilot, as 
are canal boats at the present time. It was 
118 feet long and 22 feet beam, and drew six 
feet when moderately loaded. 

The "Virginia" passed up in May of this 
year with the object of demonstrating the feasi- 
bility of navigation by stream of the Missis- 
sippi from St. Louis to its junction with the 
^linnesota (Fort Snelling). This, thoiigh the 
first boat that passed ovei' the lower rapids, 
was but the second that had ascended to that 
point. Three years before, a government steam- 
er, the "Western Engineer," commanded bv 



or under the direction of Major S. II. Long, an 
army officer eminent for his acquirements as a 
discoverer and civil engineer, steamed up as 
high as Keokuk. This was in the summer of 
1820 or 1821 ; authorities disagree upon the 
j)recise date. 

On its downward trip, Mr. Asa Tyrer, who 
afterward located, lived and died east of what 
was long known as Tyrers' (now Watson's) 
Spring, happened to be on the river bank, hav- 
ing roamed here to examine his land. He hailed 
the steamboat, was taken on board and thus the 
Engineer became the first steamer that landed 
at Quincy, and Mr. Tyrer the fir.st passenger 
therefrom. It was many years before another 
was seen. 

Before this time, and f(U' many years after- 
ward, transportation on the river was carried 
on by keel boats, which made their periodical 
trips from St. Louis to Fort Cranford, Prairie 
Du Chien or Fort Snelling. laden with sup- 
plies for the army and the Indians, and what- 
ever else of freight might be picked up. The 
ordiiun-y speed of these boats was from eight 
to twelve miles a day. by being cordelled or 
poled along tlic hanks except when, with a 
favoral)le south wind, sail could be raised, when 
their progress was greatl.v accelerated. 

Freight usually had a fixed price, that is, the 
charge was as great to any intermediate point 
as throughout the whole distance unless the 
shipper would guarantee that when his way 
freight was taken out an equal amount should 
replace it. Then rates proportionate to dis- 
tance would be charged. 

The construction of the Engineer "smoke 
boat" or "fire canoe," as the Indians termed 
the steamboat, was pecidiar enoiTgh to warrant 
description. Authorities differ somewhat as to 
the detail of appearance, one writer says that 
"on the bow running from the keel, was the 
image of a huge serpent, painted black, its 
mouth red, and tongue the color of a live coal ; 
the steam escaped through the mouth of this 
image. The Indians looked upon it with great 
wonder and astonishment. They declared it 
was the power of the great Spirit ; and said the 
big snake carried the boat on its back. Some 
were afraid to go near the machinery. The 
steamer was in command of Lieutenant Swift, 
but the vessel was not very swift, but as a 
means of exploration, the boat was a success. 
She was a side-wheeler, and the first to ascend 
the Upper Missouri, and Mississippi." Another 
and more reliable authority, the Rev. John M. 
Peck, who writes from his personal observa- 
tion, says "the boat was a small one with a 
stern wheel and an escape pipe so contrived as 
to emit a torrent of smoke and steam through 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAJIS COUNTY. 



15 



the head of a .serpent with a red forked tongue 
projecting from the bow." 

A steamer, however, was a curiosity in those 
days. It was not until about the year 1830 
that steamboats fairly superseded the keel 
b.oats on the Upper Mississippi, and not until a 
later period, that their business became gen- 
eral and regular. The reasons were manifold. 
One was the light amount of business that 
offered either way up or down, and unless 
.steamboats had a shipment of government 
stores for army or Indian use, it did not pay to 
steam into the wilderness, and again the con- 
struction of boats in those days precluded nav- 
igation of the upper rivers except during for 
a short period of the year. 

They were built shiplike on ocean models, 
round bottomed and deep, drawing more water 
light, than the largest packets no^v draw 
loaded. 

The steamers of "old times," as recollection 
pictures them, contrast strikingly with the 
floating palaces of to-day. They were short, 
blunt, broad, with small wheels; the wheel- 
house rarely rising above the level of the cabin 
floor. The ladies' cabin was located at the 
stern of the boat as now. the gentlemen's cabin 
was below and in the rear of the w'heel houses. 
The sides of the cabins were filled with two 
and sometimes three tiei-s of berths, with long 
curtains that diiring the day w^ere drawn aside. 
State rooms were much later inventions ; not 
until about 1836 were these in use, and only 
then and later, w^as the custom of making the 
cabins all lined with staterooms, general. 

The space now occupied by the main cabin 
was unfinished and iised by the half-fare or 
"deck" passengers. The roof did not, as now, 
extend forward over the boiler deck. It ran 
about tw-o-thirds the length of the boat with 
the little pilot house standing on its forward 
edge. There was no cover to the boiler deck 
and up through it ran the two chimneys. A 
single engine only was used with one escape 
pipe and especial care was taken to have the 
escape of the steam as loud as possible, so that 
it might serve as a note of warning to the 
coiuitry for ten miles or more ai'ound. 

A bowsprit from six to ten feet long pro- 
truded at the front on the end of which the 
fiag staft' rested. Some of the earlier built boats 
made use of the bowsprit as a scape pipe for 
the steam as depicted in another part of this 
chapter. 

Some of these seekers for land during this 
and the following year returned and settled in 
various directions but they were few and scat- 
tered. Only those who. as soldiers, had drawn 
land or tho.se who had bought of the soldier. 



could legally occupy the government land, for, 
as we have stated, it did not come into market 
until about 1830. 

The boinity lands were first offered for sale, 
under state laws, for taxes, in December of this 
year at Vandalia, when all the lands granted 
by the government to soldiers lying between 
the two rivers where defaidt to pay taxes had 
occurred, were put up for sale and this sale 
attracted a great representation of settlers and 
speculators. So extensive, however, was the 
amount of land offered in contrast with the 
number and means of the attendant purchasers 
that little or no competition occurred, the buy- 
ers formed in a circle on the day of sale and 
the lots were bought in turn, and subsequently 
divided by the purchasers. Mr. Keyes (who up 
to this time remained at the old residence in 
five south, six west) and i\Ir. Wood, attended 
this sale and purchased sundry lots in the vicin- 
ity of Quincy, trusting to their intended occu- 
pancy and the chance of obtaining the other 
title if their tax purchase was not redeemed. 
At this time Mr. Keyes purchased the half sec- 
tion north of Broadway and We.st of 12th 
street, for the amount of taxes and costs 
amounting to about eleven dollars. the complete 
title of which he acquired at a later day. 

Atlas was now and for two years after the 
nearest postoffice. To that place a weekly mail 
carried on horseback was brought. 



CHAPTER VI. 



1824. 

CABINS OF WOOD. KEYES. DROUL.A.RD. FIRST 
BLACKSMITH. FIRST PHYSICI.A.N. PRO-SLAV- 
ERY AGITATION. TIN TEAPOT FOR A BALLOT 
BOX. FIRST PRESIDENTIAL ELECTON. GOV- 
ERNOR CARLIN. ROLL CALL OF ARRIVALS. 

In the spring of 1828 Willard Keyes, who two 
or three years before had been keeping "bache- 
lor's hall" with John Wood, about thirty miles 
south of where Quincy now is, came up to the 
"bluffs," following his old "pardner," Wood, 
and built for himself a cabin some twenty feet 
s(iuare, and rather larger and more pretentious 
than that of Wood's. It was located near what 
is now the corner of First and Vermont streets. 
This" settlement" of Keyes' was a" squat," the 
term in those days, applied to a location or 
residence on government land not yet subject 
to entry, and was in oppo-sition to the laws 
which forbid such settlement and occupation, 
ilr. Keyes hoped, however, to obtain a pre- 



i6 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADA.AIS COUNTY 



emptiou uiidei' the law wliicli would entitle him 
to priority in purchase when the land became 
subject to sale. But the fact of its being frac- 
tional and the subsequent taking it for the 
county seat under the provisions of a law which 
reserved any quarter section from private entry 
that had been selected as a county seat, before 
its otfer for sale, spoiled the hopes of the pio- 
neer. He cared little about this, because it 
was mainly through him that the county seat 
was located where it now is to the sacritice of 
his immediate interests in the laud on which 
he lived. This rough, little cramped cabin be- 
came a prominent building, because put to 
many pTiblic uses in those early days. It was 
the "temple of justice" where the first court 
was held. It was the place for public assem- 
blages, where the early officials met and the 
primitive organizations were matured, some- 
times it served for religious meetings (like 
Wood's cabin, a half a mile south) ; it was a 
general free hotel for the wanderer and the 
wayfarer, and the temporary stopping place 
of the inuuigrant with his family until he coiild 
make his pennauent location in the ueighbor- 
hood. This was the second house built in 
Quiiicy. 

In the fall of this year came John Droulard, 
a Frenchman, aiid a shoemaker by trade, who 
had served in the army. He became the owner 
of the northeast quarter of section two, town- 
ship two south, range nine west, the 160 acres 
now in the center of the city lying immediately 
east of the fractional quarter on which Keyes 
had settled ; bounded by Broadway and 12th 
streets on the north and east, on the west by 
the alley, running from Maine to Hampshire, 
between 6th and 7th, and on the south by a 
line nearly half way between Kentucky and 
York streets. This was a choice piece of pi'op- 
erty, which, in a few years, Droulard frittered 
away. He erected a cabin near the northeast 
corner of what is now Jersey and Stli streets, 
a little west of where the gas works are situ- 
ated. These three houses. Wood's, Keyes' and 
Droulard 's, were the only buildings in the place 
in 1824. This same season, Asa T.yrer, who 
had visited the place some years before, came 
again and set up a cabin and blacksmith shop 
about a mile southeast, near what was long 
known as Tyrer's Spring, since called Watson's 
Spring, named for Ben Watson, the son-in-law 
of Tyrer. who long lived there afterward. A 
Dr. Thomas Baker, the earliest physician in the 
county, came also during the summer and es- 
tablished himself about two miles south, below 
the bluff. He was a learned and skillful man. 
A few years later, he moved north into what 
is now Mercer countv, and shortly after, was 



accidently killetl — kicked by his horse. The 
three families first named, Wood, then unmar- 
ried, with whom was Major Rose and family, 
Keyes also a bachelor and Droulard with a 
family were the people of Quincy. Their spe- 
cial pioneership may be stated thus: Wood 
first came, built and settled; Rose theu fol- 
lowed, took Wood's cabin, kept house for him 
and brought hither the first family; Keyes was 
next in the order of coming, and the first to 
settle on what became the original town of 
(^luincy. and Di'oulard was tlu^ first resident 
laiRl owner. Keyes. Wootl ami Rose were liv- 
iug on land to which as yet they had not ob- 
tained title. They were "squatters" in fact, 
as were many of our early settlers at first, but 
they were the possessors of the entire ai'ea, and 
their apparent ownershij:) "fenced in," as it 
were, the locality so that there seemed "no 
abiding place" for anyone else until the fol- 
lowing year, when the establishment of the 
county seat on the fractional northwest quar- 
ter of section two, threw the land open to set- 
tlement. There were a few settlers around 
within a range of thirty miles or more, less 
than a liundred in all, men, women and chil- 
dren. The census of the following year gave 
192 as the poi)ulatioii of Adams and Hancock. 
Quiet and monotonous was the life they led on 
this edge of ci\'ilization ; devoted to their sim- 
ple daily task, gathering the news from the 
outer world that came through the meagre 
monthly mail or was brought by the occasional 
traveler or the incoming settler, who were cer- 
tain to he thoi'oughly pumped of all the news 
they contained. Yet their isolation inu\ ilis- 
tance from older commiTuities did not prevent 
their taking interest in public affairs and the 
growing future of the great state whose for- 
tunes they had linked with their own. And 
the time soon came for this little community to 
play a not unimportant part in the movements 
permanently shaping the destiny of Illinois. 
During this year, there came up and was set- 
tled the most exciting and vital political strug- 
gle that ever affected the social, political, moral 
and material interest of the state. 

Illinois six years before had been admitted 
to the union with a free constitution, biit was 
in many respects, practically a slave state. Tier 
early settlers were mainly from the south, and 
most of her public men were of southern birth 
and proclivities. Slaves had. without restric- 
tion, been brought here during territorial times 
and even later, and they remained here as 
slaves. Again, by stipulation in the treaties 
which transferred all of the Louisiana terri- 
tory, embracing the valley of the Mississippi, 
negroes belonging to the French and Span- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



17 



ish owners remaiued slaves for life, aud the 
ehildreu of such slaves so eoutiuued until they 
became twenty-eight years of age. Thus a 
large slave element aud interest existed. 

The election as governor in IS'2'J, of Coles, 
an avowed emancipationist, wlio had brought 
hither his own slaves from Virginia and given 
them their freedom, aroused all the latent dis- 
agreeing elements on this siibjeet and stimu- 
lated a struggle as bitter and fierce as always 
characterized contests over this issue during 
the after years Avhen the pro-slavery interest 
attempted to dominate the nation. It was es- 
sential to the introduction, aud sustaining of 
slavery, such as existed, that the constitution 
should be changed. To do this a convention 
must be called. In the legislature of 1822-23 
one vote was needed to pass the law calling for 
a convention to be voted for at the next elec- 
tion. It was furnished from the "military 
tract." 

The scheme by which a majority in the legis- 
latiu'e was secured in favor of the convention, 
has been related. The measure was adopted 
by a ma.jority of one. 

From this time, the spring of 1821:!, for eight- 
een months, until the August election of 1824, 
the state was stirred up with great excitement. 
Voting for a convention, meant and was recog- 
nized as voting for slavery. If a convention 
was called, the apportionment in the state was 
such that it would have a majority of pro- 
slavery members, and there was the certainty 
that a constitution recognizing slavery would 
be framed and adopted without .submission to a 
popular vote, just as the con.stitution of 1818 
was adopted. 

There were but four votes in Quincy, and in 
what is now Adams county there were perhaps 
a score or more, but they were earnest and ac- 
tive. The county, which was then Pike, as far 
north as the base line six miles above QiTiney, 
was canvassed thoroughly, so was all the coun- 
try north as far as Rock Island. The voters 
turned out en masse, and on Sunday morning, 
the day before the election, nearly fifty had 
gathered here at the "Bluffs," as the placi; was 
then called. They rode to Atlas, forty nules 
south, swimming the creeks which were "bank 
full," and plumped their votes on the follow- 
ing day. Of the one hundred votes cast at At- 
las, ninety-seven were for "no convention" or 
a free state, and three were "for the conven- 
tion." The "no convention" ticket swept the 
state by about 1,800 majority, and Illinois was 
preserved to freedom. 

At this same election, Nicholas Hanson, who 
had been so imceremoniously ejected from the 
previous legislature, was re-chosen by a most 



decisive vote, lie resigned before his term 
expired and was succeeded by Levi Roberts, of 
Fulton county. Fulton and Pike were then a 
representative disti-ict. Thomas Carlin (aftei-- 
ward governor) was elected state senator. Dan- 
iel P. Cook was elected again to congress over 
his competitor, ex-(;overnor Bond. Illinois was 
entitled to but one representative, Niniau Ed- 
Avards, U. S. senator, having resigned. John ilc- 
Lean was chosen as his successor. 

The presidential election in November, which 
resulted in the success of John Quincy Adams, 
was marked by a feature which is said to have 
had some bearing upon the name given to the 
county and town in the following year. At this 
time the whole country between the rivers, 
north of Pike county, was attached to that 
county, and called, from its extent, the "King- 
dom of Pike." As there were no organized 
or authorized voting places north of Atlas the 
settlers concluded to try their own hands in- 
dependently at electing a president. ' Accord- 
ingly on the day of election some twenty or 
more of them assembled, and organized a poll 
by electing judges and clerks and made use of 
a" tin teapot for a ballot box and voted. John 
Wood came up from Atlas the day before with 
a list of the Adams electors. Nobody knew the 
names of the Clay or Crawford electors. They 
all wanted to vote. So, though many of them 
thought that Jackson or Crawford or Clay was 
the better man, they uiuinimously voted the 
Adams ticket. 

At this presidential election in November, 
182-i, twenty votes were said to have been cast. 
This number is not improbable, as men were 
then allowed to vote, away from home, any- 
where in the state at general elections, and the 
qualifications of the voters as to age, citizen- 
ship, etc., were rarely inquired into. Indeed, 
some of the voters on this occasion were resi- 
dents of Missouri, but who could not find any 
other place in which to exercise their free- 
man's privilege. There is one point in this old 
and oft told story of their nuiking use of an 
old teapot for a ballot box which is of more 
tlian doubtful validity, aud which rather tends 
to cloud the Avhole transaction with some un- 
certainty. The manner of voting then in this 
state was viva voce, and not until tweuty-four 
years, was the liallot box system adopted as 
the law. Why or how a teapot should have 
been needed is somewhat of a puzzle. Still, as 
all the parties are dead and the story now can 
neither be refuted nor proven, it is well enough 
to let it stand and not be too critical in the vin- 
dication of the truth of the story. 

The presidential election had no political 
character. The contest between General Jack- 



I'AST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



son, Henry (-'lay, John Quincy Adams and Wm. 
H. Crawford for the presidency was almost en- 
tirelj' personal, and based, mainly, on individ- 
nal preferences or local feeling. These men 
had all been more or less closely associateii 
Avith the late administration of President Mon- 
roe and entertained nearly the same general 
political ideas. This was also the case in re- 
gard to the local elections and officials. 

Hanson and Carlin — representative and sen- 
ator — represented no party, for there were 
no parties nor party names, to serve lender. 
They were of general agreement in public mat- 
ters but of different stamp of character and 
training, and would have drifted into opposi- 
tion over the strong political lines that formed 
a few years later. These two were important 
men in their day. Hanson was possessed of 
more than ordinary ability, and had a great 
deal of influence in the legislature and at home. 
After he resigned his seat in the house, during 
this session, he returned to New York, his na- 
tive state. Carlin filled a large place in the his- 
tory of this section and the state. He was state 
senator for eight years, soon after came to 
Quincy as receiver of the land office, and in 
1838, Avas chosen governor. He was a man of 
limited attainments, of rough apjiearance and 
habits, but had force of character, good .judg- 
ment and i^ersonal integrity, qualities which se- 
cured him public confidence and success. 

Settlers came slowly drifting into the vicin- 
ity during the year ; perhaps a dozen or more 
families settled in what afterward became 
Adams county, most of them in the southern 
portion. None came to Quincy, or the "Bluffs." 
as it was then called. These settlers were either 
soldiers who had come to take possession of the 
land which thej' had drawn as bounty, or par- 
ties who had purchased of the soldiers. No 
other than the military bounty lands had, as 
yet, come into market. These settlers passed 
directly on to their lands and commenced and 
were kept busied with their rude improve- 
ments. During the year there moved into the 
county, Levi Wells, Orestes and Zephaniah 
Ames, Amos Bancroft, Rial Crandall, James 
Pearce, L. Budkirk, the Soehorns, Elias Adams, 
Lawrence Cranford, Daniel Moore, Peter Jour- 
ney and perhaps half a dozen others. There was 
but little intercourse because the people were 
few, were busy clearing their lands and lived 
far apart. There was no trading because there 
Avas nothing raised to sell, and but little was 
Avanted. Supplies, .such as could not be raised 
at home and Avere needed, Avere obtained from 
Clarksville or Louisiana or sometimes, from St. 
Louis. Clarksville, Missouri, Avas then the post- 
office. Aftei-Avard a postoffiee was established at 



Atlas, forty miles south. Up to this time, none 
but log houses Avere built in the county, and all 
of these Avere built Avithout iron, all ties and 
fastenings being made Avith Avooden pins. 



CHAPTER VII. 



1825. 

COMMISSIONKRS LAY OUT THE TOWN AND FIX 
THE COUNTY SEAT. AVHY COUNTY NAMED 
■•ADAMS" AND TOWN "QUINCY." FIRST AVED- 
DING. FIRST CIRCUIT COURT. MAILS ONCE A 
AVEEK, DIFFICULTY IN GETTING TITLE TO 
SITE OF CITY. FIRST PLAT OF CITY. FIRST 
SALE OF LOTS. FIRST BURIAL GROUND. FIRST 
COURT HOUSE. ROLL OF NAMES OF EARLY 
SETTLERS. 

Eighteen hundred and twenty-five Avas a no- 
table year in the history of Quincy. It Avas 
the natal year of county and city, and when the 
former assumed its permanent place in the po- 
litical structure of the .state. In 182-4, and also 
in 1825, up to the time AA'lien the Commissioners 
authorized by the state, came to locate the 
county seat of the ncAV county, there Avere at 
"the bluff's" but three resident families and 
as many cabins. These last Avere, as has been 
related, first, John Wood's cabin, near the cor- 
ner of DelaAvare and Front streets, inhabited by 
John Wood and Jlajor Jeremiah Rose and fam- 
ily; second, Willarcl Keyes' cabin, near Avhere 
Front and Vermont streets .join, in Avhich he 
lived by himself, and, third, (also third in the 
order of erection), Avas the cabin of John Drou- 
lard, a Frenchman. He was a shoemaker by 
trade, and the OAvner of the cpiarter section 
bounded by Twelfth street on the east, Broad- 
Avay on the north, the Avest line reaching to the 
alley betAveen sixth and seventh streets, and 
the south line to a jDoint betAveen York and 
Kentucky streets. Droulard's cabin Avas situ- 
ated near what is uoav the corner of Seventh 
and Jersey streets, on the block nortliAvest of 
the present gas Avorks. 

In conformity Avith the notice referred to in 
a preceding chapter, application Avas made to 
the General Assembly at its session of 1824 and 
1825 and the same Avas referred to the Commit- 
tee on Counties, of Avhieli General Nicholas 
Hanson, the representative from Pike county, 
Avhich then embraced all the country betAveen 
the Illinois and Mississippi ri\'ers, Avas chair- 
man. He reported a bill. Avhich Avas passed and 
approved January 18th. 1825, creating the 
counties of Adams and Schuyler. proA'iding for 
their organization, and divicling the remainder 
of the Military Tract into future counties, each 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADA:\IS COUNTY. 



19 



temporarily attached to either one of the above 
comities, but authorized to independently oi"- 
ganize when the population amounted to three 
hundred and fifty persons; authority being 
given to the Governor to appoint the necessary 
county oiificials. Adams and Schuyler counties, 
under this law, were allowed to initiate their 
corporate organizations whenever the Circuit 
Judge should order an election for County 
Commissioners. This election for Adams county 
was ordered and held on the 2nd of July. Han- 
cock county by the law, was attached to and 
formed, temporarily, a pai't of Adams. 

The three commissioners, appointed in pur- 
suance of the above legislation, to select the 
county seat for the new county, were Joel 
Wright, of Montgomery County, Seymoiir Kel- 
logg, of Morgan, and David Dutton of Pike. 

On the 30tli of April, two of the Commission- 
ers, Messrs. Kellogg and Dutton, came to "the 
bluffs" to perform their allotted task. They 
had been strongly impressed with the propriety 
and had come to the determination, as they ex- 
pressed it, of locating the covinty seat "as near 
the geographical center of the county as pos- 
sible." Fate decreed otherwise. L^^ck, strat- 
egy and the impressive treatment they received 
at "the bluffs" produced a reversal of this de- 
sign. They were courteously received on their 
arrival. One-fourth of the male population of 
the place was absent ("Wood being at St. Loixis), 
but the residue (Keyes, Eose and Droulard) 
turned out en masse. The Commissioners ac- 
cepted the hospitalities of the place, and when 
they started on their search for the center of 
the county, twenty-five i)er cent of the male 
population (Willard Keyes) volunteered to es- 
cort and guide them. One finds, as a curious 
commentary on the uncertainty which some- 
times attends the action of a person of the most 
assured capacity, that, on this occasion, Mr. 
Keyes' proverbial skill in woodcraft and ex- 
perience as a land pilot, appears to have been 
entirely lost, or, left at home : since, notwith- 
standing his valuable and disinterested aid, the 
worthy commissioners after a day's toil, found 
themselves far more likely to reach the cen- 
ter of the eai-th than the center of the coimty. 
After floundering through the briai's, bogs, 
quagmires, swamps and quicksands of Mill 
Creek, sinking sometimes to their saddle gii-ths, 
happy were the fagged dignitaries, abandoning 
their profitless search for the central "Eldora- 
do," to retrace their steps, and. when the dusk 
came on, find shelter beneath the generous roof 
of the cabin of John "Wood and Jei'emiah Eose. 
A substantial supper : a comforting sleep ; a 
hearty breakfast on the ensuing morning, and 
the bewildered judgment of the now refreshed 



Commissioners, ripened to a result. Passing, 
with all the people of the place in procession, 
over the broken bluffs and through the grassy 
woods to the narrow, prairie ridge that crept 
across what is now Washington Square, tliey 
halted about the spot where is now the bronze 
statue of John Wood. Here, driving a stake 
into the ground, with all the formality and im- 
pressiveness that could be brought to bear, they 
officially announced that the Northwest quarter 
of section two, township two, range nine west, 
Avas from that hour the county seat of Adams 
County. Then, reverently placing their hands 
upon the top of the stake, they christened the 
place "Quincy. " 

John Quincy Adams had been elected Presi- 
dent and on the preceding 4th of March, took 
possession of the White House, and .just about 
the time of this visit of the commissionei-s, the 
inaugural address of "The old man elociuent," 
which had been delivered to Congress some two 
months before, had been brought in the mails. 
It formed, of course, a topic for conversation 
between the Commissioners and the citizens, 
and Kellogg, a w&vm Adams man from Morgan, 
sore over a recent political struggle, said, "In 
OTU- county, they've named the county seat 
Jacksonville, after General Jackson." "Well," 
said some one from the crowd, "let's call our 
county seat Quincy, and we'll see which comes 
out ahead, Jackson or Adams," It was car- 
ried by a unanimous vote. 

As the county had been called Adams and 
the town christened Quincy, an attempt was 
made to have the stream that flows into the 
river at the foot of Delaware street, named 
"Johnny Creek," so as to complete the se- 
quence of the cognomen. It failed to stick. 

Another query about names occurs in the 
case of "The Bay," which stretches along the 
foot of the bluffs for about three miles above 
the city. "Boston Bay" it was called in the 
earlier times and on the older maps, as some 
say, because "a Bostonian once navigated his 
craft up this bay, mistaking it for the main 
channel of the river." The more reasonable 
theory is, that it took its name from a French 
trader by the name of Bouston. or Boistone, 
who lived on its east bank. 

A notable event occurred shortly after this 
visit of the Commissioners, the first of its kind, 
and hence the cause of no small sensation in 
the infant community. It was the marriage 
of Amos Bancroft to Ardelia Ames. Whether 
these young people were stimulated to this step 
by a laudable ambition to be the first local 
pioneers in the good work invented by old 
Adam, or whether they were influenced by that 
which makes young folks nowadays "go and do 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAilS COUNTY. 



likewise," it is nut now material to inquire; 
sufficient is the fact that theirs was the pioneer 
wedding-, the first marriage solemnized in 
Adams County. The venerable Mr. Bancroft 
afterward removed to Missouri, where lie died 
February, 1875. 

The first election was held for county offi- 
cers on the 2nd of July at "Keyes' Cabin," 
where the Presidential vote had been taken the 
fall before. Whether the old teapot ofiSeiated 
again is not recorded. About forty votes were 
polled. These forty votes included probably 
almost every man in Adams County; those in 
the attached territory on the north, and also 
anybody else who chose to vote. Our unselfish 
and unsuspicious ancestors were not sensitive 
on the sutfrage question. Age, residence, or 
other qualifications were matters that they in- 
quired into very little. Their reasoning was 
that any one Avho came along, unless Indian or 
negro, had a right to vote, if not here some- 
where, and hence perplexing questions were 
rarely asked. The commissioners chosen, were 
Peter Journey, a Jerseyman by birth, who lived 
at the foot of the bluff about ten miles south; 
Willard Keyes, a native of Vermont, resident, 
as we have stated, about the foot of Vermont 
street, and Levi Wells, a native of Connecticut. 
Mr. AVells tliou resided in the s(Uith part of the 
county near Paysoii. luit soon moved to Quine.v. 
reiiiaining in the cily until his death. The es- 
timated population of the county at this time. 
was sevent.y. On the 4th of -Inly, the newly 
chosen officials met for organization at the 
hdiisc of Mr. Keyes. They appointed as tempo- 
rary clerk (subsequently making the appoint- 
ment permanent), Henry H. Snow. Mr. Snow 
(or Judge Snow, as he was always named in 
later years) was a single man. He had arrived 
in Quincy but a few days previous. He was a 
native of New Hampshire, a man of good cler- 
ical attainment, tpiaiifications much needed iu 
those days, and with an unusual fund of gen- 
ci'al intelligence. He soon became the ineum- 
liciit of neai-ly all the official positions in the 
county. His name is perhaps, more directly 
associated with the records and public business 
of the place than that of any other of the ear- 
lier settlers. Earl Pearce was appointed con- 
stable and Ira Pearce deputed to take the cen- 
sus. The Pearce family lived near where the 
Alexander farm now is, five miles south. Joshua 
Streeter, John L. Soule, Lewis C. K. Hamilton 
and Amos Bancroft were apjiointed justices of 
the peace. 

Near the close of July or eaiiy in August, 
the first Circuit Coui't convened, as usual, at 
the cabin of Mr. Keyes. No apology was due 
Mr. Keyes for the public use thus made of his 



house, since the fact is, that his was the only 
one of the three cabins in the place that had 
no Avomen or children in it. x\.t this term, lit- 
tle or no business was transacted farther than 
what was necessary to the organization of the 
court. The first formally concluded legal busi- 
ness was at the succeeding term in October. 
At the session of the County Commissioners 
preceding the term of the Circuit Court, the 
panel of Grand and Petit Jurors being made 
out is said to have embraced every qualified 
.juryman in the country except two, and one of 
those was under indictment. 

John Yorcke Sawyer, the first circuit judge, 
was no ordinary man. He was a native of Ver- 
miuit. He possessed acquirements and legal 
acumen, fully adequate to sustain the char- 
acter of the local bench in those days. In one 
respect, he was far beyond rivalry. Judge Saw- 
yer weighed nearly four hundred pounds, 
while, as an illustration of how extremes will 
often meet, his good wife could not bring down 
the scales at ninety pounds. The wags used to 
say that it took an active lawyer to get arovnid 
the Judge, and when, in the little sixteen-foot 
square cabin of Mr. Keyes, where the first court 
was held, or even afterward in the twenty-two 
by eighteen court-room subsequently erected, 
his honor took his seat, the room seemed full of 
justice. He had a spice of jolly waggery at 
times: 

Mrs said he. to a country 

landlady as he picked up the plate of butter, 
"what's the color of j^our cows'?" "Why, 
Judge," she answered, "they're all colors; 
white and black and speckled." "So I should 
think, by the looks of your butter," was the 
Judge's reply. He was a fair lawyer, and a 
correct man. He remained in office but two 
years. The General Assembly at the session of 
1S'2() and 1827 changing the circuit court sys- 
1('iii, ap])ointed Samuel D. Lockwood, in the 
place of Sawyer. He afterward removed to 
Vandalia and' died there March 13th, 1836, 
while editing the Vandalia Advocate. 

Neither Quincy nor Adams County, in those 
halcyon da.vs, were blessed with any lawyers, 
but at this first session the Judge was accom- 
panied b.v the Prosecuting Attorney, James 
Turney, A. W. Cavarly, for many years after 
a prominent politican from Greene County; 
Ben Mills, the most gifted man in the state of 
his day, who died at Galena some twenty years 
later; J. W. AVhitney, the Lord Coke of famous 
"Lobby" memory: John Turney, and perhaps 
other members of the bar, from "below." LI. II. 
Snow was appointed circuit clerk. He w^as, as 
l^efore stated, peculiarly qualified for positions 
of this character and for many vears "swung 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



arduiul the circle"' of public trusts, etficient, 
faithful, and respected by all. He was Circuit 
and County Clerk, Probate Judge, Justice of 
the Peace, Postman and Recorder, and kept 
singing school besides. He died honored and 
lamented in 1860. Colonel James Black of Van- 
dalia, was the first appointed postmaster and 
recorder, but a fcAv days' residence disgusted 
him Avith the primitive surroundings and he 
left, deputizing his duties to Mr. Snow, who 
soon succeeded to both positions. Levi Hadley 
Avas appointed sheriff, an excellent man, who, 
four years later, in 1829. fell from a steam- 
boat and Avas drowned while on his way to 
Galena. 

These, and those previously named, were all 
the county officials appointed or thought neces- 
sary at the time. In the year following, an 
assessor and treasurer were appointed. Nicho- 
las Hanson was the representative, and Thomas 
Carlin. of Greene County, was state senator. 

Up to this time. Atlas, forty miles south in 
Pike County, was the nearest postoffiee. There 
was received a weekly mail, carried on horse- 
back. When Quincy became a "local habita- 
tion and a name" it received the benefit of this 
weekly mail, but it was many years before the 
mail bag came oftener than once a week. Ac- 
cess to the world without was by horseback, 
and when not in an especial haste, by keel- 
boat or canoe. Steamboats came "occasional- 
ly," stage coaches were unknown, and roads 
were not yet made. The heaviest duty that 
pressed upon our new county commissioners 
was the devising where roads ought to be. 
There ran at this time along the river bank, 
under the bluff, a faintly beaten track, made 
by the military travel, from Fort Edwards 
(Warsaw) south. There was also a road from 
near the cabin of John Wood up the creek, di- 
viding when it reached the higher ground, ono 
path pointing towards Fort Clark (Peoria), 
and the other eastward, towards the Illinois 
river, at Phillips' Ferry. 

Although the location of the county seat had 
been established and the name decided, the 
work was, as yet. far from being done. The 
N. W. 2-2 S, 9 W. had, it is true, been declared 
by the authorized commissioners of Illinois, to 
be the county seat of Adams County, but the 
land belonged yet to the United States, and 
Adams County could exercise no ownei'ship 
over it until the same had been bought and paid 
for. The land was not as yet in the market. A 
serious, but perhaps unavoidable drawback to 
the readjr settlement of the new states was the 
delay of the Government in completing its sur- 
veys and throwing the lands open to entry. For 
nearly ten years after the admission of the 



State, only the l)<)unty or soldier's patented 
lands of the .Alilitary Tract were within the 
reach of immigrants, the Government, or "Con- 
gress" land, as it was called, not being ready 
for entry or ott'ered for sale. A very judicious 
act of Congress, however, had secured to coun- 
ties the i-ight of pre-emption, or priority of pur- 
chase, whenever the land came into mai-ket, of 
any one designated quarter-section to be used 
as a county seat. The land above-mentioned 
had been, as we have seen, selected by the State 
Commissioners ; but the next step, and the most 
difficult, was the raising of the money (about 
$200) to deposit with the laud office and thus 
confirm the pre-emption; and herein "lay the 
rub." 

The score or two of residents of Quincy and 
the vicinity as yet had little money. Mount Pis- 
gah could almost as easily have been lifted 
from its base as the required amount for such 
a purpose have been furnished by our hand- 
ftil of pioneers. 

Fortunately a Mr. Russell Farnham, a well- 
known, liberal "river trader." the fir.st who 
took out a peddler's license from the county, 
had the money and would advance it if he could 
have some personal as.surances of its ultimate 
return. He regarded the infant county as a 
very mythical institution, in a business point of 
view. On being thus assured, he loaned the 
money ($200) and took the note of the Com- 
missioners, dated August 17th, 1825, secured 
by H. II. Snow and David E. Cuyler as en- 
dorsers. This note was taken up and another 
given by the commissioners without endorsers, 
dated September 6th, 1825, payable May 15th, 
1826, W'ith 10 per cent interest from August 
17th, 1825. This note was held by Farnham, 
and no payments were made on it until April 
10th. 1829. when $205 were pgid. and on the 
1st of May. 1830. the remainder was paid. Mr. 
Farnham died not long afterward, of cholera, 
at Portage de Sioux. 

With this money the patent was obtained, but 
not without much tribulation. It was well 
known that the quarter was fractional, while 
the precise ninnber of acres was uncertain. The 
commissioners deposited as much of the money 
as they thought necessary, desiring to use the 
remainder for other purposes. They were ad- 
vised that their deposit was probably too small. 
Another installment was added and still the 
matter appearing doubtful, they were informed 
that if they would deposit the whole amount 
($200) the patent would be at once is.sued to 
them for 160 acres, and the difference be re- 
funded whenever the exact measiire of the 
quai'ter was a.scertained. This was done and 
this is the reason why the patent or deed from 



PAST AND PKESENT OF ADA.AIS COUNTY. 



the Uiiiteil States conveys 160 acres, while, as 
was subsequently ascertained ou working out 
the field notes, when filed, the real area was 
but 154 acres. 

The deed from the United States was not 
made until the 13th of February. 1832. It con- 
veys the N. W. 2, 2 S. 9 W. to ""the "County of 
Adams and its successors." 

On the 9th of November the commissioners 
made an order that there should be a survey 
and plat prepared of the quarter section on 
whicli the county seat was located, and that a 
sale of lots should be held on December 13th. 
They appointed Suoav surveyor and he, in con- 
junction with the commissioners, laid out the 
town in equilateral blocks, except where the 
diagonal directions of the river and the frac- 
tional proportions on the east and south varied 
the i)lan. Five streets were platted, running 
east aiul west ; the central one called Maine and 
the others named respectively, York, Jersey, 
Hampshire and Vermont, after the states from 
whence came the three commissioners and the 
clerk, six streets running north and south, 
after FroTit Avere, consecutively numbered from 
the river eastward. 

In making this survey and plat, the leading- 
idea with all was to reserve for the "public 
uses" the highest, most central and level 
ground so far as was possible. These surveys 
were made entirely in rods, not feet. The 
lilocks, lots (where not fractional of necessity) 
and the streets, were uniformly laid out thus: 
Blocks twenty-four i-ods square; lots twelve 
rods deep, and six rods wide ; streets four rods 
wide, except Maine street, which was given five 
rods. Block number twelve (now Washington 
Park) was reserved as a public square. It was 
choice ground for such a use, and in relation 
thereto, "many a hard fought battle at the polls 
was made to preserve the public square from 
deseci'ation by those who could conceive no 
other utility for the square than to make it the 
receptacle of every building that could be 
thought of, from the court house and the jail 
to the butcher's stall." The first butcher in 
Quincy spiked a wooden bar to a tree in the 
square, and hung his meat on it. When the 
community consumed the meat, and he con- 
cluded it would be ready for further consump- 
tion, he killed another animal. Besides the 
reservation above stated, there was also 
set apart a strip of land along the river for the 
purposes of a public landing, and all the tier 
of lots on Fifth street, between ]\Iaine and 
Hampshire for "public uses." Also that por- 
tion of the present Sixth street with all east 
thereof: now known as Block 31, 82, 33, 34, 35 



and 3(j : and the front tier of lots along the 
river from ]\Iaine street south, were marked on 
the plat as "unappropriated ground," remain- 
ing thus until laid off in lots on a supplemental 
plan .Alarch 4th, 1828, 

In 1826, the south half of what is now called 
Jefferson Square Avas reserved as a "burial 
gi-ound for the people of Adams County," and 
the lot on Fifth street immediately north of the 
court house for school purposes. 

The sale occurred as ordered, having been 
duly advertised in the St. Louis and Echvards- 
ville i)a Iters, on the 13th day of December. It 
Avns continued from time to time, as the county 
cijuiiiiissioners ordered, and the last of the lots 
Avere sold in 1836, about the time the second 
court house Avas built. 

Thei'e Avas but little speculation in the origi- 
nal "toAvii quarter." Although it had been ex- 
tensively advertised, AA^hen came the sale day, 
lew outsiders were present to buy, and the resi- 
dent neighbors had no means after buying their 
corn bread and bacon to spare for speculative 
purposes. The only foreign purchaser Avas a 
Di'. ;\fullen, an army surgeon, aa'Iio happened to 
he present, at the time of sale and liought a fcAV 
lots. All the other lots sold Avere taken by the 
toAvn and county people. 

Deeds Avere not given at once, as the title 
had not at the time of the first sale been 
foruially received. Several years elapsed before 
eoiuplete i-onveyances Avere made, and, in the 
meantime many of the original purchasers haA'- 
ing a.ssigned their bonds, the title in such cases 
Avas made by the commissioners direct to the 
assignees. The terms Avere one-fourth cash, and 
the remainder in three annual payments. 

The folloAving are some of the prices paid: 
Lots 1 and 2, block 19, being the soutliAvest cor- 
ner of Fifth and Maine, running half Avay to 
Fourth street. Avas bought for' f(;30.00. "The 
other iiortioii of the ground to Fourth street, 
now in<-ludiiig the Daneke building and the 
QTTINCY (NcAVComb) House, Avas bought for 
$46.00. The corner, 99 by 198 feet, on Avhich 
uo-\;- stands the QUINCY (NeAvcomb) House 
lirouglit $27.00, the highest price paid for prop- 
erty located around the square, Tavo luuidred 
feet iKU-th from, and including the old post 
office corner on Fourth street, Avas struck off 
for $29.00. The Park corner (]\Iaine and 
Fourth ). 99 feet on Elaine street and 198 feet on 
Fourth, .sold for $18,25. The corner of Maine 
and Fifth on Avhich stands the Flach's building, 
sold (99 feet on :\raine street and 198 on Fifthl 
for .$16.25. 

Tlie folloAving is a schedule of the first day's 
sale : 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



23 



Block 


Lot 


Price 


Block 


Lot 


I'rice 


.5 


•> 


$ 6.00 


17 


'> 


$ 4.00 


5 


3 


21.00 


17 


3 


6.00 


•5 


4 


20.50 


17 


4 


12.25 


5 


5 


25.50 


17 


5 


5.00 


5 


6 


38.00 


17 


6 


5.50 


6 


3 


30.00 


17 


7 


10.00 


6 


4 


20.00 


17 


8 


10.00 


6 


5 


19.00 


18 


1 


18.25 


(i 


6 


18.50 


18 


2 


18.00 


rs 


4 


11.00 


18 


3 


14.50 


13 


5 


18.00 


18 


4 


11.50 


13 


6 


20.00 


18 


5 


14.50 


13 


7 


9.00 


18 


6 


12.50 


14 


5 


5.50 


18 


7 


14.25 


14 


6 


7.00 


18 


8 


4.50 


14 


7 


6.00 


19 


1 


13.25 


14 


8 


9.50 


19 


•_' 


16.75 


15 


3 


19.50 


l!i 


:; 


19.00 


15 


4 


12.00 


19 


4 


27.00 


15 


5 


12.00 


19 


5 


18.00 


15 


6 


19.50 


19 


6 


14.00 


15 


7 


6.50 


19 


7 


16.00 


15 


8 


10.00 


19 


8 


14.00 


16 


1 


15.00 


20 


4 


16.25 


IG 


•) 


6.50 


20 


5 


8.00 


17 


1 


5.50 









The ground on Avhicli now stands the 
QUINCY (Newcomb) House brought the high- 
est price of any on the hill. Rufns Brown, the 
first hotel keeper, bought it for a tavern stand, 
for which purpose it has always been used. It 
was part of the high, narrow prairie ridge that 
ran northeast and southwest across the public 
square, and was of course, in demand. Lots on 
the river bank stimulated the most competition. 
The only house on the cjuai'ter section was the 
cabin of Willard Keyes. The highest price paid 
for any one lot Avas $38.00 and proportionately 
for others in block five and six on Front Street. 
The reason was, that there, Keyes had settled 
the year before, and an unfriendly accpiaint- 
ance forced him to bid high to save his improve- 
ments. It may he said, however, in passing, 
that the worthy pioneer lost nothing, eventual- 
ly, by his purchase. For instance, thirty years 
later, a part of lot three, block 6. one hundred 
feet in depth, he sold to the writer at the rate 
of $100 per front foot. The whole lot 99 by 198 
feet, had cost him in 1825. $21.00. 

The first courthouse was located by order of 
the Commissioners, December 17th, 1825, on lot 
six, block eleven. This placed it in the edge of 
a natui-al grove on Fifth street, near the corner 



of Maine, where now stands what is known as 
the Dodd building. It faced west. "At the 
meeting on December 16th, 1825, the County 
Commissioners ordered that the sherifi' let to 
the lowest bidder the work of building a court- 
house, to be twenty feet long, eighteen feet 
wide, of hewn logs seven inches thick and to face 
ten inches, to be laid as close together as they 
are in J. Eose's house," (this was the cabin of 
John Wood, the first and model house of the 
place, in which Wood and Kose lived), the 
lower story to be eight feet high, the building 
to have nine joists, eight sleepers, to be covered 
with clapboards and to be completed by March 
15th, 1826. The work of putting up the logs 
was let to John L. Soule, for $79.00. The other 
contractors were Willard Keyes, $25.00; John 
Soule, stairways, etc., $32.00; Levi Hadley, 
chimneys, etc., $49.50. Some minor contracts 
called for the finishing work to be completed 
by May 15th, 1826. 

The organization of the county, of necessity, 
developed and made mutually acciuainted the 
scattered immigration that had slowly come in 
during the past two years. 

The residents of Adams and Hancock Comi- 
ties are almost completely embraced in the fol- 
lowing list and their families: 

Willard Keyes, Joshua Streeter, John Wood, 
Asa Tyrer, Earl Wilson, Daniel Whipple. Sam- 
uel Sewai'd, Henry Jacobs, Jesse Cox, John L. 
Soule, Dr. Thos. Baker, John Droulard, Ira 
Pierce, Hezekiah Spillman, Benjamin ]McNitt, 
H. H. Snow, Jeremiah Rose, from QUINCY 
and neighborhood: Samuel Stone. L. C. K. 
Hamilton. Peter Journey, Levi Wells, Fernando 
Slayton, Ebenezer Harkness, Abijah Cadwell, 
the two John Thomases, Rial Crandall, Levi 
Hadley, Amos Bancroft, Daniel Mooi-e, Thos 
]\IcCraney, Zepheniah Ames, David and Ames 
Beebe, Elias Adams, John Waggoner, Justus 
I. Perigo, Jesse Coxe, Daniel Lisle, from the 
southern part of the county; Luther Whitney, 
Peter Williams. Hiram R. Hawley, Lewis Kin- 
ney. Samuel Croshong, George Campbell, Rich- 
ard Worley. from Hancock and the northern 
section ; and Wm. Jashley, Jeremiah Hill, Ben- 
jamin Her. David Ray, Wm. Snow, James 
Adams, Silas Brooks, Jas. Green. Thomas Fore- 
man, William Barritt, Cyrus Hibbard and Mor- 
rel Marston, from different localities. Mo.st of 
these came into the county during this or the 
preceding year, and the names may be recog- 
nized as those of families now residing in the 
eountv. 



24 



I'AST AND PKP^SEXT OF ADAilS COrXTY 



CllAl'TEK VIII. 
1826. 

POJ..ITICAL. FIRST LEGISLATIVE MENTION OF 
gniNCY. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS' SALE OF 
LOTS. FIRST HOTEL AND HOTEL PRICES. 
FIRST GENERAL STORE. FREE AND EASY SO- 
CIAL LIFE. 

The sec-oud year (18"J6) of (.^uiiiey'.s existence 
as the county seat saw slight and shiw changes 
in its appearance and popnhition. The same 
may be said of the county, Avhich, however, 
grew a little faster. Trade, that great quickener 
of prosperity, was, from lack of production and 
market, as yet almost altogether wanting. 

The general political record for this year 
shows the election of Ninian Edwards, former 
territorial governor and first United States 
senator, as governor, and Wm. Kinney, a Bap- 
tist clergyman, as lieutenant governor. They 
were men of very different personal appeai-ance 
and characteristics. Edwards was a gifted, 
polished, proud, self-conscious gentleman, while 
Kinney, a shrewd, aspiring politician, and 
adri)it on the stump, had none of these qualities. 
Joseph Duncan of ilorgan countj', one of the 
best public men of the past, was elected rep- 
resentative to congress, (Illinois was then en- 
titled to but one), over Daniel P. Cook, (a most 
able and popular man, the son-in-law of Gov. 
Edwards), who had held this office for several 
years. 

The special session of the legislature of 18-5- 
26, passed January 22nd, 1826, a state reap- 
pointment act, uuder which Pike, Adams, 
Schuyler, Fulton and Peoria counties and the 
region north, were constituted a representative 
district, which elected Levi Roberts and Henry 
J. Boss to the lower house of the general assem- 
bly. At the same session, a senatorial district 
was established, comprising the same counties, 
witli the addition of IMorgan. As this law 
changed the former senatorial districts, a 
singular proviso was added, to the effect that 
if in the new district thus constituted, the 
senator to be elected should be chosen from 
Morgan County, the then sitting senator (Car- 
lin) .should hold over and be considered as the 
senator for the old district of Adams. Archi- 
l)ald Job was elected from Morgan, and thus 
Carl in, who resided in Greene county, remained 
as the senator. It was charged that there was 
a ,iob in this legislation, but what it may have 
been was of but temporary interest and soon 
forgotten. 

The first legislative mention of "Quiucy " was 
in that session of 1826, when commissioners 
were appointed to locate a State road from 



(.^uincy to Springfield. This was done, but for 
many years its line was only known by the 
"blazes" on the trees through the untraveled 
forest. A law passed January 27th, 1826, im- 
jiosed a graded assessment upon the several 
counties of the Military Tract, for the State 
revenue. I'lidei- this act. the assessment against 
Adams county was fixed at $200 per annum. 
The Judiciary law, Avhich had been operative 
for the pa.st two years was remodeled at the 
session of 1826-27 and new appointments made 
of circuit judges. To the circuit composed 
of the Military Tract, with a few counties east 
of the Illinois river added, Samuel D. Lock- 
wond. of Jacksonville, was assigned, succeeding 
John Yoreke Sawyer. Judge Lockwood, a most 
superior man, held this position until 1831. 

The ccnintv commissioners this year were Levi 
Wells, John' A. Wakefield and*Luther Whit- 
ney, — the last named, a resident of what is now 
Hancock county. Whitney and Wakefield suc- 
ceeded Keyes and Journey. Wakefield was a 
quaint character; he left Adams county soon 
after his term of office expired, and many years 
after came to the surface during the "Border 
Ruffian" times of Kansas. His title to im- 
mortality rests on his "History of the Black 
Hawk War," (written some forty-five or more 
years ago) ; an amusing publication, made up of 
the narration of some valuable facts, inter- 
spersed with whimsical expressions that Josh 
Billings or Mark Twain might envy. One of 
tiiese we recall. He describes the ai'my as mov- 
ing "at a left angle." 

Frequent meetings of the commissioners' 
court were necessarily held to provide for and 
protect the groAving Avants and interests of the 
new community. At their jMarch meeting they 
appointed Levi Hadley county assessor, and at 
the same meeting, a sale (the second one) of 
town lots, was ordered to be held on the 18th of 
the following May. This sale, advertised, as 
had been the preceding one, in the St. Louis 
and Edwardsville papers, did not attract, as 
Avas hoped, purchasers from abroad, and the 
scale of prices does not appear to have material- 
ly changed. There Avas then, as noAV. much 
more land than money in Illinois, and the dis- 
tance betAveen the tAvo factors Avas infinitely 
greater than at present. A portion of the sup- 
posed most desirable lots Avhich had been re- 
served from the fir.st sale, Avere noAV placed on 
the market, Avith Avhat result Ave shall see. These 
prices may prove a curious study to speculators 
of the present day. 

The corner of Fourth and Hampshire, run- 
ning south on Foiu'th 196 feet, half Avay to 
]Maine, sold for .$35.50. On the north side of 
Hampshire, betAveen Fourth and Fifth, the four 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



25 



lots, Nus. o. 6, 7, S, c-omprisiug all on tlie north On June (ith the ferry franchise was granted 
side of the public square, sold respectively for to Ira Pierce for ten years for the sum of $55. 
$14.25, $18, $18.25 and $13; total $65.50. Lot The courthouse was so far completed as to be 
8, at the corner of Hampshire and Fifth, it ready for use during the spring of this year. It 
will be seen brought the lowest figure. The was occupied until its destruction by fire in the 
reason was that it was cut by a ravine, and the winter of 1835. At the 5th of September meet- 
front lay some feet lower than the street. "West ing a pound or stray pen was ordered to be 
of Fourth street, ou the north side of Ilamp- built, near the courthouse, and at a later meet- 
shire, the entire frontage of three lots, Nos. 6, ing the contract was assigned to James B. Petit 
7 and 8, 297 feet, running west to lot No. 5, for $51. 

which was reserved as the market lot, sold for As stated in the preceding chapter at the 
$24. East of the square, speculation went more meeting of the commissioners, on December 
wild. 19S feet along the south side of Hamp- 4th, it was ordered that the .south half of block 
shire street, embracing the property afterward one (1) should be set off for a burial ground for 
occupied by the Adamy, Peine and Dutcher the people of Adams County. This is the south 
buildings, was sold for $14.25. The entire front half of what is now Jefferson Square, on which 
of Hampshire street ou the north side between the courthouse now stands. It was used as a 
Fifth and Sixth streets, was knocked off at burying ground for about nine years, when the 
$28.25: the corner lot (northeast corner of ground at the southeast corner of Maine and 
Hampshire and Fifth (1886). 99 feet being a Twenty-fourth streets was purchased for that 
deep ravine), sold for $3.25. Corresponding purpose, and no interments were afterwards 
prices ruled elsewhere, but the above were the made in the old cemetery. Many bodies were 
choice lots. It will be noticed that most of removed to the new grounds, but many graves 
these sales were of lots on or touching on Hamp- could not be identified, and their contents were 
shire street. The reason for this was that there- not disturbed. The remains of the ancestors of 
on was almcst the only level land. Fourth nuiny of our present people, are there, along 
street was broken near ilaine by a ravine which with the many transient and unknown travelers, 
ran diagonally across the block, west of the who here died. Governor Hubbard, the second 
square from southeast to northwest. Maine governor of the state, was there interred, bi;t 
street on Si.xth was impassible ou account of a his place of burial can not be found, 
broad ravine some thirty feet in depth. South- Many years later, the north half of this block, 
east of Maine and the square, the ground was which was a deep ravine, originally considered 
greatly broken, north of Hampshire the same, as almost worthless, was purchased from pri- 
while Hampshire street itself from Sixth to vate pai'ties. The ground was used for school 
Eighth street, ran for some distance on an al- purposes for some years. After much discus- 
most even ridge and gave the easiest access to sion and question of title between the city, 
the surrounding coiintrj-. county, etc., the imposing courthouse, alike our 
At the same meeting the county comniis- county convenience and pride, was erected 
sioners is.sued the first tavern license to Rufus thereon in 1876. 

Brown, at the rate of $10 per annum, a'ud estab- Sometime in the summer or fall of this year 

lished tavern rates also. (1826) Asher Anderson, to whom belongs the 

Brown opened his cabin hotel at the corner distinction of having been the first merchant to 

of Fourth and Maine streets, Avhere the locate in Quincy, opened a small stock of goods 

QUINCY (Newcomb) House now stands. Later in the bar room of Rufus Brown's tavern. This 

in the year. George W. Hight opened a tavern was a pleasing event to the people and vicinity. 

under "the hill, on Front street. This building One can scarcely conceive the thrill that ran 

still stands. The tavern rates as established by through the little settlement when it was an- 

the commissioners were for nounced that "a store" was about to be started. 

Up to this time all trading had been done with 

Single meal of victuals $ .25 and purchases made from transient trading 

Lodging 121 4 boats. 

i/> pt. Avhiskey 12'i,'o These wei-e either keel or flat or "mackinaw" 

1/2 pt. rum 1334 boats, ireighted at St. Louis with a miseel- 

i/o pt. gin 18% laneous assoi-tmeut of such articles as were the 

Vo pt. French brandy 371/; most in demand and essential to the wants of 

14 pt. wine 871,2 new connnunities, cotton goods, shoes, hard- 
Bottle of wine 1.00 ware, crockery, tin utensils, groceries, etc. 

Horse feed for night, fodder and grain. . .25 Laden with these, they would periodically ap- 

Horse feed, single 121/0 pear at the various landings on the river, lying 



26 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADA.MS I'OUNTY. 



at eac'li for a week oi- twn. ami after satisfying 
the ueeds of the se\'eral loealities by disposing 
of their stook at fal)uIous profits, drop down to 
St. Ijouis to replenish. They usually made three 
or four trips in a season. Sometimes, though 
rarely, one settler abler than the rest, would go 
to St. Louis, Louisiana or Palmj^ra, where pur- 
chases could be made at better rates. 

It should he known that northwestern Miss- 
ouri was nnu'h advanced beyond the adjacent 
section of Illinois in its period of settlement, 
owing to the fact that the public lands there were 
thrown early into market. Louisiana was, up 
to about the time of the location of QUINCY as 
the county seat, the general mail depot for the 
surrounding country. Each week a squad of 
soldiers from Fort Edwards (now Warsaw) 
were sent down the river to Louisiana to bring- 
up the military mail that came to that point 
from St. Louis, Palmyra, from the government 
aid that it had received, was like its classic 
prototype of old, a minature "Queen of the 
Wilderness.'' Mr. Wood, relates that during 
this year, the day before his marriage, he 
walked down to opposite the mouth of the 
Fabius, canoed over the river, thence footed it 
to Palmj-i-a to purchase a pair of shoes for his 
"bride to wear" at the ceremony of the follow- 
ing day, returning the same way that he went. 
It was a long, hard tramp, but undoubtedly the 
good man felt, especially on his return, that he 
was faithfulh^ walking into his lady-love's 
affections. 

It is pleasant to imagine the visions of 
painted calicoes, strong brogans, brilliant blue 
table-dishes, many-colored ribbons, household 
articles and all the shopping delights ready to 
hand, that filled the minds of the people of the 
little hamlet when Anderson announced and 
opened his budget of goods, and they felt that 
at last they had a store of their own. The 
stock, of course, was small, of less than one 
thousand dollars in value, of a miscellaneous 
nature, but suited to th<' simple needs of the 
lalain people. 

For the two following years Anderson re- 
tained the monopoly of trade. He was enter- 
prising, generous in his dealings and prospered, 
except that at one time, almost his entire ac- 
cumidation of profits was stolen by a runaway 
and defaulting county official. Soon after he 
came, he established his store on the northeast 
corner of Third and Maine streets, where he 
continued his business until his death from 
cholora in 183.3. 

An amusing and truthful story is told of a 
piece of luck that befell him, and which at first, 
seemed to be a sad disaster. The second year 
after his removal, encouraged by his success 



and desirous of enjoying his monopoly while 
the day lasted, he purchased a stock amounting 
to over .$3.0()(). The steamboat on which he lunl 
ship[)ed his goods, sunk some distance below, 
but after being under water for some time, was 
raised, and came with the damaged freight to 
QUINCY. A large portion of the goods con- 
sisted of colored prints, muslins, .shawls, hand- 
kei'chiefs, ribbons, etc., the hues of which, after 
so long soaking in the water, had all "run to- 
gether." making ii. most brilliant blending of 
indrcliiplii'i-ablc Huiircs and designs. Anderson 
was ill dismay, hut, witli a wild hope of saving 
something from his wrecked fortune, he offered 
the goods at public auctions, and to his great 
surprise, and satisfaction, so .strongly did these 
liotcli-pot-rolored goods catch the fancy of the 
settb'rs, that he realized a profit from their sale 
which enabled him to lay in a larger stock than 
before. This demonstrates that in crude, as 
in more pretentious communities, an absurdity 
most easily becomes a fashion, and that auction 
fevers were then as epidemic as now. 

These times ccnitrast strangely with tlie ap- 
pearances of to-day. It is not easy to inuigine, 
looking from within our present surroundings, 
our ciueen-like city, proud, active, solid, planted 
witli massive structures, — abiding tokens of in- 
dustry and wealth ; and the full-peopled county, 
with the well reaped rewards of toil and thrift 
treasui'es gathered from its willing soil, these 
past scenes of but little over fifty years ago ; 
when every habitation was built of logs, every 
tloor (where floor there was) made from 
juuicheons, every chimney and fire-place either 
raised with rough stones "chinked" with nuid, 
or constructed of sticks and mud, when not a 
brick had been moulded or laid in the county, 
and mortar, laths, shingles, and paint, and all 
such articles were as yet unknown. 

Still, all these deprivations of that which 
belongs to higher social comfort were scarcely 
then felt, because they were universal. The 
coui'sc of life in those days was enjoyable and 
good. .Most of the people Avere young and the 
novel, wild life, suited their careless adven- 
turous natures. Their needs Avere tew and Avere 
easily provided for. Food came almost spon- 
taneously. The forests Avere full of game : the 
ponds and rivers SAvarmed Avith fish : their cattle 
had unlimited pasture ; in their little farm en- 
closures, the rich, ripe soil retvu'ned a generoiis 
yield of domestic A'egetables. grain and fruits. 
But little surplus Avas raised as there Avns no 
market of consequence. Jeans and linsey 
Avoolsey anfSAvered for outer clothing. Those 
AA'ho could, indulged in calico and shoes, those 
Avho could not did Avithout. 

The people were all alike : they all kncAv each 



PAST AND I'KESKXT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



27 



other : they were as social as distances would 
permit, aud their abimdaut leisure allowed the 
cultivation of this sociality. Their jDartial se- 
clusion from the busier world promoted social 
habits, thrown as they were upon their own re- 
sources and each other's aid. No dress dis- 
tinctions existed; no "society sets" were 
known. Hospitality was the universal rule. 
Every man"s house was a free resort for the 
neighlxir or traveler, though the latter be a 
stranger. News from abroad was common prop- 
erty. Newspapers i^assed from hand to hand, 
aud their fortunate recipient was generally re- 
quired to read to a surrounding company. Each 
traveler or new settler, must unfold his budget 
of news, all that he had seen or known or had 
"hear'n tell" in his distant former home, or 
learned on his way to the West. 

The week days were periods of steady, but 
easy labor. Sundays were hours of quiet rest 
for some, of whole family visits for others, 
where a natural exchange was made of all that 
either had learned during the week, and for 
others less reverential or less social, they were 
good days for hunting and fishing. The 
monotony was varied by the arrival of the scant 
weekly mail or the occasional landing of 
steamers, which passed rarely, at irregular 
times, and sometimes did not stop, and again by 
the advent of the new settler, which was always 
a sensation — either the "mover," as the better 
to do immigrant was called, M'ho came with his 
family and household goods in a covered one or 
two horse wagon, or the poorer "packer," who 
trudged along with his worldly possessions 
strapped upon a horse's back, each of the 
travelers being accompanied by a few cattle 
and one or two dogs. They would stay at the 
village a few days, while the head of the house- 
hold, if a land-owner, would, under the guid- 
ance of some earlier settler, seek out the cor- 
ners of his land, marked as they would be by 
blazed trees in the timber and small earth 
mounds, .stone piles or half-charred stakes set 
up on the prairies. Almost any of the older 
settlers were thoroughly posted in the finding 
of those survey marks. The land found, the 
settler would select and clear off his building 
spot, usually near a brook or spring, if possible, 
then with the aid of a few of his nearest neigh- 
bors, erect his humble cabin, plant his family 
therein and settle doAvn to the development and 
improvement of his future home. 

The poor packer, usually having no land of his 
own to look up. would disappear after a few 
days, and might later be seen or heard of as 
having "squatted" in the bru.sli near a spring, 
on some vacant land belonging either to Uncle 
Sam or to some eastern non-resident. Most of 



this class, as civilization advanced and settle- 
ments thickened, pulled up their stakes (usually 
they had little else to pull up) and struck out 
for a still farther West, where they could find 
"more room." 

There was occasional i^reaching by itinerant 
preachers of various sects and all .shades of 
character. Some of these were good and earnest 
men, others, and most of them, however, were 
men whose toughness of cheek and voliune of 
voice were the only atonements for their lack 
of mental capacity. The coming of these clergy- 
men was generally known well in advance 
throughout the connnunity, aud as a general 
rule, everybody attended. 

Election day, county court meetings and cir- 
ciiit coui't week, of course, brought quite a 
geneial attendance of the country folks, and 
the village was then well enlivened by horse 
and foot races, jumping matches and target 
shooting for turkeys or beef, the day almost in- 
variably ending oif Avith more than one "rough 
and tumble" fight. 

There wei'e often pleasant social gatherings, 
the picnic, the quilting, the Avedding, and if at 
these, dress, polish or manner and fashion Avere 
missing, substantial profusion and innocent, 
hearty jollity and zest more than made amends. 
But these primitive times, Avith their Avild fas- 
cinations and easily endured toils and cares 
haA'e gone, like the clouds of their accompany- 
ing years, and have left no like, and ncA-er can 
there be their like again. The footprints made 
and the lines then draAA'n haA'e been SAvept aAvay 
by the resistless AvaA'e of change, and no similar 
field noAV aAvaits the entrance of young and 
eager aclA'enturers. Pioneerism and civilization 
uoAV moA^e side by side. As Avas Avell said by an 
old pioneer who thii-ty yeai's ago visited the 
El Dorado of the Pacific Coast (then just open 
to the Avondrous rush of the gold seekers) and 
again, tAveuty years later, repeated his trip, "I 
haA'e seen three great Wests in my life time ; 
one in Avestern Ncav York, one in Illinois and 
one in California, but there is not noAV and can 
never be a West like the past. 



CIIAPTEPv i:\ 
1S27. 



SLOW GROAA'TH. FIRST SCHOOL. FIRST PREACH- 
ING, SCARCITV OF SCHOOL BOOKS. ILLINOIS- 
lANS CALLED "SUCKERS.'' 

QuincA' Avas two years old in 1827, but little 
occurred dui'ing the year worthy of record. 
The eye teeth of the future "Gem City" cut 



PAST AND TKESEXT OF ADA:\IS COUNTY. 



very slowly. It had very few people, none with 
capital, and the inducements to settle here were 
not tempting. It had not many enterprising 
men. such as usually take the lead in enter- 
prising cities. Quincy. like Topsy. had to "come 
to herself," and "just grow." 

Trade was trilling; money was a curiosity. 
Beeswax and coonskius were the readiest and 
most general circulating media ; the limited 
agricultural production from the country ad- 
jacent, utterly failing as yet to make it, even 
incipiently. the generous and well known mart, 
for which it was so well fitted by situation, and 
which it has since become. 

True, it would boast at the commencement of 
the year, of a courthouse, hotel and store, sad- 
dle, shoemaker and blacksmith shop, in or just 
on the edge of town, and a doctor only a mile 
or two away. Its morals were presitmably good, 
as neither preacher nor lawyer had settled 
within it. It has some half dozen "first settlers" 
in the country about it, yet there were only 
about a dozen families in the town, and most 
of these had but just begun to be established, 
and were as new as the town. There were, 
however, during the year, added to the above, 
a school house and a grocery; at one or the 
other of which, mental or physical satisfaction 
could be imbibed, though the inliibitions of 
the latter institution were the more favorite and 
general. 

The school was opened late in the year in the 
recently finished courthouse, the teacher being 
Rev. Jabez Porter, a Presbyterian clergyman, 
from Abingdon, Mass., a man of much more 
than ordinary culture, a graduate of a New 
England college. He was in feeble health, and 
came West in hope of restoration. He lived for 
several years, and in the year 1828, connnenced 
the first regular preaching known in Quincy (at 
the courthouse). He died in 1831 or '32. Plis 
school was very select as to quantity, if not as 
to quality. Among the half score of new fam- 
ilies in Quincy and the vicinity, children were 
a rare and somewhat curious hixury, and a few 
of the scholars Avere as old as himself, young 
men and women who had had no educational 
opportunities and sought this opportunity to 
learn how to read and write. 

It is touching to think of the difficulties in the 
way of lluise who desired education in those 
days. Of course, spelling, reading, writing and 
arithmetic were the four corner stones, but the 
trouble was. that no text books could be ob- 
tained, and pupils had to furnish their own. 
Spelling was comparatively the easiest, because 
there were spelling books and primers. Gram- 
mar was ruled by the way the school master 
talked. True, an occasional Lindlev Murrav 



might turn up, and there was no great difficulty 
as to writing, that, of course was a mechanical 
study, which could take care of itself. 
Oeographj' was somewhat easily taught, as 
maps will find their way everywhere, and more 
or less of geographical information is in all 
families; but when it came to reading, Avhich, 
is instinctively and properl.y, the first thought 
and desire of all, there were no "Readers" to 
be obtained; each one must furnish his or her 
own reading book. 

The writer recalls the scene, when but a year 
(U' two later than the date of this chapter, a 
school was started by IMr. "Pedagogue Sey- 
mour," as he was called, we, the writer and his 
relatives, presented ourselves with Olney's 
geography, Kirkham's grammar, and AVor- 
cester's readers. Of some forty scholars, all 
but, say half a dozen, were equipjied with read- 
ers, most of them Testaments, two or three the 
old Jlethodist green, paper covered little hymn 
book, one or two with au old novel or history, 
and three of the boys had an outfit imique. One 
had a French volume of Voltaire's life of 
Charles the XII, which neither he. nor his 
|)arents. nor perhaps the teacher could read, 
another had a congressional pamphlet, which 
l)robably had been sent to his father on the 
"propriet.y of running the mails on the Sab- 
bath." The last one, who, by the way, figured 
afterward briefly in congress, had a huge book 
(as a reader) nearly as big as himself, which 
in some way had fallen into his family's hands. 
It was the translation of an enormous volume of 
the life of Napoleon Bonaparte. We can 
never forget his reading of the first lines of the 
hook, "Napoleon Bonaparte was born August 
].")th, 1779, at Ajacio. in Corsica." His voice 
always cracked at Ajacio, and broke at "Coi-- 
seeker." as he could not help calling it. 

The school business was neither very exten- 
sive, nor profitable during these days, for the 
reason, that, there were but fcAv "j'oung ideas 
to shoot," and also that the older ideas shot 
mostly after another fashion. For some .years 
the log cabin court house was the only build- 
ing where "school was kept." It was also the 
"church" and was made use of for all general 
purposes, since it was the only structure in the 
place big enough for such uses, or that could be 
spai-ed. As has been before said, the business 
and social fe'atures of the place exhibited but 
little noticeable change since 1826, but there did, 
during this year, sweep over the West a most 
memorable wave of excitement, which, while 
it retarded rather than advanced the pros- 
pects of Quincy for a time, is worthy of a pass- 
ing mention. 

This was the "lead fever" at Galena, equal 



PAST AND PKESENT OF ADAMS COrXTY 



29 



(takiug iuto aeeouut the dill'ereuce iu the eou- 
ditious of the country) to that later furore 
which, in 1848, spurred westward that count- 
less swarm of eager seekers, crazed by the 
glitter of California's yellow treasures. Sti'ange 
it is witli what an universal and electric grasp, 
the mining mania will take possession of a peo- 
ple. Let but the rumor start that there has 
been found in a "hole in the gi'ound," some- 
thing shining and new, and there is at once, 
"down with the shovel and the hoe," away with 
the yardstick and pen, sell off the stock, shut 
up i;he shop, and all coat tails point horizon- 
tally, straight backwards as men frantically 
rush to where they hope to get rich in a min- 
ute. For one lucky blunderer who retvirns with 
a better suit of clothes than he wore away, 
there are a thousand who do not. 

Out of the hundreds who left Quincy in 1848 
for the Pacifie Coast, we cannot remember one 
who came back with fortunes bettered. They 
had, however, acquired "experience." 

This "lead fever" Avas a hot — yes a melting 
one. The tide of northern travel was wonder- 
fully increased in volume. Why it should then 
have become so, one cannot divine. Lead had 
been known to exist, and had been worked for 
in that section for many years, by the Indians 
long ago, but this year on a sudden, all "went 
for it." The creeping keel boat which until 
this time, had controlled almost the entire 
transportation of the river, was now outdone 
by rapid steamers. These, the Shamrock, and 
Indiana, and pei'haps another which heretofore 
had two or three times during the season, made 
trips from St. Louis to "the mines," were now 
in constant motion, their decks swarming with 
people. One-third, probably of the residents 
of Quincy, (mauj' of them with their families) 
moved up "ter Galeny, " as the expression 
went, and made terajjoraiy settlement there. 

It was from this streaming northwest of 
soTithern and central lUinoisians (soon to re- 
turn) that our State patronymic "Sucker," 
came. There is a clumsy, hubberly fish in our 
Mississippi waters, shaped much like the cat- 
fish and occasionally nearly as large, known 
as the "Sucker" or "Round-mouth," which 
swims mostly in the deep water near the bot- 
tom and rarely takes the hook. 

It was once quite numerou.s, but now is rarely 
seen. Its habit Avas to migrate northward early 
in the spring, thei-e spawn, and descend in the 
fall. It was remarked that many of the fam- 
ilies went up at the same time and returned at 
the same time, with an increased family, like 
the "Suckers." Hence the name, ilost of the 
emigi'ants from one section, soon discovered 
that a surer source of substantial wealth, with 



less coarse toil, and jiiore comforts, was in the 
rich lap of the prairie earth, of the lower sec- 
tions of the State, and this fever gradually 
abated, though continuing for some years. 
Among those of our early settlers who moved 
with their families to the mines and spent the 
season there, were the late Levi Wells and John 
Wood. 

Daniel Lisle, who was the first settler in 
Adams county, was this year elected County 
Commissioner. lie first located not far from 
the present town of Liberty. Wesley Williams, 
brother of the well known Archie Williams, 
was appointed county treasurer. 

At the ilarch term of the county commis- 
sioners' court, it was ordered that a jail be built 
at an expense of not over $150.50, on lot 6, 
block 11, with very detailed and precise speci- 
fications. The upper story of the courthouse 
was ordered to be raised "two logs higher." 
Our fathers were evidently getting their heads 
up. 



CHAPTER X. 



1828. 

THE '-LE'AD FEVER" HELPED QUINCY. JUDGE 
LOCKWOOD AND JUDGE YOUNG. NEW JAIL. 
FIKST CLERGYMAN. HOLMES OPENS A STORE, 
THE SECOND IN QUINCY. GOODS FREIGHTED 
ON KEEL B0.4.TS. GENEIRAL APPEARANCE OF 
THE TOWN. ADVANCE IN PRICES OF LOTS. 
HIGH PRICE OF GOODS. STTTLE OF DRESS. 
FASHIONS. THE LOG C.^BIN COOKING UTEN- 
SILS AND FURNITURE. 

Quincy was now three years of age, and still 
growing — or perhaps we should say growing 
still, for its growth was very modest and still. 
There were, however, some influences iu oper- 
ation during this year, that tended materially 
to promote its future welfare. Most of the 
"Suckers" by this time had returned, sati- 
ated, from Galena. The attention that had been 
attracted to Illinois by tlie "lead fever" excite- 
ment was productive of some valuable results. 
It left stranded on our western or northwestern 
border, men of enterprise and activity whose 
industry and energy greatly aided the growth 
of the State. 

Now. as before, and for some years, the 
county progressed in population more steadily 
than the town. Some political and business 
changes appear upon the record. The circuit 
court was still presided over by Judge Lock- 
wood, who was regularly accompanied on his 
periodic semi-annual visit by a bevy of from 
a half-dozen to a dozen of lawyers. A. W. Caver- 
ly, of Greene county, was the prosecuting attor- 



3" 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAJIS COUNTY. 



uey. Judge r'averly died in 1875 at Ottawa, 111. 
He was at the time of his death, the oldest 
practicing lawyer of Illinois; second only in 
legal seniority to Judge Sidney Breeze, who 
also passed into death soon after his life-long 
friend, Judge Caverly. Judge Breeze's legal 
life from 1818, had been niaiul.y passed upon 
the bench, while Caverly practiced as a lawyer. 
How these circuit riding lawyers managed to 
live was phenomenal, but they did and the like 
live yet, and that same mystery exists today. 
Perhaps they lived off of each other like Sam 
Slick's two boys, Avhom he described as being 
"so smart that, if shut up together in a room, 
they would make two dollars a day each by 
swopping jack knives." 

The precision, dignity and decoruin which 
the personal character and recognized capacity 
of Judge Lockwood, and also his successor 
Judge Young, impressed upon the administra- 
tion of law in this section, contrasting greatly 
with the laxaties in propriety that too much de- 
faced the western forum, were of strong and 
long effect in earty establishing the marked pre- 
eminence of the Quincy bench and bar, which 
had been since so well maintained. 

Judge H. II. Snow continued to be the gen- 
eral office holder of the county and probate 
judge, county and circuit clerk and recorder 
and kept singing school beside. Ira Pierce 
was re-elected sheriff, an office which he held 
for ten years, until he left for Texas. Hugh 
White was surveyor, and Wesley Williams 
treasurer. Herman Wallace succeeded Asa 
Tyrer as coroner at the August election. The 
county commissioners were James White and 
George Prazier. II. J. Ross, of Pike county, 
succeeded Carlin to the State senate: and A. W. 
Caverly of Greene, John Turney of Peoria, and 
John Austin of Jo Daviess county, were elected 
State representatives. 

One can obtain an idea of the sparseness of 
population by noting the extent of this repre- 
sentative district, and the distance between the 
residences of the members. Joseph Duncan, of 
Morgan county, was re-chosen representative 
to congress. His district embraced all that 
portion of the State north of and including 
Morgan county. His unsuccessful opponent was 
George Porcpiier of Sangamon county. The 
presidential vote of the State and of Adams 
county, was cast for Andrew Jackson over 
John Quincy Adams. 

The county commissioners on September '■]. 
1828, ordered that lot 4, block 11, should be re- 
served "for the sole and only purpose of erect- 
ing thereon a school house or school houses, 
or an academy or seminary of learning," for 
the people of Adams county, and that the same 



slididd l)e exempted froju taxation. It will be 
remembered that in the platting of the town 
in 1825, the west half of block 11 was "reserved 
for i^ublic purposes." On this ground were 
erected the tirst two courthouses and jails. 

Lot 4, set apart as above, is that part of this 
reserved ground, on which stood the north half 
of the lately burned courthouse, the line run- 
ning thence northward along Fifth street some 
sixty or seventy feet. It does not appear that 
this order of the court was permanently com- 
plied with, nor were the other reservations, but 
the land was gradually disposed of, there re- 
maining only in the possession of the county 
that central portion on which the old court- 
house and jail stood and this, after the destruc- 
tive fire of 1875, and the erection of the present 
courthouse on Jett'erson Square, passed at pub- 
lic sale in private possession. 

At their meeting on December 4th, the county 
commissioners ordered that a clerk's office 
should be built and also a jail. These orders 
were carried out after a fashion, and comiDleted 
some years later. The second story of the 
courthouse, which Avas then the office of the 
county, the circuit clerk, recorder, and of Judge 
Snow generally, as he was the official 
"Omnium" of the county, was afterward the 
law office of the late Senator Browning, and 
yet later, when the courthouse was burned in 
1835, was occupied as a carpenter shop. The 
jail now ordered and finished a year or two 
later, was a ciuaint contrivance in the dungeon 
style ; the cell or place of continement being in 
the lower story which had grated windows, 
but no entrance opening except through a trap 
door from the second story floor. The moral im- 
pressions entertained by culprits when being 
sent down to punishment might, perhaps, be 
of value to the present time theologians in their 
controversies over what should be the most 
forcible and significant version of the word 
' ' Hades. ' ' 

The building was coiislructed of large logs, 
square hcAvn, and laid tlouble thick in the 
wall. 

Jabez Porter has been mentioned as the first 
minister to hold regular services. There were 
other clergymen who appeared from time to 
time of various denominations and equally vari- 
ous qualifications and characteristics. Somewere 
excellent, intelligent men and some otherwise, 
with a graduated scale of fitness, running be- 
tween the two exti'cmes of qualifications and 
otherwise. There was a Mr. Bogard from a 
neighboring county, a very worthy, well-seem- 
ing, quiet man on the street, but when in the 
pulpit he stamped and roared almost so as to 
lie heard in Morgan conntv, his home. There 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADA:\rS COUNTY. 



31 



was the Rev. Mr. Robert.s, who was miu-h given 
to "damn those sins he had no mind to and fol- 
low those he felt inclined to." He dropped 
into one of Mr. Porter's meetings one Sunday 
at the conrthonse, and when Judge Snow com- 
menced tuning at his bass viol to lead the sing- 
ing, lie left in holy horror and went a fishing 
in the bay. There was also old uncle Johnnie 
Kii-kpatrick, one of the best men that ever lived 
and who always drew a full cabin when he 
preached. His style was not patterned on 
Princeton or Harvard rules, but it was peculiar 
and effective. I remember one of his sermons. 
"Christians," he said, "don't go through the 
world blindfolded; they know jist whar thaire 
bound ; that they are on the right track to 
heaven. Supposin', nw brethren, you was going 
to Atlas, you wouldn't strike oiit back in the 
prairie, and take round the corner of Keyes' 
fence. No, that would take you to Fort Ed- 
wai'd, but you'd take down the river and be 
sure you was on tlie right road, because you'd 
see three notches on the trees, and it's jist so 
with the Christian. He knows he's on the 
straight road to heaven, and there's notches all 
along the way." 

He was a worthy man and did much of good, 
and was better than the usual type of most of 
the wandering preachers of the time. 

Additional to the other favorable influences 
operating tliis year, was the establishment of 
a store by Charles Holmes and Robert Tillson. • 
Up to this time Asher Anderson was the only 
merchant and held the monopoly of the trade. 
His "store," on the northeast corner of Slaine 
and "^I'hird streets was the only regular trading 
place in the village. There were the occasional 
groceries, where the ownership of a barrel or 
more of whiskey and nothing else, christened as 
"grocery," the cabin where the said whiskey 
was pecldled out by the drink, but no varied 
stock of goods had until now appeared to con- 
test Avith Anderson for a share of the general 
trade. The story of Mr. Holmes, who preceded 
his partner in settlement, may be worth recital 
as picturing the primitive condition of things 
in those early days. 

He had a store in St, Louis at that time, 
and happening to stop over at Quincy, while 
on a trip to Galena, liked the prospects of the 
place and concluded to settle here. He found 
much difSculty and delay in getting his goods 
from St. Louis. Steamboats ran only occasional- 
ly and it was late in the season when several 
of them had been Tip for the year. The owners 
of the keel boats were unwilling to start unless 
fully freighted, and always charged the same 
for way freight that they did for what was to 
be transported to the end of their route. The 



reason for this was, that these boats rarely ob- 
tained many passengers or much freight after 
leaving port, either on the passage up or the 
return. Hence the keel boats often laid long 
in port. It was also somewhat the same with 
the steamboats. Old settlers can remember how 
steamboats, partially laden, would lie at the St. 
Louis wharf for days in succession, with steam 
up and wheels moving, and in apparent in.stant 
readiness to move, while the captain would 
vigorously ring the bell about every fifteen min- 
utes, constantly declaring that he would "leave 
right away." "lie can lie like a steamboat 
captain," was the phrase which expressed the 
"ultima thule" of falsehood. 

Becoming wearied with waiting for a 
steamer, Mr. Holmes, in connection with two 
other yoiing men, one of whom had a stock for 
Hannibal and the other for Palmyra, chartered 
a keel boat on which he shipped his goods, 
about four thousand dollarr ' worth of miscel- 
laneous merchandise. 

The boat reached Alton on the fourth day 
out. This seemed almost as slow as being at St. 
Louis. Meeting there a descending steamer, the 
Black Rover, and finding that it would return 
in a day or two on its last trip up (this was 
November). Hr. Holmes took passage, reaching 
Quincy in advance of his goods, which came 
along safely after a twenty days' trip from 
St. Louis. Keel boats which were then the 
mo.st usual mediums of transportation (as 
steamers were few and irregular as well as 
expensive) were propelled up stream sometimes 
by poling: but generally by "cordelling." that 
is, by passing long lines ahead, fastening them 
to trees on the bank, and drawing the boat up 
thereby. This slow and monotonous pr.ocess 
gave an average daily progress of about eight 
miles. Sometimes a favoring south wind brisk 
enough to overcome the current sprang up, and 
by spreading a large square sail, the speed 
would be greatly increased, with also much sav- 
ing of labor. 

The first salutation that Mr. Holmes received 
when his goods were landed was from Elam S, 
Freeman, who died at Basco. Hancock county, 
about a year and a half ago. Freeman was a 
substantial, excellent man, who acquired the 
title of major from service in the Black Hawk 
war in 1832-3. He Avas a blacksmith of herculean 
frame, and used a voice in full keeping with 
his size. "Young man," said he, "have you 
brought any vises with you." "No," said Mi*. 
Holmes with a characteristic touch of humor, 
"but from the looks of things here I expect to 
get some soon." 

The town was indeed a forlorn looking place. 
The bluffs were nearly barren of timber and 



32 



PAST AND PKESENT OF ADAilS COUNTY. 



.seamed with ragged gullie.s; along the river's 
brink was strung a .scanty fringe of feeble 
trees. A few cabins lay along Front street look- 
ing as if they might have tumbled down the 
hill and were too feeble to return. These were 
mostly north of Hampshire street, and extend- 
ing in a broken string as far up as the little 
cove in the bluff, where Spring street comes 
through. Among these was the cabin of Wil- 
lard Keyes. about the corner of Vermont street, 
and just south of this, Avith some houses be- 
tween, was a little larger double cabin than the 
others, which was George W. llight's "Steam- 
boat Hotel." Three or four of the buildings 
were groceries, of the style spoken of hereto- 
fore, and patronized mostly by boatmen and 
Indians. Thence southward on Front street was 
the cabin of John Wood at the foot of Delaware 
street. Between these two points was the cabin 
of Levi Wells, half Avay up the hill near State 
street, and farther north three or four more 
such structures hung against the hillside. The 
steamboat landing was at the foot of Vermont 
street. There, the rock from under the bluff 
cropped out at the river's edge, so as to be 
visible at an ordinary stage of water. Three 
or four ragged looking trees grew near the 
liank. convenient for the boats to tie to. These 
ai)pearances continued for many years, even 
until the small landing was made at the foot of 
Hampshire in 1839. 

There were but two routes b.y wliieh wagons 
could ascend the hill: one, south of the village 
along the Milnor creek and where now is Dela- 
ware street ; the otlier, by a very steep and 
circuitous track, which, wandering upward 
from near the corner of Front and Vermont 
streets, finally reached the level of the public 
square at Hampshire street, between Third and 
Fourth. On the hill the main settlements lay. 
Arcunid the square on the north, west and 
south, were scattered cabins, about half a doze)i 
on each side. Near the corner of Maine was 
the courthouse. South and southwest of the 
public square and east along Hampshire street, 
or "Pucker Street'" as it was nicknamed, for 
Uvo i)\- three hundred yards were similar struc- 
tures, with here and there a cabin located 
farther east. The square was cut diagonally 
from northeast to southwest by a wagon road, 
running across it, such as no ravine, but the 
wagon road made. It boasted a luxuriant 
growth of hazel bi-ush, intersected by footpaths, 
and also supported three or fiiur small trees 
and one large white oak. 

And this was Quincy. There were then the 
store and three hotels, one under the hill, one 
at the southwest and the other at the north- 
east corners of the scpiare. They made no pre- 



tense to aristocratic elegance or sumptuous 
gastronomy, yet the "big bugs" frequented 
them in profusion and force. All ot thsse build- 
ings were of logs, mostly round or unhewn. 
Brick, plaster, laths and weather boarding were 
factors yet to come, as they did in the follow- 
ing year. 

Continuing the reminiscences of ilr. Holmes 
— as giving a good insight to the api^earance of 
those pi'istine days and as affording personal 
information in regard to Quincy, it ajDpears that 
his, the second store of the place, was tirst 
established in a small shanty on Hampshire 
street, west of and near Fifth, adjacent to what 
M'as then tlie "Log Cabin," afterwards the 
"Land Office Hotel," owned and kept bv Bar- 
zillai Clark. 

Requiring larger and safer accommodations 
for his business than his leaky cabin afforded, 
I\Ir. Holmes soon after bought of Col. Wheelock 
1!)6 feet, fronting, both on Maine and Fourth 
streets, being lots 6 and 7, of block 13, diagonal- 
ly across from the Quincy House, long after- 
wards known as the post office corner. 

For this he paid $175, one half cash, the re- 
mainder in goods or "store truck," as it was 
called. He was the recipient of a good deal of 
quizzing for having paid such a price for lots 
that had been sold two or three years earlier 
for about $30, but he consoled himself and sat- 
isfied his partner Tillson, who ari-ived iu the 
following spring, by the comfortable fact that 
the $175 of "store pay" was a very iiliable 
sum, taking into account the margins between 
eastern purchases and western prices. 

Prices of goods ruled very strangely, and 
were as unfixed on many articles as are mining 
stock quotations to-day. The arrival of two or 
juore boats at the same time: the receipt of a 
stock of eastern or southern goods after a long 
delay, or earlier than was expected, gave them 
a very elastic value, in one direction or the 
I it her. It is true that a few of the more needed 
and more ea.sily obtained staples were held 
at nearly the same relative cost at all times, 
l)ut the i)rofit (HI these was high. Eastern goods 
especially sold dear. The cost, risk and time 
involved in their transportation by sea to New 
Orleans, thence the slow travel up the iliss- 
issippi, and re-shipment of St. Louis, and their 
weighty or bulky and damageable nature 
caused the selling figure when they arrived to 
lie well set up. 

Prints ranged from 30 to 40 cents : hardware 
was quite costly: axes, for instance, brought 
from $2.25 to $2.50, and all other agricultural 
and mechanical implements were priced in like 
liroportion. Boots and shoes were rated high. 
Good crockerv was scarce and sold at a high 



PAS r AND PRESENT OF ADA.MS COU.XTY. 



33 



figure. Ordinary and plain ware was far 
cheaper, for tlie reason that the quantitj- of 
hoiiseliold utensils was very limited, and the 
needs in this direetiou were made up by the 
use of gourds and domestic "earthen ware." 
Flour, which brought from $8 to $10 per barrel, 
as also bacon and all salted provision, was al- 
most entirely imported at this time, and after- 
■\vard, until about the year 1832. Sugar, coffee, 
rice and southern products generally ruled 
lower. 

Clothing was mosth' home made. Jeans, 
blue as the best looking, yellow or butternut, 
the most common, was the almost universal 
male garb. Sometimes Buckskin was used, 
which, when carefully dressed, dyed and fitted, 
made a handsome, indeed often an elegant suit, 
with wonderful durability of wear. Women 
generally wore homespun, the linsey-woolsey, 
with the printed muslin, or calico, to be donned 
on Sundaj', and on the head the huge horn 
comb, covered by the universal sun bonnet, 
worn at all times, indoors and out. Shoes were 
a dress article, used by all who could afford 
them, and carefully hoarded up by all for win- 
ter needs. 

It was not uncommon for women walking to 
meeting or to a gathering of any kind, to take 
their shoes in hand and put them on just before 
they reached the place of assemblage, taking 
them off again while on their return. The least 
used article of what we deem necessary apparel, 
was the stocking. This garment, the most 
modern invention of all our useful clothing, 
utterly unknown in ancient times, was almost 
equally unlaiown in the earlj' times of our 
West. Stockings were of wool, home knit, gen- 
erally, white or gray, except when taste or 
coquetry would give them a walnut, grape, or 
some other modest dark vegetable dye. Flashy 
color's were unknown. The exhibition of a pair 
of the fiamingo-hued longitudinals worn at the 
jjresent day woxdd have made a decided sensa- 
tion. 

Fashion is Protean — limitlessly so — and is 
mosth' itself when extreme. It is equally wor- 
shiped and intolerant in the ]Modoc wigwam and 
the Paris salon. The London snob or the French 
dandy, and their hidicrous imitators here, are 
not more obects of reverential admiration and 
imitation than was the aspiring savage, who, 
to do honor to his white brothers, presented 
himself at an Indian eoiuieil clothed only with 
an old military chapeau and plume — exhibiting, 
as Washington Irving humorously tells us. the 
general oiScer on top and big Indian at bottom. 
The passion for finery prevails among all 
classes without regard to "age, race, color or 
previous condition," and it often has eminently 



amusing features. The "height of the style," 
as now seen, will well pass for a patent scare- 
crow forty or fifty years hence, just as a street 
or party exhibition of the full-dress garb of a 
generation past, would cause the fair fashion- 
ables of to-day, with an " oh ! mercy ! ' ' shock 
and slmdder, to pull back and train out yet 
further in very defense. 

A brief description of a handsome, conscious 
rustic Adams county belle, as she appeared 
when dashing up to the meetin '-house door on 
horseback, some fifty odd years ago, is thus 
told by a lady observer. She had been a belle 
also in the rural region from which she came 
to the West, and brought with her some rem- 
nants of her former finery, stj^les, even then 
passed out of fashion. Dark grey woolen stock- 
ings, cowhide brogans. with leather shoe- 
strings, a very short, sky-blue silk skirt, some- 
what faded: a black silk waist or sleeveless 
jacket, also much worn and furnishing its own 
fringe in the fray of its edges ; enormous white 
puffed leg-of-mutton sleeves ; a square muslin 
cape, with a broad, unstarched ruffle, a huge 
white leghorn, sugar scoop bonnet, with a long 
black feather and parti-colored ribbons promis- 
cuously bestowed thereon. Would not such an 
apparition now-a-days induce our neatly 
dressed church-goers to say "oh, Moses?" 

Equallj- primitive with the dress and per- 
sonale of our ' ' old settlers ' ' was the contracted 
and most home made furnishings of their 
homes. As the succeeding year marked the 
commencement of more pretentious construc- 
tions, with their natural accompaniments of 
increased comfort and style, it is worth the 
while to look briefly into these old-time house- 
holds which depicted modes of life and usage, 
the same throughout the entire community, 
such as just then were about to begin passing 
away, and such as this section Avill never be- 
hold again. The houses, as has been stated, 
were all built of logs, genei'ally the roiind log 
with the bark left on, the interstices "chinked" 
with strips of wood driven between the logs 
and then mortared with clay, making thus a 
thick, warm wall, impervious to wind or damp. 
The door was fastened by a large, wooden 
latch on the inside ; the latch raised by a string 
which passed to the outside through a hole in 
the door, the string being pulled in at night; 
it turned on Avooden hinges, which were of two 
kinds — either a huge imitation of the great gate 
hinges of to-day, or more commonly a straight 
upright stick, the height of the door, fastened 
to it.3 back end, having dull pointed ends above 
and below to revolve in a hole in the floor and 
one in the frame above. 

Tiie floor was carpetless, and why? First, 



34 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



because there were no carpets to be had. and 
next for the reason that carpets would have 
had a short existence on the puncheon tioor. 
These puncheons were made by splitting- 
through the center, logs of from eight to ten 
feet in length and from twenty to thirty inches 
in diameter, and laying them along side each 
other, the Hat side up and the lower or round 
side partially imbedded in the ground. Such 
floors were often convenient to the housewife 
when sweeping, since part of the dirt would 
drop through the interstices, and so much less 
remained to be swept out of the door. Bed- 
steads were easily made in the coruei's of the 
room; the walls constituting the head and one 
side, the other side aud the foot being supported 
by a single leg or post. Wooden pegs were 
driven into the walls, on which hung cloth- 
ing. Near the fireplace, a half dozen rough 
shelves for holding dishes, these usually covered 
by a cloth in place of a door. A broad, long 
board was above the great fire-place, on which 
would be placed all sorts of things, rarely 
omitting the bottle of bitters (roots or "yarbs'' 
in whiskey), the universal panacea to keep ofl; 
the periodical "shake." It is very surprising 
to know how broadly prevalent in those days 
was the " f ever-an-ager. " Indeed, not to be 
sub.ieet to it, was the sanitary exception rather 
than the rule. 

Additional to the furnishings above named 
was the table, home-manufactured, heavy and 
strong, about three feet square (more often 
less) for the two-fold reason that there was but 
little spai-e space for it and that there were 
not enough dishes to go around on a larger one ; 
also three or four stools, a bench and some- 
times a couple of split-bottomed chairs ; the 
water bucket, or in its place the piggin, these 
were the sum total of the cabinet ware of the 
house. Cloths suspended from the rafters by 
strings, sometimes surrounded the beds, mak- 
ing them more private ; but this was not usual. 

For the needs of cooking and eating, no great 
variet}^ was reciuired. It will be remembered 
that all cooking was then done either in the fire- 
place or over coals on the hearth. Cook stoves 
had not yet come into use; even the inven- 
tions so prized, which immediately preceded the 
introduction of the stove, these were the tin 
• oaster and tin baker — had not made their ap- 
pearance. The spider, a utensil now com- 
paratively little used, was then of universal use 
for baking purposes. It was a large, flat iron 
skillet with four shox't legs, an iron cover, con- 
cave on the top. This, when filled with dough 
was placed on a bed of coals, the top profusely 
filled with the same, and most excellent was 
the bake. Boiling was done in a large iron 



kettle, susi^ended over the fire by a hook which 
hung in the huge chimney. Occasionally, an 
iron crane, turning on a hinge and attached 
to one side of the chimney, took place of the 
hook, but these were not common. 

These two articles were the necessities aud 
answered most of the needs of all. A small 
amount of crockery was sometimes seen, but 
limited in quantity. Tinware was common and 
applied generally to all sorts of iises. The 
great chimney and its broad, cheerful fire-place, 
whether open and clean-swept in summer, or 
bright with the blaze of its huge crackling logs 
in Avinter, was an essential feature of the house ; 
giving ventilation at one season and warmth 
and light during the other. Occupying with the 
fir-e-place usually half of one end of the house, 
it was built wp outside of and against it. It 
was mostly made of sticks, completely covered 
and imbedded in clay. This would after awhile 
sometimes burn out, but with attention it was 
very durable. Now and then the lower part of 
the chimney and the inside hearth were made 
of flat stones mortared with clay. 

These houses, though small, usually about six- 
teen feet, rarely over twenty, square and seem- 
ingly cramped, had a singular capacity for 
accommodating many, and if constructed with 
ordinary care, were very comfortable and 
healthy at all seasons. 

The brief descriptions above applj' to the 
more crude and earlier structures, and nu>re 
especially to those in the country, yet it was 
such as these that were still by far the most 
common. There were a few more spacious 
and pretentious habitations built according to 
the means and tastes of their owners with 
greater care and regard to appearance. The 
frames of such were of square hewn logs, the 
four corners of the house sawed off evenly, 
the heighth sometimes sufficient to have a sort 
of half story attic above, with a clapboard floor- 
ing. The ascent to this attic was by a ladder 
from the corner of the room below. In these 
better built cabins occasionally woiild be seen 
a floor of split boards, and perhaps a breadth 
or two of rag carpeting, and a small cupboard, 
bureau, or rocking chair brought from the 
former home, or other articles of similar kind. 
The families who first settled here encumbered 
themselves on their long journey \vith as little 
weighty or bulky furniture as possible, and the 
younger families made up in the West could 
as yet find neither the articles nor the where- 
with to buy. 

The best of the houses were the double 
cabins, joined by a common roof, with the inter- 
vening space iisually about fifteen or twenty 
feet in width, left unenclosed at one end, with 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



35 



doors opening' on opj^osite sides into either 
house. As more room came to be required an 
additional cabin would be attached wherever it 
appeared most handy, without any anxiety 
about architectural rules so that in the course 
of time, the group of buildings presented as 
irregular and as rough an appearance as a 
cluster of oysters. Thus looked Quincy from 
outside aud within over a half centurj- ago. 
The survivors of those times to whom it is a 
personal remembrance are but two, Mrs. Levi 
Wells, whose husband was one of the first three 
county commissioners elected in 1825, and who 
came to the county in 1824, and a few years 
later moved into the village, and Mr. Robert 
Tillsou, who arrived here early in 1829, are 
the only living residents now here who were 
of matured years and can recall the appearance 
of the place prior to 1830. 

The oldest living person now residing here, 
who Avas born in Quincy, and was born before 
1830. is Mr. Daniel C. Wood, eldest son of the 
late. Gov. Wood. 

The deserii^tions above given may seem need- 
less on account of their being not unfamiliar 
appearances to many at the present day, but 
they form an essential part of these current 
sketches and must somewhere have a place 
therein. 



CHAPTER XL 



1829. 

SLOW PROGRESS. FIRST MECHANICS. FREEING 
SLAVES. THE ROWDY. 

There was little to attract settlement in the 
aspect of a ragged looking hamlet containing 
less than two hundred people, and composed of 
about a dozen log cabins strung along the river 
shore, uninviting in appearance, with the ex- 
ception of the Keyes' cabin at the foot of Ver- 
mont. This was improved in the fall of this 
year by a little frame addition, a ten or twelve 
foot square room, being the second frame struc- 
ture in the place. Wood's cabin at the foot of 
Delawai-e, the first one built, now, however, 
had received some log extensions. There were 
also on the hill, scattered irregular around, 
and near the public square, about a score of 
similar cabins. 

As yet no frame or brick liouse had been 
built, and lath and plaster were yet to come. 
The place was little more than a steamboat 
landing for the boats that passed occasionally. 



on their trips to and from Galena and St. Louis. 
Often these passed by without having occasion 
to stop, having neither passengers nor freight 
to deliver, and not being signalled to receive 
either. It was these occasional appearances of 
steamers, of which three or four plied between 
the two points named, making a trip once in 
three weeks, which, whether they landed or not, 
gave a temporary life and stir to the village 
and caused the only break in its every day 
monotony. 

There were two stores, those of Anderson and 
of Tillson & Holmes, which sold everything 
that was needed, and took as pay anything in 
trade, and there were some half a dozen 
groceries which dealt in one single staple ai-- 
ticle, and did therein a more inspii'ing, if not 
a more lucrative business than did the general 
stores, and were far more popular. 

This year came the second physician, S. W. 
Rogers, and the first lawyer, Archibald Wil- 
liams. There were several mechanical occupa- 
tions represented, each singly, thus having the 
entire monopoly of the town trade in their own 
line. There was the saddler, L. B. Allen, with 
his shop on the south side of Maine, nearly on 
the highest point of the bluff; east of him, on 
the same side of the street were Michael Mast's 
tailor and Justus Ensign's hatter shops, and 
nearly opposite, the store of Asher Anderson. 
On Front, near York, was the tannery of Ira 
Pierce and Jeptha Lambkin's pottery. Col. 
Freeman, blacksmith, was northwest of the 
square, and Asa Tyrer and Samuel Seward had 
a blacksmith aud wagon shop southeast of the 
town. Droulard's shoemaker's shop was at his 
cabin near where the gas works now are. These 
cover most of the mechanical occupations which 
were here at the commencement, though others 
came during the year. Strange it may seem, 
and yet not so, because there was nothing yet 
for them to do, there was neither a carpenter 
nor a mason in the place. 

The circuit clerk at this time was H. H. Snow, 
who held this and nearly every other clerical 
local office in the county — probate judge, coun- 
ty clerk, surveyor, etc. — for nearly ten j^ears, 
from the date of its organization. Another long 
lived official at this period, was Earl Pierce, 
who held the office of sheriff by successive elec- 
tion, six terms, from 1826 to 1836 : the last term, 
however, being broken by his sudden departure 
for Texas in 1837 — faithfully, it is said, ad- 
hering to the charge and possession of a goodly 
amount of the county funds, which he probably 
thought it unsafe to leave behind him. Offices 
did not change hands so frequently in those 
days as since, probably for the two reasons that 
tliej' paid but little, and there were but com- 



36 



PAST AND PKESExNT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



l^aratively few who were qualitied by education 
to fill them. The eouuty coiumissiouei's, who 
were imtil 1834 (when Quincy was incor- 
porated as a town) its sole authorities, were 
George Prazier, Samuel Stone and James 
White. Descendants of all these are now resi- 
dents in the county or city. Philip W. Martin, 
long a i^rominent citizen of the county and a 
captain in the Black Hawk war, was elected 
County Commissioner in the place of James 
White in September, and at the same time 
Charles Holmes, who died in St. Louis in June 
'89, from whose recollections much of these 
sketches is derived, was chosen county treas- 
urer. An auction of a portion of the unsold 
town lots which had not been offered at pre- 
vious sales, and of such as had been sold and 
the purchaser failed to pay for, was had on 
March 4th, with but small success, and no seem- 
ing advance on former prices. The village 
settlement was still very slow, although county 
innnigration was pouring in fast, especially to- 
Avards the eastern section in the Clayton and 
Camp Point neighborhood. 

Among the well known old time settlers of 
the city and county who were here before, and 
Avh'o came in this .vear were Nathaniel Sum- 
mers, Robert Tillson, W. P. Harrison, George 
Chapman, Archibald Williams, Dr. S. W. 
Eogers of Quincy, S. S. Meachan, Thaddeus 
Pond and Sanmel Ferguson of Bui-ton, Eeuben 
Doty, Peter Felt,Obediah Waddell. Jacob Wag- 
ner of Melrose, J. H. Anderson, Thos. Crank, 
Wm. M. Kirkpatrick, W. H. Wade, Peter Orr, 
Wm. Pryor of Lima, James Thomas, John 
Thomas, John Lierle of Columbus, John P. Rob- 
bins, and Lewis, Duncan, Sterne of Ellington ; 
Wigle, Yeargain, White and Walby of Gilmer. 

A jail was contracted for to be erected at a 
cost of $200. Ferry rates were established the 
same as the year before, and the exclusive ferry 
license was given to Hugh White for the nomi- 
nal sum of $2 a year. Among the public notices 
of the time was what would appear singular 
at this later day, the manumission of some 
slaves by John W. Stern and James Anderson. 
These had been brought from Kentucky b.y 
their masters, and under the existing laws of 
the state, it was requisite that if freed the 
master must give bonds for their conduct and 
that they should not become dependent on the 
public for support, and nui.st make official an- 
nouncement of this, which was done by hand- 
bills and posters, there being no ])aper here then 
published. 

The social and business aspect of the place 
had now but little changed from what it pre- 
sented in 1825 — changed it may be said in no 
real respect except that there was more of it. 



Quincy was as yet but little more than the trad- 
ing point for this section, business made up 
from its two stores and two or three groggeries 
and the visit of an occasional trading boat, such 
as foi'merly had been common on the upper Mis- 
sissippi and Illinois rivers, but now had disap- 
peared. The stocks in these stores were neither 
large nor various. Merchandizing consisted 
mainly in the retailing at round profits of a 
few dry goods and groceries with farmer's 
tools, powder and lead. These were generally 
paid for in money, of which there was but lit- 
tle in the country — most of it being brought in 
by the immigrants, and soon passed into the 
possession of the merchants and b.y them soon 
taken away in payment for their goods, thus 
keeping but little money in general circidation. 
Few articles of farm production were taken in 
exchange for goods, these exchanges consisted 
almost solely of peltries, tallow and beeswax. 
The latter was esjjecially a choice substitute tov 
cash. 

Barter of farm products, which some yeai's 
later became the main feature of mercantile 
business in the west, had not as yet come into 
vogue for the reason that there was but little 
comparatively raised be.voud the home wants 
of the farmer, and also that tlie outside mar- 
kets were few and distant, and would not war- 
rant the merchant in the risks and delay at- 
tending the return of his investment in such 
lines. But a small portion of the sales were on 
credit, but these, however, with the 100 per 
cent profit on eastern bought articles and 25 
per cent on groceries, and a 12 per cent inter- 
est allowable and customary on notes and ac- 
counts at the time gave a handsome margin of 
certain profit for traders who waited for their 
pay. The financial situation of the countrj' was 
as bad as could be. The times were hard. The 
state was going throiigh one of its many experi- 
ences of State Bank money. The issues of the 
State Bank, chartered in 1820, passed at 25 
cents on the dollar. Yet with all this, the peo- 
ple got along in comfort and cheer, as the wants 
and wi.shes were simple and few. If the busi- 
ness bearings appeared hard, the social show- 
ings were very much harder. The place was 
thoroughly frontierish on its surface. 

Society was not highly refined, but not tame. 
Court met twice a year, there was the annual 
August election, the occasional preachings, per- 
iodically, brought in a large representation of 
the country people, others were drawn in by 
business postponed for these occasions, by legal 
demands, curiosity and all sorts of personal in- 
ducements, proper and not so proper. These 
were the stirring seasons of the year, rare, brief 
but full of action. Trades were made, projierty 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



37 



ehauged hands by swop. Equine excellence on 
the hoof and human superiority in the run, 
jump, wrestle or fist was settled with as much 
interest and attraction (though on a minor 
scale) as the race at present for the Derby. A 
redeeming feature of these old-time petty con- 
tests was that they were honest and unfero- 
cious. Each locality was supposed to have its 
best man or rather its best fighters, each of them 
ambitious to extend their fame and wliip the 
neighboring boss or bully, and the public days 
were the occasion for settling all thi.s. 

Between these times the village enlivement 
depended mainly on itself, and upon the quaint 
characters who strayed in from the country, or 
were always loafing about the stores and grog- 
geries. There were enough of these oddities — 
the old-time "half horse, half aligator" stock, 
which was so numerous sixty years since all 
along the ilississippi and which is to a partial 
degree exemplified now in tlie southwestern 
' ' cowboy. ' ' 

They, especially those from the country, were 
a class of, not exactly rowdies, but, either peri- 
odical or constant carousers, who, without often 
making much of mischief in serious disturb- 
ances, always succeeded whenever they chose in 
giving a carminal tint to the town of the most 
original and ruddy hue. A development of a 
few nights later of the peculiarities of the place 
is told by Mr. Holmes. 

A week or two after his arrival, he was 
roused after midnight from sleep by a racket 
in the street, and looking out saw some of the 
"true breed of dogs" as they were headed by 
two men, one of whom he had a few days be- 
fore become acquainted with, as one of the 
leading eoimty officials, parading about the 
square with a candle box and in it several 
pieces of lighted candles, .shouting: "Rouse ye 
neighbors, behold us, we are the lights of the 
world." There were those from the south part 
of the county, who invariably w'hen they came 
to town, left it in more if not better spirits than 
when they came in. They were good fellows, 
queer fellows, such as are not seen nowadays, 
each with his eccentricities. There was one, 
John Thomas, a very worthy, kind-hearted man, 
who invariably when he became full enough to 
go home, made it his final jjoint to invite every- 
body to "keam eout and see me. I'll treat ye 
keindly if ye come and shoe ye the suy keartie." 

Another witty oddity, used to periodically 
parade on his big horse Boleway. and announce 
his set speech, which was "I'm I\Iike Dodd — in 
a minute. I'm built from the ground up like a 
muskrat house, and I don't beg potatoes of a 
negro." These, and such as these were the 
types of a general and common character, and 



they and such as they, gave an early coarse and 
gross coloi'ing to the social showing of the 
place, but they were slowly passing away and 
their peculiarities with them. 



CHAPTER XII. 



1835. 

HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS. SKETCH OF THE 
TOWX. COURT HOUSE BURNED. LORD'S BARN. 
POLITICAL ATTRACTIONS OP THE MILITARY 
TRACT. FIRST NEWSPAPER. VARIOUS 

CHURCHES ORGANIZED. MAIL FACILITIES. 
CURRENCY. UNSOUND MONEY AND INFLA- 
TION. LaW'YERS OF QUINCY. PHYSICIANS. 
STEAM MILL. D. G. WHITNEY. HOLMES FAil- 
ILY. JOHN W. M'PADON. JOHN TILLSON. 
BUILDING OF THE QUINCY HOUSE. SOCIAL 
LIFE. ALEXANDER. CONTESTS FOR COUNTY 
SEAT. ADAMSBURGH. LA FAYETTE. COATS- 
BURG. COST OF LIVING. RISE OF THE RAIL- 
ROAD MANIA. ROLL CALL OF NEW SETTLERS. 

Our sketch of Quincy now passes over an in- 
terval of about five years. 

How did the little town look in 183-4-5 ? It 
cannot better be pictured than has been done 
by a toui'ist of those days, from whose journal 
we quote: "There it is, sir," said to us that 
model captain and thorough gentleman (two 
unusually united characteristics in those days), 
Capt. James Whitney, of the elegant, commo- 
dious, swift-running passenger steamer Orion. 
"That's it; you'll get off in time for supper, 
but you'll do better if you don't. Stay and 
take supper on board. Steamboat fare was 
not then always attractive, usually quite the 
reverse, but the Orion was an exception, and 
our next day's gastronomic experience on the 
hill convinced us that the Quincy taverns and 
the steamboats, in the item of table luxuries ( ?) 
about paralyzed each other. — as a quaint old 
settler used to say about his store goods in 
comparison with those of his neighbors, and 
we found that we had done wisely in accept- 
ing the worth J' captain's propo.sition and se- 
cui'ing a square meal on the Orion. There lay 
before us, as our hoarse-breathing craft tore 
sturdily through the yellow 'spring rise' flood 
of the untamed 'Jleche seepe,' great Avater (not 
father of waters, as popular language has trans- 
lated its name), ileche is the Algonquin word 
for great, as, for instance, mechegan (Michi- 
gan), which means great fishtrap, the outline 
of the lake .suggesting a weir or trap for fish. 
Also mechlemackinak or Mackinaw means 
great turtle, as the island of ]\Iackinaw resem- 
bles a turtle in shape. Again, the Indian word 



38 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



seepe, from which comes the English or rather 
American word seep, signifies water or flow. 
Thus taken together we tind meeheseepe — 
great flow or great Avater. 

"But we are stopping onr steamer all this 
time, while before ns lies under the rays of the 
declining sun, the heavy grass-green blutf 
dotted here and there with cabin or tree. 

"Sprinkled along the river bank, as if some- 
body had let them fall and thought it not wortli 
tlie while to pick them up. were what were 
called improvements. A little .steam mill at 
the foot of what is noAV Delaware street, was 
wheezing away, as if in constant expectation 
of medical aid or immediate collapse. Near by 
it lay a couple of somewhat clean looking cab- 
ins; south thereof was a tangled mass of un- 
broken tree and brush and vine vegetation; 
above, along the water's edge, stood some tiim- 
bledown looking .structures as far up as JIaine 
street, some used, some used up. and sonu^ use- 
less. 

"Yet farther on, a rambling row of log, 
frame and loose stone building between Maine 
and Broadway, — and Avas Quincy. We land at 
the foot of Vermont street. 

"Here, the rock crops out close to the water's 
edge. A tew dead beat trees dolefully linger 
as hitching posts for the landing steamer. Right 
before us stare the sign 'Steamboat Hotel.' at 
the corner of Front and Vermont. Shall Ave 
stop there? Again comes in our good captain's 
adi^iee. 'Better not; I see a friend on shoi-e 
Avho Avill take you on the hill in his buggy. If 
you go to the Stcniiiboat Hotel it'll be buggy 
all night Avitli Vdu, and not much better on the 
hill, only that you'll get clear of mosquitoes 
and may not be roused by a street roAV. ' We 
talce our good cajitain's advice and again profit. 
Many a grateful and sad memory will often 
stray toAvards the name of this noble gentle- 
man, AA^ho afterAvards, draAvn by the pride of 
high adventure, thrcAV a rising fortune into the 
stirring strifes of the Pacific Coast, and earned 
there as popular a name as he Avore Avhen Avith 
us. 

"No .street AA-as then graded to the lop of the 
hill from the river, and Ave ascend liy a Avind- 
ing road, starting from about the present cor- 
ner of Front and Vermont. We cross Hamp- 
shire, betAveen Second and Third, and land 
at last on level ground near the store of Asher 
Anderson, the fii'st merchant, at the corner of 
Third and Maine. 'Well.' Ave say, 'Where is the 
toAvn?' Leaving, A-ery gladly. Avliat Ave sa.AV of 
it under the hill. Ave see first, (ui tlu^ south side 
of Hampshire, betAveen Avhat is uoav Second 
and Third, a sehoolhouse, then further east 
along Hampshire, crossing a huge ravine about 



Avhere the City Hall uoav stands, Ave find noth- 
ing until at the corner of Fourth. At this time 
liere stood a tAvo-.story frame house OAvned by 
Henry B. Berry, perhaps the most imposing 
edifice in toAA^u. Continuing from Fourth street 
east, first comes the log boarding house of 
' WidoAv Wheat, ' Avhere afterAvard the First Na- 
tional Bank stood: noAV (1901) occiipied by 
the (^uinc.A' National Bank. There the 'elite' of 
the toAvn boarded. Then conies the red grocery 
of Tom King; next Wm. P. Reeder's frame one- 
story grocery, his frame house alongside, and 
still smaller than either, if possible, is his brick 
kitchen in the rear, and the first brick kitchen 
erected on the square, and the second in the 
place ; next, Ave see the small frame storehouse 
oAvned by Dr. S. W. Rogers : then John W. JIc- 
Fadon's one-story frame storehouse, Avliere is 
noAV Montgomery's drug .store; farther east 
comes the long two-story frame 'Land Office 
Hotel,' Avith an unrivaled state reputation for 
the liveliness of its beds and the luxuriant 
soil deposits on its floors. There the big bugs 
.stopped and stayed. In the east end of the 
same Avas the laAV office of 0. H. BroAvning, then 
the rising, as, for fifty years, he Avas the lead- 
ing representative man of the Quincy bar. A 
little farther on, at the corner of Fifth, Avas 
Robert Tillsou's one and a half story log clAvell- 
ing house, some five feet beloAV grade. 

"North of Hampshire, on Third, Fourth and 
Fifth streets, there Avere scattered clAvellings, 
and all north of BroadAvay, Avas the 'Keyes 
farm,' extending from TAvelfth to Front street, 
and from BroadAvay to Chestnut. The original 
cost to Mr. Keyes of that splendid property 
Avas about eleven dollars, Avith an addition in 
the Avay of a bonus for the privilege of secvir- 
ing the tax title to this half section. He after- 
Avard obtained, at a much increased figure, the 
patentee's title, thus protecting his claim to 
the Avhole. Tavo Avinding raA'ines tending north- 
Avesterly. avouucI through this section betAveen 
Hamp.shire and BroadAvay, and occupied most 
of the area, leaving but here and there a place 
for a fcAV cabins. The 'Burial Ground' (the 
south half of AA'hat is uoav Jefferson Park, 
Avhere the courthouse stands) Avas a higher and 
more even piece of ground, unenclosed, with 
a few trees on it, and a rail pen or pile of 
brush here and there, indicating the existence 
of a grave. 

"The north half of this square Avas a deep 
raA'ine. BetAveen Fifth and Sixth, on the north 
side of Hampshire, Avere tAvo cabins (a portion 
of this ground being badly cut up by raA'ines. 
The two-.story brick house of Judge Young, on 
the ground Avhere the Tremont House stands, 
came later. On the south side of Hampshire, 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



39 



being built liy Loriug 11. Reynolds, the two-story 
frame, which many may remember iu later 
years as being the tavern kept by Joel Emery, 
whose musical 'Never Drink a Drop Again,' 
was a daily town melody. Farther on, looking 
east along the south side of Hampshire, were 
several small structures, some log, some frame, 
some on the street, others back : among the 
latter the cooper shop of "Wells & Morgan, in 
the rear of the present Rogers' building, which 
was, we believe, the first important cooperage 
establishment in the place. 

"East of Sixth street was the government 
land office, a one-story frame, then Guth's 
cabin: next three or four more residences of 
like appearance. Across Seventh, on the 
ground where the old Browning mansion is 
now, and the Catholic schoolhouse stands, ex- 
tending beyond Eighth, were several log resi- 
dences, one a double cabin, occupied by Jesse 
Summers, another, by Henry Kemp. Thence 
on to Twelfth, there was a succession of hazel 
rough, then forest, and the whole area cut by 
half a dozen ravines running south. Hamp- 
shire, or 'Pucker' street, as it was in town 
slang, called, was the only outlet from the pub- 
lic scpiare to the north and east. It ran along 
a ridge as far as Eighth, where the road turned 
northeast, cutting across vacant ground imtil it 
reached the Alstyne prairie. 

"On the north side of Hampshire where the 
Episcopal Church stands, was a corn field, in 
which stood David Karnes' blacksmith shop; 
the only house on that side of the street was 
Droulard's second house, a double cabin, where 
the Bushnell residence now stands. Droulai-d 
was the owner of this entire cjuai'ter section, 
but it was all whittled out of his hands, and 
he died, as he lived, a poor 'French schentel- 
man. ' A cabin at the corner of Twelfth and 
Maine was for a short time, Ave believe, occu- 
pied by Mike Docld, a rare humorist and ec- 
centric man, whose descendants now reside in 
Concord township. He died in 1857, was one 
of the earliest settlers, and tradition is laden 
with his quaint sayings and acts. About where 
the Webster schoolhouse stands the ground 
was cinite heavily wooded. With the exception 
of the cabin above-named, there was nothing in 
the way of what was called 'impi'ovement' in 
this section. Out on Maine street, east of the 
sc(uare, there were one or two cabins on the 
south side, between Fifth and Sixth, but be- 
yond that, nothing. The great ravine that 
crossed the street at Sixth, ended in that di- 
rection. 

"Looking south from Hampshire street, 
along the east side of the public square, after 
passing the Emerj^ tavern at the corner, were 



a couple of cabins, one of which had been used 
as a schoolroom. Also the two brick buildings 
of Dunsmoi'e and Carlin, in process of erection. 
These were built on the ground originally re- 
served for 'school purposes.' Next, about half 
Avay along the block, and back from the street, 
was the log jail of that day, the terror of great 
criminals and small boys. Its design was both 
ingenious and economical. It had no doors to 
the first story where rogues were confined, and 
the prisoners were taken upstairs to the second 
story and let down through a hole in the floor 
to the cell below. The tendency of all which 
was. undoubtedly, to the cultivation of better 
thought and more Christian disposition, .since 
the prisonei's could only hope and look for sus- 
tenance and deliverance from above. 

"Yet farther south, near the corner of Maine, 
was the first courtliouse ; the primeval log tem- 
ple where, as the town wag used to say, 'jus- 
tice was disi:)ensed Avith.' It Avas built in 1826 
and burned in the Avinter of the year Avhicli Ave 
are describing (1835). It was, like its suc- 
cessor, a fort^mate structure. Rejoicing at its 
birth Avere repeated at its death. The folloAA'- 
ing obituary from the Illinois Bounty Land 
Register, the first and then the only paper pub- 
lished in Quinc.A', in its issue of December 11, 
1835, protot.ypes AA'hat Avas thought, felt and 
said Avhen a like cA^ent occurred on the 9th of 
January, 1875, forty j-ears later: 

' "FIRE — Our courthouse went the way of 
sublunary things amidst this devouring ele- 
ment on Wednesday evening last. There Avere 
}nany present to Avitness the splendid spectacle 
exhibited by the columns of smoke and flame 
Avhich shot up to a considerable distance as the 
conflagration increased, but if any regrets were 
expressed for the accident, they did not reach 
our ears. ' 

'"Back of the courthouse there Avas a groA-e 
of hazel and small trees. The square itself 
Avas a rough hazel patch. Near its southeast 
corner, in the street in front of the courthouse, 
Avas a big stump, from Avhieh political speeches, 
legal sales, ont-of-door sermons, etc., Avere 
made. At the southAvest corner of Fifth and 
Maine, Avas the tAvo-story frame dAvelling and 
store of Levi Wells; then came toAvards the 
Avest tAvo or three small one-story clapboai-d 
structures, attached and belonging to the Wells 
building. 

"West of the Wells building, after an inter- 
val of vacant ground that long thus remained, 
there stood, about the middle of the block, the 
little frame shop of ^Montanden, the first jew- 
eler, afterAvards occupied by W. II. Gage, 
Avhose two-story residence Avas in the rear. 
Then came tAvo or three small one-story frame 



40 



PAST AND PRESENT OF AUAJIS COUNTY. 



hiAV offices, used foi- such piirposes for many 
years by Ralston, Warren, Logan, Wheat, Gil- 
man and successively by many of the early 
law.vers. Here also was the otifice of Drs. Nich- 
ols & Eels. One of the earliest of these, Avas a 
log cabin, clapboarded, which had been the of- 
fice of 'S(|uire Logan.' He came to Qniney a lit- 
tle later than Archibald Williams, and was a 
leading lawyer, during his brief life, in a A^ariety 
of attainments, brilliant resoiiree and promise. 
He was, as JL-. Williams said, 'the brightest 
yoiuig lawyer of his day in Illinois, next to Ben 
iLlls, that I ever met.' Logan died of the all 
prevading fever, which with the cholera in 1832 
and 1833, almost decimated the place. Next, 
still looking west, was Rnfus Brown's home 
cabin, and last, at the corner where now stands 
the Neweomb Hotel, was the half log, half 
frame tavern of Brown, the brag hotel of the 
place. On the corner of Foni'th and Maine was 
the luifinished two-story frame house of Peter 
Felt, purchased and occupied by Capt. Burns, 
and subsequently used by the Illinois State 
Bank. Across the way, going north, at the cor- 
ner of Fourth and Maine, was the two-story 
frame long known as 'the old postoffice build- 
ing,' the first frame .structure of the town, built 
in 18'J9, containing also in its chimney the first 
bricks burned, the first of which that was laid, 
being yet preserved in the wall of the large 
four-story house that now occu])ies the spot. 
Here a ravine running northeast and southwest 
crossed the street. Beyond that, further north, 
was the little frame tailor shop of Michael 
Ma.st, the pioneer knight of the shears. Next 
D. G. Whitney's two-story frame store about 
the center of the block, and between that and 
Hamp.shire a frame and a log building, one used 
by Gruel as a grocery, the other liy the Pear- 
sons as a store. 

"Thus appeared the public square, rifted b.y 
cross paths and roads and with still an occa- 
sional patch of hazel rough. There were, west- 
ward down Hamp.shire street, a few small 
buildings, and around the sijuare, besides 
those named above, perhaps half a dozen tum- 
ble-down structures, sprinkled here and there, 
too unsubstantial to be noticed or remembered, 
"South and southwest of the public scpuire, 
lay the most thickl.v settled residence section of 
the place. Along Fifth street south for three 
or four blocks, on either side of the ridge, were 
several small houses. On Jerse.y, near where 
the German Methodist church now stands, on 
the south side, between Fifth and Sixth, was 
the residence of ]\frs. ^Nlarshall, the widow of an 
early settler, who died some years earlier, and 
the mother of ex-Gov, Wm. Marshall, of Min- 
nesota; and further along Jersey, westward, 



there were other caliins, with an occasional 
small frame. 

"On Maine, west of Fourth, on both sides, 
were houses as far as Slount Pisgah on Second 
street, among them Anderson's store, on the 
corner of Third, Peabody's wool-carding fac- 
tory, midway between Third and Fourth. South 
of the square, on Fourth street, on the west 
.side, was the church — 'God's bai-n,' as a long, 
low frame building (which was the earliest, 
and at the time, the only structure devoted to 
religious purposes) was called, 

■"Associated with the remembrance of that 
ugly, clapboarded shed (for it was but little 
better than a shed) are many eventful associ- 
ations that should be put on I'ecord. Familiar 
to the memory of the few siu'viving of the 
period, the.v should be preserved for their de- 
scenth'nts. In that unpretentious 'manger' was 
first born and organized the religious senti- 
ment of the village. There was sown the seed 
whence have grown and flowered the variou.s 
branches of j^rotestant belief by which our city 
is now advantaged and adorned. Almost every 
clmrch in Quincy, every shape of sectarian or- 
ganization is an outshoot of 'God's barn.' 

"It was fostered in its earlier daj's by the 
faithful fervor of the lamented Turner, and 
made influential by the learning of Nelson and 
the originality of Foote. It had another and 
a higher mission. It was freedom's fortress 
when here 'freedom's battle first began,' when 
the 'Nelson riots' arose, when humanity's duty 
to shield an innocent and eminent fugitive from 
])ro-slavery barbarism was disputed, when that 
highest of American privileges, the right of 
free thought and free expression of thought 
was denied and assailed with threatened vio- 
lence by men from abroad and men at home, 
among them, officials Avho should have been the 
guardians as the.v were the nominal representa- 
tives of good government and law. Then and 
there rallied from out the excited and divided 
community, true and feai'less men (fearless be- 
cause of their being right) and there organized 
in defense of fi"ee speech and quelled the threat- 
ened lawlessness. This was a tuniing period 
in Qiiincy's history. The old chiirch Avas the 
place of rendezvous. It Avas prepared for de- 
fense, and beneath the platform of the I'ough 
pulpit, were hidden the arms of every sort, in- 
cluding hickory clubs, ready for instant use if 
needed. Religion and freedom Avill alike keep 
green the grateful memory of 'God's barn.' 

"At the nortliAvest corner of Jersey and 
Fourth, Avhere the Baptist church noAV stands, 
Avas Judge SnoAv's double Aveather-boarded 
cabin, AA'here all the county offices Avere located, 
and several cabins lay farther south and west. 



PAST AND PKESEXT OF ADA:MS COUNTY, 



41 



About tlie corner of Secoud and Keutucky, on 
the side of the hill, was a frame hoiise occu- 
pied by Archibald Williams, and on Fourth 
street, near York, was the two-story frame 
building of the Rev. Asa Turner, the first 
settled clergyman of the place." 

Such was the place as recalled after the lapse 
of many years, though crude, rude and rough 
is the picture that appears from beneath the 
gathered dust of nearly half a century, strange 
in its humble contrast with the stir and spx'ing- 
ing life and luxui-y of to-day; yet there is a 
fadeless charm in the memorial thoughts, and 
there is hardly one of these now vanished land- 
marks that we have named, to which even yet 
some recollection does not reach back with 
mingled sentiments of pleasure, in the progress 
which had been made, and regret that the charm 
of simple frontier life has passed forever away. 
The preceding picture, while it correctly pox"- 
trays and general aspect of Quincy early in 
1835, is necessarily defective in detail, for the 
reason that it is a transcript from the tablet of 
a long-after recollection, and while precise as 
to what it does delineate, naturally has many 
omi.ssions. It is observable also that this was a 
j^ear of rapid and numerous transitions, and 
that the exhibit of the spring became a thor- 
oughly altered appearance at the close of the 
year. These changes, or some of them, will 
be noted as we pass on. 

The political representation of the town and 
county was but little varied. John JI. Robin- 
son and Wm. L. D. Ewing were the U. S. sena- 
tors (the latter a vei-y gifted man elected to fill 
the place of Elias Kent Kane, deceased). Col. 
Wm. L. May. of Springfield, was the repre- 
sentative in congress, his district embracing all 
of the state north of this line of latitude; Jo- 
seph Duncan was governor; Young was still 
on the bench: Wm. A. Richardson was state's 
attorney, elected by the legislature. The legis- 
lative representation was unchanged. The 
county officials were those of the year before, 
except that at the August election, H. H. Snow, 
who had held the office of county recorder since 
1825, was defeated at the polls by C. W. Bil- 
lingtou. a .jolly good fellow, whose good nature 
and lameness (he was a cripple) gave him a pop- 
ular success over the "old judge." This did 
not matter greatly, since Snow still held the 
three other leading county offices. 

The town authorities were changed at the 
June election. A. Williams, S. W. Rogers, J. T. 
Holmes, 0. H. Browning and H. B. Berry were 
chosen trustees ; J. T. Holmes was elected presi- 
dent and 0. H. Browning clerk of the board. 
R. R. Williams, treasurer, and Thos. C. King, 
collector. The town ordinances were revised 



and published. The omission of the year be- 
fore, to define the boundaries in the first sec- 
tion, was corrected, and we give the same as 
they were made, they being the first town boun- 
daries, and so continued until enlarged after 
Qxiincy became a city. The section reads: 
"Commencing at the termination of Delaware 
street, in John Wood's addition to Quincy, two 
rods west of low-water mark in the Mississippi 
river, thence running east one mile, thence 
north one mile, thence west one mile, thence 
south one mile to the place of beginning. This 
embraces the area now bounded by the river, 
Payson avenue. Twelfth and Oak streets. 

Until this time all of the corporation action 
had been against rowdyism, lawlessness, nuis- 
ances, etc., but on the 17th of August the com- 
mencement of internal improvement legisla- 
tion occurs. This was the appointment of Rog- 
ers. Berry and Snow (who had been appointed 
clerk in the place of Browning, resigned) to 
fix the grade of Hampshire street, and an ap- 
propriation of $'125 was made for the improve- 
ment of Hampshire and an equal amount for 
improving Maine, also $2 was allowed E. Mor- 
rill for removing a snag in the -Mississippi river 
opposite Quincy. 

The winter of 1834-5 had been one of unusual 
severity — more injurious than any before 
known". There was much loss of cattle and kill- 
ing of fruit trees throughout this section. Nav- 
igation, however, opened as early as the 23d of 
jlinuary and an early business and immigration 
commenced, surpassing that of all preceding 
periods, and which, although ever since con- 
tinued, has never been so especially stirring 
and noticeable as it was then. JIany influences 
contributed to these conditions. Quincy, from 
various causes, became a center to which and 
through which, flowed a large portion of that 
current of immigration both native and for- 
eiuii, which streamed "westward ho," ni 
search of location and home. It was. so to 
speak, the entrepot for farming lauds, the "El 
Doracio ' ' of promised settlement : the only place 
where could be secured by private purchase 
or by government entry, an ownership m the 
rich soil of the IMilitary Tract, or, as it was 
more commonly called, the "bounty lands." 

Congress, shortly after the second war with 
Enuland. reservedthat portion of Illinois terri- 
torv Iving between the :Mississippi and Illinois 
rivens' and south of the southern line of what is 
now Rock Island county, as bounty to the sol- 
diers in the war of 1812. one hundred and sixty 
acres, or a quarter section was to be patented 
to every soldier of the war. This was then, 
as now," one of the choicest sections of the state. 
It measures one hundred and sixty-nine miles 



42 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



in leugtli from north to south, ninety miles 
across in its broadest part, with an average 
width of somewhat less than sixty miles. It 
comprises two hundred and seven complete 
townships of six miles square, and .sixty-one 
fractional townships, or such as are irregular 
in their boundaries from bordering on one or 
the other of the two rivers. The entire tract 
contained, as per survey, about 5,360,000 acres, 
of which 3,500,000 acres were reserved or set 
apart for the bestowment of the soldiei's' boun- 
ties above mentioned, and no lands could be 
entered or bought from the government mitil 
the soldiers' bounties were paid — indeed, as it 
happened, not until long after that time. The 
survey of the tract was made in 1815 and 1816, 
and immediately after patents were issued to 
the soldiers. The lands thus patented Avere in- 
variably chosen from the evenly measured 
cpiarter sections of one hundred and sixty acres 
each, neither more nor less, and all fractional 
surveys, such as contained more or less than 
the above-fixed standard, as well as all the 
lands left after the bountj^ payment had been 
completed, were retained by the government 
and subsequently sold, many years later, at the 
price first of two dollars and after that, of one 
dollar and a quarter an acre. 

About half of the tract was thus given in 
bounties, and the laiuls so given were almost 
wholly purchased from the soldiers by eastern 
capitalists, and at the first sale of lands for 
state taxes in 1823, nearly all of them were 
bought in by speculators. Thus the title to all 
these xuioccupied lands, some 1,400,000 acres, 
was in the ownership of non-residents, and had 
been since 1823 in the charge of the agency of 
John Tillson, afterward and at this time, Till- 
son, Moore & Co., which was located at Quincy. 
Mo.st of these lands were for sale and at very 
low rates, the prices ranging from fifty cents 
or less an acre, up to two, three or five dollars, 
according to title, location, etc., but sales at 
the last named figures were very rare. 

The unpatented land, which was commonly 
called government or congress land, was very 
gradually placed on market. Indeed, it was 
not until five or six years after the establish- 
ment of Quincy as the county seat that all the 
public lands in Adams county were thrown 
open to purchasers. They were subject to 
entry, however, at this time (1835), and the 
government land offices were here located. 
Hence all who desired to purchase land, either 
by private sale or government entry, must come 
to Quincy to complete their dealings, so it may 
be readil.y conceived what an infhix of travel 
and business was thus drawn to the place. 
Population flowed in from everj^ quarter, from 



the slave-worn south, from sterile New Eng- 
land, from the overcrowded old world, at- 
tracted by the low price of the lands and the 
not greatly exaggerated tales of their won- 
drous fertility. Here they stopped, bought 
their lands and left their money ; some settling 
near, some going to more distant locations. 

Aiding these influences was also the great 
abundance of bank money, a condition that 
two years later was sadly reversed. The steps 
taken towards establishing a branch of the 
state bank, to which .$120,000 (on paper) was 
subscribed here, the prospective Northern 
Cross railroad (now the Wabash) also con- 
tributed to give life, vigor and apparent pros- 
perity. Travel greatly increased. Up to April 
17th, twenty-six steamers had arrived ; later in 
the season and late in the fall, the arrivals were 
almost daily, two packets claiming to run semi- 
weekly from St. Louis to Keokuk. The first 
steam ferry was started by Merrill & Co., about 
July 10th: who advertised that thej' wovild 
cross every hour and ofteuer if desired, and 
claimed they would cross in five minutes' time. 
The health of the town Avas greatly improved, 
as compared Avith previous years. The cholera 
AA'hieh had so severely scourged it tAvo years 
earlier, made a slight visitation, tAvo jiersons 
only (strangers) dying of that disease. 

A notable event Avas the establishment of the 
first ncAvspaper, AAdiich Avas issued as a weekly, 
on April 17th, by C. M. Woods. The editorial 
and chief OAvnership Avas iu Judge R. M. 
Young. It Avas styled the Bounty Land Regis- 
ter. Tlie folloAving year it changed hands and 
added to itself the name of Argus, bj' Avhich 
title it Avas knoAvn for some time and about fiA'e 
years alter became the Herald. It is probably, 
next to the Journal and Register of Springfield, 
the oldest journal in Illinois. Its appearance 
for the first tAvo years contrasts strongly Avitli 
the present day journals. It Avas printed on a 
sheet 16x20 inches, of coarse, dingy paper, and 
Avitli the heaviest and blackest of ink. Its po- 
litical character Avas "Jackson" or "Repub- 
lican," the names Whig and Democrat of later 
years having not then been fully assumed. This 
jiaper, Avhich giA'es the earliest continued rec- 
(U-d of public affairs iu QuincA', Avas Avell man- 
aged, but it Avas largely made up of selections 
and ncAvs from abroad, containing compara- 
tively little of local information. People then 
AA'ished to learn about the out.side Avorld, and 
personal gossips ansAvered in the place of local 
editors. Among the items AA^as one that Avould 
look strange uoav. It AA'as the advertising by 
Jiidge YoTuig for his runaAA^ay .slave, George, 
and an offer of $50 for his apprehension. There 
Avere at that time quite a number of .slaves in 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAJIS COUNTY. 



43 



the state, the oM'uer.s of whom had been guaran- 
teed their property by the treaty, ceding to the 
United States, the Louisiana territory. 

Initial movements were made during this 
year for the formation of the Baptist, Metho- 
dist, Episcopal and Unitarian churches. Mem- 
bers of tliese new societies had been either 
members of or were attendant on the First Con- 
gregational Church. Tlie Methodist Church or- 
ganized in June and the Baptist Church in Au- 
gust, the other two a year or so later. 

What we now call mail facilities were any- 
thing but facile during this period. Twice a 
week the eastern mail was expected to be de- 
livered in Quincy, and usually it came, some- 
times it didn't. There were two stage lines, 
one through Carrollton and Rushville, arriving 
on Thursday, and one through Springfield and 
Jacksonville, coming in on Friday of each 
week. There was also a weekly mail north- 
ward to Peoi'ia and westward to Palmyra, and 
farther on each route. The eastern mails and 
passengers were, when the roads permitted, 
iDrought in by the old-fashioned "Troy coach" 
stage, but during no small portion of the time 
the means of conveyance was tlie ''mud 
wagon," or, with equal ai^propriateness, called 
the "bonebreaker," which was a huge scjuare 
box fastened with no springs, upon two wheels, 
into which said box mail and passengers were 
promiscuously piled, and the conjoint and con- 
stant prayer of the insensate mail and of the 
contused passengers was "good Lord, deliver 
us." The earliest, most copious and most sought 
for news, was that gleaned from the St. Louis 
papers which were brought up on the boats and 
privately circulated. 

Correspondence by mail was an expensive 
luxury. Postage rates were, for a single letter 
or one piece of paper not exceeding 30 miles, 
6 cents ; not exeeecling 80 miles, 10 cents ; 150 
miles, 121/^ cents : 400 miles, 18% cents, and on 
all over 400 miles, the single letter postage was 
25 cents, and if the letter was written on two, 
three or more pieces of paper the postage was 
doubled or trebled, etc., accordingly. This post- 
age was not then, as now. paid in advance, but 
at the time of delivery, and had to be paid in 
silver. 

It will be noticed that these rates are graded 
on a different currency system from that which 
now exists. Although the present decimal sys- 
tem of currency was then the only legitimate 
national coinage, yet the great preponderance 
in circulation of English, Colonial, Spanish and 
Mexican silver, compelled the law to be ac- 
commodated to the specie grades that were 
current, and alike with this, trade and busi- 
ness of every kind were governed; goods Avere 



bought, marked and sold by this foreign stand- 
ard of money rates. 

Mail matter came leisurely. Letters from the 
seaboard cities and from Washington were gen- 
erally about tM'o weeks in transit. There were 
four postoffices in the county outside of Quincy 
— Liberty, Bear Creek, in the north part of the 
county. Ashton in the south, and AValnut Point 
in the east. 

Postage being so high and required to be paid 
in silver, it was not unusual for letters to lie in 
the postoffice for a long time before the needed 
"rhino" could be secured with which to ob- 
tain their deliverance. The same consideration 
affected also the selection of the postmaster. 
As the receipt of his own letters free and the 
franking privilege were the perquisites and 
part of the postmaster's salary, the office gen- 
erally fell into the hands of some responsible 
and respected leading business man, to whom 
the saving of this excessive cost of correspond- 
ence was a large economic factor, thus giving 
the office a prima facie repute, to which in mod- 
ern days it is too much a stranger. As an il- 
lustration of the prominent part that postage 
played in those days we know of a case (and 
there were others similar) where for many 
years, the office was held by a party, who, hav- 
ing an extensive distant correspondence, gave 
all the emoluments to an assistant, who per- 
sonally attended to its business. The weekly 
and semi-weekly mail would bring and take 
away a basket full of personal letters for the 
postmaster and contain about one-tenth as 
many for the general distribution, the post- 
master realizing an ample reward in having 
an untaxed corespondence. 

It was the scarcity of small silver and its 
necessary use in trade, entering lands and pay- 
ing postage, that led to the use of "cut 
money." A Mexican or Spanish dollar would 
be cut into eight pieces, each of these little 
silver wedges representing twelve and a half 
cents, and their circulation was general. It 
was shrewdly understood, however, that if all 
the pieces of any one dollar coidd come to- 
gether again there would be discovei-ed nine- 
eighths — the coiner thus paying himself for the 
labor of manufacture. 

This "cut money" above described, cpiite 
current since territorial times, especially in 
the interior of the state, gradually disappeared. 
It gave way before the advance of the legal 
federal coin which profusely accompanied east- 
ern emigration. Where these silver pieces Avent 
to and what became of them is a query as unan- 
swerable as "what becomes of the pins?" Some 
of the stuff undoubtedly yet exists, biit most 
probably greatly changed from its original 



44 



i'AST AND PRESENT OF ADA.MS ('OIXTY 



form. In tlie wiiter's family a portion of it is 
thus preserved. Hi.s father, had, as postmaster, 
for many years received it in large amounts 
and substituted legitimate coin therefor on 
settlement with the department. From the 
handfuls of silver wedges thus left in his pos- 
session he caused to be manufactured a "tea 
set" consisting of sugar bowl, cream cup, etc., 
which have since often socially, circulated with 
as much satisfaction as they formerly did in 
their particular euneal form. This set is still 
preserved, special in its attractiveness alike 
from being a family heirloom, more than half a 
century old, and also from the oddity of its 
origin. Much more has luidoubtedly been saved 
in a similar way. 

Following this adroit device for the crea- 
tion of a small coin circulation and at the same 
time speculating therein by obtaining nine- 
eights from each divided dollar, there came 
aniitlier specie siieculation in small coins, some- 
what more profitable and decidedly more legiti- 
mate. At this time almost the only small silver 
coins in use were the Mexican and Spanish 
Picayune {GYi cents) and bits {VZy^ cents), 
and by these all trade ]) rices and values were 
scaled. 

The federal half dimes and dimes, of which 
there -were but few. passed current from hand 
to hand, equal severally with the picayune and 
the bit, so that whoever in the eastern states 
exchanged dollars for dimes, receiving ten 
dimes for each dollar, and brought his bags 
of dimes to the west, made twenty-five per cent 
by the operation. AVith eight of these ten-cent 
pieces he could buy a dollar's worth of anj'- 
thing, and have two dimes remaining, equal in 
purchasing power to twenty-five cents. This, 
as may be imagined, was an exchange factor of 
no light weight. 

The moneyed condition of the country (if 
paper is money) superficially viewed, was won- 
drously flush and favorable to the settlement 
and development of the west, but was intrin- 
sically fictitious and rotten. The veto of the 
national bank, by which step the government 
assumed the vicious policy of refunding to pro- 
tect its people by guarding the legal promises 
to pay, which are the indispensable needs of all 
civilized communities, and of refusing to es- 
tablish a circulating medium uniform, staple, 
safe everywhere, since the resources and sta- 
bility of the people and of each one of the peo- 
ple who used it would be pledged to its valid- 
ity, this luiwise movement opened the flood- 
gates of banking irresponsibility, and the land 
was made to teem with "shoddy" and "Avild- 
cat" bank notes. With this profusion of en- 
graved paper, miscalled money, came that delu- 



sion which appears to periodically aft'ect each 
generation, making men, as says America's 
most eminent writer, to "mistake the multipli- 
cation of money for the multiplication of 
wealth, not understanding that it is a mere 
agent or instrument in the intei'change of traf- 
fic, to represent the value of the variaus pro- 
ductions of industry, and that an increased cir- 
culation of coin or bank bills, in the shape of 
currency, only adds a proportionately increased 
and fictitious value to such productions. ' ' 

This wild inflation affected the whole coun- 
try, especially pervading the west, so inviting 
at that time to speculative chances, and Qnincy 
and its surroundings shared in the mania. Land 
had then as now, and as always, its fixed rela- 
tive productive value, but money was cheap, 
common, plenty, "thick as autumnal leaves, 
that strew the forests of Valambrosa, " and 
ultinuitely about as valueless. It passed as 
freely from hand to hand as a candidate's 
"shake" on election day. 

As illustrative of this speculative whirl and 
of the great fall and deep depression in prices 
that inevitably succeeds these unnatural condi- 
tions, we cite the sale of what is now Nevins' 
addition. This tract, containing one hundred 
and twenty acres, comprised within Twelfth. 
Jersey, Eighteenth and Broadway, was bought 
at this time by an eastern company for thirty 
thousand dollars. Five years later the pur- 
chasers sought to sell for five thousand but 
could not, and it was not until 1850, fifteen 
years after the above-named purchase, when it 
had been divided among the owners and was 
platted into sixty lots of about two acres each, 
that it could be put upon the market. The lots 
then sold at prices running from three to eight 
hundred dollars — a few bringing more, but the 
average was, aside from the fifteen years' 
taxes, money interest, etc., hardly to the origi- 
nal buyers a return of their purchase money. 
Yet these unnatural money conditions, with 
their certain futin-e relapse, gave for the time, 
a brisk prosperity to the place, and, it must be 
admitted, developed conditions which resulted 
in permanent growth. 

Its business situation is fairly represented in 
the following statement, prepared at the time 
by one of Qnincy 's earliest settlers, and one 
himself peculiarly a part of its early history. 
Some omissions and inaccuracies occur, slightly 
characteristic of the compiler, biit in the main 
it is a correct and comprehensive schedule, as 
no one then but Judge Snow could have made. 
It somewhat varies the appearance of the town 
as pictured in a previous paper, for the reason 
that this was made up at a later period in the 
year. 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAilS COUNTY. 



45 



■'There are in Quincy."' says tliis report, 
■"ten stores, one land agency, one silversmith, 
three cooper shops, six lawyers, six physicians, 
three blacksmiths, one printing oiifice. two bak- 
ers, one coachniaker, four tailors, two wagon 
makers, three plasterers, two drug shops, one 
bonnet store, two masons, four groceries, two 
warehouses, twenty-one merchants, five carpen- 
ter shops, two shoemakers, two butchers, oiie 
gunsmith, one government land office, one milli- 
ner and mantua maker, three taverns, one pork 
merchant, four saddlers^ two stonemasons, one 
wheelwright, one ehairmaker, one steam mill. 
one woolcarding macliine. two regular steam 
packets to St. Louis." 

Some of these occupations existed prior to 
this period, some dated with the year, while 
still others were established subsequent to the 
time when the foregoing schedule was com- 
piled, and of course do not appear. Here fol- 
lows as a proper and pleasant touch to recollec- 
tion brief mention of a few of these then repre- 
sentative business men. who now have almost 
entirely passed from life and taken their names 
with them into i:)artial forgetfulness. Such no- 
tice, at this dim distance of time, naturally can 
be but scant and without pretension to full ac- 
curacy or precision. 

The lawyers alluded to liy Judge Snow 
were 0. H. Browning, Archibald and Robert R. 
Williams, J. II. Ralston, J. W. AVhitney (Lord 
Coke) and Louis Masqueier. Several of them 
have been heretofore sketched. The first two 
carried conspicuous names. O. H. Browning, 
who, as a young lawyer from Kentucky, settled 
here in 1831, almost immediately acquired, and 
maintained for neai'ly fifty years, the recog- 
nized leader.ship at the Quincy bar. Excelled 
as he maj' have been in some one line of ca- 
pacit}^ or attainment by this or that professional 
compeer, yet in industry, experience, sagacity, 
knowledge of men, self-possession, grasp alike 
of comprehensive principles and of detail ; in- 
deed in the general aggregate of excelling (jual- 
ities needful to the symmetrical mold of a great 
legal mind, he had no equal here or superior in 
the northwest. Pie jDossessed, to a rare degree, 
one most especially valuable legal attribute ; a 
natural lucidity of expression through which 
to transfer his own thoughts with equal clear- 
ness and force to every member of a mixed and 
miscellaneous audience, composed as it might 
be of all grades of intellect and intelligence, and 
to do this in such a way that each listener re- 
ceived what he heard as seeming to himself to 
be the self-flattering elaborations of his oAvn 
brain. He retained these .splendid mental ti'aits 
TincloxTcIed, and his physical faculties equally 
preserved, throughout his eminent half-century 



career, down ahnost to the day of his life's 
close in 1881. Archiljald Williams, heretofore 
spoken of as the first lawyer to settle in Quincy, 
coming here in 1829, filled for thirty-two yeai-s 
a foremost position at the bar and earned a rep- 
utation more extensive than the state. 

While not possessing some of the varied 
mental adornments peculiar to Mr. Browning, 
and not so educationally advantaged in youth, 
yet in native muscularity of intellect he was 
at least his equal. His force of thought was 
singulai-ly strong, and his comprehensive and 
concise analytical power would most striking- 
ly appear when, before a court, he would in 
the briefest of terms unfold, apply and enforce 
a legal principle. It was the mutual good for- 
tune of these eminent men to be for thirty 
years in almost constant professional collision, 
they severally being the especial legal repre- 
sentatives of the opposite positions in the eon- 
tested and unsettled tax laws of the state. 
What benefit it must have been to two such 
minds to be so opposed in a struggle over 
such great interests, involving the profouude.st 
principles of human law, may be well imagined. 

Louis Masquerier was a notable man in his 
day : a man of many varied qualities : a ready 
speaker and writer, of much information, al- 
Avays ambitious, but always failing from his 
caprices and lack of judgment. A wag de- 
scribed him as graduating from an institution 
"for the promotion of useless knoAvledge and 
the general confusion of the human under- 
standing." He Avas a clcA^er felloAV and gen- 
erally liked. Soon after this time he moved to 
Southern Illinois and there died. 

The physicians Avere Drs. Eels & Nichols 
(partners'), S. W. Rogers, Hornsby, Ralston & 
H. Rogers (partners). Some of these have been 
previously sketched. Dr. Hiram Rogers Avas a 
physician of education and skill. He came to 
Quincy in -1843, from Ncav York, and first en- 
gaged in the drug business Avith Dr. Ralston. 
He Avas register of the public land office from 
184.5 to 1849. He died several years since, leav- 
ing liberal charitable bequests. His AvidoAV, the 
daughter of Capt. Pease, yet resides here. 

Dr. Samuel W. Rogers, the elder brother, 
Avas the fir.st phy.sician AA'ho settled in the place 
(1829). Outside of his profes.sional position, 
Avhich Avas high, he Avas a man of much force 
and leadership in public affairs. He Avas promi- 
nent in toAA'n councils, and equally so in his 
party; Avas city postmaster during the admin- 
istration of President Polk. He died about 
four years since at his daughter's residence in 
NcAV Hampshire. 

All of these men ranked high in public esti- 
mation. Indeed, both the medical and legal 



46 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



profession then aggregated at home and 
abroad, a fairer standard of success and re- 
spect than is common in later years. While 
lacking the advances of science and experience, 
they were for that period, ecpial to the respon- 
sibilities which they ware called to meet, and 
if there were fewer men of eminence, there were 
fewer charlatans. This cannot as well be said 
of the clerical profession. With the exception 
of the faithful "Parson" Turner, there were 
few if any among the frequent floating preach- 
ers who would instinctively be called a "di- 
vine." 

The two "drug shops" cited by Judge Snow 
were those of Rogers & Ralston and Wells & 
Morey, who kept a small stock of drugs, chem- 
icals, etc., although most of the physicians sold 
medicines. 

The steam mill at the foot of Delaware street 
was operated liy J. T. Holmes & Co. Capt. 
Nathaniel Pease, located on Front street near 
Vermont, was the only pork )nerchant. 

The one printing office was that of the 
Bounty Laud Register, now the Quincy Herald, 
established this year by C. M. Woods. 

Three taverns graced, some say disgi'aced the 
town. They were Rufus Brown's, the first in 
the place, where now stands the Newcomb 
Hotel: the Land Office Hotel, kept by W. S. 
Walton, on the uorth side of the sqiiare, .just 
west of Fifth street, and George W. Hight's 
Steamboat Hotel on Front street, about oppo- 
site the present railroad depot, better then 
known as "Catfish Hotel." No special delinea- 
tion of these need be given. Their reputation 
was long preserved in the expressive vei'uacu- 
lar. current in those days, which Ave cannot ex- 
hume without offending the tastes of our read- 
ers and also di-awing too strongly against the 
third commandment. 

The bonnet store and milliner and mautua- 
maker's shop was kept by Mrs. Dr. Nicholas 
and Mrs. Burns, on the west side of Fourth 
street, near Maine, afterwards immediately op- 
posite. Fortunately, forty-seven years ago 
"boughten goods" were not so prevalent, nor 
was "style" thought to l)e so indispensable as 
now, home-made truck meeting the general 
want, so that these ladies had little difficulty 
in keeping Tip with the fashionable demands on 
their tastes and time. 

D. G. Whitney was then, as before and after, 
the leading merchant, who had associated with 
him, successively, Richard Green, and his own 
brothers, Ben and William. Mr. Whitney was 
from Marietta. Ohio, and came westward early. 
He possessed unusual mercautile enterprise and 
skill, carrying on several branches of business 
at tlie same time : an extensive store on the west 



side of the square, a distillei-y some two miles 
below the town, a grist mill in the south part of 
the county, and a warehouse near by on the 
river bank, also having interests in several 
countrj' stores. All these made him the most 
extensive, as he was the most popular business 
man of the county. He built the mansion after- 
ward owned by Gen. Singleton ("Boscobel") 
east of the city, which then was the most palatial 
residence in this part of the country. His fail- 
ure in business, was to himself and to the gen- 
eral public, the most hurtful of any that ever 
occurred here. Mr. Whitney removed to Cali- 
fornia in 1849, and there partially restored 
his fortunes. He finally died about ten years 
(1886) since, crushed by a railroad car colli- 
sion. 

Tlie Pearson brothers, E. L. and Albert, were 
merchants from near Philadelphia. Thej' 
owned and resided on fine farms, of 160 acres 
each, innnediately ea.st of Twenty-fourth street, 
at the southeast side of the city. Their store 
was on the west side of the public square, near 
the center of the block. After retiring from 
mercantile life, the elder, Edward L.. removed 
to California, and there died. Albert engaged 
for a time in banking at Warsaw, 111., afterward 
returned east and died in 1881, at his home in 
New Jersey. They were men of mind, of more 
than ordinary originality and vigor of thought, 
influential and respected for their intelligence 
and hospitality, and possessed of some marked 
eccentricities. Albert, the second brother, held 
it to be the sacred and bounden duty of every 
American citizen to denounce Andrew Jackson, 
an obligation which he patriotically performed 
to the last day of his life. 

iMatthews & Co.. from Ohio, Avere like Whit- 
ney and the Pearsons, early settlers. Their store 
was on ]\Iaine, corner of 'Ihird. Subsequently 
they opened a store at Carthage, and later at 
Warsaw, to which latter place they moved, and 
finally left for the east. There were three 
brothers, of whom only one (James") we believe 
is living at this date (1886). 

Rogers & Dutcher were a prominent mercan- 
tile and commission firm. Samuel C. Rogers, 
the senior member, was a very superior business 
man. He passed quite a portion of his time 
in New Orleans. He was quite an ardent and 
liberal Catholic, and that church owes much 
to him and to his gifted wife. Thos. B. Dutcher, 
also a man of good business habits, after his 
failure in Quincy, engaged in the commission 
business at St. Louis, and latterly in New Or- 
leans. Both of these gentlemen have long lieen 
dead. 

Stephen and Samuel Holmes were brothers 
of J. T. Plolmes. several times mentioned. The 



PAST AND PRESENT 01'^ ADA.MS COUXTV. 



47 



Holmes family was from Connecticut, and pos- 
sessed of Yankee enterprise to the amplest ex- 
tent. Stephen died a few years after this time. 
Samuel, one of the most enterprising, rapid- 
minded men of the town, was prominent in 
many public matters, especially devoted to po- 
litical affairs, holding various ofSees in the 
town and city, mayor several times, register 
of the government land office, representative to 
the general assembly and speaker of the House, 
etc. He died in 1868. The store of the Holmes', 
who kept the same under several changes of 
firm name, was at the southwest corner of 
Maine and Fifth. Later in the year Geo. W. 
Brown, a l)rother-iu-law, was associated in the 
business, and finally assumed it. 

John Burns, Jr., a former sea captain, came 
from Massachusetts in 1834, to remain. He had 
visited Quincy the year previous. His store 
was at southwest corner of Maine and Fourth. 
Capt. Burns afterward moved to Payson, and 
retiring from business, returned to Quincy, 
where he died at an advanced age. The family 
is extensively ref)resented here and in the Pa- 
cific states. Their homestead for many years 
was the "Burns place," now owned by Lewis 
Kendall, one mile north of the city, on Twelfth 
street. This Avas a large family of active 
and enterprising people. 

Joel Rice, who died several years ago, was 
a Kentuekian by birth, but came to Quincy in 
1835, from Cincinnati and began business on 
Front street, as a general dealer and shipping 
merchant, afterward engaging in grain and 
pork packing. A lucky event a few years later 
closed his speculative ventures, which were 
really foreign to his cautious, prudent nature. 
The river froze quite unexpectedly and con- 
tinued closed for some time, holding in its 
grasp a steamboat on which Mr. Rice had 
shipped the product of his entire winter's work, 
indeed, almost all that he was worth Avas in- 
vested in the enterprise. He had to ship in 
the face of declining prices and of a certain 
loss, to what extent, he could not know. He 
had made his negotiations Avith the Illinois 
State Bank, and his payments Avere to be made 
to the bank and in its paper. The bank failed 
Avhile the steamer lay locked in its icy fetters. 
The depreciation of its paper saved him from 
the apprehended loss. He quit speculation to 
any extent after this experience, as he said, 
he "didn't tliink a bank Avould fail and the 
river freeze up at the same time again." Mr. 
Rice subsequently engaged in the iron business, 
retiring several years ago. He died about 1878. 
Mr. Rice Avas an earnest public Avorker, espe- 
cially during the earlier period of the city's 
history. He Avas of somewhat quaint manner. 



methodical habits, and precise in expression. 
He left a reputation for straightforAA-ard in- 
tegrity such as fcAV men obtain. 

John W. aicFadon, located on Hampshire, 
not far from Fourth, was one of the early mer- 
chants. He Avas a native of Baltimore, a man 
of broad infoi-mation, derived from unusual op- 
portunities of foreign travel and business as a 
ship supercargo, Avhich occupation carried him 
almost over the Avorld. He Avas for some years 
engaged in business at Rio Janeiro. He brought 
Avest a snug sum of money, opened a store at 
Mareelline, and later at Quincy, he invested 
sagaciously in lands and toAvn lots, and hand- 
ling his business prudently and living frugally, 
left at his death, in 1864, one of the largest es- 
tates in the county, and a name of honor. Mr. 
McFadon AA'as very averse to political notoriety, 
although possessing most positive political at- 
tachments and prejudices: his likes Avere with 
the Whig party, especially on account of its 
commercial and financial policy, and his dis- 
likes Avere for the Democratic and Abolition 
parties, although, like most of the Whigs, he 
Avas auti-slavery in principle. When asked once 
Avhy he never got into public life, "By Jupi- 
ter." said he, his faA'orite expression, "I'm too 
much of a Whig and a gentleman to be anything 
but postmaster at Bear Creek, Avhere they have 
to have some such man to read the directions 
on the letters." 

John A. I'ierce's store Avas on ilaine street, 
north side, near Fourth : later remoA^ed to 
Fourth, ju.st south of D. G. Whitney & Co. He 
had been a sea captain and had all the bluff, 
frank and genialty and general intelligence that 
usually attaches to that pursuit, but totally 
un.skilled as a merchant. lie returned to New 
York the folloAving year, having disposed of his 
business to I. 0. Woodruff'. 

S. R. M. Leroy for a short time kept a store 
adjoining the Land Office Hotel; he died dur- 
ing the year, leaving an extensive family con- 
nection, noAV represented by the Sullivan, Rich- 
ardson, Dunlap and Lane families of Quincy 
and the Reeds and Belknaps of Keokuk, loAva. 

Levi Wells, mentioned in a former chapter, one 
of the A-ei\y earliest of the pioneer settlers, Avas 
at this time engaged in merchandizing in his 
oAvn building, near the southAvest corner of 
Fifth and IMaine, i^art of Avliich he occupied as 
a residence. To his general store he and a Mr. 
Morey, added AA'hat Avas. perhaps (though 
small), the largest assortment of dr-uggist stock 
in the place. 

Tillson & Pitkin, at the old postofiSee, corner 
of Fourth and Maine, represented the oldest 
then existing mercantile house of the toAvn, 
that of Tillson & Holmes, founded in 1828. Seth 



48 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



L. Pitkin, the junior partner, was a Connecti- 
cut man. of excellent character and business 
qualifications, but, like many such luen, seemed 
to labor under misfortune, ilr. Pitkin was a 
relative of U. S. Penfield, and ilr. Penfield and 
Thomas Pope also were clerks in this store at 
a somewhat later date. 

The firm of Berry & Parker, changed during 
the year to Berry & Skinner, transacted a live- 
ly business at the corner of Fourth and Hamp- 
shire. They were brothers-in-law. They were 
not successful in business and have long since 
passed away, not far distant in the dates of 
their death. 

Among the merchants who are yet (1866) 
alive and residing here, are Samuel Jackson, 
from Charlestowu, Jlass., who opened a store 
this year on Hampshire street, about opposite 
the Tremont House, and Samuel P. aud Clark 
B. Church, New Euglanders, but from Pitts- 
burg here, who located on Fourth street, on 
the west side, near Jersey. George Hunting- 
don, long since deceased, opened the first ex- 
clusively commission house. Montandon & 
Kimball late in the year began business imme- 
diately east of where the Newcomb Hotel 
stands. This was Deacon Kimball aud H. L. 
Montandon, the silversmith (of whom here- 
after). A tin store kept by A. Maddoek, from 
Cincinnati, on Front, at the corner of Vermont, 
was jjerhaps the first store of this kind. 

The grocers, as such, were Thos. C. and Wm. 
King and Wm. P. Reeder, on Hampshire street, 
near Fourth, and Wm. Curtis & Co. on the same 
street, near Sixth. We say "as such" because 
these professed to bi' solely grocers, while the 
fact was. that nearly all of the stores kept more 
or less of an assortment of groceries, hardware 
and everything besides that was saleable. 

The names above given comprehend almost 
the entire "class mercantile" of the place. 
There doubtless are some omissions, but not 
many. 

C. Brown, on Maine street, west of the bonnet 
store, and May aud Kobidoux, on Front, or 
Water street, as it Avas then called, between 
Maine and Hampshire, operated small bakeries. 
Conrad Broseal, the early baker does not ap- 
pear to have been in business at this time. 

Of the blacksmiths who had shops, Harrison 
Dills, who came in 18:54, from Virginia, and 
located at the eoi'ner of Hampshire and Sixth, 
and Jos. Galbraith, a Pennsylvanian, and David 
Karnes were about all. The last tAvo, with their 
families, are gone. Asa Tyrer, the pioneer 
blacksmith, of 1825, was not then (1835) work- 
ing. Mr. A. C. Lightfoot and a Mr. Sykes, 
were the leading stone masons. The first named 
was a man of considerable influence and euergv 



iu jjublic affairs. Wagonmakers, Avheehvrights 
and coachnu\kers may be classed together. Of 
these A. C. Root and Carter & Walker ap- 
pear to be the only parties who had shops. 
Sam Seward, the first wagonmaker of 1826, 
had long since disappeared. There were sev- 
eral carpenter shops and plenty of carpen- 
ters, though many were but temporary resi- 
dents, drawn hither from the neighborhood 
liy the opening opportunities for work, and 
man\- of these wci'e but rough workmen. 
Nathaniel Summers, from Kentucky, who set- 
tled in 1829, was tlie earliest of the boss car- 
]ienters. There were also T. C. King, from 
Virginia ; -J. C. Sprague, a New Yorker, — 
Purnell, the Winters, Charles Green. Amos W. 
Harris and others. 

Mr. Harris may be called the pioneer in the 
lumber trade wliich foi'ms so great a factor iu 
our present prosperity, since in addition to his 
carpenter's shop he established the first lumber 
yard of any extent. The only gunsmith was 
Joseph Musser. Avhose shop stood about Avhere 
the Occidental hotel noAV is. He died a fcAV 
years since at La Grange, JIo. James Mc- 
Quoid, Walby and Albright Avere butchers. 
James H. Luce. Avho had for some years kept 
a chairmaker's shop, on Fourth near Jersey, 
Avas still so engaged. Mr. Luce, accidentally 
shot himself Avhile hunting at Lima lake. Dur- 
ing this year there came Wm. ToAvnley from 
NcAV York, AAdio added to his cabinet making 
business that of carriage and ornamental jsaint- 
ing. This Avas an advance on whiteAvash. 
WhitcAvash, to use a solecism, Avas the chief 
coloring material in general use. Paiut as yet, 
Avas not in general use. Even "God's Barn" 
Avas unjjainted, remaining so for many years, 
until it became somebody else's barn. 

George Wood, from NeAV York, on the north 
side of the public square, AAdio later in the year 
associated Avith himself S. Halsey, aud E-. B. 
AVilmoth Avere cabinet makers also. Among the 
,saddlei-s aud harness makers, Levi B. Allen, 
before named as the first of the trade in 1825, 
Avas still in luisiness on Maine, Avest of Fourth. 
Tlici-e AV('r<' also Lytle Griffin, Avho soon moved 
to ColumVms, and Cornelius Couley. B. Pea- 
body carried on a. Avool-carding business on the 
north side of ;\Iaine. about michvay betAveen 
Third and Fourth : he died during the year. The 
(udy livery stable. Avhich, also. Avas the first to 
be established in the city. Avas that of John B. 
Y(nuig and Martin Laduer, on the north side of 
Hampshire, Avest of Third, just Avhere the Avind- 
ing road from the riA'er reached the main toAvn 
level. There Avere three or four cooper shops ; 
one Avas that of George W. Chapman, at the 
soutliAvest coriu^i- of Third and Hampshire. A 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



49 



right good fellow was Chapmau; he was very 
round shouldered, for which he eared little, per- 
haps enjoyed it, as he i;sed to tell with much 
glee, how Thomson, a big, noisy harum searum 
painter, once said to him, "George, what a 
splendid, full chested man you would be if your 
head was turned the other way." lie left hero 
a few years later for Texas, where he died, and 
few men had more friends. 

Wells & Morgan (E. Wells and J. D. :\Ior- 
gau) had also a cooperage establishment in a 
log cabin on tlie northwest coi'ner of the Public 
Square, and a shop run by John Watts, we 
think in connection with the steam mill, was at 
the foot of Delaware street. There were four 
tailor shops; that of J. P. Bert, father of the 
present well known Bert family, on Fourth 
street, opposite God's barn, of Louis Cosson. 
who had bought out ]\Iichael ]\Iast, and was as 
eccentric a Gaul as Mr. Mast was a Teuton, and 
H. B. Swartz, both on the west side of the 
public square, and S. Leachman's. on Hamp- 
shire near Sixth, ilr. Bert died in 1860, re- 
gretted as he had been respected in life. 'Mr. 
Co.sson, leaving a prosperous tailoring business 
engaged in other piu'suits. steamboating, at the 
last, and died in St. Louis. 

H. L. Montanden was the first, and for a long 
time, the only silversmith and jeweler. His 
shop was at the corner of Maine and Fifth, over 
Holmes' store, afterward moved immediately 
east of Brown's hotel, where he engaged in 
merchandise with Deacon E. B. Kimball. The 
latter, with Mr. White, soon after took the 
steam mill of J. T. Holmes & Co.. and ran the 
same for manj' years. Montanden, who moved 
to Iowa some j'ears later, was a worthy kind 
of a man and something of a character. Gov. 
Wood used to tell, with his well known zest, of 
his calling on Montanden with a gentleman who 
desired to have his watch repaired. JL, after 
examining, decliued to touch it, saying, "I can 
do good blacksmith work on all the watches 
about here, but yours, Mr. T.. is too fine a 
watch for me to meddle Avith. " "Well." said 
the woi;ld-be-eustomer, "I thank you, and must 
say that you are too honest a man to be work- 
ing at what you can't do." Whether this had 
any effect in influencing his subsequent change 
in business can't be kuown. perhaps it had. 



QUINCY AS A TOWN— LAND BUSINESS— 
THE QUINCY HOUSE. 

Continuing and completing these references 
to the various business occupations of this year, 
as summarized by Judge Snow, and mention of 



the men who conducted them, we come to what 
were the principal factors in the pi"omising 
prospects of the place. These were the Govern- 
ment Land Office (of Avhich hereafter) and the 
"laud agency" before named, and the Quincy 
House, which latter, although built during the 
two following years, was projected this year 
and was born of the land agency and hence 
may be proi^erly mentioned in this connec- 
tion. The "land agency" was that of Tillson, 
Moore & Co., John Tillson. Jr., F. C. Moore, 
Lloyd ilorton. B. F. Willis, and .sxicceeding 
him on his death about this time, S. C. Sher- 
man, partners therein. It had been established 
by ilr. Tillson, at Hamiltou, now Hillsboro, in 
1820, and in 1834-5 the other parties above 
named were associated in the firm and the office 
was transferred to Quincy. 

It was a fortunate circumstance that brought 
it to this place. Had Peoria been selected as 
the state capital instead of Springfield it would 
have been taken there, and our rival city would 
then have reaped the advantage of being the 
great land center and of having the big hotel. 

Few men were as extensively known through- 
out this section of the state as these agents, 
both because of their personal dealings with so 
many of the incoming settlers and their fre- 
((uent periodical trips into all the counties of 
the tract. 

John Tillson came to the west from Ma.ssa- 
chusetts in 1819, landing at Shawneetown on 
the same day with Gov. Wood. Spending the 
following winter in Edwardsville. recording 
deeds and looking into land business of his own 
and others, forseeiug what fruitful business 
prospects lay in the lands of the then unsettled 
Military Tract, he established an agency, as 
above stated, near the state capital, for the 
reason, that, then and for some years after, the 
tax on non-resident lands (which paid state 
tax only) was paid at the state capital and not 
in the counties as now. This business grew 
so rapidly that in two yeai's from that time it 
comprehended the agency of almost all the non- 
resident land in the state. So much so that we 
have letters from the state auditor saying. "We 
have our books now ready, please come and pay 
the state tax." Later, when the taxes by law 
were paid in the counties, and the general inter- 
ests of the business required a location near 
the lands, Mr. Tillson removed with his office 
to and resided at Quincy until his death. He 
was found dead in his bed at the Peoria house 
iu 1853, having died instantly, as did his father 
and grandfather, of heart disea.se. Business 
perplexities shortened a life that otherwise 
might have reached, as has those of many of 
his family before him, to neai-ly a century. He 



50 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



was a large man. of umisiially rapid and power- 
ful action, both muscular and mental; thought 
but little of rising early and walking from 
his home to Vaiidalia (the capital) twenty-eight 
miles distant, iu time for breakfa,st and to at- 
tend to business for the day. His philanthropy 
and sagacious public spirit were part of our 
early state history. A modest and nnosten- 
tatioixs man, he contributed to the welfare of 
society in many and substantial ways. In the 
town of his first residence, which he founded, 
fostered and beautified, making it one of the 
most attractive villages iu the state, he would 
not permit even a street to be named after him. 
Many of the earlier beneficial enterprises of the 
state received from him origin or aid. To one 
of our oldest educational institutions he i^rivate- 
ly gave a large subscription, conditioned that 
another should also contribute and that it 
should bear the name of the latter. We heard 
Gov. Wood say to him, "If you had come here 
Avhen I did there would be twice as many peo- 
ple here by this time." 

Francis C. IMoore, whom almost everybody 
from Calhoun county to Eock Island used to 
know, was a polished, graceful gentleman of 
small stature, singularly alei't in thought and 
action. He was born in New York, bx'onght up 
with a mercantile education, came west in 1834, 
entered into the laud office at Hillsboro, came 
to Quiney the following year. He was the lead- 
ing partner in the firm of Moore, Morton & Co. 
for some thirty years, when it went out of ex- 
isteuee. He was a very attractive man : indus- 
trious, precise in business, kindly, social, jovial 
as a boy: a most earnest member of the Epis- 
copal chui-ch. of which he may almost be called 
the father and founder, in this city. He was 
twice married, leaving a family of eight chil- 
dren, three of Avhom were John L. Moore, Mrs. 
J. T. Baker and Jlrs. J. (',. Rowland. He died 
in Omaha, at the residence of one of his chil- 
dren in 1874. 

Lloyd Morton. "Old Uncle Morton," as all 
called him, for he was one of those slow-man- 
nered men who seem old when young, was a 
Massachusetts man, a brother-in-law of Mr. 
Tillson. He came west in 1829, clerked in the 
office until 1834, when he became a partner and 
later brought his family to Quiney. He was 
an odd man. with a slow, drawling speech, much 
intelligence and quaint wit. He bore through 
life a proverbial reputation for strong, good 
.iudgment and integrity, a special distinction 
which few gain who work for it, but which the 
public instinct confers upon some men, and 
rarely bestows it wrongly. He had singularly 
cool coTirage and determination : qualities 
needed and tested among the rough scenes of 



earlier daj\s. An odd story is told of him. which 
is "ower true." It is said that at the time of 
the Nelson riots, he came in from his home, the 
present Buckley i^lace, on Broadway and Twen- 
ty-fourth, with a gun loaded to the muzzle with 
shot, slugs, etc., and answered all queries by 
saying the he meant to point his gun towards 
the left of the enemy and pull trigger and 
swing it round to make a swathe through them. 
Foi-tunately for all hands, no fight came off. 
otherwise the story would have been too mourn- 
ful to be told. He died in 1862, leaving three 
children, John T. for many years a circuit .judge 
in Kansas; the late Col. Charle.v Morton, and 
one daughter, Joanna. 

Seth C. Sherman, whose somewhat recent 
death and burial on the same day with his wife, 
is still fresh in memory, Avas a Vermonter, well 
educated and of unusual literary tastes and at- 
tainments. His library Avas one of the largest 
and best selected in the place. He moved to 
the Avest about 1830, located at Vandalia, Avas 
editor and laAA'j'er Avhile there, thence came to 
Quiney Avith the other partners and remained in 
the business for many years. He, Avith V. C. 
and Ebenezer Moore, engaged for a time in 
banking about 1856. He Avas the first collector 
of internal revenue for this district. He dietl 
in 1879. 

Connected Avith the locating of the land busi- 
ness in Quiney Avas the erection of the Quiney 
House. It Avas, and yet is, a puzzle to some Avhy 
so large and expensive a building should have 
been built at such a time in the little toAvn of 
Quiney. Its anomalous appearance may be con- 
cei\^ed Avhen Ave note that there Avere not a 
dozen brick buildings in toAA'n, only tAvo or three 
about the square, no building existing over tAvo 
stories high, and but fcAV such; that no street 
was graded to the river, the old Avinding track 
from about the foot of Vermont to the vicinity 
of the present City Hall, being the only road 
from the landing to the square ; that there Avas 
no Maine street east of Sixth; that on Hamp- 
shire all was open countiy beyond Eighth, that 
north of BroadAvay Avere Avoods and cornfields, 
that the same appeared three blocks south of 
Maine, and the contrasted size and elegance of 
such a structure may be fairly imagined. It 
had been the original intention of ]\Ir. Tillson, 
AA'ho built it, to erect a hotel costing about 
tAventy thousand dollars. Deacon E. B. Kim- 
ball, Avho had oAvned pai-t of the land on Avliich 
the house Avas built, Avas interested in the enter- 
prise, but the Avhole Avas finally taken by Mr. 
Tillson and the pi'oject enlarged Avith the fol- 
loAving design. A stock company had been 
formed, composed of eastern men who OAvned 
most of the non-resident land in the Military 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



51 



Ti-act, of wliirli ;\Ir. Tillson was made general 
agent and superintendent. 

A large i:)ortiou of the lands were held by the 
tax title, under which, indeed, must of the land 
in this section was originally settled and im- 
proved. It was exceedingly desirable to secure 
favorable legislation so as to quiet the contests 
over titles. The state legislature was not par- 
ticularly zealous to guard the interests of 
foreign laud owners, none the more because 
these owners were mostlj^ from the east, and it 
was suggested that if the company owned a sub- 
stantial improvement and interest their claims 
and those of persons who bought from them, 
would be more highly regarded and secure. 
"With this object, Mr. Tillson, built the house 
at a cost, when furnished, of one hundred and 
six thousand dollars. It was transferred to 
the company, which then became the Quincy 
House Company. The objects were partially ac- 
complished, favorable legislation as to time aud 
place of recording deeds, the "possession law," 
etc., being the fruit of this plan ; but the bene- 
ficial results were brief. Between 1835 and 
1838 financial reverses came. "Hard times" 
such as have never since been felt, stagnated 
the business of the country, and the Quincy 
House Company and all connected with it went 
down, but the benefits to Quincy from its con- 
struction were not only immediate, but perma- 
nent. 

Charles Ilowland, from Middleborough, 
Mass., was the architect. When built, and for 
some years afterward, the house stood with its 
lower floor even with the street, but a decline 
grade on Maine street and the lowering of 
Fourth street left the cellar wall on that side 
about half exposed, and many were the pro- 
phecies that the wall would fall. But houses 
in those days were built to staj*. and this has 
stood and shown a strength under a test such 
as few structures could bear. It was most thor- 
oughly built : cost was nothing as against com- 
pleteness. The stone work was extra solid for 
those clays, the bricks were pressed, the rafters 
of best seasoned hard wood : the pine flooring 
and finishing wood was brought by boat from 
Pitt.sburg: the upholstering, furniture, etc., 
were made in Boston. 

Its construction furnished work for more me- 
chanics than then lived in Quincy. It was 
opened in 1838, by Wm. ]\Ioni'oe. foi'merly of 
the Bloomfield house, Boston. Many will pleas- 
antly remember that prince of genial, jovial 
landlords, the stately, substantial landlady, and 
their three active, attractive daughters. They 
are all dead. Mr. ilonroe, after leaving here 
with his son-in-law, Charley Andrews, kept the 
Monroe house in St. Louis, and later the New- 



hall liouse at ^lilwaukee. It is a little singular 
that the Quincy house, the finest hotel of its 
time in the west, and the Newhall house, twen- 
ty years later the leading western hotel of its 
day, should have been kept by the same parties, 
and been destroyed almost at the same time. 
The house has been operated almost constantly 
from the fii'st. It was closed in the winter of 
1845-6 and 1850-51 for repairs, and once or 
twice for a brief period, has been since tenant- 
less. Its landlords after Mr. Monroe have been 
IMiller & Guttery, D. W. Miller, 0. il. Sheldon, 
Floyd & Kidder, Boon & Blossom aud one or 
two others whose names we do not recall, E. S. 
Morehouse, and lastly Geo. P. Fay. 

It was a leading social institution in its early 
days, a sort of society headquarters. Gaiety 
gathered in its halls, and whatever was done 
by the "Quincy House ladies" and the many 
young men who boarded there was society ex 
cathedra. Those were generous, joyous times. 
Eveiybody knew everybody, himself and fam- 
ily, horse and dog. If you met some one whom 
you did not know, the first friend you saw 
could tell you who he was. Quincy was a kind 
of Rus in urbe. Its scant area and its palatial 
hotel, combined pastoral freedom with town 
luxury. Refinement and rurality intertwined. 
It was bT;t a few moments' walk from a city 
hotel to a forest seclusion. Game and fish were 
within hand reach and plenty as blackberries. 
All this made it an attractive and familiar sum- 
mer resort fi'om St. Louis and the south. 

The impression made on a stranger by such 
a contrasted condition of things M'as well told 
lis by Dr. Bartlett, one of the keenest of the 
old time sportsmen: "I came to Quincy," said 
he, "knowing nothing of it and nobody in the 
place, but looking for a place to settle. I got 
in late at night and only noticed with surprise 
the size and style of the hotel, which seemed 
better than in St. Louis. The next morning I 
looked out of my third story windows but 
couldn't see much town. It was country all 
around. I went down stairs and found Mr. 
Monroe buying a saddle of venison for fifty 
cents, and just then (it was before breakfast) 
Capt. Phillips came in with his gun and dog 
and a back load of quails which he had shot in 
Keyes' cornfield. I went upstaii-s and told my 
wife that I had found the place to stay." 

It was the center for news from abroad and 
at home. There were no daily papers then, no 
telegi'aphic news. It came through the St. 
Louis papers, or was brought by returning citi- 
zens. The big reading room was the place for 
concourse in summer and winter evenings, and 
thoiigh the day of the old house is over and its 
like will come never again, there are not a 



52 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



few liugei-iug grey heads of the place who will 
pleasantl}' recall those gossip gatherings in the 
old office and halls; and the toes of some now 
stately silvered dames Avill yet tingle at the 
sometime recollection of those cadeneed foot 
tappings on the parlor carpets when Taylor and 
Baker and Bert and Chick, and the "Monroe 
girls," and the "Merend girls" et id geni;s 
omne, struck out fun from joy's freshest foun- 
tain as they did in old times, and as only old 
times knew how to do, with tlie great landlady 
seated in lier cozy wliist coi'uer, and her nuich 
lesser half, the mirth eyed landlord, ruhbing his 
generous palms and looking smilingly on. 

The government land office for the public 
land district which comprised the Military 
Tract had been located at Quiucy in 1831. The 
office was on the south side of Hampshire street 
near Sixth, where it remained for a number of 
years. But little business was then transacted 
for some time, there being only seventeen en- 
tries during the first year (1831), the reason for 
this being that at that time no lauds noi'th of 
Adams county were subject to entry. For 
some reason, to the writer unknown, the gov- 
ernment periodically placed only portions of its 
surveyed laud in the market, and although the 
entire Military Tract had been surveyed in 
1815 and '16. it was not until this year that 
all of the district was thrown open to the 
jiublic. 

The first sale at auction, as lands Avere then 
from time to time offered, took place June 15th 
of this year. From thence until 1857-8, Avhen 
most of the lands being entered, the office was 
transferred to Springfield, this business added 
largely to the growth of the place. The first 
Register and Receiver were severally. Samuel 
Alexander (father of Perrj^ Alexander) and 
Thomas Carlin. They were succeeded in 1837-8 
by Wm. G. Flood and Samuel Leech, after 
whom came, in 1845, Samuel Holmes and Hiram 
Rogers; in 1849, Henry Asbury and H. V. Sulli- 
van, and in 1853, A. C. Marsh and Damon 
Hauser, at the expiration of whose term the 
office -was removed. 

Of Thomas Carlin mention has been made. 
Samuel Alexander, the first Register, was a 
man of much foi-ce of character, very rough in 
manner, extremely earnest and ultra in politics 
and wielding much influence with his party. 
Gov. Wood, whose oft-told old stories have in 
them always a local relish, was wont to tell of 
his first and second meeting with Alexander. 
In 1824 political feeling, fanned by the anti- 
slavery agitation, was at a fever heat. The 
question of "convention" or "no convention" 
was voted iipon. Convention meant a new pro 
slavery constitution. No convention meant a 



free state. To Gov. EdAvard Coles are we in- 
debted for the blessing that Illinois was not 
then made a slave-holding state. Mr. Wood, 
immediately after the election, went east and 
on his way took to Edwardsville, the then state 
capital, the returns from this section. When 
the boat on which he ti'aveled stopped at 
Shawneetown, a crowd came on board and 
asked to learn how the state had voted. The 
captain said, "here's a young man just from 
Edwardsville, perhaps he can tell you." Wood, 
thus referred to said that "it was thought at 
Edwardsville that 'convention' was beaten by 
about 1,500." "It's a d — d lie!" said one of 
the parties, answering more from his wish than 
his knowledge. Wood picked up a chair and 
but for the interposition of the captain a small 
civil war was imminent. 

Nine years after, as John Wood tells it, "a 
man, all alone, in a canoe, paddled up to op- 
posite my cabin at the foot of Delaware street, 
landed and staid with me over night. He told 
me that his name was Alexander, that he had 
come to open the land office of which he had 
been appointed Register." While at supper 
he said, "I think I've seen j'ou before." Mr. 
Wood then told him that he was the man who 
at Shawneetown gave him the lie for reporting 
the result of the election of 1824. "Oh, no," 
says Alexander, "it must have been some other 
d — d fool." and although Wood on every con- 
venient occasion liinted at this story of the first 
meeting, Alexander's memory could only be re- 
freshed by the statement that "it was some 
other d — d fool." 

Tlie census, taken this year, showed a popula- 
tion in the county of 7,042, subject to military 
duty 1.311); in the town the popiTlation was 
753, and 270 subject to military duty — about 
18 yev cent in the county and about 36 per cent 
in the town. This is a singular c(uitrast, but it 
indicates how much more rapidly during the 
last ten years the county had been settled up, 
and also that the town population was largely 
uuxde up of young and single men. It indicates 
another curious fact in connection with the con- 
tests for the removal of the county seat, which 
first liecame a contested question during this 
year. 

It will be remembered that in 1S25, as has 
been stated in a former chapter, the commis- 
sioners appointed by the legislature to select 
the comity seat came here with the intention 
of locating the same at the geographical center 
of the county — a somewhat natural notion that 
often prevailed in those days. It is also known 
that needing a pilot for that piirpose they en- 
gaged Mr. Willard Keyes, an experienced early 
pioneer, as a guide, and that Mr. K. proved 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



53 



himself to he guide, philosopliei- and friend, aud 
guided the commissioners back to Quincy after 
a toilsome day's search for the center of the 
county among the Mill creek swamps, where 
they more nearly reached its liottom ; philos- 
opher enough to know where the county seat 
ought to be, and that the best use of knowledge 
is often to not use it at all, and friend enough 
to his own views and to the then and future in- 
terests of town and county to thus bring about 
the selection which the wearied commissioners 
made on tlie following day, and the living 
gratitude of Quincy will never forget the 
judicious blindness and far foreseeing forget- 
fulness of this experienced pioneer Keyes on 
this pregnant occasion. No objection was made 
to the selection then nor for years after. 

During the j^ear 1834-5 however, a move- 
ment was originated to compel the change of 
the county .seat from Quincy to a "geographical 
center," This was the commencement of that 
nonsense which nurtured a sectional strife be- 
tween city and county, altogether baseless, but 
renewed at two later periods. The designation 
of "geographical center" was geographically 
incorrect — a matter of no consequence now, but 
one that cut quite a figure then and more so 
in the contest of some six years later. At the 
August election the vote stood for Quincy 618, 
"for commissioners' stake" 492; Quincy at the 
time casting 390 votes — of these 320 were for 
itself and 70 against. Later, in 1841, when the 
contest lay between Quincy and Columbus, the 
vote, as declared, was 1,545 for the former and 
1,636 for the latter. Still later, on Nov. 18, 
1875, there were given for Quincy 7,283 votes, 
and for Coatsburg 3,109, 

This strife is now settled forever. These elec- 
tions are referred to as showing how slight was 
the sectional feeling in 1835, when, as it will be 
noted, Quincy contained but about one-third of 
the voting population of the county and was 
successful ; while in later years, when dema- 
gogue influences had roused up prejudice the 
city stood about five to six in voting strength, 
still it won. 

The "commissioners" .stake," which was 
voted for. as purporting to be the precise 
geographical centre of Adams county, and 
therefore the proper place at which to locate 
the county seat, was not (as before said) the 
exact centre of the county. Connected with the 
history of this county seat contest, and as show- 
ing also that the all prevalent central idea for 
a county "seat of justice" was not daunted by 
its decided defeat in 1835, but still smouldered, 
ready to be raked up and revived, as it was 
in 1841 and again in 1875, meeting at each 
period the same crushing fate. As pei'tinent to 



this, we reproduce (anticipating .sequent dates 
by a year) the following from the Bountv Land 
Register of May 27, 1836 : 



"SALE OF LOTS IN ADAMSBURG, THE 

GEOGRAPHICAL CENTRE OF ADAMS 

COUNTY, ON TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 

1836. 

"Adamsburg is beautifully situated on a 
high, gently rolling prairie, in the geographical 
centre of Adams county, said to be on the quar- 
ter section designated by the commissioners ap- 
pointed under a late act of the legislature as 
the most central, eligible and convenient point 
for the permanent location of the seat of justice 
for said county, but the gentlemen then owning 
it not being in the state the commissioners fixed 

He is a proper subject for mention for the 
upon a location about two and one-half miles 
east. A vote of the people being taken the lat- 
ter location of the commisssioners was rejected 
by a very small majority, because of its not be- 
ing sufficiently central ; so that a permanent site 
for the seat of justice has yet to be selected, and 
but little doubt remains that Adamsburg will 
be the place. Its commanding location," etc., 
etc. 

So ran the notice. The intended town above 
named was on the southwe.st quarter of section 
10, 1 south, 7 west, which is now in Gilmer 
toAvn.ship, and has been for many years a most 
excellent farm. It was one of the thousand 
like speculative towns which dotted the state 
all over and had no existence beyond that of a 
paper and a plat and stakes driven in the 
ground. There existed at this time the maddest 
of manias among farmers and speculators who 
happened to own a handsomely situated quar- 
ter section of la,nd. to survey and lay out the 
same, stake it out into streets, blocks and lots, 
give the place some pretentious name, advertise 
it for sale, and then lie back on the lazy dig- 
nity of having become a "town founder," and 
it usually happened that within the two or 
three succeeding years the founded town and 
the "to'^vn foimder" were alike found to be 
foundered. Special mention is here made of 
this town for the local reasons above given, and 
as it so well illustrates the town speculative 
craze of the da3^ and also becaiise some notable 
names were affiliated with the county seat proj- 
ect. Stephen A. Douglas, James Berdan, Den- 
nis Rockwell, leading lawyers and business men 
of Jacksonville ; S. S. Brooks, a well known 
printer and managing politician of this state, 
afterward recorder of Adams county, and J. 
H. Petit, editor at one time of the Quincy 



54 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



Argus (now Ilei-akl) and simie ulliers nearly as 
well known, were the incubators of this scheme 
— proprietors of the property which they sup- 
posed might eventually become, through this 
geographical idea, the seat of justice of Adams 
county. The project ended almost as soon as it 
commenced, and the town of Adamsburg is 
among the "things that were" not. 

The county commissioners in Sei)tember in- 
vited proposals for the construction of a new 
courthouse, to be built "of brick of the best 
quality and in the neatest manner, the carpen- 
ters and joiners work to be of the best materials 
anil finished in the most fashionable style." 
This was the well remembered building, com- 
pleted in 1838, and destroyed by fire in 1875. 
Three months after this, its predecessor, the 
superannuated old log courthouse which had 
stood since 1825, went np in fiames. As much 
justice was done to the public wish when it 
went np as had ever emanated from within its 
log walls. 

Two notable departures from life occurred 
late in this year, the death of the first two per- 
manent settlers of the county, Daniel Lisle and 
Justus Perigo, who had resided here since about 
1819 or '"20. They were both of the rough 
stamp of character common in those days, but 
good men in their way. Lisle was one of the 
early county commissioners and his name ap- 
pears on the earliest of the quaint court records 
in connection with a controversy with John 
Wood. Some of his family still live in the 
southeastern part of the county. 

Heretofore there had been no other i)ublic 
burial ground than the south half of the block 
on which the courthouse stands, now knowu as 
Jefferson square, which had been reserved for 
cemetery uses when the town was platted in 
1825. A meeting of citizens was called on June 
2Cth, to initiate measures for the establish- 
ment of another cemetery, which resulted two 
years later, in 1837, in the purchase by the 
town from E. B. Kimball, of eight and 56-100 
acres at the southeast corner of ilaine and 
Twenty-fourth streets, now lladison park. The 
price paid was .t6-t2. There had probably been 
three hundred or more burials in the first named 
cemetery up to the time of its discontinuance. 
Some of the bodies buried were those of strang- 
ers, nameless and unknown ; other graves con- 
tained the bodies of those who, through neglect 
of friends to nuirk them, could not be identified. 
Most of them were transferred to the other 
cemetery, and many of these again, at a later 
period were buried in Woodland cemetery. Yet 
there still lie and will forever lie, many undis- 
tinguished and unclaimed bones, rotten and foi'- 
gotten, as was noted, when a few years since. 



the grading of the ground for the new court- 
house exhunuHl much of this did sei)ulchral 
soil. 

There rests, with other honored dust, the 
ashes of A. P. Hubbard, lieutenant-governor of 
Illinois from 1822 to 1826, a queer character, 
whose claim to fame lies more on what he was 
not. than what he was, and who by this accident 
of an undiscovered grave obtains a more widely 
jiublished notoriety than anything his merits 
(ir public service could have secured, 
of its navigable streams, the ilississippi, Ohio, 
reason that he was the first Quiney man who 
filled, or i-ather in his case it may be better said, 
occupied, a prominent state position. 

His residence here was brief and his public 
career marked only by his absurd and futile at- 
tempts to supplant Gov. Coles during the lat- 
ter 's temporary absence from the state. He 
soug.ht the governor.ship in 1826 but failed. The 
following slice from one of his speeches illus- 
trates his capacity and character: 

"Fellow citizens, I'm a candidate for gov- 
ernor; I don't pretend to be a man of extraor- 
dinary talents, nor claim to be equal to Julius 
Caesar or Napoleon Bonaparte, and I ain't as 
great a man as my opponent. Gov. Edwards. 
Yet I think I can govern you pretty well. I 
don't think it will recpiire a very extra smart 
man to govern you : for to tell the truth fellow 
citizens, I don't think you'll be hard to govern, 
no how." 

He was well described by Gov. Coles as a 
"historic oddity." A well enough meaning 
man, of shallow bearings, but inordinate aspir- 
ations, tyjie of a class which we to-day see still 
survives. Men, whom the shrewd and sarcastic 
Judge Purple used to speak of as "fellows who 
forced themselves on the ])ublie, claiming that 
they have a mission to fill, which they most 
always fool-fill." 

The cost of living at this period was in some 
respects light and again in others heavy. Home 
products were easily and cheaply obtained at 
low prices; imported stuffs were exceptionally 
dear. The rapidly rising jiopulation, the ac- 
celerating business and the growing plentitude 
of mone.y caused these somewhat contrary con- 
ditions. Labor prices and the bu.siness situa- 
tion is pictured in the following from the 
Register in November of this year: 

"Business is brisk, boats being crowded to 
excess with freight and passengers ; great com- 
])laints are made for the want of mechanics to 
construct buildings to shelter the emigrants and 
their goods. At present carpenters are getting 
from $1.50 to .$2.00 per day and found. Masons 
•$2.00, and other mechanics in proportion. Com- 
mon laborers are getting $1.00 and $1.25. Hands 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



55 



on a farm get $15.00 to $18.00 per mouth ; 75c 
l^er cord paid for cutting- wood. It is fouud 
very difficult indeed to obtain heliJ at these 
prices. The arrival of a uuiidjer of iudustrious 
hands would be hailed with joy by a large num- 
ber of our citizens. ' ' 

Values in these daj^s cannot be easily or ac- 
curately stated. An imperfect price current for 
the year shows the following averages : Hams, 
8@10c ; beef, -Ic ; best butter, 16c ; coffee, 20c ; 
brown sugar, 12e ; loaf sugar, 20c ; whisky, 
30(ai50e per gallon ; cheese, 10c ; coal, 20c per 
bushel: tlour varying much but averaging 
thi'ough the year about $4 per barrel ; beeswax 
which had been a cash staple, 16c : of grass 
seed (which appears to have been very scarce), 
clover $8. timothy $3, blue grass, $2 ; hides 9c, 
green hides -lijC: cut nails 10c : wrought nails 
20c; salt $1.01 )(a $1.50: wheat sold for about 
50c ; potatoes ranged during the year from 25e 
to $1 — showing then as now the uncertainty of 
this climate for the growing of the potato, as 
significantly told by the southern darkey, "dars 
no medocrity 'bout de tater, his head is down in 
the groimd, he's invariably good or inebitably 
bad; you can't bet on the tater." 

About this time importations of staples, such 
as flour and bacon, ceased; the home produc- 
tions being sufficient. There had been from 
four to five thousand dollars' worth of these 
and such articles brought in annually since 
1831. but during the last half of 1834 and the 
first six months of 1835 about $40,000 worth 
of these staples were home-produced much 
more than meeting the local demand. 

From this time Quincy lived mostly on the 
products of local industries. During these past 
two half years there had been about 25,000 
bi^shels of wheat ground. 3,500 hogs killed 
and packed, at an average of $3.75, also, for the 
fir.st time. 40 head of cattle slaughtered, at $3 
per cwt. : 900 bbls. of beef and pork put up. 
about 180.000 pounds of bacon. 1.300 kegs of 
lard and 2.000 pounds of tallow. Pork sold at 
about $11 per barrel. 

The above gives, as near as it is possible to 
obtain it, the current business transacted at 
this period. The season was favorable for 
traffic and travel. Navigation opened as early 
as Jaiiiiary 23rd and closed November 25th, 
holding good throughout the rest of the year. 

"With this period awoke that wild railroad 
mania which, shaping itself into the "internal 
improvement system"' and running to a most 
extreme excess, fastened upon the state an 
enormous debt, biirdening its progress for many 
years, until now after nearly half a century of 
struggle, the incumbrance is happily wiped out 



forever. There was a valid excuse for this 
seemingly reckless sentiment and action. 

Our great unopened state had thus far only 
been reached by the water courses. The banks 
Illinois, Wabash, and even the Kaskaskia (or 
Okaw, the old Indian name,) were fringed with 
settlements, but the back country was still a 
grass wildei'ness, and the instinct of enter- 
pi'ise craved to reach and reap the richness of 
this untamed prairie soil. Only by the divining 
touch of the railroad wand could this uu- 
bimnded fertility be aroused and developed. A 
rapid ardor for improvement spread over the 
state. It pulsated here. With the knowledge 
that the legislature would adopt a comprehen- 
sive pro.ject of railroad building — called "inter- 
nal improvement," the first organized move- 
ment of Quincy was made on December 11th of 
this year, when after some weeks of previous 
notice, the fir.st railroad meeting was held at 
the Land Office hotel, which was largely at- 
tended and veiy earnest. It met in connection 
with similar movements at Clayton, Beards- 
town, Jacksonville and eastward through the 
state, and also still farther east on the present 
Wabash parallel in Indiana. J. T. Holmes was 
chairman, and C. IM. Woods secretary. Most 
of the representative men of the place were 
present and acting. Judge Young was the chief 
adviser. The action of the meeting was that, 

WHEREAS, The sub.ject of internal improve- 
ment by means of canals and railroads has 
justly excited much public attention through- 
out the state, etc. 

Resolved. That the legislature be respectfully 
re([uested to incorporate a company to con- 
.struct a railroad from Quincy by way of Clay- 
ton and Rushville to Beardstown : or from 
Quincy by way of Clayton and Mt. Sterling 
to Meredo.sia on the Illinois river, etc. 

This was the initial movement from which 
came in legislative action afterward the North- 
ern Cross railroad, out of which the Wabash 
and C, B. & Q. have grown. 

This road was built, (we can hardly say com- 
pleted) and operated from Springfield to the 
Illinois, on the present line of the Wabash. 
It is the oldest railroad in the state and the 
only one that under the internal improvement 
sj^stem had even a partial finish; and on its 
charter the two roads above named have been 
based and extended. 

Patriotism was vigorous in these primitive 
days. On the 4th of July. Browning made the 
speech and Snow read the declaration at "the 
church," there was but one church then, piety 
being as much concentrated as it is now scat- 
tered, and the exercises of the day ended with 
a banquet at the Land Office hotel. This hotel. 



56 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADA:\rS COUNTY. 



where the railroad meeting above alluded to 
was held, was a notable place in its day — a long, 
white, two-story frame structure on the north 
side of Hampshire, a short distance west of 
Fifth. There were two other taverns, and they 
were duplicates of this one and the story might 
be applied to all. It is told that one of the 
travelers in the semi-weekly stage coach just 
leaving for Springfield (evidently a stranger), 
asked a fellow passenger, "why do they call 
this the Land Oltice hotel?" "Because." was 
the reply, "this is the town where all the land 
ofifiees are located, and land is entered and sold. 
All this splendid soil that you see around us is 
for sale there." "Aye, aye," said the other, in 
a tone that a traveler uses who has just had a 
bad breakfast. "I understand : it is well named, 
th-' land there is two inches above board (a 
sailor's expression) all over the floor, and you 
can sample the soil in any of the rooms." 

The cost of learning may be estimated from 
the advertisement of a "select school for young 
ladies," by a teacher of more than ordinary 
qualification. The terms, per quarter, were : 
Reading, writing, arithmetic and geography, 
.'f;2.00; higher English branches, $2.50; drawing, 
painting, etc.. $4:. 00. Probably the pupils got 
their money's worth full as well as they do now. 

In February of this year was chartered the 
State Bank of Illinois, with some singular pro- 
visions. The capital stock was to be -$1. .300.000 
of which $1,400,000 must be subscribed by in- 
dividuals, and $100,000 to be taken by the state 
whenever the legislature chose to do so. The 
stock shares were $100 each. It was provided 
that the main bank .should be at Springfield, 
with a branch at Vaudalia, and that six other 
branches might be located at discretion. A sub- 
scription of $250,000 was demanded as a basis 
for the location of each branch bank. There 
Avas subscribed on the 10th of April from 
Qiiincy and vicinity $120,100. It was not, how- 
ever, ixntil the following year that the branch 
was located here. 

This was a somewhat iiiarlvod year for settle- 
ment. The earlier "old settlers" prior to 1830 
were but few, and of these now at this date. 
(1883) all but two have passed away. Immigra- 
tion subsequent to that period until 1834, Avas 
not great ; much of it was transitory, and three 
successive years of blighting sickliness had told 
heavily against the population. With 1834, 
hoAvever, and the few folloAving years, the tide 
of settlement rapidly sAvelled. Dvu'ing the year 
1834. there had come to stay, the Bi;rns. BroAvn 
and Cleveland families, George and Ed. Bond, 
EdAvard Wells, J. D. Morgan, H. Dills, Adam 
Schmidt. Kaltz, Herleman, John Schell, 
Delebar, F. C. Moore, N. Pease (who had visited 
the tOAvn before), the McDades and a fcAV other 



of Avell known names. At the same time came 
to tlu' county, families yet here and more or 
less knoAvn to the city, the Sykes and Robinsons, 
of Beverly; A. H. D. Butz, of Liberty; Scar- 
borough and the Bernards, of Payson ; the 
Turners, of Ellington, and Ursa; the late 
01)ediah Waddell, of Melrose, Avho had seen the 
l)lace tAventy years before and might properly 
l)e called its first visitor. He passed over the 
si)ot Avhere Quiucy noAv is Avith the IIoAvard ex- 
pedition after the Avar of 1812. Avhen there then 
stood only the remains of a feAv scattered 
AvigAvams. but no evidences of a permanent set- 
tlement. 

His story. Avith other evidence, dissipates the 
idea that this Avas the site of an important old 
Indian toAvn. There Avas proliably but one large 
Indian A'illage in tlie county, in the northern 
pai't near Bear Crcclv. i'\idenees of AA'hich long- 
existed. Another also, hnig abandoned. Avas 
situated on the edge of Pike county, on the 
Sny Ecarte (or lost Avandering channel. noAv 
knoAvn as the Sny Carte Slough or Sny). but 
all this section south of the Des Moines rapids 
and above the mouth of the Illinois Avas de- 
batable ground betAveen the Sacs and Foxes, 
the PottoAvatamie.s. the loAvas of the north, and 
llicir hei-editary foes, the PiasaAvs, Kaskaskias, 
the mini, the ShaAvnees and other hostile tribes 
of the south and east. 

With the year of 1835, of Avhich Ave are writ- 
ing, there Avas a decided increase in permanent 
population. Among the Avell knoAVU settlers of 
this date Avere Major J. H. Holton, Capt. Pit- 
man, Joel Rice, Lloyd Morton, J. P. Bert, the 
Churches, Mitchells, Stobies, Grimms, McClin- 
tocks, A. Konantz. Phelps and many others, also 
Castle, for a time at Columbus, the Blacks and 
Wallaces, of Clayton : Richardsons and Clatters, 
of Beverly; Bliven, Prince and Pottle, of Pay- 
son : the Shinns, of Melrose ; BartholemcAV. of 
;\f('iidon. or Fairfield, as it Avas then called, and 
many others Avhose names are identified Avith 
the city and county history. 

The French named this slough Chenal ecai-te 
or "narroAV channel." This Avas first abbre- 
viated and called Snv Carte, and uoav is called 
the Sny. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

1836. 

NEAV SETTLERS. NEW AVELL ORDERED. EARL 
PIERCE. MILITIA. MARION CITA'. RAILROAD 
SCHEMES. LOCATION OF M.AiRKET HOUSE. THE 
ONLY NEWSP.\PER. 

Coming Avith this year Avas a large number of 
"old settlers." men, Avhose names are Avell 
knoAvn, and some of them ai'e living at this 
date, (1886). 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



57 



Among them there were F. AV. Jaiisen. the 
Glasses, Diekhuts, Biukerts, Stewarts, Wm. 
Gerry, W. H. Gage, Amos Green. S. E. Seger, 
C. A. Warren, L. Kingman, H. V. Sullivan, J. 
T. Baker. George Miller, "Wilson Lane, A. E. 
Drain, and many beside whose names cannot be 
given. The foreign immigration, mostly Ger- 
man, began largely with this year. 

The political action of the town fathers was 
relatively of as much importance and created 
as fair a proportion of interest and criticism 
as do the intellectual wrestlings among the city 
fathers of to-day. 

The board meetings were not frequent. At 
the April and again at the May session, the 
clerk was ordered to notify the road supervisors 
specifically of their duties, etc., which shows 
that supervisors could be as lazy in those days 
as now. 

An ordinance was passed on ilay "21st, wliieh 
reads somewhat sti'angely: "Be it ordained 
by the president and trustees of the town of 
Qnincy, that all buildings now erected or that 
shall hereafter be erected on any of the public 
grounds in the limits of this corporation are 
hereby declared a public nuisance." As the 
old courtliou.se had just been burned and an- 
other was in process of erection, this looked like 
a wrathful thrust at local architects. The 
"meaning meant well" — as C. A. "Warren was 
wont to say — of this sort of a boomerang ordi- 
nance, and its true intent can be understood, 
yet it is not certain that a similar one might 
M-ith truth and propriety be placed on most of 
the corporation records of the country. 

At the June election G. "W. Chapman. Joel 
Rice, "Wm. Skinner. E. L. Pearson and J. T. 
Holmes were elected as trustees. Holmes was 
made president and Peai'son secretary. The 
report of Treasurer "Williams for the past year 
gives an insight into the financial affairs of the 
town, besides exhibiting another unusual fea- 
ture. His report showed as collected on taxes 
$249.82, and $5.00 paid in for show license, 
making $254.82, of receipts ; that he had paid 
out $258, and hence was a creditor of the town 
to the amount of $3.18. 

As Mr. "Williams was again chosen treasurer 
by the board and accepted the office, it would 
appear that the right of the town to owe its 
treasurer was recognized and approved by both 
parties. It does not appear that the treasurer 
required the town to make to him a bond. 

The prominent public improvements at this 
time were the public wells, tM'o of which were 
ordered to "be sunk on the public square, of 
suitable dimensions as soon as practicable." 
These proved to be well-springs of trouble and 
contest, running through several j^ears, con- 



tracts thrown up, work abandoned, commit- 
tees of examination, etc., before they were com- 
pleted, making the same proportionate stir 
that a similar question does now. (An allusion 
to the agitation of the question of ownership by 
the city of the water works. Ed.) 

It seems as if the average town and city 
father has always been more or less afflicted by 
"water on the brain." A strange remissness 
in regard to the public business of the town 
both in meeting and recording the same ap- 
pears. Although monthly meetings of the board 
were prescribed, the record of July 5th adjourns 
to "next ilonda.v, July 11th," but no record 
again appears until the next February. Either 
the board had nothing to do or it was ashamed 
to tell of it. 

At the August election (and it may be stated 
that until after 1848. all the general elections, 
except the pi*esidential in November, were held 
on the first Monday in August), Earl Pierce 
was elected sheriff for the sixth and last time, 
as before his term expired he "between two 
days" .suddenly took a trip, and some other 
things, that did not belong to him to Texas. 
Pierce had been sheriff since 1826, and was a 
specimen politician of the times. 

A frank, generous, rollicking manner, and an 
active, adroit, aspiring nature, long made per- 
haps the most popular and influential man of 
the county, but constant office holding spoiled 
him. He was brigadier general of the state 
militia (cornstalk) as it was then termed, of 
which, the 37th Adams County regiment was a 
part, officered by Col. P. "W. Martin, Maj. Wm. 
G. Flood. Paymaster 0. H. Browning, Adjutant 
Dr. S. "W, Rogers, all of the Black Hawk war 
eminence. Thos. C. King was elected coroner, 
A. W. Shinn, Geo. Taylor and John B. Toung 
were county commissioners. No other change 
was made in the other county officers; "Wren, 
Snow and Frazier remaining in office. 

The legislative apportionment made at the 
session of 1835-6 entitled Adams county to one 
senator and two representatives, under which 
O. H. Browning was elected senator, and 
George Galbraith and J. H. Ralston representa- 
tives. Joseph Duncan was gove)'nor: Wm. L. 
;\Iay representative, and John il. Robinson and 
W. L. D. Ewing senators in congress, the latter 
being succeeded by Judge Richard 51. Young, 
who was chosen at the session of 1836-7 for the 
full term, being the first member of either 
house of congress fi-om Quincy. 

Navigation opened March 18th and continued 
good until about December 1st. Time, especially 
in port, was not economized as now. The 
Wyoming left Quincy on the evening of May 
1st for St. Louis and got back on the evening 



58 



l'A8T AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



of the 4th, beinj:!' out scvcuty-twd and ;i half 
hours, claimed to be the quickest trip yet made. 
Two reg'uhar packets, the Quiney and 'Connell, 
plied between St. Louis and the rapids. The 
river was very high early in the season, lioodiug 
the low lands and laying a fatal wet blanket 
over the prospects of many of the expectant 
cities which had been born from the speculative 
frenzy of the last two years and located in the 
bottom land. 

]\Iarion City, or (Ircen's landing as it had 
been known, ten miles liclow Quiney, and an- 
nounced as its fiilnrc rival, where some $400,- 
000 were said to have been invested in lots in 
1835, Avas almost completely covered by the 
irreverent Mississippi and its inflated preten- 
sions hoi:)elessly dissolved. 

Work was begun on the Quiney House and 
courthouse, both of which were finished in 1S3S. 
Several other brick, among them the Methodist 
church, and a large number of frame buildings 
were erected, "averaging a new dwelling for a 
family, for everj^ day between the first of April 
and the last of August," and it was estimated 
and recorded that over two hundred non-resi- 
dent mechanics and laborers found here steady 
employment. Prices ran higher than in the 
previous year. Flour sold at .$7.25, wheat 87 
cents, potatoes 40 to 50 cents, butter 20 cents, 
bacon ISVo cents, beef $7.00 per hundred. 

Another hoped for county seat was laid off 
and advertised as the town of Lafayette, on 
the S. W. 14. 1 S. 7 W. at the real geographical 
centre of the county. (I think that this name 
should be Adamsburg, Ij. B.) The proprietor 
of the town was very liberal in his offers, pro- 
posing to give every other lot to the county, 
and also if it became the county seat to give 
half the balance of the land, and to the first 
merchant and first mechanic who should settle 
and build a house worth one hundred dollars 
any lot that he might choose. It was then and 
yet is a very good farm. 

The railroad movements of the preceding 
year brcnight about at the session of 1835-6 one 
of the first railroad charters granted in the 
state which blended afterward with the, inter- 
nal improvement system, and is now the 
Wabash. Being a pioneer enterprise of its kind 
and containing some singular features, the char- 
ter is worthy of a sununarized statement of its 
provisions. It empowers John "Williams. James 
Bell, Wm. Carpenter and Wm. Craig, of 
Sangamon : John W. Murphy, Samuel Mc- 
Roberts and G. W. Cassidy, of Vermilion ; 
Matthew Stacy, James Tilton and J. J. Hardin, 
of Morgan, and J. T. Holmes, E. L. Pearson and 
J. W. McFaden, of Adams, "to construct a road 
from some point on the line between this state 



and Indiana, thence to Danville, Decatur, 
Springfield, Jacksonville, iLeredosia, Mt. Sterl- 
ing, Clayton and Quiney — pi-ovided they make 
ai'i-angements with a company already char- 
tered to nuike a road from Jacksonville to 
]\Ieredosia. " If they could not agree on terms 
with this intermediate incorporation "the .judge 
of the ^loi-gan ciuirt" should decide. The first 
named comi)any, the "Wabash & ^Mississippi." 
not to build from Jack'sonville to ^leredosia 
until terms were arranged with the other com- 
pany. The company was required to expend 
.$2il.(Ht(l within four years, or to operate Avithin 
ten years, or forfeit the charter. The capital 
stock was fixed at $3,000,000, with the privilege 
of increasing the same to $5,000,000. 

All the town lots in the original to-\vn of 
Quiney remaining unsold were offered at auc- 
tion by the county commissioners, on April 11. 
The prices given are of relative interest and 
curiosity now. The north half of what is now 
the c(nn-thouse block, facing Broadway, sold 
for $541 : the north half of the block next on 
the west sold for $736 ; the two lots of block 
10. on Vermont street, between Fifth and the 
alley, facing the courthouse, bi-ought lietter 
figures, .$1,398; that part of block 11 on Fifth 
street facing Washington Square, excepting 
about one hundred feet at the corner of Hamp- 
shire and one hundred feet in the middle, Avhere 
the late coui-thouse stood, was sold for $11,657, 
being an average value of about $58 per foot; 
the groTuid on the east side of Sixth, between 
Vermont and Broadway, opposite the present 
court house, was struck off at .$488 ; lot 1, 
block 21, at the corner of Jersey and Sixth, 
brought $200, while lots 6, 7 and 8, on the south 
side of the same block, were bought for $957 — 
about $3 per foot. Lots on Yoi-k street, be- 
tAveen Second and Sixth, realized from $1 to 
$6 per foot — the last a high figure, the average 
being a little over $2. This section contained 
at that time the most desirable selections for 
residence lots. Lot 1, block 26. at the corner 
of York, sold for $450. 

Proi)erty at private sale changed hands often 
some sfaiuling improA'ements. The first large 
and at i-apidly rising rates. The highest price 
previously paid for any piece of property in 
the town had been for the Quiney House cor- 
ner, being about $80 per foot, but this included 
sale above that figure Avas made in this year, 
being that of lot 7, block 8. on the north side 
of Hampshire, one hundred feet Avest of Foni'fh, 
at the rate of $100 per front foot. 

The sales above described as being made by 
the county commissioners were only of unim- 
proved property, and completed the transfer 
into private hands of all of the original toAvn of 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADA:\IS COUNTY. 



59 



Quincy. except such as was reserved for public 
purposes, similar sales having been held from 
time to time siuce 1825. Almost all of this land 
was purchased by residents. 

John Yorcke Sawyer, a prominent olifieial 
figure in the infancy of Quincy. having been 
the first circuit judge, and holding the first 
court in the county, iu 1825, in Keyes' cabin 
on Front street, died this year. ]\[arcli 13th, at 
Vandalia. He was then the editor of the Van- 
dalia Advocate. He was better educated than 
the average of the profession in his time, and 
was an excellent lawyer, as with perhaps a 
single exception, have been all the judges upon 
this circuit bench. 

Judge Sawyer was legislated out of office two 
years after the formation of this county, and 
M'as succeeded in 1827 by Samuel D. Lockwood, 
one of the purest and clearest minded men that 
ever adorned the bench. In 1831 an additional 
circuit was made, comprised almost entirely of 
the ililitary Tract. To this Richard il. Y'^oung 
was appointed and sustained the office with 
dignity and credit until his election to the 
United States senate, which took place thi.s 
year. As before stated, up to this period, the 
Adams county bench had been exceptionally 
well filled. 

A discordant public question broke out about 
this time, and several years elapsed before its 
final settlement. It was as to where the mai-- 
ket .should be located. A portion of the com- 
munity had been accu.stomed and wished still to 
see buildings, such as courthouse, market house, 
etc., built on the public grounds and the 
gronud to be left unenclosed, while another 
portion desired to have such grounds, as far as 
practicable, enclosed for park purposes, and 
that public buildings should be erected else- 
where. This struggle had been made over the 
courthouse location the year before. That be- 
ing decided, it now came np over the market 
house. It was at one time concluded to double 
the width of ]\Iaine street east of Fifth, and 
half way to Sixth, and build the market house 
therein. This project of course, fell through. 
but the contest was kept up. to be told more of 
hereafter. 

There also now awoke the aspiration to be- 
come a city, a natural notion in a growing 
town, no matter how yo\ing the town may be. 
This is a feeling that is fostered by many in- 
terests, but it is a question of serious doubt 
whether many of the little cities which throng 
the state, instead of being Avhat they are now, 
with a form of government entailing increased 
expense, political strife and all its bad conse- 
quences, would not have been benefited by a 



longer adherence to the town system, which is 
the .simplest, fairest, though not always the 
strongest system for corporate rule. It "is also 
the equalized and con.sistent basis of our gen- 
eral institutions. It was four years later that 
Quincy became a city, and it was undoubtedly 
needful that it should do so. 

The Bounty Land Register, still the only 
paper in the place, was purchased in July by 
John H. Petit, and took the additional name 
of Argus. The year following this, it became 
the Quincy Argus, and a few years later the 
Herald, its present title. It was now slightly 
enlarged, having five 2i/4-inch, instead of four 
3-inch columns, as before — on nearly the same 
sized sheet 21ioxll, but with a gain of read- 
ing matter of an inch on the top and half an 
inch on the side margin. The color and texture 
of the paper and style of type were unchanged, 
and such as are never seen nowadays. It now 
assumed what it had not during its ownership 
by Mr. Woods, a decided and avowed position 
as a democratic journal, which, nnder its va- 
rious names, it has always maintained. 



CHAPTER XIV 



BANKS AND BANKING IN QUINCT. 

The opening branch of the State Bank of Illi- 
nois during this year was the commencement of 
banking in Quincy. The brief story of this 
institution will be hereafter told, but a skeleton 
sketch of the Illinois banking abortions i)rior 
to this period will not be amiss here, since it 
will show the financial movements and money- 
less condition of the state generally, in which 
Quincy of course had its share. 

There is a world of financial philosophy to 
be gathered from the banking history of Illi- 
nois. 

A bank at Shawneetown was authorized by 
the territorial legislature of 1816, and at the 
next session two others were ordered to be lo- 
cated at Kaskaskia and Edwardsville. These 
had a brief existence, and in three years' time 
suspended. In the meantime, however, their 
circulation had been redundant. Profuse supply 
of money, known to be worthless, stimulated 
speculation of the wildest kind. Everybody 
was anxious to get and to get clear of these 
'"rag promises," and the result was that when 
the collapse came in 1820 everybody owed 
everybody. The first .state legislature in ISlfl, 



6o 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



seeing the in'od of SDUie financial action, but, 
nnderstaudinii- their business, less, if possible, 
than all legislatures generally do, chartered a 
bank with a capital of $2,000,000 to run for 
twenty-seven years, the charter, however, be- 
ing afflicted with so many absurd features, that 
altliough books were opened by law through- 
out the state, not a dollar of stock Avas sub- 
scribed. 

At the following session, 1820-1, the Illinois 
State Bank was established with a charter to 
run ten years and a capital of $500,000 based 
upon the credit of the state alone. This bank 
was born Avith some most extraordinary fea- 
tures, which readily foreshadowed its fate. It 
was in violation of the United States constitu- 
tion, its bills bearing two per cent annual in- 
terest, and being redeemable in ten year's. Three 
hundred thousand dollars in bills not above $20 
were ordered to be issued, loaned out on per- 
sonal security for amounts of $100, and secur- 
ity on real estate at doitble valuation for sums 
between $100 and $1,000. Of course every- 
body borrowed and nobody ever thotight of 
paying back the amount borrowed. This $300,- 
000 was all that was issued, tlie notes falling in 
value almost immediately to tAventy-five cents 
on the dollar, and the bank became so dis- 
credited that the subsequent legislatures did 
not dare to order the full circulation author- 
ized by the charter. With many other Aveakeuing 
elements in its organization, the bank stag- 
gered through its chartered existence of ten 
years, and Avhen in 1831, it Avas Avound up, it 
appeared that although only $300,000 had been 
issued, the loss to the state had been more than 
$500,000. 

The Aviping out of this Avorthless circulation 
did not still the popular call for more money, 
and the legislature of 1834-5 took hold of the 
question Avith commendable zeal, but Avith 
.iudgment that slunved but little gain from late 
experience. That the state needed financial leg- 
islation Avas evident, for while the old bank 
issues had been cleared off by an increased 
debt (the famous Wiggins loan of $100,- 
000, Avhieh made such bitter acrimony, 
though it saved the state's credit), yet 
foreign rag paper took the place of our 
own. In Februai-y, 1835, the Territorial 
Bank of ShaAvneetoAvn, AA'hich had been 
dead for tAvelve years, Avas exhumed and an- 
other State Bank was chartered, Avitli a capi- 
tal of $1,500,000 and alloAved an increase of 
$1,000,000 more. Six branches of this were 
authorized to be located Avherever and Avhen 
as a requirement precedent, $250,000 had been 
locally subscribed. In April of that year some- 
Avhat more than half this sum Avas subscribed 



toAvards the establishment of a branch at 
Quincy. xVt the .special session of 1835-6 some 
changes in the laAV Avere made and there Avere 
more branch banks authorized. The pre-requis- 
ite conditions having been complied Avith, a 
branch bank Avas located in Quincy dui-ing the 
latter part of this current year, but it hardly 
Avas in complete operation until early in the 
succeeding season. 

The life of this bank Avas A-ery brief, since it 
suispended specie payments, as did almost all 
the banks in the country under the financial 
crash of 1837. The suspensions were legalized 
by the legislature, and, Iavo years later, in 
1839, .still farther extended in time, and the 
State Bank and its branches continued a feeble 
existence until their general dissolution in 1842. 
For the first year and a half of its existence 
before suspension this branch bank Avas a valu- 
able aid to the business of the place, and was 
such also to a limited extent, hoAvever, after- 
Avard until it "avouucI up." The institution Avas 
located on the southAve.st corner of Fourth and 
Maine, in the tAvo-story frame building built 
by Peter Felt, and afterAvard oAvned and occu- 
pied by the Burns family. Joseph T. Holmes 
Avas its president, although as a branch bank 
its business Avas managed by the cashier, that 
prince of good felloAA's, most .jolly sportsman 
and finished gentlemen, Capt. E. J. Phillips. 
The clerks Avere, first. John ilartin Holmes, 
the Avittiest man in the West, Avho, everybody 
that used to laugh in Quincy yet reinembers, 
and Avhose brilliancies Avould fill volumes, after 
him C. B. Church, and later and lastly, Quincy 's 
late mayor, J. K. Webster, Avho came in 1840 
from Galena, Avhere he had been similarly em- 
])loyed, and clerked until the bank closed. The 
record of this bank, like that of its prede- 
cessors, AA'as a checkered one. Its stock at first 
.stood at thirteen per cent premium, but a 
rapid decline Avithin tAvo years found its notes 
at from fifteen to tAventy cents discount, and 
later scarcely quotable at all. Its business Avas 
broadly extencled, and it Avas not until about 
1870, nearly thirty years after its failure, that 
the settlement of its affairs was conclitded. 

The banking history of Illinois contains a 
most instructive and suggestiA'e lesson in its 
experiences from territorial times to the pres- 
ent, and its final record may be properly here 
given, since like the general financial situation 
of the state Avas necessarily that of Quincy. 
FolloAving the faihu'e, before mentioned, of the 
state bank of 1835, after its three or four year's 
of sickly existence, there came a dull decade of 
financial uncertainty and business depression. 
The poA'erty shifts of those days cannot be ap- 
preciated now, especially by the modern shod- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



6i 



dyite, but as everybody was poor, few felt the 
worse for it. Money, such as it was, was far 
from scarce. Therein, indeed lay a great trouble. 
Illinois was flooded with issues of banks from 
other states, many, indeed most of which, were 
of doubtful or unknown condition, and coun- 
terfeits were countless. So evident was the 
want for a steadier, safer money currency that 
the legislature in 1861 passed over the gover- 
nor's veto, the "free banking law," Avhich, 
having been submitted to the people, was ap- 
proved by a decided popular ma.jority. Expe- 
rience had taught our legislative solous some 
wisdom, as was evidenced in this law, which 
was a step in the right direction; a movement 
nearly up to the present stable system of a re- 
liable national circulation. Banks were legal- 
ized whose notes should be secured by the de- 
posit of United States or state stocks. Had 
the former onh- been allowed as securities, the 
present well-recognized principles would have 
been reached ; that no lasting circulation can be 
created which will harmonize business, repre- 
sent values, inspire national confidence in its 
current stability and future redemption except 
that which is based ou the national credit and 
to which the industry of the whole people 
stands pledged. Little matters it whether the 
paper so authorized and so secured floats under 
the name of "United States Bank Notes," 
"Sub-Treasury notes, ""National Bank notes," 
or "Greenbacks" — these all mean the same — 
a moneyed assurance guaranteed by the nation. 

Naturally enough it happened that most of 
the one hundred and ten banks, organized 
under the law of 1851, fortified their circulation 
by the deposit of Southern State Stocks, these 
rating the lowest in the market and being the 
easiest procured. They were, however, but a 
straw dependence, and with the too certain 
foreshadowings of the civil war all such securi- 
ties began to decline, and when finally twelve 
states see ceded, all these stocks waxed worth- 
less and of course, the banks went down. The 
loss, however, compared with previous bank 
failures, was relatively light, and fell iipon in- 
dividuals and not ou the state. The few banks 
that remained in 1863, those with their circu- 
lation based on United States or Illinois stocks, 
generally became national banks under the pro- 
visions of the law of Congress of that year. The 
preceding is a scant but correct sketch of early 
monetaiy conditions in Illinois and Quilicy as 
well. 

Resuming the local banking record and 
bringing it down to the present, it appears that 
the death of the State Bank of 1835 suspended 
all banking operations in Quiney for ten or 
more years. 



Subsequent business of this character has 
been conducted by jjrivate parties. Business 
here and generally in the state, for several suc- 
ceeding years, was very light, especially such 
as would naturally depend upon banking con- 
veniences. These were "hard times," dull, 
slow times, and yet endurable and not unen- 
joyable, perhaps the more enjoyable from the 
deprivations. Auditor's warrants, county orders, 
city scrip (almost the only moneyed material 
with which state, county or city could j^ay their 
way along, and the only paper that had a seem- 
ingly sure value) were at a vexatiously varying 
discount, passing at ten, twenty or thirty per 
cent below their face value and of course the 
public "paid the loss." People worked and 
lived, but all business beyond home living and 
labor was greatly cramped. The mercantile 
need for exchange with which to remit eastern 
payments was embarrassing, though this was 
largely relieved by the land agencies. Most (it 
might almost be said all) of the unsettled land 
in Illinois, not still held by the general govern- 
ment, belonged to non-residents who paid their 
annual taxes through these Quiney agencies, 
and their checks on eastern banks, or authoi'ity 
given the agents to draw upon them for the 
amount of their taxes afforded an exchange 
facility to Quiney merchants such as other sec- 
tions of the state did not possess. 

The later and continuous record of Quiney 
banking begins with 1850 when Plagg & Savage 
opened their banking house on the south side 
of Maine, about four buildings Avest of Fifth, 
removing in 1857 to the corner of Fifth and 
Maine. These two, Newton Flagg and Charles 
A. Savage, with whom was associated I. 0. 
Woodruff, who became a partner in 1857, Avere 
the pioneer bankers of Quiney. For some time 
previous Mr. Flagg and Lorenzo and Charles 
H. Bull had dealt in exchange, the former 
through Page & Bacon and the latter through 
Clarke & Brothers, bankers of St. Louis, but the 
above was the earliest regular banking house. 
Its business immediately became large and lu- 
crative. It .suspended in the fall of 1857, re- 
opened a few months after, and the next year 
finally failed. Later in this same year (1850) 
Jonathan H. Smith and A. C. Marsh started, 
under the Quiney house, a bank stjded the 
"Farmers and Merchants' Exchange Co." It 
discontinued within less than two years' time. 
About 1853 Ebenezer Moore, J. R. Hollowbush 
and E. F. IT-offman began business as Jiloore, 
Hollowbush & Co. Their location was on the 
north side of the public square, about midway 
in the block. This house, like that of P. & S., 
went down in 1857. both failures being mainly 
caused by the failure of S. & W. B. Thayer's 



62 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



distilleiy and mercantile business, whicli was 
then the most extensive business of the place. 
The "Bank of Quincy," owned by J. R. Matte- 
son and D. Boon, opened in 1856, at the south- 
west corner of the square under the Quincy 
house, continuing- business there for four or 
five years. 

In 1857 was started the Quincy Savings and 
Insurance Co., an incorporated institution, 
now the "First National Bank," which for 
three or four years was located at the north- 
west corner of Hampshire and Fifth, thence 
removed to its present place, on the northeast 
corner of Hampshire and Fourth. This is 
the oldest banking institution in the city. It 
became a National bank in 1865. This bank 
was consolidated with the State Savings Loan 
& Trust Company, which had been founded on 
the business of L. & C. H. Bull. Moore, Sher- 
man & Co., — Ebcnezer and F. C. Moore and S. 
C. Sherman — revived the old bank of Moore, 
HoUowbush & Co., and for about two years 
transacted business at the same place in 1859- 
60. H. F. J. Rieker began business in 1860 on 
the .south side of Hampshire near Fifth, re- 
moving aboTit six years since to his present 
place, one block west, where Moore, Hollow- 
bush & Co., had foi-merly been. "John Wood 
& Son" commenced banking about 1862 at the 
southeast corner of Maine and Fiffji. Their 
business was transferred in 1864 to Flachs, 
Jausen & Co., who discontinued two years later. 
L. & C. H. Bull's bank was opened in 1861 at 
its present location on the corner of Maine 
and Fifth in the building first occupied by 
Flagg & Savage. E. J. Parker & Co., operated 
as bankers at the same corner from 1874 to 
1879, when the firm merged with that of L. & 
C. H. Bull. Prom 1866 there was connected 
with and owned by this firm, the "Fai-mers and 
Merchants' (2nd National) Bank," which dis- 
continued in 1872. T. T. Woodruff for some 
two years, about 1869-70. did a banking busi- 
ness on the west side of the public square, 
where also in 1875 the "German American 
Bank," an incorporated institution, opened and 
operated for about two years. In 1869 the 
Union Bank (chartered) commenced on the 
east side of Washington Squai-e. removing in 
1875 to the corner of Fifth and Hampshire : the 
building which it had left, being again oc- 
cupied as a bank from 1876 to 1879 by Henry 
Geise. 

The foregoing list comprises all the banking 
institutions of Quincy throughout the past 
thirty-five years. The business of some of 
them has been very large. Of those that have 
gone out of existence but two can be said to 
have failed. The others were discontinued. 



with their affairs evenly wound up. The 
average annual deposits in the four banking 
institutions in operation at this time (1883) 
is about $2,500,000, which will att'ord some 
idea of the general business of the city. 



CHAPTER XV. 



1837-8. 

DIFFERENT RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS ORGAN- 
IZE. PERSECUTION OF DR. NELSON. THE 
ABOLITIONISTS. 

Abovit this period commences the religious 
denominational history of Quincy. The dif- 
ferent elements of protestant belief which from 
numerical feebleness, had for the past five 
or six years united in the one church, "God's 
Barn," on Fourth street between Maine and 
Jersey, began gradually to separate and form 
the several societies whicli now represent their 
religious creeds. 

This church, the Congregational, the first 
founded, was also for nearly a half a dozen 
years, the only place of regular worship, with 
a permanent pastorate and formal church or- 
ganization. It was founded December 4th, 
1830, by the Rev. Asa Turner, Jr., who con- 
tinued its pastor for about eight years, with 
the exception of a year's intermission in 1832, 
when the Rev. Mr. Hardy, officiated. Its first 
organization was as a Presbyterian church, and 
as such it continued until October 10th, 1833, 
when it was reorganized under the Congrega- 
tional system, the reason for this change prob- 
ably having been the diversity of creed among 
its members who could more easily harmonize 
under the Congregational form of government 
than any other. 

When founded in 1830 it had fifteen mem- 
bers, four of them Presbyterians, three Con- 
gregationali-sts, three Baptists, and five "from 
the world" which probably meant of miscel- 
laneous beliefs. During the next eighteen 
months the membership ran up to thirty-nine. 
These figures declined in 1832 to thirty-three 
members. This was the most depressing year 
in every way that Quincy ever knew: the 
Indian war anxieties, the decimating diseases 
of fever and cholera having a prostrating eft'ect 
upon every interest and the church suffered as 
well as the rest. Out of a population of about 
300 in 1833, 33 died of cholera alone, all within 
a few days after the first outbreak. During 
the latter part of 1833, and throughout 1834 
and 1835, the membership steadily increased, 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



63 



aiaountiug' at the beginning of 1836 to one 
hundred and sixty-eight. These figures indi- 
cate the proportion of i-eligioiis sentiment and 
intluenee during the six years following after 
1830, and some idea of what was the social 
condition of the place. It should be remem- 
bered, however, that quite a proportion of the 
church membership and attendance was from 
outside the town. In 1835 the Methodist 
church being the second in the place, was 
organized, in 1835, the Baptist ; followed in 1837 
by the Episcopal, and by the Pnitarian and 
Presbyterian in 18J:0, all of them having had 
originally more or less of association with the 
early church in 1830, 

An event occurred in the early part of this 
year, which, though entirely local in its per- 
sonal relations, assumed, from the principle in- 
volved, a matter of national interest, and be- 
came historic. It was one of the incipient 
shadowings of that tierce war cloud which 
broke upon the nation, twenty-fi^ve years later, 
leaving it with human slavery swept away ; 
this being the one redeeming feature amidst 
the debt and death and desolation that its 
madness had made. The issues involved were 
freedom of speech, the sacredness of law and 
its protection to person ; rights which now 
stand supreme throughout the nation, and that 
then reigned undisputed in all cases except 
where slavery was concerned. 

The state of JMissoiiri, opposite Quincy, was 
slaveholding, and had been settled, largely 
from Kentucky, much earlier than the laud on 
the Illinois side. Slaves could easily escape 
from Missouri, but the chief means of prevent- 
ing them from doing so was the willingness 
of the population in Illinois to aid in return- 
ing those who were fugitive. 

With the feeling on one side of the river 
that the slavery question must not be dis- 
cussed, that whoever spoke of it condemningly 
was dangerous to society, and that the prop- 
erty rights which they held at home, should 
be eqiially respected everywhere ; and the feel- 
ing on the east side of the river that men 
might say what they pleased, that slavery was 
wrong and injurious, and must stay at home, 
and that whenever a black man got away 
from slave soil, and came under free laws, he 
became free, there had been gradually grow- 
ing a distrust between the neighboring sec- 
tions. 

Some time in May of this year two persons 
resident in Marion county, a few miles west of 
Quincy, Garrett and "Williams, were found to 
have in their possession some anti-slavery 
papers, pamphlets and periodicals said to be 
of a very "inflammatory" character, though 



what they were was not stated. These papers 
were seized and burned and the parties with 
their families ordered out of the state. A few 
days later, on Sunday, the 22nd, at a camp 
meeting in the same county. Dr. David Nelson, 
a resident clergyman preached. Dr. Nelson was 
an exemplary and able man, has left an emi- 
nent name. He, though simple in many mat- 
ters as a child, plain and undistinguished in 
appearance, was a strong and original thinker. 

At the conclusion of his sermon a Mr. Mul- 
drow handed him a paper with a request that 
it should be read. It was an article in ad- 
vocacy of the colonization scheme. Dr. Nelson 
was a southern man and a colonizationist, and 
while thinking this to be injudicious and ill- 
timed, yet at his friend's request, he com- 
menced to read, when a Dr. Bosely rose and 
ordered him to stop. ]\Iuldrow interposed and 
an altercation rose, during which Dr. Bosely 
was severel.v, and it was at first thought, 
fatally stabbed. Intense excitement followed. 
Nelson was accused of the assault and his life 
threatened. 

He escaped on foot to Quincy, where he ar- 
rived in the night, wet and wearied, followed 
and almost caught at the river side by some 
excited and lawless roughs, who doubtless 
would have given him harsh treatment had they 
captured him. On the following daj' a num- 
ber of persons from Quincy, with some from 
Jlissouri, notified the friends of Dr. Nelson 
that he must be given up. This was refused. 
There had been no legal claim made for him 
that he had committed no offense and he was 
protected. The determination was shown that 
a demand for the surrender of a man innocent 
of any wrong should and would be, as it was, 
resisted. After a day or two of vaporing the 
excitement died away, and although feeling 
still existed and sentiment on the slavery isisne 
crystalized itself into opposition, no outbreak 
or violation of law occurred until the follow- 
ing year. 

There is a mistaken iini)n'ssion tliat the 
"Nelson riots," as they were termed, occurred 
at the time of Dr. Nelson's exodus from Mis- 
souri. This is not so. 

The first excitement, in 1836, was when Mis- 
sourians and others strove to take Dr. Nelson 
prisoner. The second, 1837, was when a por- 
tion of the Quincy people tried to put down 
free discussion on the slavery question. These 
two events, though connected in sentiment, are 
distinct in point of time and in question at 
issue, and Dr. Nelson had no especial connec- 
tion with the threatened lawlessness in 1837. 

An event occurred during the latter part of 
this year which created an intense excitement, 



64 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



and gave a decided inHneuce iu shaping the 
future sentiments and character of the place 
and has since been looked back to as an epoch 
in its early histoi-y. It was what is often mis- 
takenly spoken of as the Nelson riots, being 
erroneously associated in date with the flight 
of Dr. Nelson from Missouri and the attempts 
to kidnap him, which occurred during the pre- 
ceding year. 

The error is somewluit natural, since the 
same causes operated in both cases. It was 
the feeling in regard to slaveiy which was 
stirring the nation generally, and especially 
along the borders of the free and slave states, 
resulting in the killing of Love.joy at Alton, 
and the destruction of his newspaj^er and other 
lawless and violent acts. 

Anti-slavery or abolition societies were or- 
ganized in many of the northern cities, and 
their formation was almost invariably at- 
tended wtih excitement and often with 
violence. Such a society had been organized 
in Quincy. Several meetings had been held 
and a good deal of feeling aroused upon the 
subject. 

The abolitionists here were few in number, 
biit a very decided class of men. A very large 
portion of the people were anti-slavery men, 
but who did not agree with the abolitionists as 
to their manner of action. When, however, an- 
other large element of the population, com- 
posed of men indifferent to or favorable to- 
wards .slavery, and strongly hostile to aboli- 
tionism and personally so to its advocates, and 
who regarded the discussion of the subject as 
hateful, gave out that there should be no 
meetings held and that these anti-slavery soci- 
eties should be broken up, the better class of 
citizens united with the abolitionists in the de- 
termination to vindicate the freedom of speech 
at all hazards. Organization was completely 
made; arms of all kinds were procured, froiii 
the musket and shot gun to the hatchet and 
club. These were carefully stored Avhere they 
could be readily used, under the pulpit of the 
"God's Barn." Watch by day and night was 
constantly kept by botli parties. So closely 
were the chances counted that a committee 
from each of the opposing forces passed a night 
on the river bank, Avaiting, so as to first secure 
the services of one influential and very effective 
man who had been absent at Galena. It was 
Capt. N. Pease, a noted early settler, who died 
a year or two after. The free-speech men nat- 
urally got him. 

The anti-abolitionists who had held several 
public meetings denouncing the formation of 
anti-slavery societies and the discussion of 
slavery as a "political and social firebrand," 



etc., finally gave out word that a meeting which 
had been called to be held in the Congrega- 
tional church, the old "God's Barn," under the 
pulpit of which had been secreted a portion of 
the weapons prepared for defense — should not 
be held and that they would break it up. With 
this idea and its threatened intention circulars 
were sent out through the county to call in the 
attendance of their sympathizers to help clean 
out the abolitionists. At this meeting two 
clergymen, Mr. Fisher and Mr. Borien, men 
somewhat locally noted for ability and in- 
fluence, were to speak, attracting of course a 
more than usual interest. It was for this reason 
that the meeting became the occasion of a strug- 
gle. 

The representative men among the abolition- 
ists were some still well remembered parties. 
Willard Keyes, Rufus Brown, Deacon Kimball, 
Dr. Eels, and a few others not needful to name. 
Siistaining them in the determination that free- 
dom of speech should be protected were John 
Wood, N. Pease, Lloyd Morton, J. T. Holmes, 
H. Snow, Dr. Ralston and scores of others who 
were not abolitionists, but were rock-based 
friends of free discussion. 

On the other side it is needless to name those 
who, from jjolitical prejudice, or love of rowdy- 
ism, sought to lead on the bad elements of law- 
lessness. They are now mostly dead, and those 
who live are ashamed of, and disapprove,the ac- 
tions of that time. The moral force of the 
community was gathei'ed in for the protection 
of "God's Barn." In niunbers they may have 
been inferior. Parties from Missouri and the 
county came in. The meeting was held at the 
church, well protected. Some brick-bats were 
thrown, a few yells lieard, a demonstration was 
made by the church guardians, there was a 
scattering of the attacking crowd, and a not 
small and anmsing number of notables were 
foinid hiding in alle.ys and fence corners, all of 
them ne.xt day hoping that nothing would be 
known about the aft'air. 



CHAPTER XVI. 



1839. 

PROGRESS. L.4ST YEAR OF TOWN GOVERNMENT. 
HAMPSHIRE MADE PASSABLE FROM STH TO 
a2TH STREET. FIRE ENGINE PURCHASED AND 
CISTERNS BUILT. THE LICENSE QUESTION. 
THE FIRST MACAD.A.M. THE CITY CHARTER 
GRANTED. MORMONS. POLITICS. 

Although "hard times" held on unabated, 
with not the slightest sign of softening during 
the year 1839, money, scarce and scarcely to be 



I'AST A.ND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUMTY. 



65 



obtained, and even when seenred, at a shyloek 
shave — all the banks of the eountiy, except 
some half-dozen, having "suspended specie 
payments," and their paper, of course, a dis- 
countable cpiantity in trade: business neces- 
sarily running light, values low and uncertain ; 
producers finding it to be safer to try and con- 
sume, thus utilizing their staples, than to sell 
off at skeleton figures — with all these draw- 
backs Quincy steadily progressed in popula- 
tion and improved in appearance, OAving infi- 
nitely less to its people than it did to its nat- 
ural situation and advantages. The winter of 
1838-9 had been unusually mild, and the health 
of the place in consequence during these two 
years was exceptionally good. The number 
of deaths in 1838 was. according to an estimate 
made with probable correctness, one hundred, 
and during the fii-st eight mouths of 1839, 
counted from the same estimate, forty-eight. 
This, nearly correct schedule, while not so 
favorable a record as compared with the mor- 
tality tables of later times, was a decided im- 
provement on the showing of the five or six 
years preceding. With assured health bu.siness 
prospered in a corresponding degi'ee and all 
the interests of the town surely and regularly 
rose. 

Weather also favored. The river opened as 
early as January 17th and though iced up for 
a few daj-s about the 17th of February, con- 
tinued open until its final closing on the 21st 
of December. This was the longest term of 
navigation known for many years before or 
since, embarrassed only by a most unprece- 
dented low stage of water through the summer 
months. 

This was a verj- busy year Avith the town 
authorities, and it is clue to say, as reference 
to records will prove, that this was. neverthe- 
less, a time when thei'e fell upon the public 
guardians a grave weight of labor and responsi- 
bility, and which Avas by them faithfully and 
.judiciously attended to. It was IcnoAvn to be 
the last year of the town existence. A city 
was soon to be made, and the preparations to 
be made for improA'ements of A-arious kinds. 
To meet the rising needs, grades, culverts open- 
ing streets, ferry and fire questions Avere Avith 
their future importance most earnestly met 
and provided for. There is no city council for 
the AA'hole forty-four years of city life, which 
could not take A'ahiable lessons from the action 
of the last board of trustees of the Toavu of 
Quincy, Avho Avere neither influenced by polit- 
ical, selfish, sectarian, nor any personal iutei'- 
est in their actions for the general interests. 
The responsibilities resting upon these oiBcials 
wei'e greatly more comprehensiA^e than CA'er 



before, deuumding important attention, labor 
and time. As an eviclence of this, the board 
at its first meeting in January, 1839, fixed the 
pay of the secretary at $150. For the several 
first years the services of the secretary had 
been gratuitous, and only in the year preced- 
ing (1838) had there been made any alloAvance. 
Then $50 AA-as granted, but noAv the greatly in- 
creasing duties and Avork of the board which 
called upon the secretary for so large a poi"- 
tion of his time made this remuneration proper, 
and a feAV months after this salary Avas ad- 
vanced by resolution of the board to $250. 
still a light pay for the services of such officers 
and of such clerical experts, as Avere I. 0. 
Woodruff and S. P. Church. A report de- 
manded by the board in the early part of the 
year, evidenced that the finances of the town 
were in sound condition, there being a balance 
of .$2,580.29 in the toAvn treasury. 

The gz'ading of Hampshire street to the river 
having been noAv done and paid for, moA'ements 
were made for opening "either Elaine or Hamp- 
shire east from the square." ilaine .street then, 
at the intersection of Sixth. Avas cro.ssed bj- a 
gully some tAventy feet in depth Avhich made it 
practically impassable, and farther east from 
Eighth to TAvelfth it was cut across by similar 
ravines and i-idges. Hampshire street east of 
Ninth Avas similarly broken and all of this 
ground Avas open. There Avas really no good 
fixed outlet from the square toAvards the east 
and north. 

The settled section of the toAvn, considering 
its population, Avas not extensiA'e. most of the 
improA'ements being along the river bank, or 
around the square and the streets nearly ad- 
.joining thereto. The greater part of travel 
passed in and out on the level ridge of Hamp- 
shire street. diA-erging near Seventh street by 
a road running northeastei-ly across vacant 
ground to about the corner of BroadAvay and 
TAvelfth. It appeared necessary, as one of the 
trufstees expressed it. that, "as Ave now have a 
street made for the people to get to tlie toAAm 
from the riA-er, Ave ought to giA-e them a way to 
get out to or in from the country." It was 
ordered that a Hampshire street should be made 
passable from Eighth to TAvelfth, and seA'eral 
hundred dollars Avere appropriated from time 
to time for that purpose, but it Avas long be- 
fore the full benefit accrued from this Avork. 
The improvement of Maine street east was 
ignored for the present, but later in the year 
it Avas pai-fially graded as far as Eighth .street. 
]Mr. Redmond. Avhose name for the following 
forty years appears prominent in Qiiincy his- 
tory, was the contractor. This was his first 
piiblie connection Avith the affairs of the city. 



66 



P'AST AND PRESENT OF AI)A:\IS COrXTY 



From that time he probably superintended 
more work aud had a more ready familiarity 
with the city grades aud streets than any other 
man. Beyond this line the street long lay un- 
improved. Prom this it may be seen that east 
of Seventh and Eighth scarce anything that 
could be called settlement existed. It was a 
stretch of open, broken land, seamed by ravines 
and mostly covered with hazel bushes, having 
on it a few cabins and large corn fields. 

Much interest and action was taken about 
this time in regard to protection from tire. A 
purchase had been made the year before of 
ladders, buckets, etc., Avhich lecl to the foi'ma- 
tion of a hook and ladder company. An ordi- 
nance was passed requiring the removal of all 
piles of hay, straw, etc., from within tifty feet 
of any house, store or shop, and prohibiting 
the stacking of any such material within the 
limits of the town, except in "extraordinary 
eases and by special permission." Later in the 
year a fire engine was purchased at a cost of 
$l,12-4.58 ; an engine house built adjoining the 
courthouse on the noi-th side, and a cistern con- 
sti-ncted in front of the same — the latter costing 
$546 and having a capacity of 300 hogsheads 
of water. Some of those improvements were 
not completed until early in the following year. 

This i^urchase of the engine was an event, 
and the company formed for it became an in- 
stitution. It was composed of most of the 
young men of that day. Wells, Bull, Morgan, 
Stone, McDade and other now (1886) "gray 
and reverend seniors," whose veteran muscles 
would scarce qualify them to make a creditable 
run with the machine as they did forty years 
ago to the town's admiration, were among its 
members. A tire engine then was as great a 
curiosity to the i-ura.l people of the west, as 
the first steamboat was to the Indians, and we 
believe that this engine was the first one 
brought into the state, unless Chicago was so 
provided earlier. 

The expense attending all this fell heavily 
upon the resources of the town, but it was a 
good investment. One hundred dollars of it 
was contributed by the Quincy Insurance com- 
pany, a home institution that went into opera- 
tion during this year. Its stockholders were 
all local men — D. G. Whitney was president 
and S. P. Church secretary. Its business was 
never large and its existence of but few years' 
duration. 

Previous to this year the government of the 
town had been through its organization under 
the general incorporation laws of the state, but 
the act for a special charter, prepared by the 
trustees in November, 1838, passed the legisla- 
ture, and was approved February 21, 1839. 



This was a much needed and well devised 
change ; the new charter vesting in the author- 
ities much more ample power than they had 
heretofore possessed. 

Pursuant to this law an election for seven 
trustees was held April 17, 1839, when E. Con- 
yers, Samuel Holmes, Robert Tillson, Samuel 
Leech and I. 0. Woodruff, and at a second 
election a few days later, John B. Young, were 
chosen. 

It will be seen from these names that polit- 
ical feeling at this period had no bearing, as in- 
deed, it never had, in the town elections. 

The board organized by the election of Mr. 
Holmes as j^resident and Mr. Woodruff secre- 
tary. 

An excellent and conqirehensive series of 
ordinances was passed M'hich with some slight 
subseipient revision, continued in operation 
until the next year, when almo.st unaltered, 
they were adopted as the ordinances of the 
new city. The tax on real estate was fixed at 
one and a half jier cent, and a street tax of 
three dollars (])ei- cajjita) or in lieu thereof 
three days' work on the streets, was imposed 
upon "every citizen entitled to vote for trus- 
tees," an obligation that promised a handsome 
addition to the ikmmIciI revenue, but which Ihen 
and since, has lieeii rai-ely enforced. 

The public mind aud the policies of the board 
were greatly exercised for many weeks by the 
apjiearance for the first time in Quincy history 
of the prohibition "Banquo" in a shape similar 
to that which it now presents, and with the 
same zealous faculty for exciting public pas- 
sion and smashing political slates. Heretofore 
the liquor trad(> had been only regarded in 
legislation as a proper and accustomed source 
of revenue, and as such, subject to special tav- 
ern or grocery taxation. The moral or expe- 
dient features of the matter had never yet been 
ofticially considered. These now came before 
the board with the question of issuing grocery 
licenses for the year, and the record is amusing, 
both as being the first contest of the kind, antl 
the prototype ;ilso of many subsequent efforts 
on the part of oui' authorities upon the same 
subject, in socking the best way "how not to 
do it." 

Three petitions were presented to the board 
on Jlay 6th, against the issuing of any grocery 
license, one having 225 signers, who repre- 
sented themselves as "legal voters," a second 
with 40 names signed as "residents, not 
voters," and a third with 146 signatures of "la- 
dies," and tlie next week these Avere supple- 
mented by a petition of 280 names asking for 
license. All these petitions were referred to a 
committee for report. This committee reported 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



67 



that there had Ijeen at the last election 4:27 
votes recorded, that in comparing these peti- 
tions with the poll books, they found that of the 
225 names signetl as being legal voters in op- 
position to license, only 145 of those names 
could be found on the poll books, that there 
were ninety-five names signed to the petition 
which were not on the poll books, and fifteen 
which could not be read ; that of the 280 names 
affixed to the petition for the granting of li- 
censes, only 12(3 appeared on the ijool books, 
that about fifty names they could not read, and 
it was impossible to say positively which peti- 
tion had the greater number of legal voters, 
and the committee's suggestion that all the pe- 
titions be laid upon the table, was agreed to. 
The board adopted a resolution that they could 
not find that a majoritj' of the legal voters of 
Quincy had opposed the issuance of grocery 
license, and licenses were thence issued with- 
out any more delay or question. 

The grocery or liquor license was fixed at 
.^100 per annum, and the license for general 
merchandise at three-fourths of one per cent 
on the value of the stock. There were, ac- 
cording to an examination made October 9th, 
forty-five stores of all sorts transacting busi- 
ness in the town. ]\Ineli was done during this 
year in the matter of establishing the grades, 
with a regard to an extended and permanent 
system. In addition to the opening and grad- 
ing of many of the central and most important 
streets, the first macadamizing work was now 
done, it being a .strip of twenty-five feet in 
width, down the centre of Hampshire street, 
from Third to Front, leaving the sides of the 
street so "that the wash from the rains might 
carry the dirt from the banks down to the 
river." Thi.s strip of macadam was for some 
time the only work of the kind in town. 

]\Ir. Redmond again appears as the first con- 
tractor for macadamizing, the price given be- 
ing $3,621/:; per running foot and .$1.00 extra 
for curbing. Still more careful legislation was 
had in reference to the prevention of fires, and 
the office of Fire Warden was created, Edward 
Wells being the fir.st appointee. This office Avas 
continued for a number of years. 

Stringent ordinances were passed requiring 
groceries to be closed on Sunday and prohibit- 
ing "loud talking." etc., that might di.sturb 
religious congregations on that day, with se- 
vere penalties for their violation. 

Looking with natural ambition and proper 
.iudgment to the necessity of soon becoming a 
city, the triTstees. late in November, appointed 
Sanniel Holmes, (ieneral Leech and J. E. Jones 
a committee to examine the city chartei's of 
Alton, Chicago and St. Louis, and to draft a 



city charter for Quincy, the same to be sub- 
mitted to the board and if then approved, to 
be presented to a meeting of the citizens and 
if approved likewise bj* them a copy to be sent 
to the legislature at the .special session. A 
special session of the general assembly had 
been called to meet on the 9th of December. 
The charter as prepared was presented to the 
tru.stees and approved on the 30th of Novem- 
ber, and on the following week was approved 
by the citizens, some slight alterations being 
made. 

But although a city charter had been pre- 
pared and approved both by the board and the 
people, all was not yet smooth sailing. Faction 
had still its pai"t to play, and there were now 
stirred up the same elements which, existing 
then, today and forever, did, do and always 
will, thrust themselves into the van of every 
public movement, and either destroy the meas- 
ure by reason of the disgust which their a.s.so- 
eiation creates, or after being ignored in their 
wished for prominence, seek to annoy and em- 
barrass its success. 

The story is almost ludicrous. At a meeting 
held on the 13th of December, by the malcon- 
tents, it was resolved that the proposed charter 
was "anti-i'epublican in its features, oppressive 
in its tendencies and premature in its object and 
design." A protest was made to the legislature 
against its adoption, unless it should "be first 
shorn of its anti-republican features, to-wit — 
P'irst. a i)roperty (lualifieation to the right of 
holding office. Second, unconstitutional restric- 
ti(m on the right of suffrage. Third, exorbitant 
power in the council to control and affect (?) 
the interest of the peojile in relation to ferries," 
etc. 

The tru.stees were greatly exercised by the ru- 
mored action of this meeting, and appointed 
a conunittee to call upon the secretary and ob- 
tain a copy of the resolutions. This commit- 
tee, after much delay, reported that the sec- 
rctaiy liad twice refused to give them a copy, 
l)ut that after calling upon him a third time 
they obtained what they desired "by otter and 
l)ayment of two-bits." Thereupon the trustees 
resolved that "in the opinion of this board the 
proceedings of the meeting are disrespectful to 
this body, both in the getting up resolutions, 
as two previous meetings of the citizens had 
sanctioned the actions of the hoard (with some 
minor amendments) among whom were .some 
of the main leaders and officers of the last meet- 
ing. " 

This amusing account of the struggle over 
the charter concludes the record of opposition 
to the city organization. The charter became 
a law during the current winter, without op- 



68 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



position in the legislature, and was almost 
unanimously ratified by the people in the fol- 
lowing March (1840). 

A financial report covering the period from 
July 1. 1838, to April 15, 1839. the time when 
the second town charter went into operation, 
showed the expenses to have been .i;3,-460.38, and 
the receipts $4,338.76. 

Thirty steamboats arrived during the last 
ten days of Ajiril. A inimber of new business 
enterprises wei-e begun. Whipple and Wyeke 
started a wodlcii mill, jiisl uoi-th of the town 
on what is now Cedar creek, anil Bond. Morgan 
& Co., a bakery, these two being the eai'liest 
to any extent in the town. 

Skillman's circulating libi-,-iry was com- 
menced in connection with his bonk store. 

The slavery (piestion was still an issue. An 
anti-slavery and a Colonization societ.y were 
formed. 

Several lai'gc iiiectiims were lield to consider 
the Mormon matter, at which strong sympathy 
was expressed for them, and a denunciation of 
the conduct of the Missonrians, a sentiment 
which, a few years later greatly changed. 

This Mormon innnigration, which had so sud- 
denly commenced in 1838, continued during the 
early part of this year, but later in the year it 
began to flow away towards their new pur- 
chase at Nanvoo. and before the next winter 
had set in most nf these strange people had left 
the cit.v. The story of their persecution had 
given an impetus tn tiuMr proselytism, and be- 
side those who came from Missouri and the 
eastern states, there were large foreign acces- 
sions. 

These last, like the others, naturally came to 
Quincy, where Joe Smith, their prophet, tem- 
porarily resided. Early in April, of this year. 
Smith (who was a sort of town not(n-iety), with 
four other Jlormons, fell into the hands of a 
party of ilissourians, who, under some form 
or pretext of legal process, were taking them 
to the Boone county jail, but, while on the 
route, Smith and his friends got away, leaving 
the guards all sound asleep. Smitli lici-alded it 
forth that the '-spirit of the Loi'd had put 
blindness over his captors' eyes," but the bet- 
ter believed story was tliat another sort of 
spirit had been temptingly applied to their lips. 
However this escape may have occurred, 
whether by a miracle or not, it was a most tell- 
ing card to be thus played for the benefit of the 
sect. The condition of these people was very 
deplorable at this time. They crowded together 
in the barns, outhouses and sheds and many in 
huts and tents throughout the town. Some of 
them were almo.st entirely destitute. They kept 
up their religious seiwiees and observances, and 



were for a time nnich more numerdus than any 
other religions or ecclesiastical society, in the 
place. 

There were many varieties of religious organ- 
izations here, but as yet, very few church struc- 
tures. Until this year the old Congregational 
"God's barn," on Fourth, was the only finished 
church. Diu-ing this year, however, the Baptist 
church iin Fourth also, north of Hampshire, 
and the old JMethodist church, on Vermont 
south of the courthouse, was nearly finished. 
Also the Episcopalians finished and occupied 
their first church, a little long frame building 
i)U Sixth, north of Hampshire, which they occu- 
l)ied for many years. 

Kehitivc to tiiis, as showing how much it 
then cost both to build a church and to attend 
church, we learn that Bishop Chase, then the 
Bishop of Hlinois, wi'ites that he found in 
(Quincy a neat, small Episcopal church, erected 
at a cost of .')<40(). and that all the pews were 
taken at a total rental of >|^200. The good Bishop 
in the same letter says that he paissed through 
the lloui-ishing town of Columbus, where there 
was being liuilt <i railroad to each river, east 
and west. :nid being in the centre of Adams 
county, this place ^\•ould. from these causes, 
liecome the county scat, an opinion which leaves 
to us the conclusion that he was much more to 
be relied npon as a prelate than a prophet. In 
November the first German Protestant church 
was dedicated. This is the brick building still 
standing on Seventh street, between York and 
Kentucky. Avhich is at the present time the old- 
est church edifice in Quincy that is still used 
for religious purposes. 

The election of Thomas Carlin in 1838 to the 
governorship of the state caused several 
changes among the political officials of Quincy 
and this section. Carlin. who had been receiver 
in the public land office, was succeeded on the 
8th of January, 1839, by Samnel Leech, who 
had been Register, and on the same date. Win. 
G. Flood, then member of the legislature, was 
made Register. These were then here and 
eviM'vwhci'c in the west very important offices, 
and it is a fact that through all the changes of 
political interest in the coimtry, these land of- 
fices have been well filled, and especially were 
they so filled in this land district. The register 
had to record all applications for public lands, 
and the receiver to take and receipt for the 
money deposited to secure the a])plicaiit the 
patent and the future ownershi]i of the land 
which he desired. 

It can be easily seen that with incomjietent 
officials in charge of such trusts, how nnu'h of 
vexatious trouble might ensne, and with dis- 
honest and scheming men in control of these 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



69 



offices and acting together, liow pliniiitly they 
could pad tlieir own pockets and defraud the 
apjdicants for land, by knowing as they must 
and did know from having the surveys in their 
own possession, the character and estimate 
value of unentered lands. 

It was fortunate that the holders of these of- 
fices in the bounty land district were men 
equally of capacity and integrity, and it is well 
known also that after this land district, which, 
for fifteen years from its establishment was the 
most imjiortaut one in the state, was abolished, 
because most of the public land within its lim- 
its had been sold or given to the state as 
"swamj) lands," the transferred records 
showed a clearer face and less has come np 
against them for re-examination than any other 
of the old land districts of the state. There 
was a notable line of trustworthy men who oc- 
cupied these offices and faithfully filled their 
trusts — Carliu, Alexander, Leech, Flood, Sulli- 
van, Asbury, Rogers, Holmes, iMarsh and 
Ilauser were successively in charge until about 
1859 or 1860, when the offices were transferred 
to Springfield. 

The vacancy in the legislature, caused by 
Flood's appointment as register, was filled at a 
special election in November by Richard W. 
Starr, whig, who was chosen over Jacob Smith, 
democrat, by a majority of 100 in the county. 
There were 646 votes cast in the town at this 
election, while at the regular election in August 
preceding, there were 671, from which some es- 
timate may be made of the probable popidation. 

The political figures show that the whig 
ticket was successful in the town at this August 
election. Ebenezer Moore — who the next and 
the then following year was chosen as the first 
mayor of Quincy, a very excellent business man 
and a lawyer of moderate ability; Henry As- 
bury, now (1886) living and known to every 
one in Quincy: J. R. Randolph, an old-time 
lawyer of the town who might have been one 
of the first had he not been too lazy and who is 
now a judge in Rhode Island, and Charles Mc- 
Kee ('all M'higs) were elected as magistrates. 
This was the first real political issue that had 
been brought forward to test the relative 
strength of parties in the town, and it fore- 
shadowed a decided predominance of jiower 
resting with the whigs, which they secured the 
next year at the first city election and for sev- 
eral years after, whenever they properly ex- 
erted themselves. 

The entire vote of the county, including that 
of the town, was 1.742, a falling off of 300 from 
the vote given at the regular election the year 
before, and this year's vote was most curiously 
cut up and distributed. For instance. Wm. 



Richards, democrat, was elected county com- 
missioner by 398 majority, over J. H. Driskell, 
whig; while Andrew Miller, whig, beat J. D. 
Morgan, democrat, for county judge, 436 votes, 
and again J. H. Holton and Enoch Conyers, 
democratic candidates respectively, for record- 
er and treasurer, were elected, the first by 130 
and the second by 269 majority over their whig 
opponents and again J. Williams, the whig 
candidate for county surveyor, ran in by a ma- 
jority of 55, over a much more skilled man on 
the opposite ticket. 

This was an evidence not infrequent in those 
days, but more rare in latter times, of indiffer- 
ence to partisan lines, and of hoAV much more 
personal merit or popularity than party domi- 
nation controlled local elections. 

J. H. Ralston, having resigned the office of 
circuit judge in August, the governor appointed 
Peter Lott as his successor, which appointment 
was ratified by the legislature in December. 
Lott made a most satisfactory judge during the 
short time that he was on the bench. While 
somewhat too indolent and pleasure loving to 
be a deeply learned lawyer, he had singularly 
strong common sense, a very ready and candid 
intellect and much dignity and courtesy of man- 
ner. He was legislated out of office in Feb- 
ruary, 1841, by the law which made five addi- 
tional supreme judges, and imposed upon these 
nine judges circuit duty, and repealed out of 
office the then circuit judges. Judge Lott's 
place on the bench of this cii'cuit was taken by 
Stephen A. Douglas. 

The immigration to Quincy was relatively not 
as large as during the few preceding yeai's, so 
far as it numbers the names of men who in the 
])ast have been prominent and are now remem- 
bered. Among these were D. AV. Miller. E. K. 
Stone, Robert MeComb, C. A. Savage. N. Pink- 
ham. A. Wheat, P. A. Goodwin, H. S. Cooley, 
all familiar names to Quincy history. 



CHAPTER XVII. 
1837. 

POLITICAL. THE TWO WELLS AND THE MARKET 
HGITSE. PURCHASE OF MADISON PARK. ES- 
TABLISHMENT OF STREET GRADES. FIXING 
THE ■■D.\TUM." PUBLIC LIBRARY STARTED. 
ROLL CALL OF NEWCOMERS. FIRE DEPART- 
MENT. GRADING HAMPSHIRE STREET. COUN- 
TY LAND REGISTER. QUINCY WHIG. QUINCY 
-GRAYS." RAILROAD AVORK. QUINCY FINANCES. 
FIRST BOOK STORE. PRIVATE SCHOOLS. 

Few changes occurred during the year 1837 
affecting the political representation of Quincy. 
The national, .state and local officials mostly re- 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



mained in their places. The exeeptions being 
that Judge Richard M. Young, who had ac- 
ceptably filled the position of circuit judge for 
many years, having been elected to the U. S. 
Senate. Avas succeecled by J. II. Ralston. Judge 
Young was the first Cjuincy man promoted to 
a place in the national councils. He was a con- 
spicuous figure in our early local and state 
annals, having occupied more various important 
public trusts than any other Illinoisian. Like 
his two predecessors. Sawyer and Loekwood, 
he was a lawyer of ability and learning, which 
his successor lacked. He was a Kentuckian by 
birth, eai'ly known in piililic life — having been 
the first practicing lawyer in the state, a mem- 
ber of the legislature in 1S20, serving through 
several judicial terms, and always securing pop- 
ular respect and confidence. Ilis mental qual- 
ities were solid, not bi'illiant, Init his judgment 
was especially regarded and his personal in- 
tegrity never questioned. Removing to Wash- 
ington he became clerk of the house of repre- 
sentatives and also commissioner of the general 
land office. Ilis later years were sadly clouded 
and finally closed in insanity. His election in- 
duced some other official changes. Ralston 's 
vacancy in the legislature was filled by the elec- 
tion of Archibald Williams, and C. M. Woods 
was appointed circuit clerk in the place of II. 
H. Snow, who had occupied that office from 
the foundation of the coiintx' in 1825. SnoAV 
also in February was suiqdanted as probate 
judge, Avhich he had been for the same length of 
time b.y Wm. (i. Elood, and at a later period 
Earl Pierce, having i)ersonal]y and financially 
disappeared in the supposed direction of Texas, 
was .succeeded as shei-itf by Wm. II. Tandy, 
elected in November, for the unexjiired term. 

The town ])ro(M'e(lings gi'ow in interest and 
importance. (>ii tlie 2(l1h of Felnauiry the trus- 
tees adopted an elahoi'ate revision of the town 
ordinances, rearranging tin' snme and correct- 
ing former errors. Ochlly enough, they i)ar- 
tially re|)ented a iirevions hlnnder liy omitting 
ill the first section (on limits) 1o give any 
bounibiry line on thi> Avest This, however, was 
not so had .-IS the lilnndei' in the ordinances of 
lSi'4, where the liouii<hiries were altogether 
omitted. It would ahnost appear that our old 
tOAvn Solons were either infected with the i)rev- 
alent pioneer prejudice against inelosures, or 
that they feared to confine the bursting aspira- 
tions of the budding young community. This 
error was corrected in a subsequent revision 
made in the following September, when a much 
broader and better revision of the ordinances 
Avas made, especially regarding taxation and 
revenue. Street improvements now began to be 
considered. Commercial alley was opened, this 



being the first C(n'poration movement, affecting 
permanently the original surveys. The small- 
pox being quite prevalent, a pest house was es- 
tablished and the necessary sanitary regula- 
tions ordered. 

The tax assessment for this year was 4^,- 
219.75, of which $475.11 was reported as col- 
lected by the middle of June. At the annual 
election in June, John Wood, W. P. Reeder, 
Joel Rice, J. T. Holmes and I. O. Woodrutf were 
chosen as trustees. Holmes became president. 
Woodruff secretary, W. Willi;iins trciisiircr, and 
John i\lcDade collector. 

With this period began the trouble aliout the 
public wells and the location of the market, 
which were themes for town action and town 
talk for many an after month. The water ques- 
tion, which was comprehended in the project 
to have a couple of wells dug at the corners of 
the public square, is with its attendant strifes, 
an amusing affair to look back at now; but it 
Avas then a matter of as much relative import- 
ance and serious discord in public councils and 
private controversy as the water -works ipies- 
tion is to our good people today. A well had 
been ordered to be sunk at the nortlnvest cor- 
ner of the square and a party had contracted 
to dig it. He began to dig and all the thirsty 
souls adjacent with hopeful interest saw the 
well gradually sink, but the workmen also sank 
from sight ; work ceased, and water had not 
come. At the June meeting the board deter- 
mined to cui'b the independence of this well 
digger if they couldn't curb the well, and ap- 
pointed a committee to "ascertain whether he 
intended to finish it or not." The committee 
reported tliMt he said not. Another man Avas 
engaged, hut the result was the same. He proved 
to be, though a well digger, not a wi'll doer, 
The job A\;is again thrown up. Finally, ;ifter 
a year's trnvail, at the first meeting in -lanuary, 
ls:iS, it was ordered that the well be filled up 
and another dug at the southwest corner of the 
s((uare, which was done successfully. Other 
wells were made, which remained for several 
years, latterly used chiefiy as feline cemeteries. 

The market house question was a much more 
serious source of strife. A part of the com- 
munity Avished to have the market house built 
on the public square. An equal or larger por- 
tion objc'ted. After several meetings and 
much discussion it Avas ordered that Maine 
street should be the place in Avhich to erect a 
market house, that the street should be widened 
Avest of Sixth street, on the north side, as far 
as the alley, tAventy-five feet, and on the south 
side "as much as possible." This proposition, 
after several sessions of the board had acted 
and reacted, resulted in a report from the last 



PAST AND PEESENT OF ADAilS COUNTY. 



71 



(committee appointed, at the meeting on Decem- 
ber 30th, that they oould not buy the land 
wanted on ;\Iaine street, and so ended the 
market house war for this year, while another 
committee consisting of I. 0. Woodriiif and 
John Wood was appointed to wori-y over the 
question during the coming year. 

The negotiations which had been long pend- 
ing in regard to having a new burial ground 
were concluded at the -June meeting of the 
board b.y the purchase from E. B. Kimball, at 
the rate of $75 per acre, of the 8 56-100 acres, 
now known as JMadi.son Park, at the southeast 
corner of Maine and Twenty-fourth .streets. 
This ground was platted and laid off in lots, 
valued at $10 each. The first sale was made 
October 10th, and quite an amount was at once 
realized, nearly one himdred lots being bought. 
From this date the old burial ground on the 
south half of the block where the present court- 
house .stands (Jefferson Park) which had been 
used since 1825. was abandoned, and the great- 
est portion of the bodies there interred were 
removed to the new cemetery. Much interest 
at first was taken in the new cemetery, partly 
from dissatisfaction with the old one ; but it- 
soon became evident that the new location was 
equally undesirable, the ground being too flat 
and wet. To remedy this, it was ordered that 
on three sides the cemetery should be sur- 
rounded by a ditch. Ten years later, when 
Woodland cemetery was laid out, on so much 
more beautiful and api)ropriate ground, inter- 
ments ceased at this Elaine street cemetery, and 
most of the bodies buried there were gradually 
tran.sferred to the "Woodland" — it being in 
many cases the second removal. Still not a few 
lie on both of the old grounds. 

(Contract was made by the board with the 
Quiney Argus during the latter part of this 
year to print their proceedings for five dollars 
a year. Considering the fact that the Argus was 
the only paper published in the place, and of 
course must have a monopoly of the prices, this 
arrangement indicated either a mai-velous 
streak of liberality on the printer's part — 
peculiarly difficult to appreciate nowadays — or 
showed that these proceedings were not con- 
sidered as amounting to much. At the meet- 
ing on September -Ith, the board established the 
grade of Hampshire street fi"om the public 
square to the river, and therewith the grade 
of Front street. 

The order for the above is curiously worth 
publication, both because this was the first de- 
finite recorded movement towards a uniform 
system of grades, with an initial point, at the 
corner of Hampshire and Fourth, and also from 
the oddity of its language and provisions. If 



reads thus: "Ordered, that the grade of Hamp- 
shire street be fixed as follows: The summit 
at the corner of Hampshire and Fourth parallel 
with the top of the stone foundation at ^lessrs. 
Skinner and Berry's store, then descend on a 
grade of seven feet to Thii-d street, then, on 
leaving Third, to descend on a regular grade 
to Front street, and terminate with the doorsill 
of the Avarehouse of I\Ir. Holmes." 

What "ilr. Holmes" is meant one cannot 
know, but as all the Mr. Holmes' of that day 
are dead (and Messrs. Skinner and Berry also) 
and their houses have long since been destroyed, 
one must search here or elsewhere for a Holmes 
doorsill and a Skinner and Berry foundation 
to ascertain the precise grade of Hampshire 
and Front. It is of coiu'se to be presumed that 
Mr. Holmes did not elevate or lower his door- 
sill while the grading was going on. 

The population of the place was reported as 
1.653 — a liberal estimate, not far out of the 
way, but from which ten per cent or more might 
safely be deducted. The courthouse on the east 
side of the square, midway between ilaine and 
Hampshire, was completed, but not fully oc- 
cupied luitil the following year : the first court 
being held there in 1838. This was the brick 
building which was burned in 1875 — as was its 
log predecessor in 1836 — it being the second 
eoi^rthouse of the county: the present superb 
stone structure wherein "justice is dispensed 
with'" — as the wags express it — being the third. 
Talk was had about grading and enclosing the 
public square, but this was not done until three 
or four years later. 

The fii'.st German Lutheran and the first 
Catholic (St. Boniface) churches were or- 
ganized during this year, also the first Epis- 
copal church (St. John's) which for many years 
was on the east side of Sixth, between Ver- 
mont and Hampshire, later removed to the cor- 
ner of Hampshire and Seventh, now the Cathe- 
dral. 

A public libi'ar,y was instituted about this 
time, based chiefly on individual contributions 
of books. Its career was short: the reading 
taste of the town being not yet sufficiently gen- 
eral to sustain it; and after it died, and the 
book.s — what were left of them — were returned 
to the original donors, no such permanent insti- 
tution existed until the present Quiney Libi'ary 
was established in 1841. 

A movement towards the formation of a mili- 
tary company was agitated, resulting as a suc- 
cess during this and the following year in the 
formation of the "Quiney Grays." a most model 
military organization, which in its drill, perfec- 
tion and esprit de corps, and attractive associa- 
tions, has never been excelled by any of the 



72 



PAST AND PKESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



excellent yiiiiicy companies of later times. 

During the winter of 1836-7 Anton Delabar 
built tlie first Quiney brewery on Fifth street, 
between York and Kentucky. It was destroyed 
by fire. It was for several years the only 
brewery in the place. The braucli bank of the 
State Bank of Illinois, was formally opened here 
on the -Ith of December, at the southwest corner 
of -Maine and Fourtli streets. 

This year, like the two preceding and two 
following years, was an advent period for "old 
settlers." We take the arbitrary dictum of 
calling tliose old settlers who settled here be- 
fore 1840, for tlie reason tliat of the living and 
remembered men tif (Quiney, who have seen and 
been part of its growth, an especially large pro- 
portion of them came here, young men, be- 
tween 1885 and 1840 — a few earlier than the 
former date — and there are now, or until lately 
were living, .still vigorous after nearly half a 
century of active Quiucy life and laden with the 
weight of years over three score and ten. A 
temporary line must soniewliere be lain, and in 
ten or twenty years the chalk mark may loe 
moved forward to another decade. 

Among the well known old settlers who came 
this year were Nehemiah Bushnell, from Con- 
necticut, who steadily grew in legal recogni- 
tion, to be considered at the time of his death 
in 1873, as the most erudite lawyer of the state, 
and Andrew Johnston, of Richmond, Va., where 
he now resides, long a leading lawyer here. 
These two, in the following year — 1838 — were 
the first editors of the Quiney Whig. 

Capt. Joseph Artus, from Kentucky, an old 
time Ohio river steamboatman, came this year, 
to remain until his death, some forty years 
later. He was known and noticeable every- 
where as a quaint, earnest man, with an about 
evenly balanced reputation for oddity and 
shrewdness. lie was a most inveterate "old 
line whig." tying his faith with unfaltering 
devotion to Henry Chiy. It must luive almost 
made the .jolly old iiimu's bones to have turned 
in their coffin when i)ublished as he was after 
his death, by ignorance, as a "lifelong 
abolitionist," a political distinction which he 
held in especial dislike, although a decided anti- 
slavery man, as were most of the whigs. 

Capt. C. J. Swarthout, from New York, set- 
tled here this year, and was a marked and ac- 
tive character for some years. Who that once 
saw and knew can ever forget the form and 
features of that keen, shrewd, stern old cynic, 
his crushing comment and scathing satire on 
whatever aroused his merciless wit to seize and 
worry; also Thomas Jasper, from Kentucky, 
who became popular, prosperous and prominent 
as sheriff, mayor and representative in the legis- 



lature, his latter years being clouded by 
pecuniary troubles and mental decay; U. B. 
Dimoek, a nu)st thorough type of the un- 
smoothed practical j-ankee. for many years a 
prominent merchant and manufacturer : S. M. 
Bartlett, the well known cabinet maker, a Mass- 
achusetts man, associated with town and city 
matters almost throughout his life : Thomas 
Ifedmond, a mau of much native ability, who 
rapidly gi'cw into being the most powerful 
political factcu- in the city, filling with nuirked 
sagacity and success many municipal positions 
and also achieving legislative honors; Timothy 
Kelly, the earliest representative man of that 
li'isli clement which flowed so rapidly hither at 
this period, in coimection with the railroad then 
being built, a ]nuch respected man whose brave 
life ended in the ilexican war at the battle of 
Buena Vista. 

Besides these, came Wm-. Shanahan, R. S. and 
T. C. Benneson, Edward Miller, C. M. Pomeroy, 
Allen Comstock, and to the county yet later 
associated and identified with the city the fam- 
ilies of Clement Nance, T. H. Castle, T. Durant, 
Andrew Redmond, F. Collins, of Columbus ; 
Henry Kent. John Sharp, the Berrians aud Ar- 
rowsmitlis, of Ellington , Thomas Payne, of 
Marcelline. and others. 

Tlie town board in 1838 at its first meeting in 
January appointed John Wood and Joel Rice a 
connnittee "to report the most beneficial and 
suitable places for improvements, as well as 
some ]ilan to protect the community against the 
ravages of fire." This connnittee recommended 
the purchase of four ladders of 15, 20, 25 and 30 
feet in length ; .six fire hooks, and twelve 
buckets, "as the commencement of a system 
wliieh may be extended and improved with the 
groAvfh and experience of the place in connec- 
tion Avith the increase of its resources, so as 
the more fully and pei-fectly to protect our citi- 
zens and their property against the ravages of 
fire." These purchases were made and became 
the initial of our present fire department. This 
committee also, in the matter of improvements, 
recommended "that $200 be appropriated for 
the improvement of Delaware street, whenever 
if!300 is fnrTii.shed by private donation." and 
that it;! ,000 be appropriated towards the grad- 
ing of a street froju the public square to the 
river, this first to be offered to those who pre- 
ferred the grading of Maine street, conditioned 
that they would give bonds to ensure the sub- 
scription and payment of Avhatever said grad- 
ing would cost exceeding the $1,000 appro- 
priation. Should, however, the Maine street 
people not accede to the proposition, it was to 
be offered to those who desired to have Hamp- 
shire street opened. The maine street people 



FAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



73 



declining and tlie Hampshire street folks ac- 
cepting and complying with the conditions, the 
grading of that street from Fourth to Front was 
ordered and begun in ]March. 

This was the first important public improve- 
men that the town had undertaken. It was the 
first straight line communication between the 
village on the hill and the business on the river 
bank : the only route before this time having 
been by a devious road which cork screwed 
around among the hills and ravines from near 
the foot of Vermont street up to about where 
tlie market house now stands on Hampshire. 
The grade level at Ilampshire and Fourth had 
already been established. That on Front, which 
depended so much on where ]\Ir. Holmes' door- 
sill might happen to be was now definitely 
fixed by Mr. Parker and some civil engineers 
employed on the Northern Ci'oss railroad, the 
work on which had begun here a few months be- 
fore. 

At the June election, John Wood, I. O. Wood- 
ruff, Samuel C. Rogers, Samuel Holmes and J. 
B. ^Matthews were chosen as trustees : on or- 
ganization John Wood Avas made president : I. 
0. AVoodruff, secretary: Andrew Johnston, at- 
torney, and Robert R. Williams, treasurer. 

The market house strife, which had been 
vexing the community so long, came to a close 
during this year. The board endeavored to 
bay one hundred feet on the west side of Third, 
extending from ]Maine to Plampshire, for mar- 
ket uses, but could not get it, and then pro- 
posed to purchase lot 5, in block S, at the corner 
of Hampshire and Third, which trade being 
made at last, allayed this old fester. There had 
been an election held in June at which the peo- 
ple by a vote of 207 to 101 decided against 
building the market house on the public square. 

The public wells bu.siness, which was an 
eciually vexing and deeper trouble, did not as 
yet dry iip. though one of them did, so it was 
ordered to be filled up and another one ordered 
to be dug at the northwest corner of the scjuare. 

A census of the town taken in November 
showed a population of 1,850 : males 1,020 ; 
females 830: over 14 years of age, 1,230: under 
14 years, 620. 

At the November meeting the board directed 
the attorney, Johnston, to draw up a petition 
to be circulated for signatures in the town, and 
presented to the legislature for incorporation 
as a city. This was completed, and on Decem- 
ber 17th prepared by the trustees, to be oft'ered 
to the legislature, the boundaries being the 
same as those with which the city was incor- 
porated a year later. 

The political representation, national and 
state, was somewhat changed during this vear. 



R. M. Young and J. M. Robinson were yet the 
U. S. Senators. Col. Wm. L. May, of Spring- 
field, was the member of congress, but he was 
succeeded by John T. Stuai't, who was elected 
by 16 majority over Stephen A. DoiTglas, out of 
nearly 40,000 votes in a most closely canvassed 
district, which comprised all of the state 
north of the latitude of the mouth of the Illinois 
river. This was the first year when party lines 
between the whig and democratic parties were 
distinctively di-awn. Thomas Carlin, long a 
.state senator from this section, later and at 
this time receiver of the land office at Quincy, 
was elected governor on the democratic ticket 
by about 300 majority over his whig opponent. 
O. H. Browning held over as state senator. At 
the August election "Archy" Williams and 
Wm. G. Flood, the first a whig, and the other 
a democrat, were chosen to the legislature. Wil- 
liams had been in the previous legislatures as 
successor to Galbraith who had died. Wm. H. 
Tandy was elected .sheriff over Tom King, in 
rather a singular conte.st. Tandy, a very 
superior man, had been elected sheriff to fill tlie 
vacancy made by the defalcation and exodus 
to Texas of Sheriff Pierce. Now when the reg- 
ular election came up he was pitted against 
King, one of the most popular and well known 
men of the county. Then, and until 1848, 
voting could be made in any part of the county, 
and each party would secretly agree to mass 
their votes and take possession of certain pre- 
cincts. King's friends had a most glorious 
jollification over the first election returns, but 
the next two or three days brought in the fig- 
ures from the outside precincts, and Mr. Tandy 
was elected. J. M. Hatton was elected coroner; 
Ralston was yet judge : C. M. Woods, circuit 
clerk: Billington, recorder, and Frazier. school 
commissioner. 

Prior to 1838. the only newspajier in Quincy, 
or the section of county adjoining, was the 
Illinois Bounty Land Register, founded in 1835, 
with name changed in 1837 to the Quinc.y 
Argus, and a few years later rechristened as the 
existent Quincy Herald. The first paper of any 
place becomes prescriptively historic. The 
original title of this joui'ual, though now per- 
haps peculiar, had a then local significance. 
Congress had, as has been before told, devoted 
3,500,000 acres of the public land, in that 
section of Illinois, lying between the Illinois 
and ^Mississippi rivers and extending northward 
198 miles from their junction, to the payment 
of bounties (160 acres to each) to the soldiers 
of the war of 1812. This comprehended about 
three-fifths of the entire tract, and it also was 
l^rovided that no land should be sold by the gov- 
ernment therein until all the bounties to the 



74 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



soldiers were piiid. Tluis tliis p;irt (if the state 
beeaiiu' everywhere known as the ' ' Bounty 
Lands." Later the government land office, and 
the private land agencies, representing to- 
gether all the nnsold and unimproved hind in 
the tract, were located at Quincy. 

This paper properly proposed to represent 
and to make known to the world the values of 
the fair region whose resources were as yet 
unregistered and undeveloped. [Mainly was it 
at first given to descriptions of the territory, 
its history, that of the several counties, notices 
of all kinds connected witli the lands and the 
land business, and its cirt'uhition became gi-eat- 
ly extended from this cause. The periodical 
advertisements of delin(pu^nt land sales in 
Knox, Fulton, Hancock and most of the coun- 
ties of the tract were printed in its cohunns. 
Hence it was well entitled the Hcnmty Land 
Register. Later, of course, with more general 
settlements and the establishment of news- 
papers in the adjacent counties, the character 
of the Register became changed and its sphere 
contracted. During this and the immediately 
adjoining yeai-s, the Register and Argus under- 
went a kaleidoscopic change in its owner- 
ship and management. Young. Woods. AI- 
drich, Bassett, Bradley. ;\l(n'i-is. Pettitt. Karnes 
and Booth were off .-ind on its owners and 
editors. It had a feeble existence until about 
tlie time that it came under the editorial charge 
of Austin Brooks, whose powerful jiartisan ]:)en. 
aided as he was by some vigorous tinancial 
backing, invested the paper with an attractive- 
ness and i)olitical power such as few joui'iuils 
have, and which \\\> to that time, it did not 
possess. 

Thei-c caiiii' in now the serond paper of the 
I>lace. the (^uincy Whig, the first numl)er of 
A\lii.-li \v;is isstied May 5, 1838 — H. V. Sidlivan, 
proprietoi': N. Bushnell and A. John.son, two 
yoinig lawyers, as editors. A few months later. 
S. il. Bartlett, who had been previously editing 
a ]>aper ;it (laleiui. came in as a partner of llr. 
Sullivan, taking the editorial control, which 
association continvied Avith but a lirief interrup- 
tion, until Mr. Bartlett 's death in 1852. :\Ir. 
Bartlett was a man of unusual ai)titude for his 
chosen pi-ofession, was everywhere recognized 
as one of the foreniosi journalists of the state, 
and under the prudent pilotage of himself and 
partiH:>i', the Whig rapidly rose to a position of 
influence and success which for many years it 
maintained. This mention of these pioneer j(Mir- 
nals, and of their origin during the towTi's in- 
fancy; the one commencing as non-partisan but 
finally becoming a democratic organ ; the other, 
starting out as a representative of the whig 
beliefs, aiul the two traveling since for nearlv 



hall" a ceut>u-y on i)arallel lines, is essential be- 
cause they mai'k an ei)och in (juincy history. It 
is from them that the annals of the place sub- 
sequent to the date of their establishment must 
be largely learned. There was no river nuiil as 
yet, aiul none for some years later. A weekly 
mail by land from St. Louis and one also from 
Springtield gave the ea.stern news twice a 
week. The earliest eastern news, however, "in 
advance of the mail," as they used to call it, 
was from eastern or St. Louis ])apers. which 
passengers and the steandioat officers wei'e ex- 
pected to provide themselves with and for 
which they had calls at every landing. Many 
improvements of a substantial nature were now 
)nade: a special committee, informallj^ ap- 
pointed by the town board to look after the 
l.iusiness transactions of the town, reported on 
December 1-. that there had been to that date, 
during the year. 33 brick, and 170 frame houses 
erected, at a cost of .$188,500; $425,000 worth 
of merchandise imported ; $200,000 worth of 
beef and pork exported ; $215,000 worth of flour 
and gi'ain exported. The repoi't was a fair 
estinuite except in i)lacing the cost of the build- 
ings too low. A maj) of the town, the first one 
made, and a very good one. was gotten up by 
I. 0. Woodruff'. A military company, projected 
during the preceding year, now perfected its or- 
ganization. This was the noted Quiney Greys, 
Captain E. J. Phillijis, which in all the elements 
that combine to nuike that most attractive of 
organizations, a volunteer militia company 
stood and stayed while it lasted. A No. 1, and 
has never been excelled liy any of the flue 
Quiney companies of lalci- times. 

Navigation opened early and continued fair 
and long: the river (dosing about tlie 10th of 
Decend)er. 

Work on the railroad in the county and town 
created much bustle and added to business. 

This railroad, projected by the state, as a 
member of its grand "international railroad 
system." intended to run from Quiney east- 
ward thi'ough Springfield to the Indiana line, 
was. ()!• rather that portion of it between 
Quiney and Columbus was — placed under con- 
tract April 23. 1838 and active worlc upon it at 
once begun. .\s originally survey(Ml and ])ar- 
tially graded it was to enter the town near 
what is now the corner of Broadway and Twen- 
ty-fourth street. Traces of this old track re- 
main. From there the line ran on Broadway 
directly west to the river bank. The intention 
then was to ])lace a stationai-y power on the hill 
near Twelfth street, witli an "inclined plane" 
therefrom doM-n the I'iver. Some fifteen years 
later, when the i-oad had jtassed out of state 
possession, and work ui>on it was renewed, the 



PAST AND PKESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



75 



line was changed by a cut being- made defleetiug 
northwest from Broadway near Fonrteenth, 
thence winding its way through tlie bhitt's and 
meeting- Front street aljout at its intersection 
with Cedar. Most of the grading on this absurd 
piece of work was done, but not all. Better 
judgment and more skillful engineering fore- 
sight foiind that this measure only about one- 
half obviated the objections to the stationary 
power with its "incline." and it was wiselj' 
concluded that it would ultimately be more 
economical in every way to abandon a grade 
which demanded a double locomotive strength 
to drag from the river to Fourteenth street such 
a train as could be hauled by a single engine 
thenee through to Chicago, and, better to tap 
the original survey some five miles east, and 
reach that ijoint by a little longer line, bi;t a 
much easier ascending scale. This was done, 
but was quite generally thought then, as events 
have proven, that it would have been fai- Ijetter 
both for the road and the public if when the 
line was swung away from the old impractic- 
able surveys, the company had adopted a south- 
easterly route and entered the city from the 
south. This would have not materially in- 
creased the distance, would have afforded an 
easy passage through the blutifs. secured more 
ample land room for future expansion ; short- 
ened the length of the future bridge by one- 
half, and avoided much of collision with cor- 
poration interests. The influences govei-ning at 
that time however decided differently and 
adopted the present northern route. 

It had been provided in the general law that 
this road .should be specially pushed forward 
in advance of other public works. It was com- 
menced in 1837, and by the time the interna- 
tional sy.stem collapsed, perhaps two-thirds of 
its grading had been completed, in the state. 
The first rail, and also the first in Illinois, was 
laid May 9th, 1838, and on the 8th of Novem- 
ber of the same year the first locomotive in the 
state, and probably the first that ever traveled 
west of Pittsburg, ran over the eight miles of 
track, immediately east of Meredosia, which 
by that time had been piit in passable condi- 
tion. Within a year and a half after the road 
was put in running order from Meredosia to 
Springfield at a cost of $1,000,000 it was run. 
or rather it crept, after a fashion for sevei'al 
years between these two points. 

The track, though up to the standai'd, was 
clieai) i" contrast with Avhat is known nowa- 
days. Instead of the chaired T rail there were 
wooden sti'ingers crossing the sleepers (or ties 
as they are now called) and spiked down iipon 
the stringers were flat bars of iron about .six- 
teen or eighteen feet long. These were then 



and are yet known as the "tlat rail." fit now 
only for light local use, but at that time gen- 
erally used. The ends of the flat bars were 
constantly curling up and received the appro- 
pi'iate name of "snake heads" — looking like a 
prairie snake with the fore part of his body 
erect. The pressure and weight of the train 
on the central part of the rails bent them and 
forced the ends to fly up. loosening the spikes, 
and not a week, indeed hardly a trip passed, 
when the train was not snagged and stopped 
by the "snake heads" passing up between the 
wheels, or was cheeked lip while the engineer 
and firemen went ahead to spike down the rails. 
And the truth is. because we were there and 
know (boys were boys then as much as they are 
now), it was a very attractive occupation for 
youthful energy with its contempt for the 
whizzing "loco" — that consumed the entire day 
in its travel from Springfield to the river, and 
with the natural juvenile sympathy for what 
is pounded down as constantly as those flat 
bars w^ere, it was we say very attractive work 
for the boys all along the road, to rival each 
other in loosening those battered spikes and al- 
lowing the flattened snake heads to again 
assume an upright position. Such was the road, 
a mere fragment of the great "improvement" 
scheme. It was run by the state for some years 
at a constant loss. 

In 1848-9 that portion of the road between 
Springfield and Quincy was sold by the state 
for $100,000 in state securities. The section 
lying east of the Illinois river was taken by 
the Springfield and Jacksonville company. 
Parties in Adams and Brown counties formed 
a company and were incorporated and organ- 
ized as the Northern Cross Railroad company, 
being possessors of all the franchises covering 
that part of the old state road between Quincy 
and the Illinois river. They obtained with 
their charter the right to make a branch of 
their road northward under certain conditions. 
This company securing large local .subscrip- 
tions, diverting the line northward at Camp 
Point, completed it to Galesburg, where it met 
the Chicago-Burlington road, and was finally 
merged therewith, under the present name of 
the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railroad. 
That portion of the original road east of Camp 
Point was at a later date constructed in similar 
manner, and by some of the same parties, and 
finally became part of what is now the Wabash 
railroad. 

This slice of old-time railroad history, well 
known to parties in the past, is not so generally 
known at present, and is told in connection with 
this joint railroad .story, although the story 



76 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUxXTY. 



runs into events belongin.t;' to m twenty years' 
later time. 

As one enterprise suggests aiiotlici-. so did 
this i)r()jeet of a railroad, to run through the 
central and upper portion of the county, led 
to a rival movement whieh resulted in the in- 
corporation and organization of the "Qnincy, 
Griggsville, Jacksonville and Springfield Turn- 
pike company." i\Iore than this was not done, 
and it is to he regretted; for it was many a 
year before the i-ailroad communication was 
complete, and during the time of its uou-com- 
pletion, for numy a year the "miid wagon" and 
the "bone breakei-, " held undisputed sway over 
the route. 

The year 1838 was a steady progressive year 
despite the hard times. Considering the limited 
means that the town possessed, a great deal was 
effected, and was done with judgment and 
economy. The grade on several of the principal 
streets was established; Ilaniiishirc street was 
made passable from the public s(|niire to the 
river; a bi'idge was built over tiie creek on 
Delaware near Front ; a tire department wa-s 
organized ; the cemetery enclosed, and a sys- 
tematic plan of action and improvement insti- 
tuted, exceeding what had been done in any 
previcms year. A summary of the receipts and 
expenditures during' the yeai' ending June 1), 
1838, exhibits as received, from taxes, $1,- 
775.49 ; show license, .$25.00 : subscriptions to 
grade Hampshire street, $370 ; sale of cemetery 
lots, .$255, which with $206.49, on hand at the 
eonimencenient of the year, gave a revenue of 
$2,631.98. There was expended during this 
time, for tlu' cemetery, $956.11; public wells, 
$109; hooks and ladders, $56; streets arid 
bridges, $1,070; fees, commissions and suiuli-ics. 
$379.59. leaving a balance in the treasury of 
$61.28. The liabilities of the town were re- 
ported as amounting to about $2,700, much 
of which was on the Hampshire street improve- 
ment account, and was amply offset by notes 
given for the same, unpaid taxes, and amounts 
due on the cemetery lots which had been sold. 
The current expenses of the town were very 
light. Xo salary was given to any of the offi- 
cers. The collector and treasurer were paid by 
commissions on what passed through their 
hands. Tliis year for the first time, an allow- 
ance of $50 was voted to the secretary. It was 
pi-oper. The board paid no ofifice rent. They 
met regularly at Mr. Woodruff's (the seci-e- 
tary) office, had his services, used his furniture, 
firewood and probably his stationery, and there 
was justice in their act of making this allow- 
ance. All the work of the town was done on the 
cheapest of systems. As an illustration : Jerome 
A. Swazey was appointed to take the census of 



the toAvn ; he was also directed to present the 
jietition for incorporation as a city, to all the 
voters. He was allowed $10 for liis quite lengthy 
and responsible work. 

During this, or late in the preceding year, the 
fir.st regular book .store made its appearance. 
It was opened by Wm. D. Skillman, of Lexing- 
ton, Kentucky. This business was purchased 
a few years after by Newton Flagg, who had 
been clerk with Skillman. Some ten or twelve 
years later, it was transferred to J. E. Dayton, 
and is now, (1883) with changed proprietors 
and name, probably the oldest continuous mer- 
cantile business of the city. An earnest meet- 
ing was held on the 13th of December, for the 
jiurpose of founding an academy or high school. 
A great deal of interest was manifested in this 
movement by all classes. Articles of incor- 
poration had been previously obtained, but the 
])roject moved no farther. The wrong parties 
sought to father it and it was a failure. 

This failure was unfortunate and long re- 
gretted. Such an institution coTild have been 
had and was needed. This was long before 
the establishment of the present public school 
system. There were a number of private schools. 
Bradley, Ilollowbush, Sattord, Miss Katurah 
Wood, the Misses De Kratt't and others kept 
good schools, but like all individual enterprises 
of this nature, the facilities were not broad and 
the standai'd of scholarship not of the highest. 

Political feeling during the sunnner canvass 
of 1838, swelled higher than it had ever ran 
before. It will be remembered that then, and 
until 1848, all elections, other than the presi- 
dential, came off' in August, and hence most of 
the political canvas.siug ran through, and ran 
oul during, the spring and sunnner months. 

Presitlential strifes were not nearly so im- 
l)ortant then as now, and occurring only once 
in four years, the November elections excited 
less interest and usually called out only about 
two-thirds of the vote. 

The elections in 1836 had not definitely de- 
clared the i^olitical status of Illinois, while that 
of Adams county remained equally uncertain 
and did not become a fixed condition until 1844. 
The whig and democratic nominations at this 
time were made with the particular intent to 
develop the strength of their respective parties, 
and there appeared hut two candidates for the 
governoi'shi]!. This was unusual. In Adams 
county also a local l)itterness attached to the 
struggle IVom tlu^ fact that it was the residence 
of Thomas Carlin, the democratic candidate 
for governor, who had also been an extreme 
partisan, and as such roused much local op- 
position as well as support. He was elected 
over Cyrus Edwards by a majority in the state 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



77 



of r).9-U out of a total voti- of 6:_^,502, carrying 
the county also by 28-1: nuijority in a vote of 
2.014. These figures, both in the .state and 
county more than doubled the aggregate vote 
cast at the governor's election in 1834, indicat- 
ing a proportionate increase of population dur- 
ing this four years. At this same election, 
Stephen A. Douglas, candidate for congress, re- 
ceived 131 ma.iority in the county over John T. 
Stuart, 153 less than that given to Carliu, while 
Archibald Williams, whig, and Wm. G. Flood, 
democrat, were elected to the legislature, beat- 
ing P. W. Martin and Jacob Smith, the other 
whig and democratic candidates, showing as 
before .stated that the political complexion of 
the county was as yet uncertain. 

This, like the preceding and .several subse- 
quent years, was a season of extreme financial 
depression. No one now, who was not conver- 
sant with that period, can realize the conditions 
of the "hard times" of 1836 and '37 and the 
few following years. 

Among the eai'ly comers to the town and 
vicinity during this year wei'e Wm. B. Powers, 
Timothv Rotrers, Jared Blansett. John and Sam- 
uel Hutton. N. Flagg. U. S. Penfield. Dr. W. D. 
Rood. Paul Konantz, E. Littlefield, O. Walt- 
house, J. R. Hilborn, I. N. Morris, J. H. Best, 
F. W. Jansen, Oliver Gerry, George Baughman, 
Philip Sehwabel, Vandorn, ililler. ITiggins, 
Hazlewood. Abel, George Polkrod, O. H. Bishop, 
Jacob Wagner. Henry Kent, Byewater. Brad- 
bury. W. II. Gather, J. Schinn. C. Powell and 
others. 



CHAPTER XVin. 
1840. 

PROSPEROtTS SEASON. DIVISION OF CITY INTO 
THREE "WARDS. FINANCIAL STATEMENT. 
FIRST CITY ELECTION. EBENEZER MOORE. 
FIRST MAYOR. ■■WHIG." THE OFFICL^L PAPER 
OF THE CITY. PUBLIC SCHOOL QUESTION. 
CORNER STONE OF PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 
LAID BY DR. NELSON. FIRST MEDICAL SOCIE- 
TY. FIRST THEATRE. JOE JEFFERSON. BEAR 
KILLED AT LIM.A. LAKE. 

Eighteen hundred and forty was an anil)itious 
year for Quincy. Fifteen years earlier, the 
place had been chosen and christened as the 
county seat of Adams county: having then a 
population of three families, comprising in all. 
perhaps fifteen residents of all ages. 

Throughout the nine years following fiom 
1825. its government had been in the hands of 
the county commissioners, and during this 
period, with all the drawbacks of isolation : a 
thin and poor country population to support it; 
little capital of it.s own ; notoriously and truly 
reputed as being "unhealthy," sadly scourged 



for several successive years by fever and 
cholera, and having a large, rough and reckless 
element in its scant population, it managed to 
struggle along to an incorporated existence as 
a town in 1834. with an estimated population of 
700. It was less than that figure, however, since 
a somewhat carefully taken census in 1835, gave 
735 as the correct number. Then, for the six 
succeeding years, it was controlled by its board 
of town trustees, with steadily increasing num- 
bers and wealth in 1840, it outgrows its youth- 
ful character and becomes the third in the state 
in age and the second in population. 

An estimate of its population at this period 
(1840) placed it at 1.850, but a statement pub- 
lished some years later by the Northern Cross 
Railroad Company, made it 2.310 in 1840. The 
first named figures, however, are probabl.v neai'- 
ly correct. The valuation of property in the 
city at this period was !}!912,823. 

The winter of 1839-40 was short but severe. 
Navigation was completely suspended from 
December 21st, 1839, to February 20th, 1840, 
but during this period, the flow of ice was un- 
usually heavy, and extended below the Ohio, 
much farther than usual, proportionately im- 
peding navigation in the lower river. The pros- 
perity of the town, however, considering the 
general hard times, was less affected by these 
ice blockades than formerly, for there had been 
gradually growing up winter business, which 
afforded employment for labor. The flouring 
mills and the provision packing houses had now 
assumed good and permanent standing, being 
the beginning of large local industries, which 
during twenty and thirt.v later years swelled in- 
to large proportions. The ice business, for 
which the location of Quincy is so excellently 
adapted and which has since become so exten- 
.sive. was not begun until some fifteen years 
after this date. 

The town authorities were much busied by 
their increased duties and their preparation for 
the transfer of authority to the succeeding cor- 
poration. 

In February a i)lan for a market house was 
prepared and its construction, at the corner 
of Hampshire and Third, ordered. At the same 
time, an election was oi'dered to be held on the 
third Wednesday of March, for a vote on the 
adoption of the city charter, which had passed 
the legislature this same month. The future 
city was divided into three wards : all north 
of Hampshire foruiing the first: all south of 
Ilanip.shire and between Hampshire, and IMaine 
from the river east to Fifth, then south of Fifth 
to York, thence north of York to the eastern 
boundary of the city being the second, and all 
south of the second making the third. These 



78 PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAIMS COUNTY. 

divisions continued for sixteen years, when Tliese reports are sn^yestive. since they con- 
under a new city charter, the number of wards trast the necessary expenses of the growing 
in 1857 was increased to six. At this election town with what they had been a few years 
held over the adoption of the city charter the earlier. Four years before, in June, 1836, the 
vote stood 228 for, to 12 against. second year of the town ineorpoi-ation, it ap- 

On the 18th of JMarch the trustees ordered pears from the town treasurer's report, that 

an election for city officers to be held on the he had within the twelve months, preceding, re- 

20th of April, the three voting places being, ceived .$2;'i4.82, and had during that time ex- 

the Baptist church on Fourth, the courthouse pended ^2')i^ — ijuite a contrast this with the 

and the Congregational church on Foui'th, later conditions. These reports are also .still 

which places long continued to be used as such, more suggestive in their exhibition of the 

With the winiling up of the aft'airs of the sources of revenue upon which the town did 
town corporation, preparatory to its becoming a then and the coming city must rely; as also 
city, reports were ordered and made to the the proportionate degree of expenditure that 
trustees, covering its past year's business and shonld be provided for. These receipts and ex- 
present financial condition. These reports were penses, as will be seen, graded at the time very 
made by the treasurer and clerk of the final much as now, though it will be noted that in the 
meetings of Ajiril 20 and 21, 1840. That of the above statements two costly and necessai-y fac- 
treasurer, p]noch Conyers, who was afterward tors in a city's expenditures (pauper and police 
three times made mayor of the city (dying accounts) do not appear. And to these may be 
while in office in 1849) showed that he had dur- added the otlici- now expenses of a growing 
ing the past twelve months, received $6,483.90. city, such as light and water. 
and paid out .+6,137.76, leaving a balance in his The first election for city officers, held on the 
liands of $364.14. This sum, which was all in 20th of xVpril, was important and exciting. Be- 
county orders, lie was directed to pay over to side the impoi'tance of the offices to be filled and 
the treasurer of the incoming administration, the patronage I'oiniected therewitli. this was the 
This at the proper time was done, and the abiiAc first occasion when the relative strength of 
amount was tlie "jjin money" with which the political parlies in (^tuiiicy was definitely deter- 
young city started upon its career, before taxes, mined, allliongh a [)arlial test had been made 
licenses and the nsual sources of revenue could at the election for magistrates in the preceding 
commence biinging funds into the city treasury, year. Heretofore at all the elections any resi- 
A detailed fiscal statement was jirepared by the dent of the county, who was a cpialified voter, 
clerk, I. O. Woodruff, who was one of the most could riist his vote at whatever precinct of the 
accurate of clei-iciil men. and who then and couiily lie cliosi'. The voting was then, and 
since in such positions provcil himself to be of coiitinnrd iinlil 1S4S, vi\ii voce. Party lines 
peculiar public valnc This report, agreeing now bccnnic a( (incc i-losely drawn. Excellent 
with that of the I rcasurer, is as follows: nomin;itions Avere nuide by both parties. The 
PTTT'TT'TPT'-^ whigs selectecl as their candidate for mayor, 
,, , „ I '. ^ '' ' ■ , ,,-^ -, , Klienezer Moore, a much respected man, long 

Ha ance from ale ti'easui'cr $ 9.)6.^^ , ■ * * i i a ■ " 

,, , . ^. , ,, ,-,,,, .„w„, known as a mauistrate; a lawver bv profession. 

Subscriptions loll a n, , ,sln re Street .... 80. ,,„^ ^^^^^.^ specia Uv engaged in various business 

Theatre and cnvns 1,,-ense 1(^0.00 .g^ncies. About thirteen years later, he en- 

(J ^ 7fi'- ijQ ."aged in banking in which he was unfortunate, 

' , ",■■/■,■ -, ^r-^'W and removed fiiudlv to Washington Citv, where 

Real estate taxes 3,2(6.64 , i- q 

Cemetery sales :]S:^.in) ,,,j^/ democrats nominated General Samuel 

„ ^ , ,,. . 1 , ,, , Leech, a verv -woi-tln- and well known "old citi- 

Total $6,483.90 ,, • , ',, ■ , ,. 

' zen -who came to C^uincy some years before 

EXPENDITUKES. as register of the public land office and was aji- 

Streets $3,222.47 pointed receiver, which office he held at this 

Fire department and engine 2,003.13 time. Eight or ten years later, he moved to 

Salaries, etc 443. 9!l .Minnesota, where he held a similar apiioint- 

Sundries 324.86 ment. (ieneral Leech was at this time one of the 

Cemetery 143.31 town trustees. 

The whigs nominated foi' aldermen — two in 

Total $6,137.76 each ward~J. E. Jones, II. Asbury, R. R. Wil- 

Balance 346.14 liams, F. W. Jansen, J. N. Ralston and John 

Wood; the democratic nominees were B. F. 

$6,483.90 Osborne, W. P. Reeder, T. :Munroe, E. Conyers 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADA:MS COUNTY, 



79 



and A. Delabaf. two ot the seven trustees — 
Conyers and -Jones — were nominated as candi- 
dates for aldermen. 

The contest was earnest, but good-natured. 
Everybody engaged in it. Everybody knew 
everybody. There was a hirge proportion of 
active, jolly young men here then, and many 
of the most intimate friends found themselves 
fighting each other. 

Pun, newspaper squibs and lampoons were 
the order of the day. One young man, who 
had been for many pears past drawing upon 
other banks than that of Helicon, reaj^ed quite 
a success as a poetic satirist, a vocation which 
he has long since abandoned. Perhaps his two 
years association in classic Europe, away from 
the "root of all evil," may tend to rekindle 
some portion of his former juvenile fire. 

A not bad hit and repartee passed between 
two friends at the jioUs. Gen. Leech, as all who 
knew him will remember, was a stiff, awkward, 
ungainly man, walking as though he had no 
joints. Said a whig, pointing to Leech, "Look 
at that movement, do you call that a gait or a 
pair of bars.' lie can't run." "You'll find," 
retorted his democratic friend, "by the time 
the i^olls close that its a flight of steps. ' ' 

But it did not so prove. Moore was elected 
by 43 majority, and the wdiigs secured all of 
the aldei'men except Asbury in the first ward, 
who fell three votes short of success. All of 
these men then elected, the first of our city 
fathers, now dead, and of all the men who 
served as trustees during the six years of the 
town existence, only one, Robert Tillson, is 
(1886) now living. 

As it may be supposed, there was now a busy 
time and much work before the authorities of 
the young city. For the first month or two the 
council meetings were frequent. Organization 
was made on the 23rd of April, when the six 
elected aldermen were by lot divided into two 
classes — Osborn, Jansen and Ralston drawing 
into the first class, to hold for one year, and 
Jones. Williams and Wood to the second class, 
whose term continued for two years. Later in 
the season — in October — Alderman Jones, of 
the First ward, resigned. An election was 
ordered to be held in November to fill the 
vacancy, but when the day came around the 
judges of the election forgot all about it, and 
another election Avas held on December 21st. 
when Charles McDonald was chosen. At the 
second and succeeding meetings the corps of 
officers allowed under the charter and neces- 
sary for the complete organization of the city 
government were chosen. Then, under the 
first city charter, only the mayor and alder- 
man were elected by a popular vote, all other 



officials being chosen by the council — a system 
far preferable to that which has succeeded. 

S. P. Church was appointed clerk, with a 
salary of $200 and his bond fixed at $1,000. 
Andrew Johnston, treasurer, with a required 
bond of $4,000: Jacob Gniell, marshal and col- 
lector, with a bond of $200 for the first and 
$1,000 for the latter office; I. 0. Woodruff, 
assessor; John R. Randolph, attorney; George 
Wood, sexton; J. D. Morgan, fire warden; 
Enoch Conyers, overseer of the poor, and Wm. 
King, Harrison Dills and John Odell, street 
supervisors. 

These men completed and con.stituted the first 
year's city government, and, so being — the first 
city fathers — their names are entitled to be 
given and to receive such amount of immortal- 
ity as their own merits and this mention may 
secure. 

The council meetings were held at the court- 
house until about the fii\st of Nevember, and 
after that time at the mayor's office. The town 
ordinances were continued until the 30th of 
May, when a system of city ordinances was 
adopted. A troublesome question of authority 
came up almost at the very first, which created 
some public embarrassment and aroused con- 
siderable feeling. Gov. Carlin, an honest but 
narrows-minded man, of strong partisan pro- 
clivities, refused to commission Mayor Moore 
as a justice of the peace, which he became 
under the charter by virtue of his election as 
nuiyor, and the case at once assumed a political 
hue. The council took the matter up; de- 
manded of the governor his reasons; passed 
some pretty sharp resolutions in regard to his 
conduct : obtained decided legal opinions ; com- 
menced legal movements and for some months 
there seemed to be a small civil war on paper 
between the city and the state, or rather be- 
tween the city council and the governor. It 
was finally settled in favor of the mayor. 

The ordinances, proceedings and advertise- 
ments of the council were ordered to be printed 
in the Whig for $75 per annum. The many 
petitions against the issuing of "grocery" or 
"dram shop" licenses, which had been l3efore 
the late town board and w'ere there dismissed 
for the reason that they did not represent a 
majority of the legal voters, early came up 
again before the city council and were once 
more dismissed for the same reason as before. 
The grading of Maine street from the public 
square to the river and the extension south- 
ward of the public landing, which then was a 
narrow piece of new made ground at the foot 
of Hampshire, were ordei'ed and contracted for 
in December, the landing to be extended with 
the earth taken from ilaine street. Also at 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



the same time a emitrart was iiuule I'oi- the 
feucing of the piiblie square. All those im- 
jji-ovements, theu commeueed, which met with 
much popular and some couucil opposition, 
were completed during the coming year. 

The public school question, which had been 
here, as everywhere else in the west, a disjjuted 
issue between two conflicting ideas, received 
early and earnest attention from the people 
and the city authorities. The growth of this 
invaluable, inestimable interest against chilling 
and distrustful influences up to its present con- 
dition and strength is interesting. There was 
then a huge hostility to common schools, partly 
growing out of a sectional distrust of education, 
partly out of a feeling, which, to some extent, 
still e.xists, that public moneys should not be 
expended upon that which every one did not 
want, and that no one should be taxed to pay 
for what his neighbor thought to be needed and 
himself did not. This had to be met. At a 
l>ublic meeting held on the first of August, a 
call was made upon the city council to make an 
appropriation in behalf of a common school sys- 
tem. The council took the matter under advise- 
ment. 

Dr. Ralston, one of the most excellent and 
exemplary men, both in public, and private 
life, that the city ever had, gave to this subject 
his special interest and attention, bringing the 
matter continually before the council, where, 
as with the public, his intelligence and integrity 
gave him more than an average influence. It 
was ordered in October, at his recommendation, 
that city public schools should be established ; 
that "the surplus revenue of the city, after pay- 
ing ordinary and contingent exj)enses," should 
be devoted to that purpose, and that a consulta- 
tion should be had with the township school 
trustees in regard to buying ground and the 
building of two school houses. Later, after 
these conferences were had, the council, in 
December, ordered the building oi' a school 
house in the old cemetery lot, where the court- 
house now stands, and the purchase of a lot on 
block 30, where now is the Franklin school 
house. Prom th(>se ])lantings, which did not 
fully bear fruit until in the succeeding year, 
our present city school system has gi-nwn. 

Tlu' liuilding id' a uiarl-;ct linuse. whirh had 
been pro])osed in the town board in the pre- 
ceding spiing, was again In'ouglit foi'ward and 
a proposition made to the county authorities 
to sell a portion of the market lot for a sufficient 
sum to build or pai'tially build a market house 
on the remainder of the lot. This, however, laid 
over until the next year. 

The matter of a market house and also tliat 
of a courthouse involved a vexations iiucstiini 



jjctwecn the city and count.y concerning the 
ownership and control of public property lying 
within the city limits, which for a full half cen- 
tury later was the cause of much bitter and 
senseless strife, fostered by local demagogues 
so long as the county vote largely prepondered 
over that of the city. This has recently been 
resolved and settled, and it is to be hoped for- 
ever. 

This jealovis controversy delayed for many 
years much needed improvement, and to some 
extent also embarrassed for awhile the effective 
establishment of the public school system, be- 
fore alluded to, which had been practically in- 
augurated during this year. 

Mail facilities were not as yet what they 
shoukl have been, considering the size and 
growing business importance of the place. The 
tri-weekly mail from Springfield, was still the 
main medium through which was received east- 
ern news. Another tri-weekly mail from St. 
Louis alternated with the above. No river mail 
had as yet been established, although it was 
1)}^ private conveyance of newspapers on the 
dailj' arriving of steamers that the earliest 
special news from abroad was obtained. 
Navigation was long continued, and the river 
did not finally close until the 18th of December. 
This will Ije remendiered as one of the longest 
known periods of open water in the Mississippi, 
which was surpassed by the yet longer con- 
tinued navigation, free from ice, of the two fol- 
lowing years, 1841-42, when the river remained 
open aU'winter. 

This was notably an organizing period. JIany 
of the present permanent associations, and some 
temporary ones which served their purjiose, but 
have passed away, date theii' origin from this 
time. 

A uu^dical society was formed in March, 
which, though its existence lapsed at times, was 
the germ of the present institution of that char- 
acter. A theatre, under the management of 
"Joe Jetferson," had been established during 
the preceding winter, and was operated with a 
good share of success and credit for nearly two 
years. An argricultural society was in existence, 
but with a feeble life, and it Avas not until some 
fifteen years later that such an institution be- 
came successfully organized. There was also 
formed a historical society, composed of very 
cai)able nu'mliersliip, which promised well at 
first, and gathered a good deal of the then fresh, 
crude material of infant history for future use, 
but it has unfortunately been allowed to 
dwindle out of existence. An institution of this 
kind is an essential of measureless value, and 
shduld be (u-ganized as early as possible in every 
vonng growing conununity: since with each 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAilS COUNTY. 



8i 



passing year more scant and uncertain become 
the sources from which after times can cull the 
curious and valuable traditions of old days. 

The Presbyterian church, an offshoot, like 
most of the early religious societies, from the 
old Congregational, was organized at the court- 
house on the 19th of January, and on the 31st 
of August the corner stone was laid of the 
brick church building on ]\Iaine street. Avhich 
they occupied for nearly forty years. Dr. 
David Nelson conducted the ceremonies. This, 
when finished, was the most imposing church 
structure in the city. The Unitarian was foi-med 
about this time, under the pastorship of the 
Rev. (ieorge I\Ioore, a most excellently educated 
and popular clergyman. This denomination, 
then small, now perhaps the wealthiest in the 
city, built a small frame church on the north 
side of Maine street, between Third and Fourth 
from which they moved a few years later to the 
corner of Jersey and Sixth, and thence to their 
present handsome home on ]\laine street be- 
tween Sixth and Seventh. 

This was a memorable, almost unprecedented 
year of party strife and excitement. Since 
1828 no such wild wave of partisan enthusiasm 
had swept over the land, so sharply changing 
exi.sting political conditions. As in 1826, this 
great upheaval occurred most conspicuously in 
the west, and its great coming was but par- 
tially foreshadowed by the summer state con- 
tests. Still the evident tendency of public sen- 
timent shown in the August elections, gave 
increased strength and certainty to the almost 
unanimous national success of the whigs in the 
following November. 

At the state election in August, J. II. Ral- 
ston to the senate. Wm. Laughlin and I. C. 
Humphreys to the house, and Thomas Jasper 
as sheriff, were elected by the democrats, over 
Archibald Williams. N. Bushnell and R. "W. 
Starr, and Wm. II. Tandy (wliigs) by major- 
ities ranging from 20 to 100. These figures were 
more than reversed three months later, when 
the whigs carried the comity by 265 and the 
city by 72 majority. The abolition party then 
first appeared as a factor in politics, poling 42 
votes. 

The August election was influenced and prob- 
abh^ determined by the large Iri.sh vote, which 
work upon the railroad had bi-ought into the 
county. At this election was witnessed the 
first, and indeed the only political riot that has 
ever occurred in Quincy. The railroad hands 
took entire possession of the polls and the mob 
had to be di.spersed by the calling out of the 
militia. Beyond there being many knock 
downs, bruises and bad scars, no great injury 
resulted, though some men of political promi- 



nence then and since made most astonishing 
runs at the point of the bayonet, or were care- 
fully placed under militarv guard. The war- 
fare of that day was long a subject of amuse- 
ment. 

A special session of the legislature was called 
in November. Why or what for it was difficult 
to know, since the session lasted but .sixteen 
d.iys and adjourned without passing any bills. 

The gradual disappearance of some of the 
earlier species of game was noted by a bear 
being killed (probably the last one in the 
county) near Lima Lake, by Wilson Land and 
Swartout, which weighed three hundred 
pounds. 



CHAPTER XIX. 



1841. 

POLITICAL. CUTTING A CANAL FROM WOOD 
SLOUGH TO RIVER. FERRY RATES ESTAB- 
LISHED. QUEER ORIGIN OF THE FIRST CITY 
SEAL. COUNTY SEAT STRUGGLE. LIBRARY. 
FIRST ENGRAVED BONDS. THE •■YAGERS." 
FIRST GERMAN MILITARY' COMPANY. A DAILY 
LINE OF STEAMBOATS. QUINCY' HER.A.LD. 
PROGRESS OF SCHOOLS. 

At the session of 1840-41 a new legislative 
apportionment was made which gave Adams 
county one senator and five representatives. 
No elections, however, was held under this 
law until the summer of 1842. The judiciary 
system of the state, as organized under the 
constitution of 1818 and which had been 
legislatively changed in 1824, 1827, 1829 and 
1835, was now radically recognized at this 
session by legislating out of office all the cir- 
cuit judges and creating five supreme court jus- 
tices, who. with the four life office judges, hold- 
ing office under the constitution of 1813. should 
constitute a supreme court and each of them 
also required to perform circuit court duty. 
This act dismissed from the bench Judge Peter 
Lott. of this circuit, and his place was filled by 
the appointment of Stephen A. Douglas. Judge 
Douglas, who had previously presided in Jack- 
sonville, became now a resident of Quincy. Here 
he lived, representing the district afterward 
three times in congress, until after his election 
to the U. S. senate, when he removed to Chi- 
cago some eight or ten years later. 

The congressional election in August resulted 
in the success of the whig ticket, John T. Stu- 
ai-t having been rechoseu to congress over 
J. IT. Ralston, carrying the county by a major- 
ity of 136 in a total vote of 2,978. Ebenezer 
Moore was again elected mayor at the city elec- 



82 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



tion ill April over Daniel Atliinson and Robert 
Evans. J. 11. Ralston and John Abbe were 
elected as aldermen and Samuel P. Church was 
reappointed clerk. In August of this year died 
Alderman R. R. Williams, one of the pioneer 
men who had been almost constantly connected 
with the town and city councils. He had an 
excellent professional standing as a lawyer and 
was eqiuilly regarded as an exemplary and 
useful citizen. His place in the Ijoard wa.s 
tilled by the election of H. V. Sullivan. 

There had long been an apprehension that 
the steady encroachment of the tow-head bar 
might ultiiiialcly dcsli'oy the public landing, 
and to ii\'crt this (hinyci' the city appropriated 
!li2,000. in conned ion with a pulilic subscrip- 
tion, for the purimsc of culling a canal from 
the river into Wootl sl(iui;h so as tti bring a 
constant eurient into the bay. This work was 
conmienced in February and soon comi)leted. 
Its value, however, was doubtful. 

The receipts into the treasni-y up t<i the 1st 
of January, 1841, being the first eight months 
of the city government, were reported as 
amounting to •'(!2,762.25. The salary of the 
nuiyor for the year ending April. 1841, Avas 
fixed at .$250. The market house, so long a 
subject of controversy, was built after much 
trouble and delay in deciding upon the plan, 
at the corner of Hampshire and Third streets. 
Rates for the ferry, then owned by Carlin & 
Rogers, Avere established and a license fee of 
.$60 imposed. The fencing of the i>ul:ilic square 
was completed. 

A novel excitement came up earl.v during the 
year Avhich aroused a good deal of feeling at 
the time and led to the selection of the singu- 
lar design for the fii'st city seal. John Wood 
had, at his own expense, with the concurrence 
of the council, transplanted to the center of the 
square a handsome elm tree about a foot in 
diameter. There had been an oi^position to the 
enclosing of the public square and its adorn- 
ment with shrubbery, which finally engendered 
some political bitterness. On the night of May 
6th some graceless scamps girdled and thus 
killed the tree. In the next issue of the Argus, 
the democratic paper of the place, appeared a 
irough cut pui'portiug to represent Mr. Wood 
resting upon his cane and monimfully gazing at 
the dead tree. The city coiuicil offered a re- 
ward of .$100 for the detection of the rogues. 
They were soon discovered, but found to be 
not worth the troiible of punishing. 

At their meeting on June 26th the council 
ordered that "the elm tree and flagstaff iipon 
the piiblic sciuare. as represented in the Argus 
some time since, be adopted as the device of 
a seal for the city." This representation of a 



man .standing alongside a dead tree was used 
as the "Quiney City seal" for some years, until 
a later council, composed of some of those 
whose wrong teachings were the indirect cause 
of this former vandalism, and who felt sensi- 
tive about it, changed it to the present more 
appropriate and tasteful design. 

The fiscal statement of the city, made April 
27th, 1841, is worthy of reference as showing 
its financial condition during the first year of 
its existence. Summarized it is as follows: It 
will be noticed that a considerable portion of 
the ex])enditure was upon the unsettled indebt- 
edness of the town of Quincy, which had be- 
come the heritage of the city : 

Quincy town debts paid .iil,100.36 

l^uiiu-'v city debts paid 4.528.08 

Cash on hand 13.34 

!l!5,641.78 

Received from town of Quincv $ 355.99 

Collected taxes, etc ' .$4,392.30 

Vouchers outstanding 893.49 

$5,641.78 

Due on cemetery lots $ 380.00 

Due on other credits 235.72 

Cash 13.34 



Rer.oiu'ces 



.$ 629.06 



The cost of the fire department was .$214.24; 
street supervisors' expenditures, .$264.11; pau- 
pers, $335.79 ; surveying, platting, etc., $298.12 ; 
expense, salaries, etc., $1,059.46 ; the remainder, 
some $22 or $23, being expended on streets, 
mainly the completion of Hampshire and the 
conuuencement of work on ilaine to Front, also 
the grading of Front and the public square. 

The city ordinances which, like those of the 
t(i-\vn, had heretofore only seen the light occa- 
sionally through publication in the weekly pa- 
l)ers, were now revised and issued in pamph- 
let foiin for the first time. A city poorhouse 
was also rented at the rate of $100 per annum, 
the pauper demands upon the young city hav- 
ing become then — as they ever since have in- 
creased to be — a most expensive factor. A city 
physician was employed. Dr. Eells was the 
first regular city physician, although Dr. Rals- 
ton had informally, thi'ough his position in 
the council, acted as such for a few months 
before. A question brought out the statement 
from the coxinty clerk that the cost and ex- 
penses on the courthouse, commenced in 1836 
and finished in 1836, and burned in 1875, 
amounted to $21,800, and those on the "jail to 
$13,681. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



83 



There was a slight dissatisfaction in 1825 
when the county seat was established at Quiney, 
because it had not been placed in the geographi- 
cal centre of the county as was done in many 
other counties of the state. Ten years later, 
when the county vote greatly outnumbered that 
of the town, being nearly two to one, this i.ssue 
was raised and it was emphatically decided in 
favor of retaining the county seat at Quiney. 
The dissatisfaction still smoiUdered, however, 
and resulted in the passage of a law, which 
was approved January ID, 1841, ordering an 
election to be held in Adams county on the 
question of removing the county seat from 
Quiney to Columbus. A most bitter sectional 
and personal conflict ensued. It was fostered 
by personal and political interests. The fierce- 
ness of the antagonism raised by this strife can 
scarcely be realized now. 

State and county officials were to be chosen 
and a vote taken on the proposition for a con- 
vention to revise the state constitution, or to 
make a new one. This project was warmly 
supported in Quiney for the reason that some 
thought it pointed a way out of the county 
difficulties (which it did six years later) and 
was carried by a majority of 625 in the whole 
county, out of a total vote of 2,680. It failed 
in adoption by the state, however, on account 
of conditions with which it was burdened, and 
it was not until five yeai's later that the gen- 
eral desire to change the original constitution 
of 1818 was pres.sed to a successful result. 

The democratic candidate for governor, A. 
W. Snyder, of St. Clair county, died shortly 
after his nomination, and Judge Thomas Ford, 
a former resident of Quiney, was selected in 
his stead. Against him the whigs put up Joseph 
Duncan, who had been elected governor in 1834 
and had served as a member of congress for 
several years earlier. There was also in the 
field an abolition state ticket. The whigs nomi- 
nated for the legislature 0. H. Browning. A. 
Jonas, R. P. Starr, Peter B. Garrett and Alex 
Fruit, all of whom, with the exception of Fruit, 
were elected by majorities ranging from 150 
to 900, the feeling in regard to the county seat 
matter making this partly personal and caus- 
ing a great latitude in the vote, although really 
none of the candidates on either side were pub- 
licly supported with reference to this issue. 
The democratic nominations were A. Wheat, 
Wm. Laughlin, Jacob Smith, J. Ilendi'ickson 
and W. S.ympson. Of these Mr. Wheat only was 
chosen. The whigs elected their full county 
ticket, W. II. Tandy as sheriff, over Thos. Jas- 
per, and Jonas (irubb as governor, over J. J. 
Jones. Duncan, for governor, cai-ried the coun- 
ty over Ford by a majority of 155 in a vote of 



2,1)05, the abolition ticket receiving 75 votes. 
This was the last time up to this date (1886) 
that the county has given anything but a demo- 
cratic majority on the state or presidential 
ticket. 

The county seat (juestion, which was still 
hanging unsettled in the courts, was a con- 
stant subject of irritating discussion among' the 
people all through the year. A newspaper, the 
People's Organ, Avas started in Quiney, advo- 
cating the retention of the county seat here, 
and a paper was also published in Columbus, 
advocating the removal, yet the only distinct 
issue made at the polls on this question was in 
tiie election of Wm. Richards, who had been 
nominated for county commissioner as the 
Quiney candidate, by 180 majority over J. Tur- 
ner, who represented the Columbus interest. 
Singularly enough, so far as the legislative 
candidates were concerned, although they were 
known to have diverse and decided views in 
f-'-gard to this issue, it was tacitly kept quiet, 
although it undoubtedly affected the votes that 
Ai-ere cast for them. 

This contest broke over the iron lines of 
party, split many personal friendships and shiv- 
ered the popular power of not a few prominent 
men who became unfortunately misplaced in 
the struggle. Frequent meetings were held 
over the county and broad latitude of personal 
disputation was not uncommon. Newspapers 
were started especially devoted to this issue. 
Public and private crimination was frequent. 
It was an especially good time for the wags 
and satirists to shoot at their selected game. 
A hot controversy ensued over the validity of 
a bond of $75,000 given by the Columbus party 
to insure the erection of the necessary public 
buildings at that place. 

On this (|uestion the two leading lawyers of 
the county dittered widely. Browning pro- 
nounced the bond defective. Williams, who 
then lived in the southeast part of the county, 
said that it was good, or it might be made so. 
After a six months' canvass the election came 
off on the 2(1 of August and out of a vote of 
3.181 Columbus claimed to have succeeded by 
91 majority. 

There were over two hundred more votes 
polled upon this question than at the same time 
were cast in the congressional contest. 

The county commissioners recorded the result 
as above, auci Quiney at once api)ealed. The 
commissioners, although they had declared the 
residt of the election, did not, as the law re- 
quired them to do, remove the offices to Colum- 
bus. A mandamus was applied for and Judge 
Douglas, who was then on the bench of the cir- 
cuit coui't, oi'dered, on the 6th of September, 



I'AST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



a t'oiiipliiuiee by the I'oininissioner.s with the 
prescriptions of the law. The eonimissioners, 
however, who had eacli liis own individual as 
well as official opinion and interest in the mat- 
ter, found an easy way "how to do it." Two 
of them. Eli Seehorn and Wm. Richards, fa- 
vored Quincy as the county seat, while the thiid 
one. (ieorge Smith, was a (.'olumhus man. Con- 
sequeutly, at the several sessions of the board 
while Smith always attended. Seehorn and 
Richards only attended alternately and the 
eonse((uence was that at each meeting; there 
was a tie vote. The (piestion was thus worried 
along during the season until in the following 
year it assuiued a new shape which finally 
resulted in a temporarj^ division of the county. 

The present valuable and prospering Quincy 
Library dates its continuous existence from this 
year. A similar institution had been created 
in 1837-38. based mainly on the voluntary con- 
tribution of liDoks ])}■ those who saw fit to spare 
them. This plan proved too weak to endure, 
and within a year or two the enterprise was 
abandoned, or perhaps, might he said to have 
suspended, since the same parties who composed 
it- afterward united in foi-ming the present 
organization. The hooks, etc.. on hand wei'e 
returned so far as could he to the donors. 

In March, 1841, the project was revived and 
an association made which was perfected in 
October by being incorporated under an old 
state law of 1823, relating to public libraries. 
It opened on the 18th of April with hut "a beg- 
garly account of emjity" shelves, and in very 
unpretentious ipiarters. hut ]ty the close 
of the year it rejiorted an accumulation 
of 735 volumes, and these were very well 
selected for a fiiniidafion stock. Its subsequent 
growth. Ihdiiuh shiw, has he(Mi healthful and 
now in the fmiy-lhiid year of its existence it 
contains over T.dlHI well-chosen publications. 

A course of winter lectures, under the man- 
agement of the liljrary. twelve during each sea- 
son, was commenced in December aud con- 
tinued for many years. For the first few years 
the lectures were given by resident professional 
men and they constituted the special pleasant 
attraction of the winter during the period 
when, the river being closed, home resources 
had to he drawn upon for enjoyment and also 
added to the reveiuie of the association. There 
had been a small circulating library kept at the 
bookstore of W. I). Skillman for two or three 
years past. 

Until this time the coiuicil meetings had been 
held either in the courthouse, or latterly, at the 
private office of the mayor or the clei'k. A 
room was now rented on the west side of the 
public square, near the corner of Maine street. 



which was furnished and fitted up to be exclu- 
sively used as a clerk's office and council room, 
and lor general city purposes. 

The first meeting of the city council was 
held on the 23d of October, and the place con- 
tinued to he thus occupied for several years. 

In June of this year Avere ordered and issued 
the first "copper plate" engi-aved city bonds. 

The work of macadamizing the public laud- 
ing irom Hampshire to Maine street was begun 
in November and finished in March, 1812. 
Hampshire street had already been macada- 
mized from the public square to Front street 
aud Maiiu^ street had been partially c\it thi'ough 
the bluff. 

A second military company, composed of Ger- 
mans, the Yagers, made its appearance with a 
large organization, which continued for sev- 
eral years. 

Tlie first soda water fountain was started 
by Dr. l^artlett. who had then the leading ilrug 
store of the place. 

Two semi-weekly packets regularly ran from 
St. Louis to Keokuk on alternate days and 
tliere was a daily line of pai-kets between St. 
jjuuis and (Jalena. beside which two or three 
transient steamers j^iassecl each day on their 
way to (lalena and Dubucpie and occasionally 
to above those jioints. 

The great mining industries in 1iie iioiili- 
western curner of the state and in southei-n 
Wisconsin, which shipped all their lead product 
by river, railroads not yet having come into 
existence, caused a great demand for .steam- 
l)oat transportation by light draught boats on 
the upper Mississippi during the navigable sea- 
son. There were then probably twice as many 
through steamboats plying on the upper Missis- 
sii)])i as then' ar<' at the present date. Eleven 
liundred ai'ri\als nf steamboats were reported 
for the year 1S41. which is prol)ably a nearly 
correct figure. 

There was reitorted at the same time $:i2(i.(l(H) 
sales of merchandise; 50,000 barrels u\' lloui' 
manufactured; 250,000 bushels of wheat ; 'X^inH) 
of cdi'n : ."lO.dliO of oats; 5,000 of beans, shipped 
away, and 12.(10(1 hogs aud 900 beeves packed. 
At the same time there were reported to be 
four common schools, containing 687 scholars, 
and live private schools, with 200 scholars. 

The Adams County ^Medical Society held its 
first annual meeting on the 12th of April. A 
colonization society, one of the many that had 
been formed throughout the country to encour- 
age the emigration of blacks to Liberia, and 
as a partial foil to what was thought to be 
the injurious influence of the abolition societies, 
held a second meeting on the 1th of Jammry. 
The s"eiety did not long exist. The Quincy 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADA:\IS COUNTY. 



85 



Argus. sucL-essor to Bounty Lane Register, the 
oldest paper in the place, founded in 1835. sus- 
pended on the 19th of June, and on the 23d of 
September was reissued with a ehange of name, 
as the Quiney Herald, under which name it lias 
since been and is now published. 

The foundation of our present admirable 
school sy.stem was laid during this year, not 
in 1842 as has been erroneously stated and sup- 
posed. It is a matter of regret that a com- 
plete history of the public schools of Quiney 
from their first inception has not been written. 
Such a record would be of exceeding interest 
now and to the future also be replete with 
value. It could delineate the difficulties that 
confronted these institutions at the very begin- 
ning and afterward, beset as they then were 
by an extensive and bitter pre.judiee. also 
utterly without moneyed means and having no 
corporate provision for their support. The free 
school system had not yet become a permanent 
public policy. Still less did it possess the facili- 
ties that it now happily en.^oys. A compilation 
of this character, which would depict with more 
or less minuteness the varying fortunes of the 
city schools throughout the pa.st forty-two years 
as the.y have been aft'ected by state and local 
legislations; by public opinion, by management, 
sometimes competent and faithful and some- 
times careless, and the gradual growth to the 
present proportions might be prepared. But 
all this would have to be glecned from scattered 
fields, partly found in the brief proceedings of 
the coiuicil. but mainl.y from the records of 
the school board, which occasionally were scant, 
and the earlier portion of which were quite 
carelessly kept and sometimes yet more care- 
le.ssly lost or destroyed, and also to a large 
•extent from the recollections of those who were 
then personally associated or interested. Of 
these all the members of the council and most 
of the prominent citizens who favored the cause 
of the schools are dead (1886). 

The first teacher in the male department. Mr. 
Dayton, and the first also in the female depart- 
ment. Mrs. Webster, are still living (1883) and 
resident here. 

Prior to this period and for six years later 
the authority over the schools lay legally in 
the hands of the school commissioner of the 
county and the trustees of the districts ad.join- 
ing and embracing the city, Quiney being made 
a separate school district in 1847. Fortunate 
it was that a thorough accord between these 
county officials and those of the city existed 
during this entire time, and while the nominal 
direction came from the school trustees, the 
actual support and influence came from the 
council, which appointed an annual visiting 



cunnuittee (which, however, had no real au- 
thority) and provided by appropriations, etc., 
for the school support. The initial .steps in these 
matters had been taken by the council in the 
previous year, but they had but little to go 
on. and were groping almost in the dark. The 
public, however, were widely awaking to the 
importance of the sub.ject and pressing it 
strongly forward. In these sketches can only 
be given a skeleton statement of the progress 
of this matter each year — just so much as it 
attaches to and becomes a part of the gen- 
eral current history of the city. 

A proposition was passed by the council in 
July to rent the old Congregational church 
(God's Barn) on Fourth street, and the Metho- 
dist chui-ch on Vermont for school pui-poses. 
So far all was well, but it was found neces- 
sary to have the co-operation of the school au- 
thorities of the county and at a subsequent 
meeting in August a committee consisting of 
Dr. Ralston (whose special and earnest work 
in the cause entitle him to be called, if any one 
should, the father of our public schools) and 
Mr. Abbe were appointed to confer with the 
school trustees. An immediate conference was 
held and upon the report of this committee 
on the following week a resolution was passed 
by the council "that if the board of trustees 
would establish and maintain for one year from 
the 4th of November a system of common 
schools extensive enough to accommodate all 
the children of the city of Quiney. the city 
would appropriate for the rent of two rooms 
$165, payable (juarterly; also any sum not over 
.$300 to fit uj) such rooms: also for salary of 
teachers, $800, in semi-annual payments, and 
that it should be the policy of the city to appro- 
priate from time to time what might be neces- 
sary to maintain these schools." 

So inadequate, however, seemed the means 
and so much questioned was the authority for 
such action the part of both council and trus- 
tees that public sanction of their course was 
called for, and at a largely attended public 
meeting held at the courthouse on the 14th of 
September, where the whole matter was fully 
discussed, it was resolved that it was "pru- 
dence" and "justice" to establish a "perma- 
nent system of common schools immediately," 
and that the board of trustees for schools be 
instructed "to accept the propo.sition of the 
city council in which they projjose to hire suit- 
able rooms and to appropriate $800 and with 
the funds now in their hands to immediately 
establish a permanent system of common 
schools in this city." At another meeting on 
the 18th the same resolutions, slightly varied, 
were again adopted. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAIMS COINTV. 



Tlie boai'cl of si'liool trustees, of township 2 
south. 9 west, were somewJiat sIoav to aet, lint 
on the 27th of Novemljer they accepted the 
pr-opo.eitions of the eouiicil and established 
three scliool districts, all north of Elaine street 
being the first, all south of Maine extending so 
as to include sections 10, 11 and 12 comprising 
the second, and all south of that, the third, the 
east line of the township (what is now Twenty- 
fourth street) being the eastern boundary. The 
council was prepared to promptly act, and 
schools were ordered to be, and were opened 
(ui the 4th of December, one in the Methodist 
church "for large girls from all parts of the 
disti-ict." one in the basement of the Baptist 
(•hui'ch ""for small girls and boys from district 
No. 1." nuc in the Congregational church "for 
lai-ge boys" and one in the Saiford schoolroom 
on Fifth south of -Fei'sey "for small girls and 
boys of tlistrict No. 2, all children residing 
in (.^uincy between tive and t-wenty ycai's of age 
free, but others in the township to i>ay tuition 
fees unless remitted by the council." They 
weie all well crowded. The above gives, in 
brief, the action attending the founding of our 
pulilic schools and the manner of their manage- 
ment when opened in Decemliei-. They con- 
tinued, as before stated, to be I'un in a s(u-1 of 
partnership between the city ami county school 
ofticials f(u- the following six years. 



CHAPTER XN. 



184: 



NAVIGATION OPENS EARLY. PUBLIC SCHOOL 
TAX. ENOCH CONYERS. MAYOR. BUSINESS 
STATEMENT. MAIL FACILITIES IMPROVE. AGI- 
TATION OF SLAVERY QUESTION. BURR. WORK 
AND THOMPSON SENT TO PEXITENTI.VRY FOR 
.\I:riT'i'TlX(', XKGRmER from MIRROI-Rl. ABO- 

i.rrii ixisTs diii lAXi/.i-; ri u.rniwi.i. v. dr. 
icioi.i.s Till': i-'i iKi':ii ;x \'ii-|-i; sTun ;i ; i,i-; ()\-er 

THE col NTY SE.VT wUb.STUJX. 1 1 1 1-: SILK 
WORK FEVER. GOOD SLEIGHING. 

During the very mild winter of 1 St 1-42 the 
jriver did 110I roiiiplctcly clnsc at (^nincy ami 
navigation ^\as [iracticablc througlnuit the en- 
tire seasiui. Open water — 01 "easy boating." 
as steamliiiat men Avere wont I0 tei'in it wlii'ii- 
ever the river w.is even with its banks antt 
free from ice obstruction — came now unusually 
early in the upper .Mississippi. Indexed, it may 
])e said to liaxc come rather too early for the 
business interests of the place. 

Twenty-nine steamboats. am<ing them se\-eral 
of th? great " XcAV Orleans boats," were regis- 



tered as arrivals during the two weeks, incliul- 
ing March 21st and April 4th. This was an 
unpi-ecedented token of business activity at so 
early a period and resulted in the early ship- 
ment of a large pi'opoi'tiou of the packed pro- 
vision and stored grain that had accumulated 
during the winter, making the after part of the 
season comparatively dull. 

The cereal yield throughout this section and 
the west generally was above the average in 
i|uaiitity. so much so as to cause prices to grade 
very low. Wheat sold in July at from 37 to 
40 cents per bushel and in September the price 
had fallen to 31 cents. 

The public school system, which had been suc- 
cessfully inaugurated late in the preceding year, 
had worked well and lieen steadily growing in 
favor, yet the opposition to it was not as yet 
fully suppressed. The number of pupils, which 
w;is dail.v increasing, cannot be accurately 
given, but as an indication of their prosperity 
it may be stated that the leading and largest 
school, conducted by ]\Ir. Dayton, with two 
assistants, b.ad an average attendance of about 
l;")(i scholars, and the number of pupils at the 
other scliools was proportionately large. The 
city was still cramped in means for full support 
of th ■ schools. A deficiency of $630.77 was re- 
ported at the end of the first year, and to par- 
tially meet this an appropriation of $300 Avas 
(U'dered by the council and a bond for $1,400 
from which this $300 should be deducted was 
issued as a iirovision for the support of the 
schools to run over and be applied to the ex- 
penses in 1843. 

At the same time steps were taken to obtain 
such an amendment to the city charter or addi- 
tional legislation that would provide for a sep- 
arate tax, to be independently assessed and ap- 
plied solely to school suiijiort. 

The movement in this direction lu'ought out 
an expressiiui of sentiment from the German 
population, which was then and had been for 
a few years past greatly on the increase — that 
tended as much as any one thing could, to put 
ilowii opposition to education and establish the 
pcrniauence of the school system. 

.\n application was prepared, sanctioned by 
the city council and the school trustees, -for the 
assessment of a special tax for school purposes. 
A jietitiou for the legislature was gotten up and 
circulated among the (lermans in remonstrance 
against the above-named projiositicui and asking 
that (Jermans should be exempt from the impo- 
sition of a tax to support schools conducted in 
the English language. This evolced a public 
meeting of tlu^ (iermans. with Ceorge Sehul- 
theis as chairman and Charles ^Maertz, secre- 
tarv, Avhich meeting resolved that naturalized 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADA:\IS COUNTY 



«7 



Germans were Americans and were fostered by, 
stood by and expected to sustain and be pro- 
tected and pay for the same laws as native born 
citizens. This decided and proper position 
taken by the Germans stopped all deniagoguing 
in that direction and fixed the future of the 
public schools. One or two public protests were 
made against this meeting, but they ended in 
nothing and the parties soon would gladly have 
them forgotten. It was not. however, until 
two 01- three years later, when, through the 
passage of a law aiithorizing the levy of a tax 
of one-eighth of one per cent on the hundi'ed 
fiu" school uses, that the system assiimed an in- 
dependent strength. 

At the election in April the democrats elected 
all the city officers — Enoch Conyers as mayor, 
over II. Asbury. by 90 majority; and John B. 
Young, I. H. Holton and J. D. Morgan, aldei'- 
inen, over H. V. Sullivan, George Chapman and 
G. B. Dimock. Later in the year John Abbe 
resigned. C. Swartout was chosen to succeed 
him as alderman from the First ward. The new 
eoimcil at its first meeting changed all the city 
officials. I. 0. Woodruff succeeding S. P. 
Church as city clerk. Dr. J. B. Conyers was 
appointed city physician, with an annual salary 
of ifilOO — "he agreeing to give the same to the 
schools." The salary of the mayor was fixed 
at $250, he also to attend to the duties of street 
superintendent, and that of the clerk at $200. 
The citv was reported as owing, on the 1st of 
January. .$22,380. 

On the 16th of April, by ordinance, a com- 
plete system of grades of streets throughout 
the city was established, embracing all from 
Broadway to State, and in past farther south, 
and from Front to Twelfth (then called Wood 
street). This was the first comprehensive plan 
of action in regard to city grades that had been 
adopted, and though slightly changed occasion- 
ally, since on almost every street has been ad- 
hered to. 

A carefully compiled special census of 
Quincy, taken during this year, reports the 
population to have been 2,686. The other data 
secured at this time are of peculiar value for 
the reason that they indicate the business con- 
dition of the place more in detail than appears 
in any similar schedule of earlier date. 

The report shows that the city then con- 
tained -lr64 frame, 138 brick and two stone 
buildings — the committee not seeing fit, per- 
haps being too proud, to make mention of the 
more numerous log houses ; there were also 20 
dry goods, 19 groceries, 1 book, 1 hide and 
leather. 1 iron, 2 shoe, 2 milliner, 3 drug stores, 
9 hotels. S boarding-houses, 9 churches (there 
were several societies -without a church build- 



ing), 1 reading-room. 20 lawyers, 12 physicians, 
1 dentist, 1 government and 3 private laud of- 
fices, 3 insurance offices or agencies. 2 commis- 
sion houses, 6 pork houses, 2 bakeries, 2 bath- 
houses, 1 ropewalk. 1 tauyard, i brickyai-ds, 1 
iron foundry, 1 market house, 3 lumber yards, 
3 breweries, 1 woolen mill, 1 castor oil and 2 
soap factories, 1 shingle mill, 2 water mills, 3 
.steam flour and 2 steam sawmills, 2 hatters. 11 
shoemakers, 4 watchmakers, 2 gunsmiths, 6 
house and sign painters. 6 masons, 6 plasterers, 
9 chair and cabinet, 12 carpenters, 10 wagon 
and coach, 12 blacksmiths, 4 saddle and har- 
ness, 3 barbers, 11 tailors, 7 butchers. 7 cooper 
shops, 2 printing offices. 

There were two regular weekly newspapers, 
the Whig and the Herald, the latter also semi- 
weekly, and during the summer and fall thei'e 
was issued a spicy paper, the People's Organ, 
advocating Quincy as the county seat or the 
division of the county. 

The amount of provisions prepared was about 
the same as in the preceding year, 12,000 hogs 
being packed, and the milling business was also 
about the same ; the mills shipped away nearly 
25,000 barrels of flour. 

Mail facilities had improved. The two east- 
ern semi-weekly stages now came iu as tri- 
weeklies on alternate days, making it practi- 
cally a daily mail, although not always afford- 
ing the earliest news. In addition to these there 
were two mails cai-ried north, one south and 
one west into Missouri. 

The "hard times" that had commenced with 
the financial crash in 1836-37 caused by the par- 
tisan destruction of the United States bank and 
the suspension of mo.st of the other banks in 
the counti-y. continued as before, and. indeed, 
it was not until three or four years later that 
business here or anywhere in the country came 
to a condition of assured confidence and pros- 
perity. The debtor class was very numerous 
and still struggling under the prostration of 
half a dozen years. Money was feai-fully 
scarce. State bank and Shawneetown bank pa- 
per, which had been the chief ciirrency of the 
state in times past, was now at a di.scount of 
from 36 to 40 cents and most all other bank cir- 
culation was proportionately discredited. Ecoti- 
omy such as would seem niggardly during the 
past thirty years was universally practiced, and 
under these there came a slow but substantial 
increase of population and advance of prosper- 
ity, both in the city and county. 

There was more than the usual amount of 
local public excitement throughout the year, 
growing out of the agitation of the slavery 
question and also from the differences over the 
proposed division of the county, which last 



88 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



issue liad arisen as the natural seciuent of the 
bitter and as yet unsettled county seat qvuir- 
rel of the preceding year. These excitements 
entered into the elections and the courts, af- 
fected business and social relations and were 
productive of much and long-lasting acrimony 
and estrangement. The feverish feeling created 
at the time of the Nelson disturbances several 
years before, though somewhat suppressed still 
festered in the minds of the border people in 
the adjoining state and a similar sensitiveness 
pervaded to a considerable extent our own com- 
numity. It was kept alWe by its own distrust- 
fulness and by the occasional escape of a slave, 
who was always suspected — with perhaps more 
or less of truth — of having been persuaded to 
run away, or afterward being harbored and 
hid by the abolitionists of Quincy. 

In the previous year, 1841, three young men, 
Burr, Work and Thompson, students at Dr. Nel- 
son's IMission institute, some two miles east of 
Quincy, crossed the river a short distance south 
of the city and had not long landed before they 
were arrested under the charge of abducting 
or attempting to abduct slaves. They were 
speedily tried, convicted and sentenced to the 
Missouri penitentiary for a term of twelve years 
each. That they went over tliere for tliat ]mr- 
pose is more than probable, liut it is still moi'e 
certain that legal proof was wanting to sustain 
the charge against them, and tliis fact, added 
to a general suspicion that they in their rather 
too verdant philantliropy had been decoyed 
across the river for the purpose of being caught, 
brought about their pardon and release from 
the prison when their periods had about one- 
third expired. This, however, with other like 
occasional actions, kept sentiment on tlie sla- 
very subject constantly on the alert. 

At a meeting held in Quincy on the 13th of 
June the abolitionists of the county resolved to 
organize politically and bring out a county 
ticket. They nominated for representatives to 
the legislature R. Sartle, Levi Stillman, Lewis 
Rowe, Wm. Wells and Richard Eels; county 
commissioner, II. II. Snow; sheriff, E. II. Fow- 
ler; coroner, Edward Turner. This, although 
the niunerical strength at the polls was shown 
to be very small, yet drew the ciuestion into no- 
tice like the tiaunt of a red flag to their foes, 
and their actions were closely scrutinized, both 
here and across the river. An anti-abolition 
meeting was held at the courthouse which de- 
nounced in vigorous language the enticing 
away of slaves or their concealment. Shortly 
after the election (sometime in October) a slave 
swam across the river, got into communication 
with some of his colored brethren and was 
taken iinder the protection of Dr. Richard Eels, 



a prominent physician of the city, living then 
on Jeisey between Fourth and Fifth streets. 
The doctor took the fugitive in his buggy at 
night after giving him a change of clothing 
and started for the country. He was followed 
by the j\Iissourians and others who had obtained 
traces of them and finally the doctor was 
pressed so hard that lie dismissed his i)assenger 
and told him to make for the cornfields, which 
the poor fellow did, but was soon caught and 
carried back to slavery. The doctor got back 
safely, but unfortunately there were found two 
proofs against him in addition to the partial 
recognition of himself and his horse. There 
were in the buggy the still wet clothes in which 
the man had swam the river, and also the dry 
garments which the man had on when taken, 
the ownership of which was traced to the doc- 
tor. Eels was tried in the Adams county court 
luuler the then existing fugitive slave law of 
the state and was convicted and fined. This 
decision was sustained by the supreme court of 
the state and of the United States. This case 
commencing this year and continuing for sev- 
eral years, attracted much attention every- 
where, fi-om the importance of the issiies in- 
volved, and was the cause of especial interest 
here from the prominence of the man who was 
under trial. This revived much of the former 
feeling of distrust between the neighboring sec- 
tions, which only slowly wore away as all of 
tlie slaves here in northeastern Missouri who 
Avanted to, gradually ran away, as they easily 
could, but was not fully allayed until the civil 
wai' pi't an end to it. 

The political record of 18-12 was of a very pe- 
I'uliar cast. It singularly illustrated the strong 
])re(_lominance of partisan feeling and old party 
associations over the demands of local duty 
and interest. The two parties — the whig and 
the democratic — were almost ecpially balanced 
in the city and in the county. 

They had been so for many years i)ast — the 
whigs luiving slightly the superiority, owing in 
a great measure to the higher relative stand- 
ing and capacity of the men whom they placed 
before the public as their representatives and 
leaders. A reference to the politically promi- 
nent men of forty and more years ago will fully 
sustain this statement. Yet. usually any ordi- 
nary local issue, or as it more often happened, 
the personal popularity or itherwise of a can- 
didate, would easily determine an election and 
overrule pai'ty action. The special strength of 
the democratic party lay almo.st exclusively 
for a number of years on what was known as 
the "foreign vote." 

A curious exemplification of this was proven 
bv Judge Lott and the writer in 1848 from an 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



examination of the poll books that had been 
used at the elections of that year. That was 
the last year of elections "viva voce." The bal- 
lot system of voting ordained in the later 
state constitutions was not in existence at 
that time, and first wa.s nsed in the fall of 
1848. Previo)is to that period all voting was 
done openly and aloud. A register was pre- 
pared by the judges containing the names of 
all supposed candidates under the head of the 
otrice to which they aspired and each voter as 
he came to the polls would give in his name, 
have it written down and then announce suc- 
cessively who he voted for. His vote thus 
given would be tallied on the line containing 
the name of the candidate for whom he voted. 
Thus the poll book was the final "return" and 
not only could it be known afterward how each 
man had voted, but also how the vote was pro- 
gressing during the day. Judge Lott had said 
that "out of the one thousand and fifty votes 
that had been ca.st at that time it woidd be 
found that less than one-fourth of those who 
had voted the democratic ticket were native 
born, and that it had been nearly so in propor- 
tion for several years past. ' ' On examining the 
poll book it appeared that out of five hundred 
and sixty democratic voters less than one hun- 
dred had American names. The curious corol- 
lary to this is that through the earlier years 
of the city the foreign vote generally con- 
trolled; and it was especially strong for the 
reason that natiiralization at that time was not 
a necessary qualification for a state voter, since 
under the old constitution and until 1848 any 
white male citizen over twenty-one years of age, 
and who had been in the state six months, was 
a qualified voter, whether naturalized or not. 
This fact is a worthy matter of record, as it 
has had a strong bearing upon the municipal 
fortunes of the city. The foreign immigration 
which poured so extensively after 1835-36 into 
Quincy, instinctively enlisted in the democratic 
ranks and constituted for many years its chief 
strength. 

Recurring to the statement made above that 
political affairs during this year had a pecu- 
]i<ir cast, it is somewhat strange that although 
there was before the people the most important 
and absorbing local issue that they have ever 
had — that of the removal of the county seat — 
yet party nominations were made and strife 
went on as usual without any special formation 
upon this question that affected the parties. 

The vote, it will be remembered, in 1841 was 
declared to be in favor of Columbus. The 
county commissioners neglected to order the 
removal of the county records. A mandamus 
was applied for and granted, directing them 



to comply with the law, but they still evaded 
it and Quincy had ai)pealed from the declared 
result. 

Thus the sectional rivalry between the two 
claimants to the possession of the county seat 
had at this time become a legal Lssue — to be 
determined by the courts, and dependent upon 
the "glorious uncertainties of the law." By 
the delay thus secured Quincy was greatly the 
gainer. Columbus came into court fortified by 
the record of a legally ordered and formally 
held election and a certificate of a majority of 
the votes cast being in favor of removal, and 
that these figures and the formalities of the elec- 
tion were unquestioned. All beside this that 
was needed and demanded was that the county 
commis.sioners should transfer the records and 
offices. Quincy, on the other hand, stood solely 
upon the refusal of the commissioners to is,sue 
the necessary order for removal, but there was 
added to this an assertion of illegalities in the 
election. While these never came to be fully 
proven, they were so broadly charged and be- 
lieved and were tinged with so much of plausi- 
bility as to greatly cloud the question and 
make a decision upon it difficult and doubtful. 

It appeared, for instance, that at the August 
election in 1841, 2,978 votes were cast for mem- 
bers cf congress, while at the same time the 
vote on the county seat question was 3,181 — an 
excess of 203 votes. The well-known latitude 
that is usually allowed on a sectional vote, with- 
out question, in localities where the .sentiment is 
all one way, gave credence to the suspicion and 
charge that this excess was illegal and that the 
majority of 91 obtained by Columbus was cast 
by unqualified voters. This suspicion was 
strengthened when, a year later, at the Augu.st 
election in 1842. there were but 3,069 votes 
polled for governor in a very warmly eon- 
tested election, and on the same day 1,574 votes 
were given for Wm. Richards (who represented 
the Quincy interest and was its candidate for 
re-election as county commissioner), and 1,393 
votes cast for J. Turner, the representative of 
Columbus, 30 votes being thrown away on the 
abolition candidate who was unpledged. Here 
was a falling oft' within a year of nearly two 
hundred votes on this local test question, when 
it would seem that natural causes and the con- 
tinuing interest in the question would have 
increased the vote ; and. significantly, as it was 
claimed, the falling oft' was from the former 
Columbus vote. All this tended to weaken the 
claims for its removal. So stood the issue at 
the end of the year 1841. 

At their February meeting in 1842 the coiuity 
commissioners' board had a full meeting, all 
were present and acted for the first time for 



90 



PAHT AND PRESP::NT (3F ADAJLS COUNTY. 



several months. Iludcr the I'equireiuent of the 
maiidanuis issued by •jiid'ie l)oui;'las in Septem- 
ber, 1841, they "ag-reed to disagree." Two of 
the board (Richards and Seehorn, a majority) 
decided that the result of the election was so 
doubtful that they would not obey the writ of 
the circuit court. The (>ther commissioner. 
Smith, said that he was ready and willing to 
order the removal of the records. 

Thereupon Judge Douglas on the 4th of 
JIarch issued a peremptory nuindamus to the 
conmiissioner.s ordering their immediate action. 
From this Quincy at once appealed to the su- 
preme court, giving sci-urity, and the settlement 
of the ease Was, of coiii'se, still farther delayed. 
It was argued in the supreme court in the July 
following by (Teorge C. Dixon for the commis- 
sioners and Archibald Williams for the Colum- 
bus claimants, and the decision was ordered 
deferred until December. 

Immediately after the August election of 1842 
the contest took a new shape and a bombshell 
was thrown into the Columbus camp which 
broke its unity and resulted in the full defeat 
of all its aspirations. At a meeting held in 
Quincy on the '26th of October the proposition 
wa.s agreed to that the legislature should be 
asked to divide the county liy cutting off the 
ten townships on the eastei-n side of Adams, 
and therefrom form a new county. Columbus 
was asked to unite with this niovement, but 
refused. In fact, Columbus could not safely 
agree to it for the reason that the town lies 
on the extreme western edge of the proposed 
new county — a part of it being in Gilmer town- 
ship, and the village would thus be cut in two, 
and the same objection would then lie against 
Columbus as a covmty seat ("away at one side 
of the comity") that had been before used 
against Quincy. 

This project stirred into activity every local 
interest in the county and proved that the pre- 
vious movement had not been based on a pref- 
erence for Columbus merely, but for a county 
center. A half score of plans were started for 
outlining new c(uniHes. most of them not favor- 
ing a division of the c(uiuty, but demanding, if 
a division of the county should be made, that it 
should be so outlined as to make a central 
point the county seat, most generally ignoi'iug 
Columbus. Some of these proposed to take in 
])ait of Hancock, some part of Schuyler, and 
some part of Brown or Pike, and all seemed to 
have forgotten about Coluuilms. The end Avas 
not difficult to foresee. 

This movement, adroitly originated for a di- 
vision of the county, so as to compromise the 
differences between easlcni and western sec- 
tions, practically decided, at tlie very oiitset 



that the county seat ultimately would remain at 
Quincy. Time had been gained, and the issue 
ti-ausferretl itself again to the state legislature, 
which then convened every two years on the 
first Monday in December. 

As early as the 19th of December, at the ses- 
sion of 1842-43, Mr. Wheat, one of the repre- 
sentatives from Adams county, introduced a 
bill for the division of the county, based upon 
the proposition which had been made and 
adopted at the meeting in Quincy on the 26th 
of Oetobei'. 

Upon this there followed a flood of petitions 
for and remonstrances against the proposed ac- 
tion, coming from all parts of the eoiinty with 
every variety of project, proposition and sug- 
gestion. It was made a matter of long, bitter 
and doubtful disc\ission, and came to a tinal 
determination in the early part of 1843, result- 
ing in a nominal division of the county, which 
separation stood as of a record which was never 
pi'actically completed throughout the five fol- 
lowing years. 

Mr. Wheat's action in this matter was not in 
accord with that of the other four representa- 
tives, and was not in sympathy with the jiopu- 
larities of the period, the public geiu^rally sus- 
taining those who were opi)os(>(l to a division 
of the comity, but it is a truth wliich no one 
now looking back to that contest can deny, 
that, howevei', it might have been operative 
ui)on the interests of Cohnnbus or any other 
section of the county antagonistic to Quincy: 
so far as the city was concerned this movement 
which he drove through the legislature, to the 
peril of personal popularity, was that which 
clinched the continuance of the county seat at 
Quincy for all time to come. This story of the 
comity seat difficulties and the temporary divi- 
sion of the county is a part of past histcny, upon 
wiiich de|»ended the future interests of Quincy. 
It could he told in far more amplified detail, 
because it -was tlie absorbing idea of its time. 
It was settled during the winter of 1842-43, but 
it had kindled passion and prejudice which may 
claim consideration in a subsequent chapter. 

•Manufacturing interests during this year 
showed a steady and healthj^ progi'ess not only 
in the enlargement and increase of a number 
of already existing industries, but also in the 
(\stablishment of several new enterprises. An 
iron foundry was started by James Adams and 
ililton Worrell, on the east side of Front street, 
between Bi-oadway and Spring. This was the 
first estaldisbment of the kind, the pioneer in 
l)usiiiess of a special industry that has gradual- 
ly grown to be one of the most extensive and 
substantial factors in the permanent prosperity 
of the place. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



91 



Abcnit the .same time O. V. & (i. A. Miller, 
who had as early as 1836 opened the first regu- 
lar drug store in the place, built a castor and 
linseed oil factory on the west side of Front 
street, opi)osite the Adams & Worrell factory. 
'J'his was a few years later changed into a steam 
tlonring mill. At this time the castor bean 
mania was overspreading the west, as exten- 
sively as had not a long time before the "Morns 
^Inlticaulis" or silk work fever, and as a little 
later came up the beet sugar craze. These all 
had their day and it is curious now to revert to 
those times, when, for two or three years so 
many of our farmers set off and carefully 
planted four or five acres of the white mulberry 
or Morus Multicaulis, and after that sensation 
had fallen through, each one had next his acre 
or more of the handsome flowering castor bean ; 
and still farther on, and but shortly afterward, 
all expectations were sweetened by the profuse 
cultivation of the sugar beet, which was to rival 
and exclude from use all tropical sugars, and 
all this unfortunately worked to the partial 
neglect of the cultivation of the great staple 
cereals which are adapted to our latitude, cli- 
mate and soil. 

The winter of 1842-43 was unusually severe. 
The snow fall began early, and continued 
longer and more in amount probably than in 
any season since the proverbial "big snow" 
winter of 1831. Business and travel through- 
out the central and northern part of the state 
was for a large part of the winter done on sleds 
and sleighs. 

A sleighing plea.sure party, for instance, left 
Quincy during this winter, visited Jacksonville 
and Springfield and returned safely on riui- 
uers, after being gone nearly two weeks. 



CHAPTER XXL 



1843. 

E.\RTHQUAKE. POLITICAL STRUGGLE.S. DOUG- 
LAS. BROWNING. MARQUETTE COUNTY. 
JUDGE BOTT. CAPT. KELLY. R. M, YOUNG. 
SIDNEY BREBSE. DULL BUSINESS. JUDGE 
THOMAS. HIGHLAND COUNTY. NEW BUILD- 
INGS. NEW SCHOOLS. 

The river was unusually high during the win- 
ter of 1842-43, and continued so until late in 
the year. It had closed on the first of Decem- 
lier, 1842, opened on the 24th of January fol- 
lowing, and until about the middle of February 
there was some, though difficult navigation. It 
then firmly closed, opening again on the 6th of 
April, and did not close during the winter of 
1843-44. 



The rather unusual excitement of an earth- 
fiuake shock occurred on the 4th of January, 
the heaviest that had been known for many 
years. The rumbling was distinctly heard and 
the shaking of the ground and buildings felt 
and seen throughout all central Illinois. With 
the exception of a general scare and an occa- 
sional break of crockery, no damage was done. 
The city council early in the year, made an 
attempt to secure as a public landing, all of 
the river front lying south of Maine street, and 
west of a line parallel with Front street and 
eighty feet west. The consent of most of the 
owners of the pi'operty affected, to convey the 
same to the city was obtained, but some of them 
objected, and although the council on the 8th 
of July, declared the land in question a land- 
ing, yet this summar.v course was indecisive and 
was not eventually sustained. 

The city election in 1843 resulted in the com- 
plete success of the democratic ticket. Enoch 
Conyers was re-chosen mayor over Capt. Joseph 
Artns. and Thomas Jasper, Samuel Holmes and 
R. S. Benneson, elected aldermen. SamT Leech 
was re-elected city clerk. An official statement 
made by the city clerk in September showed 
rather an unsatisfactory financial condition. It 
reported an indebtedness of $22,098.50, of which 
$5,746.48 would mature during the year, and 
that the tax assessment of $4,080.14, if all ap- 
plied to this debt, would leave a deficit of 
$1,636.34. How the apprehended trouble was 
avoided, does not appear, probabl.y, as in the 
later years, by postponement and hoping, ]Mi- 
cawber like, that something would "turn up." 
The salary of the city clei'k was fixed at $100. 
showing either a commendable spirit of econ- 
omy, or that the duties of the office were not 
very heavy. H. S. Cooley, then a young lawyer 
not long a resident of this city, who afterwards 
became prominent politically, being secretary 
of state when he died, a few years later, was ap- 
pointed city attorney. A special census taken 
by order of the council in November in refer- 
ence to the school question, which was still in 
a very unsettled state, gave a total population 
of 3,148 and of children under twenty years of 
age, in the city and adjoining section, which 
formed with Quincy a school district, 1,357. 

Some political feeling was temporarily roused 
by a change in the postoffiee. Robert Tillson. a 
whig, who had held the office for ten or twelve 
yeai's, was removed and a Mr. Clift'orcL a Tyler- 
ite from Alton, appointed in his place. ^lajor 
Wm. G. Flood, and Sanniel licecli were re-ap- 
])ointed respectively register and receiver of 
the public land office. Judge Douglas having 
been elected to congi-ess. his place on the bench 
was filled by the ai)j)oiutment of Jesse B. 



92 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



Thomas, Jr.. a son of Jesse B. Thomas, who was 
one of the first two U. S. senators, from Illinois, 
and who is credited with being the author of 
the famous Missouri compromise. Judge 
Thomas held this position for about two years 
only, when he resigned and was succeeded by 
Xorman II. Purple, whose term was ended by 
the new constitution in 18-1:8. 

This was in some measure a comparatively 
<iuiet and slow business year, yet it was marked 
with an unusual degree of local feeling and ex- 
citement. The old abolition and Mormon dis- 
turbances had been temporarily allayed, to re- 
appear, however, in the near futiu'e, but there 
remaiiied the unsettled public school question, 
the strife over the county seat and county divi- 
sion matter. To these the most stirring con- 
gressional contest was added, that up to that 
period this section, or, indeed, the state had 
ever witnessed. 

The political record of Quinoy and of Adams 
county in 1843 is an episode, which demands a 
more than ordinary detail. It was the era of 
an entrance into national iufiueuce by the state 
of Illinois. This was on account of not only 
the increased rejiresentation of the state from 
three to seven members of congress, but also 
because such a number of younger men, of only 
state repute heretofore, struck out for a more 
extended reputation, which many of them 
fairly won, and maintained to the exclusion of 
the older politicians, who had for the twenty- 
five years held the represent;'tion of Illinois in 
the national councils. Out of the fourteen can- 
didates for congress in 1843 one only, Casey, 
had ever previously served, and only one other, 
Douglas, had even been a candidate for the 
honor. The i)olitical excitement was more in- 
tense than has ever attended any similar strife, 
scarcely excepting the famous discussion fif- 
teen years later between Douglas and Lincoln.. 
The interest in the election lay in the congress- 
ional contests, there being at the time neither 
state nor national ticket in the field. It may be 
well to state that this year (1843) wms the last 
time that congressmen were elected in the odd 
numbered years. 

The next election came off in 1844, and ever 
since, members of congress have been chosen 
in the even innnbered years with state or presi- 
dential officials. Before this it sometimes hap- 
pened that a state would not be represented in 
the lower house of congress in case that a called 
session w,-is held during the sjiring or summer 
of the odd ycjir. The term of a mendier be- 
gins on the 4th of March, although usually the 
session commences in December. Illinois was 
thus not represented at the early part of the 
called session of congress in 1841. 



Unusual interest, of eoui-se, attached to an 
election which would determine who were to be 
the future "great men" of Illinois, and special 
attention was turned toward the Quincy dis- 
trict, which was of doubtful political complex- 
ion, and in which the two foremost of rising 
leaders in their respective parties were pitted 
in opposition. These were Stephen A. Douglas, 
the presiding judge on this circuit, and 0. II. 
Browning, the admitted head of the bar in the 
western portion of the state, both re.sidents of 
Quincy, as the contestants. Each enjoyed 
a prestige of almost unbroken political success, 
a most devoted party popularity and a personal 
reputation for consistency and integrity which 
was unassailable. They were nearly of the 
same age. Douglas had been a conspicuous pol- 
itician from his first coming to the state. Brown- 
ing, whose eminence was inore definitely legal, 
held an equally prominent political reputation 
and his andjitions Avere then sti-ongly in that di- 
rection, lie was, and no doiihl coi'i'cctly, con- 
sidered at the time as the most attractive and 
able debater of the two. Douglas, though strong 
on the stump, had not attained that peculiar 
position he studied for and afterward attained, 
of being, as he unc|uestionably ranked in later 
years, the most popular and powerful stumj) 
sjieaker of the day. Douglas was not the first 
choice of his party in convention. Judge Cav- 
arly, of Greene, and Gov. Carlin preoeeded him 
in the early ballots, but the nomination finally 
fell to him. Browning was nominated by his 
party without opposition. It is more than prob- 
able that had either of the two first named 
above received the democratic nomination. 
Browning's popularity would have won for 
himself the election, and it is e(iually sure that 
against any t)ther candidate than Browning, 
Douglas" majority of about 400 would at least 
have been doubled. They canvassed the dis- 
trict together most exhaustively during the 
early summer months to within less than a week 
before the election in August, when both were 
taken down with sickness, which nearly proved 
fatal, and from the effect of which, it took 
many months to restore them. This was the 
most complete carrying out of the old "stump 
speaking" custom that could be imagined. The 
parties traveled together, sometimes .slept to- 
gether, spoke together almost daily at half a 
dozen or more places in each of the counties. 
Such exertion naturally brought out an extra- 
ordinarily large vote. 

The result of this spirited contest, between 
tAvo men whose names have since become na- 
tional, was that Browning carried the city by a 
majority of 19 and the county by 410, but was 
beaten in tlu' district by 409 Votes. It is curious 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



93 



to speculate how delayed might have been the 
urowth to eminence of Judge Douglas had he 
failed at this election. That his great talents 
■would have sooner or later made themselves 
controlling is true, but his advent to national 
notice at this peculiar time was several years 
gained in his movement to fame. 

In the county, ilarquette or the eastern part 
not counting, the democratic ticket generally 
was successful, re-electing J. H. Holton, record- 
er, and Nicholas Wren, county clerk. J. C. Ber- 
nard contested the election of Wren without 
success, but four years later had the satisfac- 
tion of being elected over his former opponent. 

At this August election of 1848, excepting 
for members of congress, political lines were 
somewhat disregarded. Peter Lott, Timothy 
Kelly, Ebenezer Jloore and Henry Asbury were 
elected magistrates, all of them respected and 
capable men. The first two were democrats, 
the others whigs. Judge Lott was an able law- 
yer, who had creditably occupied the circuit 
bench, and was subsequently, in 1844, elected 
to the legi.slature, served as a captain in the 
Mexican war, was chosen circuit clerk in 1848, 
and at the end of his term receiving a federal 
appointment, removing to the Pacific Coast, 
where he died. Capt. Kelly was the most pi'omi- 
nent Irishman of his day in Quincy, a man of 
enterprise and means. He built the "Kelly 
building" at the northeast corner of Maine and 
Fifth streets, where is now the Dodd Build- 
ing, which was at the time of its erection next 
to the Quincy House, the most pretentious struc- 
ture in the town. He enlisted in the ^Mexican 
war, became a lieutenant, and was killed while 
bravely fighting at Buena Vista, and his body 
was brought to Quincy. and buried with honor. 
Mr. iloore. who had been twice chosen mayor 
and afterwards became a banker, was always 
among the leading men of the place. He re- 
moved to Washington some twenty years later 
and died there. 

Henry Asbiiry, the only one of the four now 
(1883) living, was, for many years an especially 
efficient and popular magistrate, holding also 
at various times other important public trusts, 
and is the oldest living "Esquire" and proba- 
bly the oldest licensed lawyer in the city. 

At the same time, there were chosen as con- 
stables, Capt. J. Sehwindler, an intelligent and 
influential German, J. M. Pitman, Wilson Land 
and Wm. P. Reeder. Of these "Billy" Reeder 
had been a constable from the earliest times, 
seeming to have a sort of sinecure claim to the 
place, like that of old Henry Jasper to the city 
marshalship. Pitman was afterward twice 
chosen sheriff, four times mayor and once 
elected to the legislature. Lane, yet living here, 



subsequently filled the office of sheriff and 
county ti'easurer. ^Mention is made of these of- 
ficials to show the substantial character of the 
men to whom p\iblic trusts, however, subordi- 
nate, Avere given in those days. In the earliest 
times it necessarily happened in a sparse popula- 
tion, that officials would sometimes be chosen 
of limited attainments; later, qualification was 
much more carefully looked to, far more than 
it has been since, when partisan dictum fur- 
nishes the candidate, ancl varnishes over the 
defects of the public servants. 

There was but little change in the federal 
representation of Qiiincy. Flood and Leech, as 
before stated, were reappointed receiver and 
register of the public land office. These were 
then highly important and responsible posi- 
tions, and foi' them these two men were excep- 
tionally well fitted. The local feeling over the 
removal of 'Sir. Tillson, a whig, from the post- 
office, was mainly because, both whigs and dem- 
ocrats, felt that, when the change in the office, 
which all had expected, occurred, some Quincy 
democrat should be the lucky recipient, and not 
an imported stranger, hence both parties united 
in condemning the appointment. ]Mr. Clifford's 
position as postmaster for a couple of years, 
was no "becl of roses." He was entirely alone. 
Vice-President Tyler, who succeeded on the 
death of President Harrison, had no support- 
ers in Quincy, and like Vice-President Johnson, 
who came in after President Lincoln, he ap- 
peared to be attempting the construction of a 
political bridge which would carry himself and 
his administration over to the party that had 
not elected him, and although a temporary use 
was made of this bridge, yet at the end of the 
presidential term, both it and its projectors in 
both eases were ignored by the party they 
sought, as well as by the party they had aban- 
doned. 

Richard M. Young, who had served for many 
years as circuit .judge, and during the past six 
as IT. S. Senator, was succeeded in this last of- 
fice by Sidney Breese, and with this his local 
connection with Quincy ceased. Most of his after 
life was spent in public positions at Washing- 
ton, where he died. He had been, in his various 
capacities, for many years, the most prominent 
personage of the place. He was an industrious, 
exemplary, pui'e minded man. of more than 
average ability as a jurist, and greatly re- 
spected in private life. On leaving the senate 
he was elected by the legislature to one of the 
vacant supreme judgships in the northern part 
of the state, which he held for a brief period, 
until he went to W^ashington. 

This was an exceptionally dull business year. 
Prices ranged very low, as told by figures in 



94 



PAST AND PRP:SENT OP ADAilS COUNTY. 



the graiu and provision market, which have 
heen the general index to business. Wheat sold 
in June at 70 cents per bushel, in October at 
50, and 65 cents about the middle of Novem- 
ber. Flour during the year ranged from .'1*3.75 
to $4.25 per Ijarrel. There was among the five 
or six mills a falling off in the manufacture of 
Hour of several thousand barrels. The provision 
trade was similarly affected in prices, though 
the amount produced was somewhat increased. 
Pork opened at about .$2.00, slightly increasing 
in price as the season advanced. By the middle 
of December 7,000 hogs had l)een jjacked, ipiite 
an increase in the product of the same period in 
the preceding year. 

Winter began early, coming in with an un- 
usually severe snowstorm on the 24:th of Oc- 
tober, but the weather for tlie tirst half of the 
season, was comparatively mild. 

A slight ripple of the slumbering ])ro and 
anti-slavery feeling oceiu'red during the fall, 
and a ciiunty "anti-abolition" was held at Men- 
don on the 29th of September, followed on the 
3d of October by an abolition meeting. The 
abolition vote in the county at the -Vngust <'lec- 
tion was 137, and 23(1 in tin- eonijression.-d dis- 
fict. 

The two <'ontested election cases created at 
the August election, that of Barnard vs. Wren 
for comity clerk, and of Con.yers vs. Seehorn, 
for county connnissioner, came up, on appeal, 
on the second of October in the circuit court, 
and were then and there exhaustively ai'Liued 
by the best talent of the Adams county bar. A 
very feverish feeling over these suits had every- 
where arisen, partly because they blended some- 
what with the county-seat strife, and also be- 
cause the.y had unavoidably assumed a semi- 
political coloring. Judge Thomas, the inunedi- 
ate successor of Judge Douglas, on tlie latter 's 
election to congress, before whom these issues 
were tried, finding tliis iniexpeeted and awk- 
ward elephant in his path at the very threshold, 
prudently reserved his decision for three weeks, 
making a trip in the meantime to Springfield 
for the purpose, as it was ungenerously as- 
serted, of ascertaining whether his decision, 
either way given, would l)e sustained liy the 
supreme ccmrl in the event of an .-ippeal being 
taken from liis court. On his return the de- 
cision was given, on the 25th of October, in 
favor of the two democratic candidates, who 
had already received the certificates of elec- 
tion, to which they were probably entitled. It 
was scarcely fair to thus impugn the course 
of the big, easy-going .Judge, but his constitu- 
tional incertitude and decided partisanism gave 
l)lausibility to the charge. Whether his con- 
clusion was right or wrong, its force was thus 
nnich weakened, and his own standing also. 



This decision, like that of Judge Douglas, (to 
the etfeet that Marcpiette, the new county, 
though as yet unorganized, remained as "at- 
tached to Adams for judicial purposes,") mix- 
ing with political interests, or being used by the 
politician, gave still more complications to the 
county-seat ([uan-el. 

Judge Thomas was a very large, fat man, an 
extreme contrast to his recent predecessor, 
Douglas, and those unfriendly to him, said that 
the mental contrast was "invertedly equal." 
This was not just to the judge, who, though 
somewhat indolent and unstiulious, was of re- 
spectable ability. As heretofore, with the ex- 
cei)tion of Douglas, our judges had been fiu' 
man.y years, home men, the appointment of 
Judge Thomas was not cordially regarded by 
some, his judicial coui-se was prejudicially 
viewed and lie was soon transf(M-red to another 
circuit. 

Two "county seat question" campaign papers 
sprang up during the season, one published at 
Columbus, tlu^ other at Quincy. They ended life 
with tlie election. The Herald, the oldest news- 
paper ill this section, suspend(Ml on the 10th 
of August, caused by that chi'onic (-(implaiiit. 
indigenous to western journals, jiecnniary 
inanition. It resumed on the (11 h of Octolier 
under the editorial control of Iv A. Thompson, 
whose management during the following 
months of high political and local excitement 
was more amusing than satisfactory. The 
Whii;- was thus for a brief time the only reg- 
ularly ])ublished newspaper in the county. 

The bil! for a division of Adams county 
became a law in February, after having passed 
through a most prolonged and exhaustive con- 
test in both houses of the legislature. It 
created a county called IMarquette, which sub- 
sequently was named llighland. formed from 
the ten townships on tlie eastern side of the 
county. Tli(^ bill ordained that there should be 
.-111 election held on the third day of April for 
county otficers, so as to complete the organiza- 
lion. There had been at home as well as in 
the general assembly, a sectional strife over 
this matter during the entire winter. The 
whole eastern jiart of the county was averse to 
a seiiaration, es|)ecially ^\iien, as in this case, 
it was made witlumt the coiiseni of 1h(> people 
who were to be thus expatriated. The western 
portion, on the other hand, the city included, 
was etjually united in behalf of a division. 
Very large and earnest meetings were almost 
daily held in various iiarts of the county, 
wherein there was much crimination, and after 
denunciation of the county representatives at 
Springfield, Mdierever their action had not ac- 
corded, with the local wish. Especiall.v severe 
was the popular stricture from the eastern part 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAIMS COUNTY. 



95 



oi' the rmuity against the aetiou which forced 
them to secede contrary to their desire, and it 
was personally leveled at those representatives 
who had refused to allow the question to be 
submitted to a popular vote. No small number . 
of aspiring' political reputations went to wreck 
before this sweeping storm. Browning, almost 
alone of the prominent public men, managed 
to come out unscathed. lie delivered an ad- 
dress on the 27th of January to a very large 
meeting in Quincy. in which he vindicated his 
action in opposition to the division. He showed 
that though this course was in eontlict with the 
wishes of his immediate neighbors and home 
friends, and also adverse to his own personal 
interests, yet that he was pledged thei-eto and 
was also bound by a remonstrance against a 
division containing 1,925 signatures, while all 
petitions in its favor footed up but 1,798 sub- 
scribers. This bold, frank position added much 
to Mr. BroM'ning's popular strength, as was 
shown in the surprising majority by which he 
carried the county at the congressional election. 

The election for county officers prescribed in 
the law creating Marquette county, to be held 
on the 3rd day of April, was less than a fai-ce. 
It was a nullity. It did not come off. With 
g, singular unanimity of sentiment, everybody 
agreed not to vote, and, of course, the county 
remained unorganized. There was thus pre- 
sented the singular situation, for several years, 
of a community claiming all their political 
rights and exercising only such as they chose 
to, contesting and voting on state and national 
issues, but utterly refusing to act on county 
matters. This was eomparativeh' easy to do 
for the reason that at that time votes undei' 
the viva voce system could be cast at any pre 
cinct in the county. The Marquette men on 
the day of the election would come over in 
crowds to Payson or Gilmer or anywhere across 
the line into Adams and there vote for presi- 
dent, congres,smen and governor. This con- 
tinued for some three years. The entire failure 
to have even the form of an election on the 
third of April as the law required was a point 
strongly urged to establish the nullity of the 
entire law. as it was claimed that an election 
and organization on that specially prescribed 
date was an essential, and that with a failure 
in this feature, the law failed. 

Time bi'ought along a partial accommodation 
to the condition of things, but not a wholly 
cordial acquiescence therein. 

The two decisions heretofore refei-red to. 
were constant sources of irritation, since they 
inevitably came up to thought at every election 
and every r.e.ssion of the circuit court. They 
involved questions that had to be met and de- 



cided, as they were promptly perhaps correctly, 
yet they were continually striven over. The 
decision given by Judge Thomas, because it 
touched upon the election privileges of the peo- 
ple, the most sensitive of all public subjects, 
was the most criticised, and yet strictly under 
the law, looking back to it in later times, it 
appears more nearly correct than it then was 
felt to be. 

The legislatiu-e had cxchided the eastern por- 
tion of Adams comity from any participation 
in the local affairs of what continued to be 
Adams comity, and this was the law as upheld 
by Thomas. The other decision, that of Judge 
Douglas, to the effect that the citizens of what 
was called Marquette county, remained at- 
tached to Adams for all judicial purposes, 
seemed valid both in reason and necessity. The 
territory embraced Avithin the bounds of the 
contemplated county, had been largely placed 
in this judicial circuit, and its political posi- 
tion only had been afterward oi'dered to be 
changed, leaving its judicial associations un- 
Touched. It stood in fact as did in former 
years, Hancock and some of the other counties 
of the state, which, though established by 
boundaries, were on account of scant popula- 
tion, temporarily attached to an oT'gauized 
county. The unreasoning prejudices of the 
time were so bitter, that Judge l^ouglas' course 
brought against him some partisan criticism, 
but it did him no injury and his conclusions 
were generally approved. 

Building improvements were not relatively 
so extensive as they had been during the two 
or three previous years, yet much of it was of 
a i)ermanent and substantial character. Some 
large brick structures were raised on Front 
street and elsewhei'e, adding greatly to the 
appearance of the place. Among others of 
the more pretentious kind, was the three story 
brick of A. T. Miller, at the corner of Fourth 
and Maine street, on the site of the old state 
bank building. This was, when erected, and 
for some time aftei-ward, the largest store in 
the city, and quite notable for that reason. 
It was the Parker building in which the Herald 
office was long located and which was destroyed 
by fire in 1870. 

Education received a beneficial advance in 
the establishment of three excellent private 
schools, a long felt need. One was the boys' 
school of C. A. Lord, which promised and did 
well for a year or two. but was then discon- 
tinued. Another was the boys' school of 
Messrs. Dayton and Cochrane, who had re- 
signed their positions in the public schools. 
These two schools were opened in the fall and 
winter of 1843. That of Dayton and Cochrane 



96 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



continued for a number of years, latterly under 
the management of ilr. Dayton alone. 

A third enterprise of this kind was the female 
seminary of I\[iss Dotj*. which, though not up 
to what the place might properly have had, 
was yet in many resi)eets, a superior institu- 
tion, and for six or seven succeeding years af- 
forded as ample and thorough instruction as 
the average ot such insfitutions in the west. It 
was at first located on the west side of the 
public square and afterward in the brick build- 
ing on the south side of Maine street, east of 
Sixth, erected specially for this purpose. This 
enterprise was much fostered by the personal 
efforts of Miss Catherine Beecher, of the noted 
Beeeher family, who thi'ough her intei-est in 
the cause of education came to Quincy, and for 
a while took conli'ol of the institution. 

The public schools "dragged their slow 
length along," embarrassed still, somewhat by 
opposition, but mainly by lack of funds. An 
effort had been made by petition, to the legis- 
lature, to have the German taxpayers exempted 
from the payment of the school tax. This 
movement was not countenanced generally by 
the Germans, and failed to succeed, but the 
agitation of such an issue was hurtful, and 
showed its effect unfortunately in the city 
council, 'i'he feeble and unsupported condition 
of the public had become such, that a public 
meeting of the people held on the 6th of Sep- 
tember, called upon the council to make an ap- 
propriation of $300 ]ier quarter, and pay up 
the salaries. The council said that they could 
not and would not do so. and that they would 
resign before so doinji'. The trustees of schools 
thf.u directed tlic teachers to discontinue and 
the schools wei-e suspended. Cooler councils, 
however, soon prevailed, and at a meeting of 
the council. Septemlier the l^Dth, provision was 
made by the issue of •^'M)0 in vouchers, to go as 
far as it woid.l, ami a bmid for .$1,200. This 
re-opened the schools, tliouuh in a crippled con- 
dition, and with the loss of their most valuable 
teachers. 



CHAPTER XXII. 

184-t. 

THE GREAT FLOOD. LIBRARY. HI.STORICAL 
CLUB. MILITARY FEELING. .SEVERAL MILI- 
TARY COMPANIES ORGANIZED. FIRST ODD 
FELLOWS LODGE. DEATH OF DR. NELSON. 
MOVEMENT TO EDUCATE COLORED CHILDREN. 
GRE.A.T POLITICAL EXCITEMENT. MORMON 
W^AR. MORMONS IN POLITICS. PRESUMPTION 
OF THE MORMONS. SMITH. THEIR LE.A.DER. 
KILLED. COUNTY SEAT QUESTION SETTLED. 

This was the year of the famous "great 
flood." An almost unprecedented rise, at the 



same time in .May and June, of the Missouri, 
Illinois and upper Mississippi rivers, spreading 
over the valleys from bluff to blutt', produced 
the most extensive and prolonged inundation 
iiiat up to that period had been known. The 
injury ari.sing from such a flood was of course 
very great, and the subsidence of the waters in 
the fall was followed by unusual sickness. 
Thi-oughout the winter of 1843-4, the j\liss- 
issipjti had remained very high, being only 
closed by ice for a few days, from Feb. 14th to 
17th, and after that time navigation continued 
unintei'rupted until a temporary freeze on the 
12th of Decemlier. 

Business during the past winter had begun to 
impro\-c and liecame more stiri'ing and prospei'- 
ous than in 1S4:{. About twenty thousand hogs 
were packed, which was a large increase over 
the product of any former season. Manufactur- 
ing interests, which had been lately somewhat 
depressed, revived and continued active. Nearly 
thirty-five thousand barrels of flour were 
ground by the half dozen mills of the city 
and neighborhood, this being nearly fifty per 
cent advani'c on the preceding year's business. 
The times still v,-ere "hard" and money was 
scarce. The only paper in circulation not at 
a discount, was that of the Indiana and .Mis- 
souri state banks. 

A course of library lectures was the chief 
weekly enjoyment of the winter. These were 
a dozen in number, prepared by our own citi- 
zens, the professional men generally, and were 
quite popular. One very interesting lecture 
given by Judge Snow on the 14th of February, 
on the old times of Quincy, was the inciting 
cause of what then promised to save some val- 
uable records of Quincy 's infant history. The 
interest felt on the sub.ject Avas such that the 
Ilistorii-al Club, which had been rather inactive 
f(U- so)ne years, proposed to the city council to 
furnish free of expense, a manuscript of Quincy 
of which the club was to have sixty copies 
whenever the same was published. Bartlett 
and Sullivan, of the Whig, proposed to print 
the Avoi'k and sell the same at twenty-five cents 
]icr volume, if the city would pay for publish- 
ing the sixty copies. The city council agreed 
li accept Ihese proposals, as soon as a copy 
should be furnished and appointed a commit- 
tee of three of its members to collect statistics 
and furnish them for the use of the club. This 
]ii-oioct, the first and only general effort to 
collate and preserve facts bearing upon our 
early histo'-y, seems to have quietly died. This 
is to be regretted, for that -was a period when 
there was much of incident and legend fresh in 
recollection, now forever forgotten, and there 
were men liien living who could have largelv 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



97 



contributed to sueli a work. This lecture of 
Judge Snow's, which is imfortuuately lost, and 
an address on the same subject by Mr. Willard 
Ive.yes a few years later, were the only efforts 
made by any of our old pioneers to place our 
early history into print in a connected and per- 
inanent form. Beyond the scant writings of 
these two men, both specially familiar with 
what they might have written more about, and 
some more extended reminiscences from Mr. 
Charles Holmes, who resided here from 1828 
to 1833, hardly a scrap of history or memo- 
randa even exists from the pen of any of the 
old settlers who were here prior to 1830. 

The military feeling was very prevalent at 
this period. It was so all over the country'. 
The jarring relations with England over our 
Maine and Oregon boundaries, and the feeling 
that trouble was ahead in Texas and with 
Mexico, set men to thinking of war, and with- 
out any immediate thought of action in that 
waj^ a military spirit was aroused. There had 
been a large and very good German company 
here for a year or two. The noted "Quiney 
Grays" had been disbanded some time before, 
but iu 18-43, partially from the membership of 
that company, the "Quiney Rifles," was or- 
ganized. Also, now the "Montgomery Guards," 
a showy Irish company was formed, making its 
first parade on the 31st of May. These skilled 
companies proved to be of much needed im- 
portance a few months later when the state 
was suddenly required to call out its military 
force in this section on the occasion of the 
killing at Carthage of Joseph and Hiram 
Smith, and the consequent "Mormon War," as 
it was called, in Hancock county. Two com- 
panies, the "Rifles" and "Guards" were 
creditably represented three years later in the 
Mexican War, the captain (Kelly) of the Mont- 
gomery Guai'ds being killed at Buena Vista. 

The first Odd Fellows Lodge, the Quiney, 
No. 12, was organized during this year. Dr. 
David Nelson, the eminent theologian, whose 
name is associated with most of the early 
religious and philanthropic history of this sec- 
tion died in October. He had become mentally 
feeble some years before. 

A somewhat singular movement, taking into 
account the feelings and prejudices of the peo- 
ple in those times, was the presentation to the 
city council of a strong petition, signed by 
Judge Richard M. Young, and one hundred 
and thirty others, asking that provision should 
be made for the echication of colored children. 
The result was as singular as the application. 
A committee of the council, to whom the matter 
was referred, recommended that an appro- 
priation should be made equal in proportion to 



that provided for the white children, and as 
there were eight hundred white children iu 
the city, for whose education $1,200 had been 
appropriated, that for the thirty colored chil- 
dren there should be appropriated $45. This 
recommendation was adopted by the council, 
but resulted iu nothing of practical value. It 
is, however, notable as being the first public 
and official action in the direction of schools 
for the colored race. It is also a little singular 
that this proposition was fathered by those who 
had been always counted as pro-slavery men. 
Judge Young long after his residence in Illi- 
nois, was a slaveholder, and had not a great 
while before this time advertised for the cap- 
ture of runaway slaves. Almost evei'y one 
living north of Mason and Dixon's line was 
anti-slavery in sentiment, south of that line 
many thought the same, but the majority there 
was attached to its home institution. A very 
few in the north were abolitionists, conscien- 
tiously so, and perhaps as many northern men 
sj-mpathized with slavery and would be willing 
to see it generally established, but these two 
classes were small and uninflueutial ; yet so un- 
reasoniug were the prejudices of the day, that 
it was common to charge the northern man who 
objected to interference with the institution of 
slavery in the states where it existed, with 
being "pro-slavery," and alike also the soutli- 
ei"u man who said a word in opposition to 
slavery, was suspected and assailed as an 
"abolitionist." This was untrue and unjust all 
around. Neither of these small factions, repre- 
seuted the general sentiment of the north. The 
extension of slavery beyond its already pre- 
scribed limits was altogether another question, 
and when that issue arose, as subsequent 
IJolitieal history has unmistakably j^roven, 
the north showed itself to be almost a unit. 

Referring to the school question again, it 
ajjpeared tliat au examination and report made 
a few months before this petition was presented 
on the 7th of February, as to the condition, 
cost, etc., of the public schools, did not fully 
agree with the report above named. Then 
the full statistics showed that there were five 
private schools in operation in the city, aggre- 
gating one hundrecl and .sis pupils, and four 
public schools with three hundred and ten 
scholars registered, and with an average daily 
attendance of two hundred and seventy-five. 
The expense of sustaining the public schools 
was stated to be $1,800 per annum, and the 
cost of each pupil per quarter $1.63. about 
$6.50 for the year. The general condition of 
the schools was at this time less satisfactory' 
than it had been ever before. 

Purchase was made by the city, or rather 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



cession iniide by the eouiity to the city, of 
the south half of block one, in the original plat 
of Qnincy, to be forever used for public pur- 
poses only. This was that portion of the block 
which in 182.5 had been set ajjart as a "burial 
ground," and used as such until 1837. The 
city had been gradually obtaining possession 
of portions of the north half of the block, and 
finally secured it all. Later the land passed 
into tl^ie hands of the Board of Education and 
a large brick school house was there erected, 
which stood for many years. This arrangement 
between the city and county, which had been 
under consideration for some years was a 
judicious one, as it afterward proved, jDroviding 
as it has a convenient place for the courthouse, 
which was erected in 1876, for which no other 
location could have been so easily secured. Not 
so satisfactory, however, was the result of an- 
other effort, long and quite pei-sistently made, 
to have a poor house, constructed mutually by 
the. county and city. After months of negotia- 
tion and committee conferences, this scheme, 
mainly from unwillingness on the part of the 
county authorities, fell through entirely. 

The Quiney Herald made its periodical 
change of ownfership, as it used to almost 
annually in those days, Louis M. Booth and E. 
B. Wallace succeeding E. A. Thompson in the 
possession and control of the paper, adding 
much to its credit and influence. 

The political excitement which pervaded the 
country in 18-14 to a degree rarely paralleled 
at any presidential election, (certainly never 
exceeded in the west) was felt with full in- 
tensity in Quiney. Its enthusiasm had here as 
everywhere else been preparing during the past 
four years, and its open activity began at the 
city election • in April, constantly increasing 
until the close of the pi'esidential battle in 
November. The whigs all over the land, miud- 

,ful of their sweeping success under Llarrison 
in 1840, and the treachery of Tyler, which had 
wasted all the fruits of their victory and rallied 
by their idolized leader, Clay, were all expect- 
ant of national success. This they would have 
undoubtedly secured but for the introduction 
of that "side issue" the "annexation of 

"Texas," which broke the whig strength in sev- 
eral of the southern states. 

On the other hand, the democratic party, 
anxious to redeem their great defeat of 1810, 
and to regain the ascendency which they had 
so easily maintained for three successive presi- 
dential terms, especially strong in the south and 
west, were active, earnest and aggressive. The 
whole country was in motion. 

As an illustration of how all absorbing this 
contest became, a hundred men went from 



Quhicy to Peoria to attend a whig convention, 
hiring a steamlioat and being absent the entire 
week. 

At the city election in Ajjril the whigs placed 
in nomination for mayor, John Wood, and IL 
V. Sullivan, F. W. Jansen and G. B. Dinu)ck 
for aldermen; believing, as it was then thought 
that it is a party duty, by which only its repute 
and strength can be sustained, to allow no 
names to be offered as proper public servitors, 
save such as are fit and respected. The demo- 
crats re-nominated Enoch Conyers, who had 
held the office for the two years last for mayor, 
and B. F. Osborne, J. II. Ilolton and James H. 
Luce for aldermen. Both tickets were excep- 
tionally strong. The whigs elected their mayor 
by a majority of 113 in a total vote of 793, 
and all of the aldermen except Jansen. who 
was beaten three votes by Ilolton. 

This election was contested, but unsuccess- 
fully, and the council, which was democratic, 
elected democrats to all subordinate city offices. 

The mayor's salary, by a party vote, was 
fixed at $200 per annum, the clerk's at $150. 
At the state election in August for county 
officers, members of the legislature and member 
of congress, the democratic ticket was suc- 
cessful by iiiiexi)(>ctedly large majorities, run- 
ning in the cDunfy from 119 to 286. Judge 
Douglas was re-elected to congress over D. M. 
Woodson by 149 majority in the county, falling 
somewhat behind his ticket on account of dis- 
satisfaction over his decision in the county 
division cases. Jacob Smith was chosen state 
senator over Abraham Jonas by 211 majority, 
and Peter Ijott, Wm. Hendry and Warren Mil- 
ler, representatives, over Geo. C. Dixon, W. B. 
Gooding and John Dunlap. J. j\I. Pitman was 
elected sheriff' over W. H. Tandy. An abolition 
legislatiA'e and county ticket received from 133 
to 166 votes. At the presidential election in 
November the democrats carried both city and 
county by a majority of 215, Birney, the aboli- 
tion candidate, receiving 149 votes. 

There Avere reported as being in the city at 
this time, 44 stores and 9 churches. W^heat 
rated at an average of 50 cents per bushel 
throughout the year, and the crop was un- 
usually large. 

The first Mormon war. which broke out in 
Hancock county during the summer of 1844, 
produced an excitement in Quiney, such as had 
not been since the time of the noted Nelson 
riots eight years before. A similar and almost 
equal excitement pervaded here two years later 
in 1846, when there came the second war, 
which resulted in the thorough expulsion of the 
Mormons from Nauvoo. These stormy troubles 
had so long been apprehended, that they 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAilS COUNTY. 



99 



created no surprise, yet the tinal outbreak came 
in such a shape as to startle and shocli the 
entire community. 

About daylight on tlie morning of the 28th 
of June the city was roused by the chmg of the 
cliurch bells and a call for the people to assem- 
ble at once at the courthouse. Then and there 
appeared a delegation of well known citizens of 
Warsaw, headed by Wm. II. Roosevelt, who, 
with most exciting declamation and under an 
extreme evident alarm, which lent sincerity and 
drew sympathj' to their appeals, announced 
that Joseph Smith, the Mormon prophet, and 
his brother Hiram, had on the day preceding 
been killed in the Hancock county jail; that 
several thousand revengeful Mormons were 
marching upon Warsaw, which place was per- 
haps by that time sacked and burned. Also 
that Governor Ford, with his attendants had 
probably been killed, and they besought the 
assistance of the jieople of Quincy. 

Following this were some equally exciting 
and intemperate speeches by two or three of 
our town talkers, who are always on hand on 
such occasion. While the position of these self- 
exiled I'unaways from the place where they 
should have remained for its defense was some- 
what derisively viewed, yet the situation was, 
or was likely to become serious. It was well 
known that the Smiths were arrested and con- 
fined under guard in the Carthage jail, and that 
Governor Ford with a small escort had gone 
to Nauvoo on the day when the murders were 
committed. A committee of twelve citizens 
had been appointed at a meeting held here a 
few days before to mediate, if possible in the 
dissensions between the ]\Iormons and their 
opponents in Hancock county. Now at once 
the full force of the city was promptly or- 
ganized and sent to the scene of action. A 
special meeting of the city council appointed a 
vigilance committee consisting of one alde.rman 
and three citizens from each ward. But the 
most practical action taken was that of the 
mayor in detaining the steamer Boreas, about 
to leave for St. Louis and sending it back to 
Warsaw, near the middle of the day, with an 
improvised military battalion of about four 
hundred men. This was composed of the 
Quincy Rifles, the German and Irish companies, 
and a volunteer force of between one and two 
hundred citizens, variously armed, under the 
command of Andrew Johnston as captain, and 
James T. Baker as first lieutenant, the whole 
under the command of Major Wm. G. Flood, 
who had been conspicuous in the Black HaAvk 
war twelve years before. 

The city tremblod with anxiety and the land- 
ing swarmed with spectators. This feverish 



feeling continued till greatly allayed when 
Boreas returned in the evening with the news 
that the Mormons, instead of rising to avenge 
the death of their prophet, were cjuiet and 
cowed by their apprehensions and these dis- 
plays of military force; that no reprisals had 
occurred; that Governor Ford was unharmed; 
and that "order reigned in Warsaw." It is 
strange that it was so; strange that there was 
not one or more of the many reckless and des- 
perate characters who infested Nauvoo to 
rouse, as easily might have been done, the 
feelings of these thousands of credulous fan- 
atics into a wild wave of revenge, which, if it 
had been set in motion, would have swept de- 
striiction within twenty-four hours all over 
Hancock county. It was not done, however, 
and the Jlormons were cowed and powerless for 
the time. 

While there was much m these matters that 
appeared farcical, and in the conduct of some 
of the parties concerned even worse, yet there 
Avas much ground for apprehension, demanding 
the effective action so promptly assumed by our 
people. Quincy, from its position as the large.st 
near neighboring city, was the first called upon 
to interpose and furnish force to put down 
these disturbances, and it became a sort of 
civil and military headquarters during this and 
the war of two years later, so much so as to 
connect its history permanently with both oc- 
casions. 

A detailed account of the ]\Iormon troubles 
would be too extended for space here. It will 
be remembered that five or six years before this 
date the ' ' Latter-day Saints, ' ' as they were self- 
styled, when driven from Missoiiri, first found 
an asylum at Quincy, where their forlorn con- 
dition induced a sympathy, which for a long 
time continued. Settling shortly after in the 
town of Commerce, in Hancock county, at the 
head of the Des Moines rapids, they changed 
the name of the place to Nauvoo, said some- 
what doubtfully, to be a word of Hebrew de- 
rivation, meaning either "city of beauty," or 
more probably "city of rest or repose." and 
here they rapidly increased. Thither flocked 
by thousands the devotees of this strange 
creed, most of them from England. 

By the state census of 1845, out of a popula- 
tion of about 25,000 in Hancock county, the 
Mormons' portion was liberally estimated at 
from 16,000 to 17,000, giving to it the numeri- 
cal predominance in the county. When they 
finallv left in 184fi their numbers were yet fair- 
ly estimated at from 16,000 to 17.000. 

Either the vanity of Smith, or more likely 
the needs of his situation, forced him and his 
people into a false position and ran them rap- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



idly to ruin. They straclv against that instinc- 
tive sentiment of public justice which will 
never allow violation. He, imagining that he 
might have control of the county, congres- 
sional, perhaps the state, possibly the national 
politics, assumed an independence above every- 
thing. He took the military rank of Lieuten- 
ant-General, claimed the pardoning power for 
criminal offenses, which is the highest attri- 
bute of sovereignity; presented himself as a 
candidate for the presidency; petitioned and 
claimed from congress for himself and church 
a separate state independence, and in all his 
actions repudiated every idea of subordina- 
tion to state or federal supremacy. 

This was the breaker on which was shat- 
tered his and his people's success in Illinois, 
the perversion of legal justice, of public rights. 
It was the "stocking" of the courts and juries, 
the subsidizing of officials and the open resist- 
ence to all magisterial authority whenever the 
tendency of such was "anti-.Mormon" that 
brought about the crisis and ruin. The Mor- 
mons might fill all the county offices and pocket 
the fees; send members in their interest to 
the legislatures; dictate who should go to con- 
gress; but grievous as these assumptions were 
they were borne until the quiet fiat went out 
and was practically enforced that they owned 
the courts; that no Mormon was to be pun- 
ished for any oft'ense ; or if he was convicted 
Joseph Smith would pardon him. 

This was too much, and it brought about 
the civil war, when Hancock and the adjacent 
counties, hopeless of justice through the 
courts, turned out their military strength, on 
an unauthorized and illegal call, to put down 
and out of existence the Mormon rule in Illi- 
nois. 

This gathering of troops in Hancock County, 
ostensibly to sustain and enforce law but real- 
ly, as everybody knew, for the purpose of 
driving or scaring away the Mormons, had 
now forced the attention of Governor Ford 
to the pending troubles and brought him to 
the scene. He had been extremely anxious 
to evade any action. During the canvass of 
1842, when he was elected, his opponent. Gov- 
ernor Duncan, crowded the IMormon question 
into an unpleasant political proiuinence ; and 
it had now become, with the protection and 
broad principles which the dominant party in 
the state had too recklessly given to these 
people, a very sore subject for the state au- 
thorities to handle. 

The Govei'nor, Avhen compelled to meet the 
matter face to face, tried no doubt to act 
faithfully, but his alternations of boldness and 
indecision were painfully apparent and did 



much to imi^air his future reputation as a 
public num. On reaching Carthage he found 
this large concourse of troops, several hun- 
dred in number, and at once assumed their 
command. A day or two later he disbanded 
the larger portion of them. 

Smith, with several of his leading associates, 
on the arrival of the Governor, either from 
policy or fear, submitted to an arrest, vol- 
untarily presenting themselves at Carthage, 
where they were put in confinement. Hereto- 
fore he had on several occasions defied, evaded 
or escaped from legal service. The original 
charge on which he now was arrested was 
■'treason.' This writ was dismissed and he 
was rearrested on the charge of rioting; the 
special offense being his order and action in 
suppressing the Nauvoo Expositor. This was 
a paper which had been started at Nauvoo 
especially opposing Mormonism. But one issixe 
appeared when Smith decreed it to be a "nuis- 
ance" iuul the press and type were openly 
destroyed. On the 27tli the jail where Smith, 
liis lirollier Iliram and two others were eon- 
tinccl. was attacked by an armed mob, the 
guards by agreement overpowered, and the 
Sniitlis were killed. From this came the ex- 
<-itement at Quincy of the next succeeding 
days. Governor Ford at the time when these 
events occurred was in Nauvoo. He heard 
of them jiist as he left the city on his return 
to Carthage, and from there on the 29th, with 
his staff, came to Quincy. People who have 
gone through the excitement and anxiety of 
a really great war may not know, yet it is 
a fact that a small war when people are not 
used to them is equally absorbing and excit- 
ing. The Govei-nor's staj^ was of several days' 
duration and when he left early in July mat- 
ters seemed to have quieted down. But they 
were far from being so. The death of the 
Smiths did not, as perhaps had been expected, 
lireak up the Mormon association. On the 
contrary, with the prestige of martyrdom now 
attaching to the prophet's name, their niimbers 
increased more rapidly than ever before. 

The Quincy companies that had gone to War- 
saw at the time of Smith's death remained 
but a day or two, but three months later they 
were again called into the field. As the ]Mor- 
nions showed no disposition to leave the state, 
and their numbers were steadily inerea,sing, a 
movement was again inaugurated to effect 
their removal. 

A grand wolf hunt was advertised to take 
jilace in Hancock in September, which was 
well understood to mean a raid upon the ]\Ior- 
mons. The Governor again came to Quincy, 
having called out from Sangamon and Mor- 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



gau counties aud elsewhere a large force, and 
with them the Rities and German company, 
who were again marched up to Hancock coun- 
ty on the 25th of September, and for a 
few days the city was filled Avith "war's 
alarms." After a week or ten days quiet 
was restored and the soldiery returned. 
An addition to these excitements was 
the bringing down to Quincy under military 
guard of William aud Shappe, who had been 
arrested on the charge of having beeu con- 
nected with the murder of the Smiths. The 
guard was rather fai-cical since these men had 
voluntarily surrendered themselves. Still, this 
added to the excited feelings of the time. These 
men were examined here and bound over for 
trial. Subsequently, in 1845, trials were had in 
Hancock county of several men charged Avitli 
the death of the Smiths, but though it probably 
was known who took part in that affair no 
convictions resulted. 

The bittcL- strife between the city and coun- 
ty, which had commenced several years before, 
about the removal of the county seat, still 
"dragged its slow length along." It had, 
however, lost its special excitement for Quincy, 
for the reason that the issue had beeu now 
changed to a judicial contest over the divi- 
sion of the county, concerning which Quincy 
felt but a secondary interest. The IMarquette 
people steadily refused to be thus cut away 
from Adams county, and they constantly voted 
at every general or special election, whenever 
this issue could come in, either against separate 
organization or for candidates for county of- 
fices, who Avere pledged not to ciualify and 
assume office. These Avere iuA'ariably elected. 
The circuit aud supreme eoiirt decisions had 
affirmed the laAV Avhieh established the new 
county, and ignored all recognition of the ter- 
ritory therein as being a constituent portion 
of Adams county. But so long as the people 
in the eastern section of the county reA^olted 
against this arbitrary expatriation and con- 
stantly refused to organize all these .judicial 
decrees were but paper bullets and totally in- 
effective. 

Consequently for a niuuber of years Mar- 
quette remained politically parentless. Four 
years later than this period, hoAvever, under 
the operation of the ncAV state constitution 
of 1847-48 this local trouble Avas cured. 

A clause Avas introduced by Mr. Williams 
and secured by his special action that "all 
territory which has been or may be stricken 
off by legislatiA'e enactment from any organized 
county or counties for the purposes of fonn- 
ing a new county, and Avhieli shall remain un- 
organized after the period provided for its 



organization, shall be aud remain a part of 
the county or counties from which it Avas 
originally taken, for all purposes of state and 
countA'. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 



1845. 

POPULATION OF CITY AND COUNTY, 19,399. BUSI- 
NESS STATEMENT. JOHN WOOD, MAYOR. SPE- 
CIAL TAX FOR SCHOOL S. MORNING COURIER. 
FIRST DAILY NEAA'SPAPER. COLONIZATION 
SOCIETY FORMED. MORMON TROUBLES CON- 
TINUED. JUDGE C. L. HIGBEE. COUNTY 
SEAT QUESTION AGAIN. 

The first constitution of Illinois prescribed, 
as a basis for the periodical legislative appor- 
tionments, that a census should be taken in 
1820 and every fifth year thereafter. The re- 
turns as made by Capt. Kelly, AA-ho Avas the 
state enumerator for the year 1845. gaA^e a 
population to Quincy of 4,007. First Avard, 
1,406 ; Second ward, 1,182 ; Third Avard, 1,419 ; 
colored, 66; subject to military duty, 987. 
These figures taken in connection Avith the pre- 
vious date, shoAV that there had been an almost 
uniform doubling of the population during 
each five years since 1825. There are no cer- 
tain figures for the first ten years. Quincy 
did not, then, find a place on either the state 
or national census of 1825 or 1830. In 1825, 
the year of its location, it had a dozen resi- 
dents. In 1830 it is estimated that there were 
about 300. The first reliable figures are from 
the state census of 1835, AA'hich places the 
population of the toAA'u at 753. FolloAving this 
there appears a census made by order of the 
toAvn authorities in 1837-38 which reported a 
total of 1,653. In 1840 the national census 
reported a population of 1,850. A city census, 
quite carefully taken in 1842, showed an in- 
crease on this up to 2,686, and in 1845 there 
is reported 4.007, indicating an even, regular 
groAvth through tAventy years. In later years 
this large regular percentage of periodical in- 
crease has much fallen off. 

Adams county, including Quincy, at this cen- 
sus of 1845, had a population of 13,511, to 
AA'hich, adding 5.888 in Marquette, gave a to- 
tal of 19,399. showiug that the city had about 
one-fifth of the whole. The relative groAvth 
of city and county has been as folloAVs: In 
1825 "the county, with perhaps 300 in Han- 
cock, had 2,186": Quincy, probably by the end 
of the year, 50 or more. In 1830 the county 
population was 2,186, of Avhich some 200, about 
one-tenth, were in the village. Five years later 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



bj- the state census the county has 7,042 and 
the town 753, still about one-tenth. Five years 
farther on, in 1840, the county contained 14,- 
476, and the city 1,850, this being one-eighth 
of the whole. In 1845, as above stated, the 
city had a little over one-fifth; in 1850 the 
county had 26,508 and the city 6,902, over 
one-fourth; in 1860 the county figured 41,323 
and the city 12,362, nearly one-third ; in 1870 
there were 56,362 in the county to 24,062 in 
the city, a proportion of three-sevenths, and 
in 1880 the countv showed 5!),14S ;ind the citv 
27,268, almost one-half. 

In connection with the census taken at this 
time a carefully compiled schedule of the busi- 
ness of the city reported, of stores, 29 dry goods, 
21 grocery and provision, 1 book, 3 hardware, 
2 wholesale grocers, 2 wholesale iron, 2 cloth- 
ing. 4 druggist, 1 shoe, 2 leather; of shops, 21 
shoe, 17 tailor. 9 wagon makers, 3 tin, 13 blaek- 
.smith, 9 paint, 6 saddle and harness, 4 turn- 
ing, 2 barbers, 3 machine, 12 carpenters, 1 
cigar; of factories, 4 chair, 1 threshing ma- 
chine, 1 fanning mill, 1 bucket: 2 shingle ma- 
chines, 1 carding machine, 2 lathe machines, 1 
ropewalk: 7 hotels, 3 bakeries, 3 confection- 
eri-es, 5 pork houses. 4 livery stables, 6 steam 
flour mills, 3 steam sawmills, 1 distillery, 3 
soajj factories, 3 brickyards, 2 tanneries, 3 
watch and jewelry stores, 6 butcher shops, 2 
printing offices, 16 churches, 3 military com- 
panies, 52 licensed teams. 

John Wood, the whig nominee, was rechosen 
mayor at the city election in April by a ma- 
jority of 138 over J. 11. Holton. The whigs at 
the same time elected two out of the three 
aldermen. Dr. J. B. Conyers in the First, Dr. 
J. N. Ralston in the Third ward : and the demo- 
crats elected Sanniel Hutton in the Second 
ward. This result gave to the whigs for the 
first time since 1841 the political control of 
the council and they at once proceeded on the 
"lex talionis" principle to act up to the ex- 
treme extent of their power by making a clean 
sweep-out of all the former city officials. John 
L. Cochran was appointed city clerk as the 
successor of General Leech. Mr. Cochran re- 
signed before his year term of office expired 
and was succeeded by Judge Snow, who con- 
tinued to hold the office for two following 
years and so long as the whigs retained a ma- 
jority in the city council. At that time and 
for some years later the office of the city clerk 
was more important than it is at present. 

Its incumbent then was both clerk and comp- 
troller combined, as the daily business of the 
city passed almost entirely through his hands 
he was expected to supply whatever was lack- 
ing of business education or qualification in 



the mayor. The first city mayor, E. Moore, 
chosen in 1840 and again in 1841, was a method- 
ical, practical business man and had been se- 
lected for that position over other more popu- 
lar and representative men for the reason that 
it was thought best to have such a man to 
handle the helm at the commencement of the 
young city's career. His two immediate suc- 
cessors were not practical business men, and 
their clerks. Woodruff, Leech, Cochran and 
Snow, were all men of more or less experi- 
ence and mark in their time, and really ran 
the city machinery. The duties of the mayor 
were then very light, except on occasions, most- 
ly confined to overlooking labor on the streets, 
he being ex-officio street superintendent. Mr. 
Cochran was an Englishman, a man of rather 
unusual acquirements, was by profession a civil 
engineer and teacher, had been prominently 
connected with the public schools and as a 
mathematician he had not then and probably 
has never had his equal in Quincy. He could 
do what not one in millions can — run up in 
his mind the addition of four figures and de- 
clare the result as accurately as others could 
add up a single column. He was one of the 
notable men of the place in his time. A few 
years later he removed to California. 

The city council voted a salary to aldermen 
of two dollars for each regular and fifty cents 
for each special meeting; before this time they 
had lieen ])aid nothing. Urgent requests were 
made upon the city fathers to organize a 
"night watch." Init tliej^ decided that the city 
did not need it and could not afford the ex- 
pense. The city obtained from the legi.sla- 
tiu'e during the preceding winter the relin- 
(juishment of the raili'oad street (now Broad- 
way) which seven years before had been grad- 
ed from 'I'wclfth street to the river, and also 
secured fnnu the LTnited States the title to 
what is known as the "Tow Head," the point 
of laud l.ving between the bay and the river, 
measured then as containing 207 acres, which 
it in-obably greatly exceeds at present. 

Judge Thomas resigned his position as judge 
of tliis circuit to take a similar place in the 
noi-tluTii pail of the state and his place was 
temporarily filled by Judge R. M. Young. In 
August N. H. Purple was appointed, who held 
the office for the three following years and 
until the new constitution of 1848 changed 
the judicial system. Judge Peter Lott, who 
had been elected to the legislature in 1844, 
resigned his seat in February just at the close 
of the session and was thereupon immediately 
appointed circuit clerk, displacing C. M. 
Woods, who had acceptably held the office for 
many years. At this time, and before 1848. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADA:\IS COUNTY. 



103 



the judges possessed the power of appointmeDt 
of clerks. Au indignation meeting of the 
members of the bar was held at once to make 
objections to the removal. This movement 
was not so much aimed at Lott, who was per- 
sonally popular and more capable than Mr. 
Woods, but it was intended as a protest against 
the summary style in which the hitter's head 
was taken off. 

Changes consequent mi the clei/tidu of the 
democratic presidential ticket in 1S44 were 
made in the federal offices in Quincy. Dr. 
Samuel W. Rogers became postmaster; Samuel 
Holmes and Dr. Pliram Rogers respectively 
register and receiver of the public land office, 
and all continued in their respective offices un- 
til removed in 1840, when the whig adminis- 
tration came into power. 

At the session of 1844-45 the General As- 
sembly passed an act amendatory of the city 
charter authorizing the assessment of au an- 
nual tax which should be applied solely to the 
support of the city schools. This was conditioned 
on its approval by a popular vote of the city, 
and at a special election, held on the 11th of 
April, although the proposition was persist- 
ently and bitterly opposed by the faction 
which had always fought the free school sys- 
tem, it was adopted by a Jiiost decisive ma- 
jority and thence became a permanent en- 
graftment upon the city charter. This was a 
veiy important measure ; indeed, it was the 
foundation stone of free school prosperity. 
There was in it, however, this one sei-ious 
defect — that the money thus raised passed 
through the possession of the city council and 
its manner of appropriation rested in their 
control, and it was not until many years later, 
when this defect had become seriously appar- 
ent, that by the legislative enactment which 
created the Board of Education and decreed 
a complete severance of this fund from the 
other revenues of the city, the independent 
school system was completed and assured. The 
assessment of 1-8 of 1 per cent, as authorized 
by the law, was made. 

With this moneyed reliance before them and 
the obvious need of school room facilities, the 
school trustees agreed to appropriate $300 to- 
wards the erection of a suitable and sufficient 
schoolhouse and the city council voted an issue 
of seven ifilOO bonds for the same pui'pose. 
Finding that the necessary cost of the build- 
ing woidd be. twelve hundred dollars the coun- 
cil increa.sed its appi'opriation by two hun- 
dred dollars more. This was the first public 
school building in the city, erected on the 
ground where now stands the Franklin school- 
house on South Fifth street. 



The Morning Courier, the first daily news- 
paper of Quincy, made its appearance on the 
first of November. It was a small afl'air and 
died after a few weeks' sickly existence. The 
Whig commenced the issue of a tri-weekly 
which was kept up from time to time, with 
but little satisfactory result. The newspaper 
men were all anxious and were urged by the 
public to "branch out," and several attempts 
were made to meet this wish by the two qld- 
time journals during this and the two succeed- 
ing years, but they invariably found that the 
time had not yet come and had to fall back 
to their previous weekly edition. 

The summer was very sickly and said by 
some to be more so than any sea.son since 
1832 and 1834. Business fairly held its own, 
though not especially active. Wheat averaged 
through the year about sixty cents, running 
from about fift.v cents in J)dy to seventy-two 
early in December, and f-alling to sixty cents 
at the close of the year. Hogs sold 'during 
December at about three dollars. There were 
packed in the winter of 1844-45 a few more 
than the preceding one. Nearly forty thou- 
sand barrels of flour were claimed to • have 
been manufactured during the year. The mill- 
ing business had become very large. It was 
in the hands of men of means and experience 
and was rapidly extending. Navigation, which 
had been difficult during the latter part of the 
year, suspended on the first of December. 

A fair amount of public improvement 
marked the progress of the year. , This was 
specially shown on Front street, where sev- 
eral large brick w-arehouses were erected, add- 
ing miicli to the appearance of the city from 
the river. The landing was also completed in 
its extension to the foot of Maine street. Mat- 
ters of temporary local interest were many. . 
A vei\v large and general demon.stration was 
made on the fifth of July, when Judge Lott 
delivered an eulogy on General Jackson, who 
had died in the month preceding. 

A colonization society was formed in April, 
with quite a large membership and much seem- 
ing eaz'nestness. These societies used periodi- 
cally to spring up immediately after each pres- 
idential election, intended to become a check 
upon the slavery excitement which always at- 
tended these struggles. Annual attempts were 
made by public lueetings and pressure upon 
the city council for action by them to obtain 
a free ferry, but they failed, as usual, the ferry 
owners offering to transport "all Missourians 
and Quincyites (excepting wood wagous^i for 
$400 per annum, but the council Avould not 
agree to the terms. 

The two local troubles, which, like a public 



104 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



dyspepsia, had periodically broken out during 
the past four or five years — the Mormon and 
the count.y seat matter — still stayed uneured ; 
the first of these causing something like the 
former excitements. With the killing of Jo- 
seph Smith in 1844 it would have seemed as 
if the predominance of the Mormons in Han- 
cock and their influence in the adjoining coun- 
ties was broken. But it Avas not so. The 
scepter of the prophet fell into the hands of 
men of more determination and ability than 
he had possessed; men who for their own pur- 
poses clung to the control of the county, and 
thus, of course, a bitter feeling and disturb- 
ance continued. Men generally went armed 
and in groups, fearing strife. Fatal collisions 
and destruction of property still often oc- 
curred. Finally the killing of some promi- 
nent Mormons, also of Dr. Marshall by Sheriff 
Deming, and again of Frank Worrell by (as 
it was charged) Sheriff Backenstos, who had 
been elected as Deming 's successor by the ilor- 
mon vote, and the taking possession of Carth- 
age by Backenstos with an armed force from 
Nauvoo, causing another flight of the citizens 
of Carthage and Wai'saw, compelled again the 
attention of the governor. He ordered out in 
September the volunteer militia from Spring- 
field, Jacksonville, Quiuey and other places, 
numbering several hundred men, luider the 
command of Gen. John J. Hardin, and sent 
them to the scene of action. Quincy was thus 
once more "roused by war's alarms." The 
presence of this iiniDosing force gave temporary 
quiet to the county. The rifle company from 
Quincy remained in Hancock county Init a few- 
days, but immediately after their return thej^ 
were ordered back, and from late in October 
through the following six or seven months as 
a mounted company, they were stationed in 
and patrolled Hancock county, successfully 
preserving order. 

The condition of affairs in Hancock was 
very deplorable and such as could only be 
controlled by bayonet rule. In the county the 
"Latter Day Saints," as they called them- 
selves, possessed an overwhelming numerical 
strength, held all the offices and used their 
power with consistent boldness. In all the bor- 
dering counties, especially in Adams, feeling 
W'as intensified against them and frequent mass 
meetings were held denouncing the IMormons 
and demanding their expulsion from the state. 
The law seemed powerless. Judge Purple, the 
successor of Judge Thomas on this circuit, de- 
clined holding the usual fall term of court in 
Hancock. 

Charges, countercharges and prosecutions 
Avere plentifully made by both parties, but pun- 



ishments failed to follow. Jake Davis, state 
senator from Hancock, charged with complicity 
in the killing of the Smiths, Avas relieved from 
arrest by an order from the senate. Backen- 
stos, indicted for the murder of Worrell, Avith 
Avhich he Avas undoubtedly connected, had his 
trial moved to Peoria county in December and 
there obtained an acquittal. A strange career 
Avas that of this man — a shrewd, daring adven- 
turer, Avith an almost repulsive, desperado 
bearing and look. He ran his course success- 
fully here and shortly after obtained a com- 
mission as captain in the regular army, Avhere 
he served for several years and Tuitil his death. 
What political or other service or merit se- 
cured for him such a sinecure, usually so diffi- 
cult to attain, was a question much asked then 
and ncA-er yet ansAvered. These neighboring 
troubles continued to be a source of interest 
and excitement in Quincy until the final for- 
cible expulsion of the Mormons in the fall of 
1846. 

Judge C'liainicy L. Iligbee, Avhose sudden 
and lamented death is in the minds of all at 
this time, the most satisfactorj^ and popular man 
Avho had presided in the courts of this section 
of the state since the time of Judge Purple, 
Avas singularly and speciallj^ connected Avitli 
the movement that finally drove the Mormons 
from the state, a moA'ement AA'hieh began in 
1844 and succeeded in 1846. He was the edi- 
tor and propi'ietor of the Nauvoo Expositor; 
the paper Avhich Avas destroyed and suppressed 
by Joseph Smith after the issue of its first 
number in 1844. Higbee had to run aAvay to 
save himself from violence. This extreme at- 
tack upon the freedom of the press did more 
than anything else could have done to excite 
a hot prejudice against the J\Iormous far out- 
side of where their local and personal bear- 
ings Avere felt and knoAvn. 

The county seat (Avhicli had noAV become a 
county division) question made its periodical 
appearance. At the August election Marquette 
again A'oted not to organize ; Judge Purple af- 
firmed the decision of Judge Douglas (from 
Avhich Judge Young, AA'hile temporarily holding 
court, had dissented) that IMarquette Avas at- 
tached to Adams for judicial purjjoses and thus 
the eastern part of the county remained in that 
most anomalous position of being and yet not 
being ; paying no taxes, haA'ing no representa- 
tion and only knoAvn in the courts. As War- 
ren Avaggishly said, "IMarquette Avithout any 
fault of her oAvn had been se\'eral times pun- 
ished. She Avas born against her Avish and 
had been tAviee killed — once AA-hen .she Avas de- 
capitated from Adams and next Avhen she Avas 
legalh" hung — to Adams." 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



105 



CHAl'TER XXIV. 
1846. 

BUSINESS INCREASING. WOODLAND CEMETERY. 
PROGRESS OF PUBLIC LIBRARY. 'MISSION 
INSTITUTE." MEXICAN WAR. QUINCY SENDS 
SOLDIERS. ANNUAL FINANCIAL STATEMENT. 
MORMONS DRIVEN FROM THE STATE. 

The winter of 1845-46 was exceptionally cold, 
more so than winters had been for several 
years, yet the temperature, though low, was 
even and regular and the season throughout 
was iiuusually pleasant. Much snow fell early 
and late, giving a long continuance of good, 
smooth sleighing. The river, which had closed 
early in December, opened late in January, af- 
fording easy navigation until the 26th of Feb- 
ruary, when it again iced over; finally becom- 
ing free ou the 7tli of March, with a full-bank 
rise such as rarely occurs at so early a time 
in the year. Later, however, in August, the 
lowest stage of water in the upper Mississippi 
that is recorded during the twenty jirevious 
years was reached and the summer and fall 
navigation became difficidt and uncertain. Busi- 
ness throughout this winter, owing to the cause 
above named, the opening of the river in mid- 
winter, and also to the general high prices, 
was quite brisk ; more so, probably, than it had 
been at any former corresponding period. 
About the same amount of pork was packed 
as had been during the winter before, but the 
prices ruled much higher and a larger circula- 
tion of money was the consecjuence. 

The close of this year (1846) showed a de- 
cided increase in the .stability and variety of 
all branches of business. The flour mills of 
the city, which had by this time become the 
most extensive in their manufacture of any of 
the river north of St. Louis, were estimated to 
have shipped away nearly seventy thousand 
barrels of flour during the year, being about 
double the manufacture of the previous year. 
The wheat crop of the county and vicinity was 
unusually large and fine in ciuality, though 
thei-e was a good deal of fluctuation in its 
prices, ranging from 65 to 70 cents in the 
spring down to 38 and 40 in August, and again 
rising to the first-named figures later in the 
season. Real estate, which had been "a drug" 
for several years, began to show a fixed, uni- 
form value commensurate with the steady con- 
dition of general business. Sales were not nu- 
merous and not at such figures as had ruled 
in the wild, speculative days of 1836, but they 
were stable. As a citation of the worth of 
property at that time, facing the public square, 
which has always determined the general value 
of land throughout the citv, the old ''Land 



Office Hotel," the "bedbugs 'retreat" as it was 
quaintly and correctly called, was sold at auc- 
tion. It was an old two-story frame structure 
of about one hundred feet front ou Hampshire, 
near the corner of Fifth, The building was near- 
ly worthless and the property was purchased 
only at its ground value. It sold for from $38 
to $43 per foot. At the present date (1885) 
the ground value of the same property would 
be probably estimated at about four hundred 
dollars pev lineal foot. The city purchased 
in July, for school uses, three-fourths of the 
north half of what is now Jett'erson square, 
fronting on Broadway, for $512.50. A few 
years after the remaining fourth was obtained 
at about the same price. This secured to the 
city the entire ownership of the block. The 
south half had been bought from the county 
about two years before. 

Woodland cemetery was laid oft' in April. 
It originally contained somewhat less than 
forty acres. At the following session of the 
legislature, by an act approved Januaiy 16th, 
1847, authority was gi-auted to Mr. Wood, who 
had established the cemetery, to make a per- 
manent contract, under which after his death 
it .should pass into the control and partial own- 
ership of the city. 

Eleven years after this time, in 1857, four 
and sixty-five one-hundredth acres were added, 
making the final total area of the cemetery 
a little over forty-three acres. An extensive 
sale of lots was immediately made and the I'ec- 
ord shows that by the 13th of May there had 
been three burials. Right after and during 
the succeeding fall and winter a great number 
of bodies were removed hither from the city 
cemetery at the corner of Twenty-fourth and 
ilaine, and a few from the old burial ground 
on Jefferson Square. But few interments were 
from this time made in the former cemetery, 
now ''Madison Square." 

Quite a stirring sensation was created on the 
moi-ning of the 18th of August, a good deal 
intensified from its blending with political feel- 
ing, when the good people of the city awoke 
to find that again some graceless vagabond had 
barked the large tree which stood in the cen- 
ter of the public square. This tree had re- 
placed the handsome elm that had been de- 
stroyed in a similar manner six years before. 
Public feeling heated at once against this sec- 
ond exhibition of vandalism and the city coun- 
cil at a special meeting offered a reward of 
one hundred dollars for the detection of the 
parties who had connnitted this outrage. The 
aft'air was ea.sily traceable, like the previous 
case, to a petty political spite, and the authors 
and actors were pretty well known, but the 



io6 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



difficulty of securing positive proof and shrewd 
manipulation of the matter by j^arties who were 
anxious to conceal their own indirect respou- 
silnlity. caused it tt) gradually pass out of 
thought without any conclusive legal action 
or exposure. 

Tlie Quincy Library, now in the sixth year 
of its exist euce, reported the possession of 
eleven hundred volumes, showaug its condition 
to be fairly prosperous. This was a much fa- 
vored institution during the early days of the 
city. Its establishment and management was 
judicious. Generous donations of standard 
books, carefully selected, of money, and the 
earnest, personal care and attention of a num- 
ber of thoughtful and intelligent men ensured 
to it a foundation of itermauence. Its resources 
were, of course, limited, and for several years 
its main reliable income was derived from the 
winter course of lectures. These were altogether 
given by home lecturers, cost nothing, and were 
popularly attended, being the weekly inter- 
esting gatherings of the winter. I\Iany of tliese 
lectures were of a high order of interest and 
value, such as few places in the West of equal 
population could produce. They were almost 
altogether given by our j^rofessional men, and 
the qualifications of the representatives of the 
three "learned professions" in Quincy at this 
time were very superior. Bushnell, Johnston, 
Lott, Browning, Warren, Dixon, Randolph, 
(Jiiiuan, among the lawyers; Giddings. iloore. 
]Marks, Foote, Parr, of the clergy ; Taylor, 
Nichols, Ralston, Rogers, from the medical 
ranks, and ethers w^ere mostly men of educa- 
tion, culture and experience, and were also per- 
sonall.v popular and attractive, hence their lec- 
tures were always creditably intellectual and 
fully relished. It was the fashion to go to Ihe 
lectures and, of course, everybody went. The 
annual revenue from this source^ although it 
was not large, proved sufficient to sustain the 
library outside of its current expenses during 
the first half a dozen or more years of its ex- 
istence. The Tri- Weekly Whig, which had lieen 
started by Bartlett & Sullivan in October, 1845, 
suspended (ui the 21st of April. This was one 
among the uuiny unsuccessful experiments 
made by the two permanent weeklies, the Her- 
ald and Whig, to esta})lish daily or tri-weekly 
journals, each ambitious to be the first in the 
field, during the first two decades of our city 
history. They were all ushered into the world 
with hope and promise, biit all died before 
teething time, and their many skeletons whiten 
out past times, like buffalo skulls on the plains, 
none of thou lasting over a yeai'. The jieriod 
had not yet ri])ened for sucli enterprises. A 
fair degree of genei'al and permanent inqirove- 



ment in building and business marks the rec- 
ord of this year. The first German Methodist 
Church, on Jersey Street, between Fifth and 
Sixth, was completed and dedicated on the 
■2mh of March. 

A large woolen factoi-y Avas constructed by 
Dunsmoor & Miller, on the west side of Front 
street, just north of Spring, and immediately 
north of that Capt. T. J. Casey operated an 
extensive distillery. This was a large three- 
story brick, the third distillery that had been 
started in or near Quincy, and in about two 
years' time it shaiecl the fate of its two pre- 
decessors — being destroyed by fire. The woolen 
factory also was bur)ie(l not far from the same 
time in 1848. 

The governor of ilissouri pardoned from the 
penitentiary on the 2!)tli of July, Tlionqison. 
one of the trio of "Quincy abolitionists," as 
the.v were then called, who were sentenced 
from Marion county in 1841 to twelve years' 
confinement for the attempted "aliduction of 
slaves. ' ' 

The otlu"' two. Work aiul Burr, had been 
freed from prison some time before. These 
three youug men, above named, were students 
at the "Mission Institute." near Quincy, and 
had probably rendered themselves amenable to 
punishment for the violation of the laws of 
Missouri, but it was a generally recognized 
fact that the trial of these culprits had not 
been impartial and just. Indeed, in those ex- 
citing days, it Avas almost impossible for any 
one suspected of having the taint of abolition- 
ism to get a fair trial in the slave states, or 
even in the border states. Suspicion w^as al- 
most equivalent to conviction in all such eases, 
so general and so extreme was the popular 
prejudice on this subject. 

A short allusion to the "^Mission Institute," 
which had so much to do with the neighbor- 
ing relations of Quincy and with its then and 
after reputation, is here a pro])ei' and essen- 
tial portion of the past record of tlie city. The 
influence which this institution exercised was 
not the most fortunate for itself or for the 
city. The original design was to establish a 
school in the neighborhood of the city whose 
object should be to educate and qualify young 
]ieople of both sexes for duty as Christian mis- 
sionaries in foreign lands. No purer idea could 
have been generated and its philanthropic pur- 
pose, aided by the great prestige of Dr. Nel- 
son's name as its foiinder and patron, gave 
great promise to its beginning, but it labored 
with limited means, its standard of scholarship 
was not of the highest and many of its students 
were deficient in rudimental acquirement. These 
causes operating upon the sensitive public sen- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



107 



tiiiieiit of tlie times and of the locality, pre- 
vented it from obtaining the proper hold upon 
public sympathy and it finally died out after 
having- accomplished some good in the line of 
its intention, but hardly anything commen- 
surate with what was expected or the merit 
of its design. Gradually after this time the 
estrangement over the slavery question be- 
tween the people on two sides of the river be- 
came allayed ; was less talked about and less 
thought of. 

With the breaking out of the Mexican War 
Governor Ford on the 25tli of ]\Iay issued a 
call for three regiments of infantry. Under 
this call a great number of companies were 
offered, and of the thirty which could be ac- 
cepted, one and part of another was recog- 
nized from Quiney as being "in on time." 
These were the "Rifles," which, as before stat- 
ed, had been doing state service in Hancock 
during the past winter, and a portion of the 
Irish Company. This company was commanded 
by Captain James D. Morgan, who in the civil 
war became a major-general. It was recruited 
np to the full standard and as sncli sei'ved 
thronghont the war: the other, not filling its 
ranks, was afterward incorporated with a com- 
pany from Kendall cov^nty in the second regi- 
ment, commanded by Colonel afterward. Gov- 
ernor Bissell. Three of the men from this 
company were killed at the bloody battle of 
Bueua Vista, among them T. Kelly, the former 
captain of the company. The Rifles, number- 
ing ninety -three men, were nnistered into the 
first regiment, that of Col. John J. Hardin, who 
was killed at Huena Vista. This company had 
a high reputation for drill and efficiency, but 
did not take part in the battles of the war, 
and hence lost no men except from disease. 
Both of these organizations served their year's 
term of service and returned to Quiney in the 
sinnmer of 1847. They rendezvoused in June, 
1846. at Alton, the city paying the expenses 
of transportation by steamer to that point. 
Later in this year, during the war, and in 1847, 
in answer to subsequent calls, a few men were 
recruited in Quiney for the regular service and 
some joined the two additional state regiments, 
but no complete organization other than those 
al)ove named went from Quiney to participate 
in the ^Mexican war. 

Parties as usual were active in the spring 
election. The whigs again nominated John 
Wood for mayor and H. V. Sullivan, George 
Brown and Nat'l Summers for aldermen, who 
were opposed on the democratic side by Tim- 
othy Kelly tor mayor and Joseph ^IcClintock, 
Fred Johnson ami Damon Hauser for alder- 
men. The election was active and close. Out 



of a total vote of 971 Wood received 27 ma- 
jority. McClintock 6, Johnson 44 and Summers 
21. The vote M'^as the largest ever cast, being 
an increase of 169 over that of the pervious 
year. It will be observed that in all these 
earlier elections to the city council the politi- 
cal lines were geographically drawn almost as 
they have continued, not greatly or often 
changed throughout the following forty years. 
The southern part of the city was almost in- 
variably whig; the central belt, with nearly the 
same certainty was democratic, and the north- 
ern section was always more or less de- 
batable. The result of this election was to 
make the new council politically a tie, with 
the mayor having the casting vote. The whigs 
re-elected Snow as clerk and reappointed most 
of the old city officers. Johnson, of the sec- 
ond ward, gave dissatisfaction to some of his 
constituents by his course on the license ques- 
tioji and resigned before his term expired, his 
vacancy being filled by H. L. Simmons. The 
mayor's salary was fixed at $200 and the clerk's 
$150 and fees. 

The usual annual statement on the first of 
April showing its financial condition and rec- 
ords for the vear past reported the Ijond in- 
debtedness of" the city as $20,640.00 and $700 
out as vouchers. The bond debt on the first 
of April, 1845. was $20,888.38. The schedule 
of receipts and expenditures showed as dur- 
ing the year-. 

Received from wharfage $1,152.3.3 

Received from cemetery 381.32 

Received from taxes 4,833.56 

Received from market house 346.09 

Received from license, grocery 686.05 

Received from license, store 841.22 

Received from license, wagon 203.17 

Received from sundries 274.91 



.$8,718.65 



The expenses of the city during this period 
were $7,621.20, leaving, as the statement says, 
"a balance of $1,007.45 to apply on the debt." 
Reference to one item in the foregoing state- 
ment of the sources of revenue will give some 
idea of the increasing commercial business of 
the place. The receipts from wharfage were 
increased $306.35, about one-third over the 
same in the preceding year. The tax levy for 
the year 1846 was established at one-half of 
one per cent for city purposes and one-eighth 
of one per cent for school purposes. 

The city again assumed the balance of the 
school debt and ordered the erection of a 
schoolhouse to be constructed in every respect 
like, and to be of eqiuil capacity with that built 



io8 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



the year Ijcfore. Water street, ruimiug- south 
from the foot of Maine street, eighty feet Avest 
of and parallel to Front street, was by ordi- 
nance laid out. The first ordinance being 
faulty in description, a second was passed, but 
the measure met with hosts of opposition. Re- 
monstrances and claims for damages from near- 
ly every proj^erty holder along the river side 
IJoured into the council, but they were all dis- 
regarded and laid on the table. The street was 
never fully established and in time the tract 
was made a public lauding. The ferry was 
free during the year, and an earnest attempt 
was made to have the city purchase or perpet- 
ually lease it, but without success, as no satis- 
factory terms could be made with the owners 
of the franchise. 

At the August election here, as it was 
throughoiTt the state, there was less than the 
iisual political interest felt. The whigs had not 
yet recovered from their unexpected and 
crushing defeat of 1844. French and Wells, 
the democratic candidates for governor and 
lieutenant governor, carried the county by 
about 350 majority, Dr. Ellis, the abolition 
caudidate, receiving 98 votes. Judge Douglas 
was re-elected to congre.ss, beating Dr. Vande- 
venter, the whig candidate, 281 votes in Adams 
county. For the legislature I. N. Morris, Wm. 
Hendrix and J. M. Seehorn, democrats, were 
chosen over A. Williams, W. II. Tandy and 
Richard Starr, by majorities from 150 to 200. 
Hendrix died in December, shortly after he had 
taken his seat. There was no senatorial elec- 
tion. Smith holding over. E. H. Buckley and 
Mason Wallace were elected from Marquette 
county pledged to oppose the organization of 
the county. Buckley took his seat in the legis- 
lature, but Wallace did not, and W. II. Chap- 
man, who had been a candidate, was admitted 
Avith Buckley and served during the session. 

Buckley f.nd Chapman, thus elected and ad- 
mitted to the legislature, gave their attention 
to such course as would bring about the best 
correction of the county difficulties whereof 
Quincy, as the county seat, was the original 
bono of contention, and this was judiciously 
done. Cliiefly througli the iiitinence of the 
former the name IMarquette was changed to 
Highland : other boundaries were proposed, but 
the real action as arranged was to throw the 
whole issue forward for consideration in the 
constitutional convention, which was about to 
be called. In that convention, finally, in 1847, 
the matter came up and was settled at once 
and forever, l)y the engraftment in the new 
constitiTtion of a comprehensive clause, pre- 
sented and pressed to adoption by Mr. Wil- 
liams, the delegate from Adams county, to the 



effect that all unorganized counties or i)arts 
of counties should with the new constitution 
revert to the county from which they had been 
incompletely detached. 

Thus was ended this strife of half a dozen 
years, commenced for the pi^rpose of removing 
the count}^ seat from Quincy. It was a long, 
acrimonious, expensive struggle, and at last 
ended just where it began, with everything 
replaced in the old position. The city and 
county had been during the year constantly 
alive with meetings and excitements over this 
question and also over the Mormon matters, 
both of which vexatious troubles, happily for 
harmony, passed now out of existence. 

The last year appeared to see the Mormon 
difficulties overcome, but it was only on the 
surface. They ripened again in the summer 
of 1847, and, of com'se, Quincy had to partici- 
pate in the excitement. The determination of 
the people of Hancock county, outside of Nau- 
voo, which A^as shared by those of the adjacent 
counties, that the Mormons would leave the 
state was met by an equally dogged determina- 
tion on the part of the "saints," that they 
would not go, and though many left, yet many 
remained, and a large portion of these Avere 
unable to leave. The military company from 
Quincy, which had been stationed at Nauvoo 
during the past winter to preserve order. Avas. 
Avith the exception of ten men, AvithdraAvn in 
i\Iay. The idea that such a scpiad could en- 
force laAv and preserve peace was farcical. The 
bitter hostility grcAV stronger and stronger. 
Each act of laAvles-sness Avas foIloAved or oft'set 
by another. Finally, in the latter part of Au- 
gust, Col. Chittenden, of ]Mendon, in Adams 
county, one of the most prominent men of the 
county, Avas taken prisoner by the Monnons. 
Pie Avas only detained one day and night, but 
his capture caused the anti-Mormon feeling to 
break oi;t beyond repression. A large and ex- 
cited meeting Avas held in Quincy, commit- 
tees Avere appointed, soldiers enlisted and simi- 
lar movements made elseAAiiere, resulting in 
the assemblage of about nine hundred men 
from Hancock, Adams, BroAvn and the vicinity, 
under the leadership of Colonels Chittenden 
and Singleton, finally organized Avitli Tom 
Brockman, of Mt. Sterling, as commander. This 
force took position in camp about half Avay 
lietAveen Carthage and Nauvoo. On the other 
hand, the Jlormons and those Avho Avere in 
sympathy Avith them in the city prepared for 
fight. The oiitcome was easily foreseen. 

The population at this time of Nauvoo Avas 
mainly Avomen, children and men. not all of 
the most reputable stamp. By the 13th of 
Sejitember, two Aveeks after Chittenden's cap- 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



109 



ture, almost all of the residents of Nauvoo 
had crossed the Mississippi, and the Iowa bank 
of the river was swarming with these hapless, 
ragged exiles. The Mormon rule in Illinois was 
broken to all api:)earanc"e and the sect dis- 
persed, yet in October the governor had to 
make his approach for the third time, Avith an 
artillery force, to restore order and clear out 
the last of this misguided sect. And they left 
at la.st. A few settled in northern Illinois under 
the leadership of a sou of their martyred 
prophet, another baud established itself on one 
of the islands in the northern part of Lake 
Michigan, while the great body of them wended 
their wav westward to Salt Lake. 



CHAPTER XXV. 



1847. 

SCHOOL DISTRICTS. SALE OF N. C. R. R. AU- 
THORIZED. ATTEMPT TO BUY FERRY. CEN- 
SUS TAKEN. FINANCE. NEW BUILDINGS. 
DEATH OF NOTABLE MEN. DELEGATES TO 
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION. S. A. DOUG- 
LAS. CITY BOUNDARY EXTENDED. NEVINS 
ADDITION. WHY NO. 13TH, 15TH AND ITTH 
STREETS. 

Business during the Avinter of 1846-47 was 
not brisk as it had beeu in the preceding sea- 
son. Prices ruled at about the same, but there 
was a falling off, both in the pork packing and 
in the milling manufacture, of nearly one-fifth 
in amount as compared with the same periods 
in 1845-46, and in the latter branch of business 
this decreased production continued through- 
out the year. About ten thousand barrels less 
of flour Avere manufactured by the mills in 1847 
than in 1846. 

The Avinter Avas not severe. The river long 
remained open, affording fair naA'igation. It 
first closed on the 8th of January, remained so 
until the 21st of February, when it opened and 
continued free to the 20th of Decembei'. It 
then closed to open again on the next noAV-year 
day. 

At a special election on the 14th of January, 
John 31. Ruddle was chosen to the legislature 
to fill the vacancy made by the death of Wm. 
Hendry. Tlie city council on the 4th of Janu- 
ary prepared an application to the legislature 
for an amendment to the city charter so as to 
organize the city into separate school districts. 
The bill for this purpose Avas passed and ap- 
proved on the 27th of February. It created 
the "Quincy School District," and placed the 
entire care and superintendence of the common 
school undei the control of the city council, 
authorizing also the appointment annually of a 
school superintendent, thus separating the 



schools from their jarevious association Avith 
the county officials. The laAV was made de- 
pendent on its being adopted by a majority of 
the legal voters of the city. This Avas done at 
the April election by an almost unanimous A'ote. 

At this same session a bill passed the legis- 
lature authorizing a sale of the Northern Cross 
Railroad property, of Avhieh that part lying 
Avithiu the corporation limits from TAvelfth 
street to the river had tAvo years before been re- 
linquished to the city. The portion of the road 
from Quincy to the Illinois river Avas, under 
the authority of the above laAV, purchased by 
parties in Adams and BroAvn counties and a 
company Avas organized as the Northern Cross 
railroad company. This company, Avitli the aid 
of county, city and personal subscriptions, con- 
structed the road from Quincy to Galesburg, 
Avhich has since become the C, B. & Q., and at 
a later date, the same interest, somewhat 
changed, built the other portion from Camp 
Point to Meredosia. AA'hich has since fallen into 
possession of the Wabash. But a very small 
portion of the original line of survey was 
adopted by the ne^v road as it is now com- 
pleted. 

Another of the many efforts made to place 
the city in posses.sion of the ferry Avas at- 
tempted but without success. Carlin and Rog- 
ers ofl'ered to sell the entire franchise of the 
ferry, boat, lands and all for .$10,000, or Avith- 
out the land for .$8,000. This proposition Avas 
considered by the council on the 1st of Febi'u- 
ary and rejectecL but at the folloAving meeting 
in March they offered to buy, for $4,000, the 
"boats, fixtures and priAdleges" until the ex- 
piration of the lease in 1853. This proposition 
was not accepted by the ferry oAvners. 

A A'ery thorough census of the city for school 
])urposes Avas taken by J. H. Luce on the order 
of the city council. Avhich shoAved that on July 
14th, there was a population, of those under 
tAventy years of age, of 2.638, thus distributed : 
South of Broadway, 2,254 ; north of that street, 
339 ; colored in the whole city. 45. The entii'e 
population of the city Avas 5.401 Avhites, 77 
blacks: total, 5,478. The tax assessment Avas 
fixed for the year as before, at % of 1 per cent 
for public purjioses and Vs of 1 per cent for 
school purposes. 

The fiscal statement made in April professes 
to shoAv the financial condition of Quincy at the 
e.xpiration of this, its scA-enth year of existence 
as a city. A comparison of this statement Avith 
that of 1841 and those of subsequent years, 
may .shoAV AA^iat progress had been made during 
this period and hoAV much it had cost to make 
this progress. The manner in AA'hich these an- 
nual exhibits Avere made up then and often 



FAST AND PRESENT OE ADAMS COUNTY. 



siuee, has not always given the clearest idea of 
the situation, since uo two appear to have been 
gotten up on the same form, each city clerk 
rendering his statement according to his own 
fancy or his accountant training, and some- 
times, as it was luikindly asserted, willingly 
shaping it so as to bewilder and deceive. While 
this is not probable and figures are said to 
"never lie" yet there has been sometimes in 
our city history a good deal of difficulty in 
finding out the truths that the figures ought to 
tell. It was about this time that the city credit 
began to be clouded and its vouchers bear a 
discount value, a condition that continued for 
the following twenty years, swelling every ex- 
pense that was incurred .just in propoi'tion to 
the depreciated value of the vouchers. The 
cause of this was the large number of vouch- 
ers isfsued and the size of the bonded debt, 
about $20,000, and yet seeming then as heavy 
as the nearly one hundred times larger burden 
that has .since been borne. 

In 1840 the city commenced its chartered ex- 
istence with no liabilities other than the old 
town of Quincy indebtedness, which became its 
heritage, amounting to $1,100,:^6, less $355.99 
cash received from the town treasurer. So it 
started out with this light debt of $744.37. 

The fiscal statement April 1st, 1847, is as fol- 
lows: 

LIABILITIES. 

Bills payable $22,108.99 

Treasury orders 246.92 

Vouchers 7,311.63 

Tax book 123.76 

.$29,791.30 
RESOITiCES. 
Less $1,511.43 $29,791.30 

RECEIPTS. 

Taxes were $ 4,892.66 

Wharfage 1,158.65 

Licenses 2.229.27 

Sundries 60.02 

Balance deficienev 1,386.09 



Poorhouse 628.74 

Roads, etc 2,242.59 

Sundries 58.09 



.$9,726.69 



$ 9,726.69 

EXPENSES. 

Fire department $ 282.37 

Cemeteries 215.69 

Salaries, etc 1.353.90 

Volunteers 254.55 

Tax titles 353.19 

Free ferry 350.00 

School, etc 1,973.23 

Nuisances 407.22 

Interest 1.050.59 

Cisterns 556.53 



Tlie greater portion of this bonded debt or- 
iginated in the street grading and improve- 
ments absolutely neccssaiy at the time. (Quincy 
has been, on account of "the lay of the land," 
an expensive city to build up. Chicago, Peoria, 
Springfield and others lie leveled by nature for 
the settlers' use. Here, the grading plane had 
to be applied to almost every acre of our 
seamed and rugged city site. These improve- 
ments comprehended no very extended space. 
Our limits were small as compared with what 
they have since become, ancl the population 
was rather compact. The city boundaries were 
Vine street on the north, Twelfth on the east 
and Jefferson on the south, and it was within 
a small portion of this area that "improve- 
ments" work was done. The population was 
mostly confined to an area between Broadway 
and Ninth and Delaware streets. Less than 
one-seventh lived north of Broadway, a few 
houses were scattered between Ninth and 
Twelfth, while south of State and Delaware 
the land was all either under farm cultivation 
or was unenclosed forest. A considerable 
amount of substantial building improvement 
was (lime during this year, among the most no- 
table of which was the erection of the four 
three-story Ijrick stores on Ilampsliire .street 
north of the square on the site of the t)ld Land 
Office hotel. This was the largest and best 
block of buildings for store purposes that had 
yet been constructed in the city. These were 
still standing. They were immediately occu- 
pied and drew to Hampshire street the leading 
trade of the place, where it has largely re- 
mained. Before this time the buildings and 
business houses on the north side of the sciuare 
were mostly inferior, but the convenience of 
the street, having the longest level of any in 
the city and the easiest ascent from the river 
and also the best road out to the country, made 
it from this time, the principal business thor- 
oughfare. 

Quite a number of notable deaths occurred 
during this year, among those who had been 
prominent in the past history of the place. Jo- 
seph T. Holmes, who, it may be fairly said, was 
the leading business spirit of the town in early 
days, died at Griggsville on the 13th of April. 
He was a native of Connecticut, came to Quincy 
in 1831, engaged in mercantile and milling pur- 
suits, and was from the time of his arrival 
leadingly conspicuous in measures of enterprise 
and advancement. Afterwards he abandoned 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



.secular bu.smess, studied for the ministry aud 
was pastor of the Griggsville Congregational 
church at the time of his death. 

The Rev. George Moore, who had been for 
over six years ministering for the Unitarian 
Church, died of con.sumption on the 11th of 
March. He was an eastern man of thorough 
education and scholarlj' tastes, with a gentle- 
ness and refinement of nature and manner that 
made him attractive in person and vocation, 
and greatly conduced to the future prosperity 
of the small society over which he presided. 

The Reverend S. S. Parr, a somewhat eccen- 
tric but eloquent and forcible pulpit declaim- 
er, who had been for some years preaching at 
the old Baptist church on Fourth street, in this 
city, where he always drew ci'owds to his even- 
ing sermons, died in August at Hannibal, 
Mo. 

Timothy Kelly, also, the most prominent 
representative Irishman of earlj times, was 
killed at Buena Vista, on the 22ud of Feb- 
ruary. ]Much sympathy was aroused by his 
death, and public action was taken in regard 
to his memory, and provision for his family. 
It is a singular fact about Capt. Kelly, as has 
been before mentioned, that, owing probably 
to the careless manner in which military rec- 
ords were then kept, his name, although his 
service and death in battle are well known, 
does not api^ear in the Ad.iutant GeneraUs 
record of the IMexican war soldiers, on the 
roster of Company E of the Second Illinois 
infantry, to which he was attached. A rather 
unfortunate faux pas occurred when Capt. 
Kelly's remains reached Quincy. ixnder the 
care of Capt. (Judge) Lott. The Quincy vol- 
unteers of the First regiment had got back on 
the 9th of July, all of the original number re- 
turning except six, who had died of disease. 

A bai'becue was given them on the 17th. 
which was intended to be a .Jovial affair. A 
good deal of preparation was made, and a 
large crowd gathered at the springs, im- 
mediately east of where now Dick's brewery 
buildings stand. Preparations had also been 
made for a general display at Capt. Kelly's 
funeral, when his body should arrive. The 
steamer came with the remains, while the bai'- 
becue was in the height of progress, .Just as 
Mr. Browning- was about commencing his ad- 
dress, and the barbeciie was abandoned. This 
clashing of the two occasions, one of jollity, 
and the other of sadness, was unfortunate, 
Init accidental. The following of Capt. Kelly's 
funeral was very large. He was much re- 
spected in Quincy. 

On the call of the Governor, issued May 5th, 
for additional volunteers, an attempt was 



made to raise a company at Quincy, but it 
did not succeed. Some twenty enlistments 
were made hei-e, and one of the four mounted 
rifle companies commanded by Capt. W. B. 
Stapp, rendezvoused, aud was mustered in at 
this place, on the 10th of Augu.st, 

This and the preceding year were the "ilex- 
ican war times," and there prevailed here, as 
there did everywhere else, the excitement al- 
ways attendant upon "war's alarms." Though 
the IMexican war was but a fire cracker event, 
contrasted with our late civil war. and there 
could have then been nothing equal to the 
intense interest which absorbed all public 
thought and action during this late freshly 
remembered struggle; yet a similar sentiment 
to a lighter degree existed, and "war talk" 
was the leading and foremost topic. Papers 
were eagerly scanned for news from Mexico 
and Taylor and Scott were constantly follow- 
ed and formed the .staple subjects of enquiry 
and conversation. 

The first constitution of Illinois, formed in 
1818, at the time of the state's admis.sion, 
had proved, or was thought to be, after thirty 
years' of operation, inadequate to the vastly 
increased and varied needs of the state. The 
real sentiment, however, that induced the call- 
ing of the convention of 18-17 to revise the 
constitution was the pressing need of creating 
an organic law more stringent, more economic 
than that at the time existing, one which might 
better avail in raising the state from its de- 
pressed condition, pave a path toward the 
restoration of its shattered credit, and invite 
an immigration which was now avoiding it. 
With a bonded debt, and defaulted interest 
thereon, the state securities rating at less than 
twenty cents on the dollar, and auditor's war- 
rants selling at a discount, one can easily con- 
ceive the existing necessity' for reformatory 
legislation. The convention of 1847 met the 
needs of the matter wisely and Avell, as the 
spring of prosperity that almost immediately 
followed after its action has abundantly 
proved. The legislature had, by an act of 
February 20. 1847. ordered an election to be 
held on the 19th of April, for delegates to 
frame a new state constitution. This elec- 
tion was held, as it happened in Quincy, at 
the same time with the regular city election. 
The whigs nominated as delegates to the con- 
vention, Archibald "Williams, from Adams and 
Highland (formerly ]\[arquette) against whom 
there was but little opposition, and from 
Adams county, B. D. Stevenson, J. T. Gilmer 
and Henry Newton : the democratic nominees 
were : Wm. B. Powei-s. Wm. Laughlin and 
J. Nichols. Messrs. Williams, Powers, Laugh- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



lin and Nichols were elected. This couveiitiou 
met in the following June, and after neai'ly 
three months of session, framed a constiti;- 
tion to be submitted to a popular vote for 
ratification in ilarch, 1848. Its general fea- 
tures may be noticed hereafter. The special 
bearing that its provisions had upon Quincy 
and Adams county, was the making of Adams 
and Pike, a senatorial di.striet, and the final 
settlement of the county division quarrel, by 
prescribing in substance that all counties not 
yet organized, should be re-attached to the 
counties from which they had been taken. 
There had been, early in the year, the usual 
number of meetings and the average propor- 
tion of excitement over this vexatioiis old is- 
sue, but the constitutional provision above 
named, quieted it forever. 

At the city election, in April. John Wood, 
whig, was re-elected Mayor, over John Abbe, 
democrat, and H. T. Ellis. Thomas Redmond, 
H. L. Simmons (successor to Fred Johnson, 
resigned) democrats, and G. B. Dimock, were 
elected Aldermen. This gave the control of 
the council to the democrats, but after a pro- 
longed and somewhat personal contest, H. H. 
Snow, whig, was re-chosen clerk. 

A native American ticket for the city offices 
polled about 50 votes. At this same election 
an anti-license vote was successful, and also 
the amendment to the school law, before re- 
ferred to, which had been submitted for popu- 
lar ratification. 

The same rate of assessment as in the pre- 
vious year — lo of 1 per cent for public pur- 
poses, and Ys of 1 per cent for schools, was or- 
dered by the council. 

I\rail facilities were now better. Besides the 
daily stage mails from the east, and semi- 
weekly mails to and fi'om the adjoining coun- 
ties, there was the twice a week mail from 
St. Louis, by steamer. Newspaper enterprise 
was also on the increase. There were the two 
standard weeklies, the Herald and "Whig, also 
on the 24th of November, a small daily was 
issued by Homer Parr, and James Sanderson. 
This was the second venture toAvai'ds the es- 
tablishment of a daily paper, and like its pre- 
decessor of the previous year, it lived not 
long. A German Catholic paper, also, the 
"Stern des Westen" (Star of the West) was 
started during the month of August. The 
foundation of the large Catholic Chiirch, the 
St. Boniface, was laid on May 26th, with im- 
pressive ceremonies. 

Judge Douglas, who had been a resident of 
Quincy since 1841. when he was appointed as 
one of the Judges of the Supreme Court, and 
was assigned to duty on the Quincy Circuit, 



had been chosen by the legislature, during the 
preceding winter, to succeed General Semple, 
as United States Senator. He resigned the 
seat which he had held in the lower house 
of Congress by three successive elections, and 
Wm. A. Richardson was elected by the demo- 
cratic conventi(ni to succeed him. Douglas 
was then the foremost man of his party in the 
state as he soon after this became equally its 
leader in the nation. He was a citizen of 
Quincy from 1841 until about 1852, when he 
removed to Chicago and was by far the most 
noted in his public career of any of the emi- 
nent men that Quincy has placed in political 
life. Although his state jirominence had not 
been cradled in this section, it was from 
Quincy, as he expressed it, that he was "first 
placed upon a national career, where he was 
ever after kept." His five years' service, as 
a representative from this district, was ably 
followed by that of Col. Richardson, for the 
next nine years, Avith a subsequent election in 
1860, and afterward an election to the United 
States Senate to fill out the unexpired period 
of Senator Douglas' term, after the death of 
the latter. 

Col. Richardson was at the time of his elec- 
tion in 1847. a resident of SchTiyler county, 
which he had represented almost continuously 
in the legislature, and had just now returned 
from the Mexican war with a well earned 
reputation for bravery and skill. As the suc- 
cessor and confidential associate of Judge 
Douglas, and from his own inherent force of 
character, his position and influence in the 
national councils was always high. At the 
August election, he carried Adams county 
over N. G. Wilcox, the whig candidate, by 
819 majority. At the same election, P. A. 
GoodAvin, democrat, was elected Probate 
Judge over Miller, whig, the former incum- 
bent ; J. C. Bernard, whig, over J. IT. Luce, 
democrat. County Clerk, and J. H. Holton, In- 
dependent, Recorder, over Edward Pearson 
and J. D. Morgan, the whig and democratic 
nominees. The entire vote of the county was 
;il)out 2,100. In the city, the local " whig 
ticket, was successful. 

There was but little political feeling mani- 
fested in this election, although, during the 
canvass, the nu^rits of the constitution, which 
was to be voted on in the following spring, 
were much discussed. It was coldly received, 
generally, by the democratic party, and final- 
ly met with much opposition. Several of its 
features were greatly distrusted. The elect- 
ive judiciary was an experiment about which 
many had doubts : the proposed change of the 
countv court system was another innovation 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



113 



that met -witli (luestiou, and that which locally 
operated upon it was the reiiuirement of nat- 
uralization for the foreigner, before he could 
be allowed to vote. 

Until now. under the constitution of 1818, 
a six-months' residence in the state was all 
tliat was re(iuired to vest one with the right 
to suffrage. A diseus.sion of this que.stion, 
brought about, among some parties, an exam- 
ination of the poll lists, which resulted in au 
estimate, not of course accurate, but approxi- 
mating thereto, of the probable proportion of 
the foreign-born population of the city which 
had, as yet, not been shown in any of the 
census' taken. From this, taking the names as 
they were spelled, and as they appeared on 
the poll books, nearly two-fifths of the voters, 
even at that early day, were Germans. The 
great (Jerman immigration, to the city, which 
had commenced in 1835 and 1836 was now 
steadily increasing, and reached it's maximum 
during this and the two following years, be- 
ing accelerated somewhat by the political 
troubles in Europe. "Winter came in early, 
though in a mild form, heavy snows falling 
late in November, and lying on the ground 
through most of the season. 

The seasons of 181-7 were marked by the 
same pecidiarity that has been observable dur- 
ing the last two years (unseasonable seasons 
they might well be called) variable and con- 
tradictory, hot Avhen it should be cool, and 
cold when warm weather woidd seem to be 
the rule, totally defying the wisdom of the 
weather prophets and tasking the brains of 
the "oldest inhabitant" to remember the 
"likes of such weather," and along with this 
mutable weather, there were noticed changes 
among the spots on the sun, similar to those 
we have recently seen. Whether the new 
"sun spots" of 1847 had anything to do with 
the spotted weather of that year, and whether 
the new sun specks seen in 1884-85 connect in 
any way with the speckled seasons of these 
last two years, is a matter for scientific specs 
to examine into if it is worth the while, not 
for these sketches to determine : but the facts 
exist as above stated, and the coincidence is 
singular. 

The most sensational even of its character 
that had ever occurred here before or since, 
occurred this year, and created all of the in- 
tense local interest that is apt to attend such 
transactions. It was the trial of Thurston -J. 
Luckett. for the murder of Wm. ilagnor. The 
killing was done in the spring. The trial 
came off at the October term. The two men 
were printers, and more than usually inti- 
mate. A jealous .suspicion on the part of 



Luckett caused an estrangement, and finally a 
re-encounter and murder. They met in the 
Clay hotel, and IMagnor was stabbed to death. 
The trial created more interest than any that 
ever took place in Quincy. The court house 
was crammed. Luckett had wealthy associa- 
tions, and nothing that money could furnish 
was wanting to aid his defense. Browning 
& Bushnell defended him, aided more or less 
by almost the entire bar. The prosecution 
was feebly conducted by the district attor- 
ney, who even left the city while the case was 
progi'essing, and it was indiscreetly handled 
by Warren, who assisted him. and the result 
was Luckett 's acquittal. The address of 
Browning to the .jury, on this occasion, was a 
most mastei-ly success, which can never be for- 
gotten by those present. 

From a partial mention made of a few of 
the operating manufacttu-ing interests, it ap- 
pears that there were at this time, eight flour- 
ing mills, Avith a daily full capacity of about 
eight hundred barrels: two saw mills: one 
planing mill which worked up, during the 
year, 550,000 feet of lumber; three distill- 
eries. Osborne's. King's and Casey's, manufac- 
turing about 60 barrels per day; one woolen 
factory, established the year befoi-e, and man- 
ufacturing during 1847 about 6,000 yards of 
flannel Kerseymere: one large tannery; three 
foundries ; seven saddleries ; twenty shoemaker 
shops. This, of coui-se, names but a very few 
of the many industries of the city. Its im- 
])rovements had .slowly extended, mostly to 
the northeast and south. As far south as 
Delaware street, it was fairly built up. south 
of that and State street there were scarcely 
any buildings. North of Broadway, except 
immediately along the North side of the street, 
was almost no settlement whatever. 

The improved portion of Quincy had not 
nuich expanded during the first eight years 
of the city's existence, and its scant propor- 
tions as it then appeared, contrasted greatly 
with the broad circling attractive area dotted 
with handsome homes and alive with populous 
movement that now gladdens the eye. The 
corporate limits continued nearly the same as 
those that had embraced the village at its city 
birth, in 1840, with but one change engrafted 
thereon. Vine, Jefferson and Twelfth, then 
called Wood street, were yet the boundaries. 
During this year, 1847. Nevins' Addition com- 
])rising the 120 acres lying between Twelfth, 
Broadway, Eighteenth and Jersey was at- 
tached. 

This tract of land had been purchased dur- 
ing the wild speculative times of 1835 and 
1836, In- a wealthy eastern company for $30,- 



114 



PAST AND PRESP:NT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



OOO, .$2r)() per aure, and it now was platted 
into lots, 60 ill imiiiber, averaging two acres 
to each, and under the operation of a clause 
in the early city's charter, which jDrescribed 
that when any "land adjoining the city of 
Quiney shall have been laid off into town lots, 
and cluly recorded as required by law, the 
same shall be annexed to and become a part 
of Qnincy:"' this, then open and unoccupied 
ground, now its most handsomely improved 
section, was, on the i-eeording of the plat, in 
JIarch, 1847, added to the city. The next ma- 
teii;d cliaiige in the shape of the city Avas 
made in IS")?, wIumi. by an amended charter, 
the uortlieni boiuKhiry was moved three- 
fourths of a mile to Locust street, the soiith- 
ern half-mile, to Harrison street, and the divid- 
ing line between Townships Eight and Nine, 
with two rods additional taken of¥ the west 
side of Township Eiglit, so as to include the 
whole of Twenty-fourth street, formed the 
eastern boundary. The legislative action 
which added to the city about twenty-five 
hundred acres of "farm land" was strenu- 
ously opposed by most of those whose land 
was thus captured, and many of whom were 
made citizens against their wish, but the pro- 
ject succeeded and became a law. 

Again, what was was known as the Insti- 
tute, or East Qnincy, a tract of about 120 
acres bounded by Twenty-fourth, Broadway, 
Thirtieth, and a line on the soiith about equi- 
distant from Jersey and York extended, by 
a legislative addition to the charter was made 
a part of the city. These comprehend the 
present existing boundaries. The original 
city contained almost exactly 800 acres. 120 
more with the Nevins Addition : and the en- 
largement, of 1857 and 1867. have swelled its 
area to somewhat more than thirty-five hun- 
dred acres, precision being impossible because 
of the irregular outline of the river boundary 
on the west. Siich is the brief statement of 
onr territorial changes and expansion during 
forty-five years. 

A short sketch of the Nevins Addition, 
above mentioned, as having been the earliest 
extension, will show more clearly than any 
other section the advances that have been 
made in property values, and is also Avorthy 
of note from some bearing that it has had 
upon the subsequent shaping of the city. This 
tract of land had cost its owners, as before 
stated, .'f;30,000. For years it remained on 
their hands, an expense and unsalable. They 
often tried to sell it. for less than one-tliird 
of its original cost, but could not. 

Throughout the eight or ten years of "hard 
times," following after 1837-38, there was not 



to l)e found in Quiney any such sum of money 
to be invested in land for future speculation. 
Finally, on the suggestion of their agent, 
that, if divided into town lots, it might be 
sold oft' at such prices as would realize them 
the return of the original purchase, leaving 
out profit, interest, taxes, etc., they made and 
recorded a plat and authorized their agents 
to make sales in such proportion as would 
nearl.y recover to them the gross amount of 
the principal of their investment. This called 
for an average value of $500 to each of 
the 60 lots. The plat was prepared without 
properly conforming to the lines of the old 
city survey, and this neglect has been a 
source of much subsequent expense and 
trouble both to the city and to property own- 
ers. Some time passed before any sales were 
made, and then they commenced at very low 
figures, but such as will strangely contrast 
with the rates of this time. 

Lot 1, measuring 567 feet, on Broadway, 
and 114 feet on Twelfth, was bought, in 1849, 
for $400. During the present month a portion 
of this lot, fronting on Broadway, has been 
sold at the rate of $25.00 per foot; making a 
total estimate value to the lot of over $14,- 
000. Lot 38, also, 176 feet by 400, reaching 
from Maine to Hampshire, sokl the same year 
for $475. The purchaser occnpied and im- 
proved the lot at once, sold portions of it at 
increasing values from time to time and has 
now, within the last few weeks, sold out what 
he had remaining, being one-sixth of the en- 
tire lot, for $5,000. The other lots were sold 
generally in about the same proportion, gradu- 
ally increasing during four or five years; the 
whole addition, thus sold, realizing to the ten 
stockholders of the company about $40,000, 
at prices varying from $3.50 to $7.50 per foot. 
These figures now seem small, but they are 
quite an advance on the first public sale of 
lots in Qnincy twenty-five years before, when, 
for instance, the entire front on the south side 
of Jlaine street, between Foiirth and Fifth, 
was sold at auction by the county commis- 
sioners for seventy-six dollars, or ten and 
three quarter cents per foot. 

This was the first large tract of land belong- 
ing to non-residents that had been oft'ered for 
sale, and it was all bought in by local pur- 
chasers, in most cases for their own use and 
occupancy. All the land in and adjacent to 
the south part of the city, was, and had long 
been, owned by John Wood, the Berrians, and 
S. B. Munn ; that on the north by Willard 
Keyes and three or four other resident own- 
ers, and the Droulard quarter, lying imme- 
diately east of the "original" town had also 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



"5 



been parcelled out to several resident owu- 
ei-s. The defects in the plat of the Nevins 
addition, were, that it provided no cross 
streets running' north and south, and that nei- 
ther Jersey nor Vermont street were aligned 
in conformity with the same streets as they 
lay in the city. The adjustment of these er- 
rors had been troublesome and expensive, and 
that in regard to Jersey street is not yet fully 
completed. It was on account of this trouble 
caused by this irregular siirvey that the now 
existing requirement was made that all plats 
of additions to the city shall be submitted to 
the council for approval before being placed 
on record. 

Maine street, east of Twelfth, had been de- 
clared some time before; not running on a di- 
rect line ea.st, but slightly deflecting about half 
its own width so as to clear the north line of 
the old cemeteiy at Twenty-fourth .street. 

The alternate street plan, or double block 
distance between the .streets which run north 
and south, was tlnis brought about. It was 
evident that sooner or later some such streets 
would have to be made, and the owner of the 
propert}^ at the corner of Maine and Four- 
teenth, seeing that if they were opened con- 
secutively, equidistant about 400 feet, as in 
the city west of Twelfth, his own ground 
would be cut in an undesirable shape. So, 
passing by Thirteenth, he secured the laying 
out of Fourteenth from Broadway to Jersey, 
alongside of his own property, and similar in- 
terests a few years later opened Sixteenth. 
The Moulton quarter was platted in the same 
manner, and the streets north and south of 
these additions have of necessity been made 
to conform. For the uses that are now made 
of the ground thus laid ovit, this system of 
double blocks east and west is not incon- 
venient, and in some respects is preferable, al- 
though not advisable for the older and more 
business sections of the city. 

One can now hardly realize that at the time 
of which we write, 184:7, there were between 
Twelfth and Twenty-fourth streets, but nine 
buildings: the residences of Mr. Moore and 
^Ir. Sherman, and their land office near the 
corner of Chestnut and Twenty-fourth: the 
^Morton cottage. noM- Buckley's, and the '"Call 
and See" hou.se. now White's, on Broadway, 
the Kingman house and Cooley's cottage, op- 
posite, at the corner of Maine and Twelfth, and 
another near the corner of Jefferson and 
Twelfth. East of Twenty-fourth, at the In- 
stitute, there were a dozen or more dwellings. 
South of Jersey and between Ninth and 
Twelfth, there were only the houses of John 
Wood and Wm. Gerry, and a couple of cabins 



on the Berrian quarter, and north of Vine be- 
tween Ninth and Twelfth, about the same num- 
ber. So great has been the change in a gen- 
eration's time. 



CHAPTER XXVI. 



1848. 

".SKIDDT TRACT" SOLD. NEW STATE CONSTITU- 
TION. JUDGE PURPLE. FIRST STEAMBOAT 
HULL BUILT. TELEGRAPH INTRODUCED. 

FIRST DIRECTORY. RAIL RO.\D MEETING. 
HARBOR IMPROVED. FIRE DEPARTMENT. 
WELLS, BULL. STONE. MORGAN AND GREEN 
■■RUN WITH THE .M.A.CHINE." FISCAL FREE 
SOIL P.\PER. THE TRIBUNE, STARTED. W. A. 
RICHARDSON ELECTED TO CONGRESS. PRES- 
IDENTI.AL ELECTION. FIRST FIREMAN PA- 
RADE. 

Another sale of a large tract of land occur- 
red during this year, the history of which bet- 
ter indicates the variations of value in real es- 
tate, such as have frequently been mentioned 
in these sketches, than does that of any other 
lands now embraced within the limits of the 
city. Its transfers were few until the time 
when five or six years later than this (1848) 
it became a platted addition to Quincy. This 
is the 160 acres in the northeastern section of 
Quincy, long known as the "Skiddy quarter," 
now Moulton 's Addition. I have in my pos- 
session and before me the original patent for 
this quai'ter section (160 acres), granted by 
the United States in 1818, to Paul Bernard, 
for services as a soldier in the war of 1812. 
On the back of this parchment is the convey- 
ance made by Bernard of this tract during the 
same year to John R. Skiddy, for the sum of 
fifty-three dollars. The Skiddys kept the land 
until 1848 when they sold it for .$6,000. It 
was next platted in 1854 into eighty lots, aver- 
aging about two acres each, and sold at pub- 
lic auction for about .'(!40.000, $250 per acre. 
What its present value is or would be without 
the improvements on it, any one may make his 
own estimate. 

The new State Constitution, framed by the 
convention which met at Springfield the sum- 
mer of 1847, was submitted to a popular vote 
for ratification or rejection, on the 6th of 
Mai-cli, ' There was a good deal of uncertainty 
attending the result. Its merits had been 
thoroughly canva.ssed and discussed during 
the preceding six months, and a strong oppo- 
sition had been developed in some sections of 
the state. This opposition generally came 
from the democratic press, but was not suffi- 
cient to create a partisan issue. The delegates 
from Adams County to the convention from 
both political parties stood by their action 
there and were sustained. The leading pe- 
culiar feature of the constitution was its 



ii6 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



economic cliaracter, and the four points chietiy 
in discussion were the reduced rate of sal- 
aries; the elective judieiaiy; the clause pro- 
hibiting the advent to the state of free ne- 
groes, and tlie proposed tax of two mills on 
the dollar to be solely applied towards the re- 
duction of the public debt. These last two 
propositions were voted upon separately. 
Strangely enough the heaviest opposition 
made, was to the two mill tax, really the best 
feature in the entire instrument. In Adams 
county, out of a total vote of 2,241, the ma- 
jority for the constitution proper was 923, for 
the negro clause 571, and for the two mill tax 
53. The vote was proportionally thus through- 
out the state ,- the constitution securing a ma- 
jority of 44,028 ; the negro exclusion clause 
28,182, and tlie two mill tax the much reduced 
majority of 10.431. Only one county (the ad- 
joining county of Brown) cast a majority vote 
against it. 

The new constitution luwing changed the ju- 
dicial system of the state by the creation of a 
separate supreme court in place of the court 
composed of the several circuit judges, and 
prescribing that these officials would be 
■chosen by a popular election, instead of ap- 
pointed by the governor and senator, as here- 
tofore, elections tlierefor were held on the 
iirst Monday in September. Judge Purple, 
who had most acceptably presided in the cir- 
cuit court of this county, declined to continue 
in this position, assigning as the reason, that 
he could not live on the $1,000 fixed by the 
constitution, as the salary for the circuit 
judges. His retirement from the bench was 
much regretted. He had earned distinction of 
being the most able and satisfactory judge in 
the line of capable jurists who had hitherto 
adorned the Adams county bench. 

It had been claimed and lielieved by many 
that the judicial elections would not "become 
political, but they did at once. Wm. A. 
Minshall, whig, of Schuyler county, and Wm. 
R. Archer, democrat, of Pike, became candi- 
dates for the place. Minshall was successful, 
although beaten in Adams county by about the 
party majority, 223 votes. He presided over 
this circuit until 1851, when a new circuit was 
formed consisting of Adams, Hancock, Hender- 
son and fiercer counties. At this same elec- 
tion R, S. Blackwell was elected prosecuting 
attorney over Elliott, who had formerly filled 
the office, and S. 11. Treat was chosen without 
opposition to tlie supreme judgeship from this 
district. 

At the city election. April ITtli, John Abbe, 
democrat, was elected mayor by a vote of 545 
to 506, over John Wood, whig, who had held 
the office successively through the past four 



years. The democrats carried the city, elec- 
ing Amos Green and H. L. Simmons, aldermen 
in the Fir.st and Second wards, and the whigs 
securing George Bond, in the Third. With 
this complete control, the entire city organiza- 
tion was made democratic. At this time, un- 
der the first charter, only the mayor, aldermen 
and city marshal were elected by the people, 
the other officers being chosen by the council. 
W. II. Benneson was made city clerk, dis- 
placing that veteran official. Judge Snow, and 
I. N. Grover, selected as superintendent of ])ub- 
lic schools. To his intelligent interest and ac- 
tion during this early period of its history, the 
educational sy.stem of the city is greatly in- 
debted. 

A special census ordered by the city coun- 
cil, in connection with the public school mat- 
ters, and very carefully taken by I. O. Wood- 
ruff, gave a total population on the 16th of 
:\Iay. of 5,896 : white males, 2,953, white fe- 
males, 2,841 ; blacks, males, 52, females. 49. 

The winter of '47-48 was long, but mild. A 
great deal of snow fell eai^ly, often and late, 
att'ording almost uninterrupted good sleighing 
throughout the winter. There was as late as 
]\Iarch litli, the day of the election on the new 
constitution, a snow storm of unusual severity. 

The first steaml)oat hull constructed in 
Quincy was during this year. It was set up 
at tlie foot of Delaware street, and was launch- 
ed on the 18th of March. The advantages of 
(Quincy, as a steamboat building point, with 
the convenient harbor of its "bay," had been 
in earlier times much dwelt upon, and hence 
this launch was ciuite an affair and attracted 
a large concourse of people. The hull was 
successfully set afloat, and towed down to St. 
Louis, to 1ic completed and receive its ma- 
chinei'v. 

Tek'graphir connnunication with the outside 
world was established in the summer of this 
year. It had been much delayed by a con- 
tr(iv<'rsy l)etween the O'Rielly, and the Ken- 
dall i.t Smith interests, which had extended 
all over the west. Quincy was called upon for 
a subscription of $10,000. At a public meet- 
ing held on the 26tli of February, $7,200 was 
subscribed. Soon after the full amount was 
made up. On the 8th of July the wires were 
brought into Quincy. The first formal mes- 
sage transmitted was from Sylvester Emmons, 
at Beardstown, to the Quincy Whig, to which 
a reply was sent, as the Whig mentioned it, 
"Quick as lightning." On the 12th, the line 
was comjileted from Beardstown to Spring- 
field, making a connection with St. Louis. 

The Quincy Library, now in the seventh 
year of its existence, reported having on its 
shelves thirteen hundred volumes, and also the 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



117 



pDssessioii of a valuable philosuphical ap- 
paratus. 

The fir.st "'direeton'" of the city now made 
it.s appearaiK-e. It was a crude affair, as con- 
trasted witli tliose of later days, but answered 
the wants of the time. It was gotten np by 
a Dr. Ware, also a .stranger in the city. He 
was an eccentric man. He projected about 
this time, what he called a "Mutual Political 
Journal." It was to be a novelty in this way. 
One-half was to be edited by a Whig, and the 
other by a Democi'at. so that the parties could 
fight their battles on the one field. The proj- 
ect died about the time that it was born. 
There had before this, been two attempts at 
making up a directory, but they were ti'ifiing, 
and this one of Ware's ma.v be fairly called the 
fir.st complete one, such as it was. 

Quincy had as yet, no railroad facilities, or 
"railroad felicities," as it was ignorantly but 
felicitiously expressed by a blundering member 
of the Legislature, who did not realize his own 
apt perversion of language when he thus styled 
them. The only railroad in actual operation 
in the state at this time was that completed 
portion of the Northern Cross Road (now the 
Wabash) between Springfield and Naples, 
which was all that had cropped out from the 
great Internal Improvement system of 1836. 
This magnificent plan which was to have 
spider-webbed all Illinois with iron, and upon 
which millions of money had been wa.sted, was 
now dead, beyond all resurrection, and with 
it had sunk the credit of the state, but a fever- 
ish feeling was everywhere prevalent that the 
interior resources of the state outside the range 
of lake and river navigation should be reached 
after and developed. Railroad meetings 
had been held here in December, 1847, and in 
January and later in the year 1848. These 
movements culminated soon after in the build- 
ings of the C. B. & Q.. and afterward, the Wa- 
bash to Quincy and the commencement of our 
great railroad bond indebtedness. The state 
sold its unfinished railroads ; and that portion 
of the "Northern Cross" west of the Illinois 
river, \:pon which some hundreds of thousands 
of dollars had been expended, was purchased 
by parties in Adams and Brown counties for 
$8,000. The company commenced work, but 
not very .successfully, and finally merged their 
ownership and interests with the city by 
whose large subscription mainly the roads 
were constructed. 

The city council with an eye, that it has al- 
ways had. sometimes with more zeal than 
judgment, towards advancing the material gen- 
eral prosperity of the city, appropriated $500 
towards the improvement of the harbor con- 



ditioned on the citizens subscribing an equal 
amount. The appropriation stood, but the in- 
dividual subscriptions were laggard. At their 
May meeting the council, acceding to the re- 
cpiest of the city council of Alton, passed reso- 
tions of remonstrance against the action of 
the city of St. Louis in the building of a dyke 
from Bloody Island to the Illinois shore, thus 
forcing the Mississippi into the narrow channel 
that it now has between this island and the 
Missouri shore. This was the commencement 
of a controversy between Illinois and Missouri 
interests, which lasted, and controlled our leg- 
islature for the following fifteen years. The 
issue was. that all public improvements in Il- 
linois should be for the benefit solely of points 
in Illinois, and not for places in either of the 
states on our eastern or western boundary. 
That is all forgotten now. 

The fire depai'tment. which Quincy has al- 
wa.vs had reason to pride itself on, took its best 
■start this year. Its inception was in 1838 
when the town bought four ladders, twelve 
buckets and .six firehooks, which led at once 
to the formation of a hook and ladder com- 
pany. This was followed in 1839 by the pur- 
chase of a fire engine at a cost of $1,12.5, aud 
the organization of Fire company No. 1. It 
would be amusing now to read the list of the 
now "grave and revered seniors," Wells, 
Bull, Stone, Morgan, Green and others, the 
young bucks of that time who "ran with the 
machine." Another engine, a second-hand one 
from St. Louis, the "Mai'ion," was purchased 
by the cit.v for the sum of $600, a companj-, No. 
2, formed of similar men to those above named 
and from the emulation that sprang at once 
came the high efficiency and repute which this 
department of the city institiitions has always 
maintained. 

The annual fiscal statement for the year end- 
ing April. 1848, exhibited a much larger reve- 
nue than that of any of the preceding eight 
years, and also a corresponding increase of ex- 
penditure. The total expense record of the 
city was $15,794.05. and as showing how and 
where the money went, among the larger items 
of account were for salaries, $1,547.86 : streets, 
$2,600; schools, $1,841.88; poorhouse and pau- 
pei's. $1,142.46; public lancting, $635.65; inter- 
est on debt. $1,498.90; fire department, $258.88. 
There was received from taxes, $6,271 ; wharf- 
age. .$1,147.31; licenses. $2,656.97. 

The bonded debt at this time was compara- 
tively small and the interest was regularly 
met. The credit of the city was good, vouch- 
ers generally pa.ssed at a little less than face 
value, and it was not until some years later 
that they declined to the ruinous rate of dis- 



ii8 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



count under which they weakened for twenty 
years or more. It was a costly after-page in 
the city history, when for many years, its war- 
rants and vouchers bore a depreciated value of 
from thirty to forty percent, causing an equiv- 
alent addition to the cost of every public im- 
provement or expenditure and adding ju.st so 
much more to the increasing pecuniary bur- 
den. The usual tax levy was ordered of ^2 of 
one per cent for general and Vy of one per cent 
for school purposes. The schools were now in 
a prosperous and improving condition. An 
attempt was made by the colored citizens to 
obtain a separate public school. Several meet- 
ings were held and the council was petitioned 
in that behalf, but the matter was deferred 
and nothing came of it. 

The past experiments of the city in running 
the ferry had never given satisfaction and it 
was now licensed to the charter owners for 
$61 per month. 

The winter l}usiness of 1847-48 figured up 
fairly, the price of hogs ran from $1.75 to 
$2.15, and 19,906 were reported as packed, the 
largest number yet known._ Wheat through 
the season averaged about In cents. The mills 
• reported in the fall about 3,000 bushels ground 
daily. Quite a loss to the place occurred on 
the "l8th of September in the destruction by 
fire of Miller's woolen factory, which had been 
well operated for the past two years. A se- 
vere tornado struck the city on the 21st of 
June, destroying several buildings and doing a 
good deal of general damage. 

Another weekly newspaper made its appear- 
ance on the 13th of September. It was called 
the Quincy Tribune and Free Soil Banner, 
edited by an association of gentlemen. It was 
as its name indicated, an anti-slavery exten- 
sion or "Wilmot proviso" journal and sup- 
ported the Van Buren and Adams electoral 
tickets. It was spicily conducted during the 
campaign, but the publication ceased in the 
following year. On the first of December was 
issued the Western Ijaw Journal, edited by 
Chai'les Oilman, reporter for the Illinois Su- 
preme Court. It was the first legal journal of 
its kind in the state and continued in monthly 
publication until the death of its editor a year 
or two later. 

At the August election, the last which was 
held in that month, the new constitution hav- 
ing changed the time to November, Wm. A. 
Richardson was re-elected to congress without 
opposition, and the democrats carried the 
county by majorities varying from 200 to 350. 
O. C. Skinner, J. Marritt and Jonathan Dear- 
born were elected to the house over B. D. Stev- 
enson, J. Ii'win and Hans Patten, the district 
embracing Adams and Brown counties; H. L. 



Sutphin was chosen state senator from Adams 
antl Pike, beating Archibald Williams five 
votes in Adams and much more in Pike. There 
was a good deal of interest over the election of 
circuit clerk and recorder. It was the first 
time this office had become elective. Abraham 
Jonas was the whig candidate and Peter Lott, 
I. O. W^)odrutt' and C. ]\I. Woods were in the 
field as democratic candidates. The day be- 
fore the election the latter two withdrew in 
favor of Lott, who was thus successful over 
Jonas by 323 majority. 

The presidential election in 1848 was 
marked by the earnestness and excitement 
which always attends these contests, but it 
])ossessed a peculiar interest from the presence 
of a third factor in the field. This was the 
free soil party, with Martin Van Buren and 
Charles Francis Adams as its candidates for 
the Presidency and Vice Presidency. This 
movement operated powerfully in the north- 
eastern states and to a lighter degree in the 
west, but it cut sufficiently into both of the two 
great parties everywhere to shadow the result 
with uncertainty. The close completeness of 
this canvass and the vote drawn out, is shown 
by the fact that at the state election in August 
the highest total vote cast in Adams county 
(now consolidated by reunion with Marquette) 
was 3,329 ; while three months later in No- 
vember, at the presidential election, these fig- 
ui-es i-ose to 4,488, out of which Cass, the demo- 
cratic nominee, received 203 more than Taylor, 
the whig candidate. This majority was all 
nuide in the eity, the countj^ vote outside of 
Quincy being an exact tie between the two. 
Van Buren 's vote was 261. The election lay 
undecided for several days, and it was not 
until late on the night of Friday after the day 
of election, tli;it the telegraph brought the re- 
turns fi-cnn three southern states assuring the 
victory to the whigs. 

The eity was made lively at once, but the 
result had been so long in doubt and each side 
was so hopeful that for awhile both parties 
were on the hurrah, and it took some time for 
them to unmix and the beaten ones to go 
to lied again. An odd little incident oc- 
curred in connection with this election. It 
was the fii'st election by ballot that had been 
held in the state, and the writer, with another, 
started out the day before to distribute the 
printed whig tickets at several precincts in the 
county, and voted at one of them on the day 
following. It happened that there were no 
Van Buren tickets there, and several sturdy 
democrats were present who had long looked 
to IMr. Van Buren as their political leader, and 
were desirous of voting for him. No one knew 
the names of the free soil electors, and we 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



T19 



were called upon, but could only remember the 
two leading names. These we gave, and a 
ticket was written out, headed with Van Bu- 
ren's name and these two electors only, which 
received some ten or fifteen votes. These were 
counted and canvassed, no exception being 
taken, a procedure that would not go through 
anywhere nowadays, unless in Chicago. 

The first fireman's parade, of which the city 
has since had so many, came off on the -ith of 
July. It was a successful event. The two 
Quincy companies and a visiting company 
from St. Loviis formed the procession and par- 
ticipated in the contests. A pleasant episode 
occuri-ed on the 26th of October, on the occa- 
sion of the retirement of Judge Purple from 
the bench where he had so populai'ly presided 
for several years. It was the presentation of 
an address and resolution of regret to which 
the Judge feelingly responded, which was fol- 
lowed by a farewell banquet given by the 
members of the bar. 



CHAPTER XXVII. 



1S49. 

TAXATION OF CITY PROPERTY FOR COUNTY 
PURPOSES. PUBLIC READING ROOM. FE- 
MALE SEMIN.A.RY ESTABLLSHED ON MAINE 
STREET. FINANCIAL. CHOLER.\. CALIFOR- 
NIA EIMIGRATIOX. J. JI. HOLMES. THESPIAN 
SOCIETY. PICKETT, THE FAMOUS CONFED- 
ERATE GENER.\L. AN .AM.\TEUR ACTOR. POP- 
ULAR LECTURES. LIBRABY. SLANDER SUIT 
OF BROOKS AND BARTLETT. R.AILROADS 
AGAIN. CHANGE IN COUNTY GOVERNMENT. 

The vexed matter of the taxation of city 
property for county purposes became a matter 
of consideration and conference between com- 
mittees of the city council and the county com- 
missioners, but there was no result reached. 
At the November election the ciiiestion of 
adopting township organization for the county 
wa.s submitted and carried by a vote of 1754 
to 453, every precinct in the county voting for 
the measure except Quincy, where the vote 
stood 228 for to 276 against, the Quincy vote 
being largely influenced by the belief of many 
that if the city became a township it would in- 
jure its chances of remaining as the county 
seat. This was unfortunate. Heretofore the 
estrangement between city and countj^ had 
been caused by the county seat quarrel. Now, 
and for nearly forty years after, there was 
added to this the issue of unequal taxation. 
That the Quincy people had some foundation 
for their fears is .shown by the fact that in De- 
cember an effort was made to re-open the old 
county seat matter through an application to 
the county court to have the case reinstated. 
It did not, however, prevail. 



The cause of most of the discordance be- 
tween the city and county was an article in the 
first charter, passed by the Ijegislature. in 
1840, exempting "the inhabitants of the city of 
Quincy ***** from any tax for coun- 
ty purposes, except for the completion of the 
county jail, now being erected in said city." 
This puerile provision quietly interpolated into 
the charter with the thought perhaps that 
somethiui;- might be gained thereby, attracted 
but little attention at first, but soon after 
proved to be a "Pandora's box" of evil and 
dissension. It was unnecessary, as subsequent 
history has shown, but it long served as a 
source from which prejudice, jealousy, per- 
.sonal interests, and political demagoguery 
could always make material for discord and 
strife. This is to a great degree now allayed, 
but it was throughout the lifetime of a genera- 
tion and a half an ever festering soi"e. 

A public reading room, which had been 
started late in the fall preceding, on cj^uite an 
extensive scale, flourished well through the 
early part of this year. Its rooms were on 
Fourth street, between Slaiue and Jersey, and 
it announced as having on its files over 60 
newspapers. It was popularly patronized for 
a brief time, but, like several other institutions 
of the same kind in the past, its life was bi'ief, 
scarcely reaching into the second year. 

Educational interests were roused by the 
comins' to the city of Miss Catherine Beecher, 
of the well-known Beecher family, who had de- 
voted herself to the establishment of female 
schools. Under the stimulus of Miss Beecher 's 
prestige and presence much interest was 
awakened and at a public meeting on ]\Iay 31 
the project was set on foot to establish a first- 
class female seminary, many of the leading 
people giving favor to the enterprise. It con- 
templated an expenditure of $10,000 in ground, 
buildings, etc. The school was located on 
Maine, near the corner of Sixth street, and 
connnenced with high expectations. It was 
superior to any that had preceded it, but it 
finally went the way of the others, after a 
duration measured more by months than by 
years. 

The annual fiscal statement for the year end- 
ing April 1, 1849, gave a clearer idea in its de- 
tail and summary of the financial condition of 
the city, than had been usually made in these 
periodical exhibits. From that it appears that 
the receipts into the treasury, from all sources 
had been, during the year, $12,718.92; while 
the expenditures during the same period were 
$12,217.88. The liabilities of the city were 
placed at $35,834.65, a large portion of which 
was the outstanding vouchers. The debt of 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



the city, as suiuHi;irizt.'d in this statement, was: 
Treasury orders, .$24(j.:t:^ : bills payable. $25.- 
056.19; vouchers in circulation. $1,927.39: to- 
tal, $27,230.50. It was an important period in 
the financial record of the city, for the reason 
that during this year there came the first large 
demand for the i)ayment of the outstanding 
and matured city bonds, which now had to be 
paid or provided for in some way, and with 
this came also as the necessary consequence — 
Quincy's first experiment in "refunding." 
This became now a necessity and it was at- 
tended to later in the year, as will be told in 
its time and place, but it struck at a time when 
the city credit was at a very low ebb, and. of 
course, we had to pay for it. The current ex- 
penses of the past year were not large. The 
street appropriations were very small com- 
pared with those of earlier years, being but 
$2,711.15 ; the ferry, always an annoyance and 
expense, had cost $1.552.86 ; and the fire de- 
partment liad needed $1,121.21. To these, add 
the interest account of $1,293.12, and all the 
chief items over $1,000.00 of expenditure are 
recited. Yet there were many minor exijeuses 
which swelled tlu> total of expenditure to an 
equality with the receipts, leaving nothing 
wherewith to meet the accruing debt. 

^Iv. Oonyers. who was chosen mayor now for 
the third time, having been elected in 1842 and 
1843 and a candidate for the same in 1844. He 
was a man of much personal popularity and 
usefulness as a public citizen. Beside the serv- 
ice he had rendered the city as mayor, he had 
formerly been one of the town trustees, and 
had also held other positions of public trust. 
It was his fate to die of cholera three months 
after his election, honored and lamented. He 
was the first mayor who died in office. There 
has been but one like occurrence since, W. T. 
Rogers died in 1880, near the close of his sec- 
ond term. The office vacated by the death of 
Mayor Conyers was filled at a special election, 
on August 20. when Samuel Holmes was 
chosen. Mr. Holmes had just been removed 
from the position of register of the public land 
office which he had acceptably filled. He was 
an enterprising and popular man, though an 
extreme partisan. No opposition was made to 
his election. 

The change of administration by the elec- 
tion of Taylor as President in 1848, made the 
usual official changes here, whigs easily ad- 
.iusting themselves to the seats that had been 
for years past filled by democrats. Abraham 
Jonas became postmaster, succeeding Dr. S. W. 
Rogers. Archibald Williams was appointed 
United States District Attorney for Illinois. 
Dr. Hiram Rogers and Samuel Holmes, Re- 
ceiver and Register of the public land office. 



were succeeded respectively by H. V. Sullivan 
and Henry Asbury. 

The city debt question occupied the atten- 
tion of the council throughout the first six 
months of their sessions. At the first meeting 
on IMay 1st the subject came up and a resolu- 
tion passed authorizing a loan of $20,000 and 
the issuing of an equal amount of bonds bear- 
ing six per cent interest. Some irregularities 
in the early proceedings, the death of the 
mayor and other causes, delayed the consum- 
mation of this project, altliough it was con- 
stantly liefore the council until Octt)l)er 26, 
when the order passed upon Avhicli the transac- 
tion was completed, and twenty "Special Loan 
Bonds" of $1,000 each, drawing 6 per cent in- 
terest, were issued and immediately purchased 
by Page & Bacon, of St. Louis, for eighty cents 
on the dollar, the council ratifying the sale. 
At this time (October) Mayor Holmes officially 
]iublislied the entire corporation debt as 
amounting to $28,642.03. drawing six per cent 
interest, that $15,005.70 was now due, and that 
the city reveiuie was $13,500. In this state- 
ment he did not mention the property owned 
by the rily. wlii<'h would have fairly footed up 
111 ail aiiiiiiiiil iiini'h over its indebtedness. The 
cily was then unquestionably solvent. Propo- 
sitiuus looking to economy and limitation of 
cxpcnditui-es were made and to some extent 
carried out. Tlic salary of the mayor and of 
the city i-lcrk was fixed at $250 each, and like 
measures taken towards curtailment. This 
was an expensive year on account of the chol- 
era which raged so fatally through the hot 
months, and the consetiueut depressiim cif busi- 
ness and other causes. 

Tliis was a gloomy and depressed period for 
Quincy. as it was for nearly every other place 
in the west. Pestilence placed its paralyzing 
hand on all interests with a grasp and weight 
that can only be realized by those who have 
felt its dark experience. The conditions of 
sixteen years before were repeated, when, pre- 
ceded by two sickly seasons of fever, the Asiatic 
cholera, decimated, within one week, the en- 
tire population of the little village, then con- 
taining between four and five hundred people. 
Many of the early settlers still vividly retained 
an apprehensive recollection of the sad scenes 
through which they had gone during that brief 
visitation of this desolating scourge. The 
smallixix. a more odious pest than the cholera, 
had in the winter and early spring prevailed 
to such an extent as to arouse public alarm and 
to call for the preventive action of the author- 
ities, in the prescribing of general vaccination, 
isolation of the sick, establishing a pest house, 
etc. Its ravages had nearly ceased, when the 
moi'e fearful foe appeared, not unexpectedly. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



The imcertaiiities that surrounded its stealthy 
coming gave it (aided by its chief agent, 
Fright,) a greatly increased fatality. 

Duiing the preceding year it had swept 
through the seaboard and lake cities and early 
in the spring developed itself in the ]Mi.ssis- 
sippi Valley, coming iipon Quincy like a light- 
ning stroke. On Satni-day, ]Mareh 17th. five 
eases were reported, all of which proved fatal 
during the night and Sunday. Two of them 
were four miles north in the country, at ilil- 
ler's or Leonard's ]\Ii]l. The other three were 
in the south part of the city. Only one more 
death occurred during this month, and none in 
April, thus giving hope that the blast had 
passed by, but with a like suddenness it reap- 
peared on the 13th of ]\Iay, when five deaths 
were reported, and before the end of the 
month seven additional fatal eases occurred : 
yet on the 1st of June and for the following 
ten days there were none. But, with a dead- 
lier stroke it returned for the third time, on 
the 11th of June, and from that time continued 
to increase in the number of cases and malig- 
nancy, up to the 4th week in July, when it 
commenced abating. About the fir.st week in 
September it finally disappeared. 

How it affected public feeling and business 
is expressed by the Whig, which, in its issue of 
July 10th, says: "The sickness last week, and 
the increased number of deaths, seems to have 
spread a gloom over the city, visible in the 
countenances of all. It is indeed a trying time 
in the history of Quincy. All business in a 
measure is suspended. Our country friends 
seem to have deserted us, but few visit the 
city, and those only Avho are compelled to do 
so, to provide the necessaries for the harvest. 
Travel, to a great extent, on the river, is sus- 
pended for the present, and the packets now 
plying between this citj- and St. Louis are 
probably not paying expenses. How long this 
state of gloom and despondency is to last, the 
(Jreat Disposer of events only knows." 

Two hundred and thirty-six deaths from 
cholera were officially reported as late as the 
latter part of August, when the disease had 
nearly run its course, but this record is de- 
fective, since many burials were unreported. 
The distinction between deaths from "ehoL 
era" and "other causes" was for reasons that 
will be understood, usually made to discredit 
the extent of the epidemic so as to allay appre- 
hension. An addition of at least one hundred 
to the above figures would be not far from 
correct. The heaviest mortality was in the last 
week in July, when 44 deaths were reported, 
the total number reported for this month be- 
ing 142, and the most deaths on any one day 
being 15 on the 29th. 



Beside its free ravage among the immigrants 
it found a field among the families which, be- 
cause of the unusually high water, were driven 
from the bottom lands, neai- the city, and had 
crowded themselves together in temporary 
homes. Therein was a feast for the pest. In 
one hoiTse, thus occupied, on Vermont street, 
eight died within three days. In a German 
family, on the corner of Jefferson and Seventh, 
consisting of eight persons, all died save one, 
an infant. It destroyed entire families. The 
wife of a well-known Magistrate. Prentiss, was 
taken by it and died on Monday. On Thurs- 
day the grave was opened for the husband. 
Dr. Stahl, the earliest German physician, who 
had more to do with the disease than any other, 
lost his wife and child almost at the same time. 
Dr. Barlow rode out to visit a patient, a mile 
east of the city, was there caught by the chol- 
era and died, and in a week his wife followed 
him. The Mayor of the city, Enoch Conyers, a 
man of rather ranusual physical health and reg- 
ularity of life, was suddenly cut down on the 
21st of July. Rusk, a prominent Odd Fellow, 
died, "of cholera," and was buried by his 
lodge on the 23rd. Charles Gilman, a promi- 
nent lawyer, reporter for the Supreme Court, 
attended this funeral, officiated, and in the 
morning he was dead. No appreciation of the 
condition can be derived from description, nor 
can any words picture the general despondence 
of feeling. The morning enquiry was: "Who 
is dead?" 

Singularly enough, during all this time, 
while tM-ice the epidemic had apparently left 
the city, it continiiously infected the steam- 
boats i)lying the river. In early June, at a 
time when there were no cases in the city, a 
steamer — the Uncle Toby — passed up the river, 
landed here with three dead bodies on board 
and before it reached Rock Island there Avere 
twenty-four more added to the death list. 

Public meetings were held to demand more 
complete sanitary measures, and the council 
ordered the examination of all strangei's com- 
ing into the city, appointed inspectors of 
health for each ward, made free appropriations, 
established a pest house, etc., but the disease 
had its own way. and it was proven that no 
measures can ever drive away this fell de- 
stroyer when preventive precautions have been 
neglected. 

It is a cTU'ious fact connected with the chol- 
era record of Quincy, a fact that perhaps may 
be worth scientific investigation, that on its 
first and second brief visits the victims were 
almost wholly strangers. Five of the six who 
died here in March and nine out of the twelve 
reported in May, were non-residents or new- 
comers, but on the third appearance in June, it 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



struck equally at all classes of the eoinimuiity, 
although its ravages were more general among 
the German citizens. It then seemed to have 
thoroughly planted itself and pervaded the 
place so that neither vigorous health, regulai'- 
ity of life, careful precaution and avoidance 
of conditions which were supposed to invite 
the epidemic, were safeguards from attack. 
When it reappeared during the two following 
years of 1850 and 1851, though with far less 
fatal effect, the cases were isolated and in all 
ranks of society. This peculiarity led to the 
predi(!tion, favored by some very high medical 
authority, that the cholera had or would be- 
come a permanent disease of the ilississippi 
valley, as much so as it is reckoned to be in 
the valley of the Ganges, a prophecy which was 
dissipated by after experiences, and now is no 
longer regarded. Fright was the plague's best 
ally, as it was in 1832. 

It is said that a prominent lawyer, who was 
afterward a supreme .judge and governor of 
the state, hearing, while at breakfast, that the 
"cholera had come," gathered his family and 
what of furniture he could hastily pack, and 
hurried away as fast as horseflesh could draw 
him, leaving his house open and the breakfast 
dishes still on the table. In many cases people 
fled in almost equal haste at this time, and it 
not infrequently happened that they took the 
disease with them. The spread of the epidemic 
was, however, slight in the adjacent porti(nis 
of the eonnty. 



CALIFORNIA EMIGRATION. 

California emigration was the great all ab- 
sorbing event of this year. The gold discov- 
eries on the Pacific coats in the preceding year 
aroused and fostered a fever of excitement 
and restlessness such as the country had never 
before known and can never know again ; irre- 
sistible in its spread and permeating every 
class and condition of society. Though cupid- 
ity and gold getting wa.s the primal incentive, 
and the basis of this great movement, yet the 
activity of almost every other restless passion 
gave to it an added stimulus. Curiosity, the 
spirit of adventure, love of novelty, the con- 
tagion of that feeling which makes men rush 
in wherever others are, so started a swarm of 
hnman wanderers, such as on this continent 
will never again be witnessed. Flowing from 
every section of the land, the united adven- 
turesomeness of the east, south and north 
poured itself in an increasing stream, across 
the great grass plains, and through the lone 
gorges of the rough rock mountains on the 
pathway to the promised land of gold. 



Evei'y hamlet and nearly every home sent 
forth its wanderer, and with the earliest open- 
ing of spring the green prairies were whitened 
by the long caravans of wagons carrying with 
them hardy and adventurous gold seekers. 

California was the connnon topic of thought 
and talk. The excitement of this unprece- 
dented gold fever was i^niversal, infecting all 
ages, classes and conditions and reaching into 
every avenue and recess of society, enli.sting, 
not only the adventurers with nothing to lose, 
but also, making men who had secured perma- 
nent prospects and position, throAV aside busi- 
ness and profession, and for the time being 
abandon home attachments and duties, at the 
alluring beck of the golden wand. 

The first to start from Qnincy was a party of 
nineteen, made np mostly of well-known citi- 
zens, who left on the 1st of February, going by 
the sea n)ute and across the Panama isthmus, 
some two months before the laud emigration 
across the i)lains began. The nineteen Avant 
Coureurs were: John Wood, D. C. Wood, 
John Wood, Jr.. Dr. S. W. Rogers, George Rog- 
ers, I. II. Miller, D. M. Jourdan, Aaron Nash, 
W. B. Matlock, David Wood, John McClintock, 
John Mikesell, (ieorge Burns, J. Dorman, J. J. 
Kendrick, 0. M. Sheldon, C. G. Amnion and 
Charles Brown. These familiar names ai'e 
given, as they illustrate the varied character 
of these emigrators, some almost boys and led, 
or rather headed, as they were, by two of the 
veteran ]>ioneers of the place. John Wood, its 
oldest settler, and Rogers, its oldest physician, 
who had both grown gray in Quiney, would 
seem to have been among the last to thus shake 
oif the settled comforts of home, and assiired 
position, won by so much of past toil, to, onee 
more, in after-meridian age, venture upon a 
wandering more wild than that of their early 
days. But as an experienced "Sucker" dame 
pithily expressed it, "They've tuk the fever 
like onto the boys and the old uns allers catch 
it the wust." 

A special interest attached to this party as 
being the earliest to depart; an interest height- 
ened by the rumor of their shipwreck in the 
]\Iexican gulf, and their jjerilous adventni'es be- 
fore they reached the Golden Gate, and be- 
cause in their letters home, came their first per- 
sonal repoi'ts of experiences in California. All 
but three of this party retui'ued within the 
next two years. 

By far the greater portion, nearly all. in- 
deed, of the " Calif ornians," as they were 
called, took the route across the plains. Their 
outfit and appearance was thus described by 
a local journal at the time "being usually com- 
posed of a train of half a dozen or more wag- 
ons with three or four persons to a wagon. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



123 



Several of the wagons were drawn by four 
mules, though the majoritj* of them were 
drawn by three or four yoke of oxen. All of 
them were fitted out in a sub.stantial manner, 
with every necessary- required for the trip, and 
take the men as a body, they are all of the go- 
ahead class, and will go thro' or "break a 
trace,' as the saying is." 

Quite a number of those who left, with this 
complete equipment for the journey, met with 
misfortune by the way. from wagons breaking 
down, cattle dying, etc., and finally reached 
California, some on foot and some, a little bet- 
ter otf, riding an ox or mule. How many went 
from here and about here, cannot be told, but 
the number was large. Over '200 were reported 
as having gone from Quincy, which is none too 
high a figure. From the Mill creek section a 
party of 26 formed a train; about 40 went 
from the Lima neighborhood and from all sec- 
tions around there was the same proportionate 
number. Among these, both from the city and 
county, were many people of prominence. 
Singly and in small parties the greater portion 
of them gradually returned, and but a few 
adopted California as a permanent home. 

Of those i^ublicly known here who remained 
were D. G. Whitney, who for many years had 
been the leading merchant of Quincy; Dr. Wm. 
H. Taylor, one of the earliest and most suc- 
cessful physicians ; John L. Cochrane, a prom- 
inent teacher and former city clerk and sur- 
veyor, and others who found fortune or attrac- 
tion in the new country which most of the ad- 
venturers failed to realize. The interest that 
attended the departure of these Californians 
did not cease with their going, but long con- 
tinued, general and intense, not unlike, though 
in a le.ss degree, to that which attached to the 
movements of our soldiers diiring the Civil 
war, when the pulse quickened with evei-y tele- 
graph tick that told of news from the front. 
Evei'.v item of information was now caught at 
with avidity, each personal piece of news from 
the west was presumed to have some word for 
all, and a Calif ornian's private letter to family 
or friend was considered to be aiul apt to be- 
come public property. 

The winter of 1848-9 was uncommonly snowy 
and cold: the 17th of February being recorded 
as the coldest day remembered for many years. 
The river opened on the 4th of March and 
closed again on the 2.5th of December. 

The resiunption of navigation in the spring 
in those days, before the advent of the "iron 
horse," was the commencement of trade and 
the event of the year, and coming as it did at 
this time on the 4th of March, the same day 
that the whig administration stepped into 
power, it afforded a good deal of pleasant chaf- 



fing among the politicians over this coincident 
date of improvement and prosperity. It 
opened booming high, and the great flood con- 
tinued until late in the summer, giving a good 
boating stage of water until nearly the close 
of the year. 

Old steamboatmen state that never in their 
recollection had the Mississippi opened at such 
a high stage of water, and at the same time so 
full of running ice. Owing to the long con- 
tinued overflow of the banks, the ferryboat 
was compelled to make its landing across the 
river at LaGrange, and for many weeks was 
kept rimning night and day to that point, con- 
veying the hundreds of California teams that 
went from or passed through Quincy on their 
westward journey. 

The running out of the ice with such an un- 
usual "full banked" river was a peculiar and 
attractive sight, such as is not often seen, and 
brought with it two curious accidents. The 
-steamer American Eagle, a Quincy boat, since 
it was owned and commanded by Louis Cosson, 
an old-time resident, had. with two or three 
other lioats, just arrived from St. Louis and laj' 
at the landing with "steam down." One of 
the other boats ran up the river, struck into 
the great gorge of ice which fettered the 
.stream about four miles above, and having 
broken it, turned about and came back post 
haste, followed by the avenging ice, and 
rounded up into the bay for safety. The move- 
ment of the ice as it steadily swept along after 
the flying steamer, was witnessed by many, 
and was very imposing. It stretched in an un- 
broken sheet from shore to shore, advancing 
at a pace so gradual, still and slow, that it 
seemed as if a touch of the hand might check 
or turn it, and yet with momentinn that was 
irresi.stible. Creeping on and on, it caught the 
luckless Eagle at the landing and lifted the 
large steamer as though it were a toy. shoving 
it high upon the bank with its outer side 
broken in. Pushing on yet fai'ther down, the 
relentless ice found a small stern-wheel steam- 
l)oat. the Champion, lying at the foot of 
Floyd's Island, ju.st above the mouth of the 
Fabius. The captain, on seeing the ice on 
the way towards him, had nwored his vessel 
at the scnith point of the island with a cable 
on each bow so as to draw up the boat on 
whichever side of the i.sland the ice did not 
come. Unfortunate, it divided and came on 
both sides, crushing in the sides of his vessel 
and sinking her to the boiler deck. 

A good story was told in this connection, of 
Capt. Louis Co.sson, a jovial Frenchman. He 
was not on board of his boat at the time, hav- 
ing gone up the hill to see his old friends and 
have a good time generally. John Martin 



124 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



Holmes, clerk of the Ijoat, was asked why they 
happened to be caught in such a fix all unpre- 
pared, with steam clown, his answer was that 
the captain was up town and had taken all the 
steam that the boat was allowed to cai-ry. 

These names of Cosson and Holmes suggest 
some pleasant memories of the personnel of 
our people in the past ; of the individuality of 
those who composed the community ; and 
whose daily doings shaped and colored social 
and public action. Each man, however he may 
be placed, is more or less a factor and feature 
in the general movement of all; contributing 
his portion of what furnishes the mateinal of 
history, his seeming unimportant nothings ag- 
gregate "the sweei)iiig surge of history." The 
life of the many individuals constitute the life 
of society itself. The life of an individual is 
often attractive and interesting in retrospect, 
and worthy of a place in local annals. 

John IMartin Holmes was one of the men who 
was, in his own way. an in.stitution in Quiucy 
from 1S3S to 1850. He was a genius of high 
type : of intinite wit and luunor, gifted with a 
rare poetic faculty. He was the soul of enjoy- 
ment in every social circle, and the brilliancies 
that he constantly uttered were the repeated 
quotations everywhere, as what "John Holmes 
said." He was of a name and stock of genius, 
"kith and kin" to the famed Senator John 
Holmes of Maine: to Oliver Wendell Holmes: 
to the South Carolina Holmes, and to all of 
the name, who carry, wherever it is borne, the 
same brilliant characteristics of refined intel- 
lect and unsurpassed humor. Their ancestry 
all hinges back to a gifted Scotch clergyman, 
one among the pilgrim fathers, and who is 
traditioned as having in his time startled the 
staid puritan consciences by liis unseemly wag- 
geries, as well as impressed them by his un- 
questioned piety. 

Volumes could not record all of the ready 
brilliancies of John Holmes, but we call up one 
"yarn," suggested by the allusions to the chol- 
era and to the accident of the Eagle, and, 
moreover, as it brings to mind the name of 
another patriai'chal landmai-k, who now past 
the age of 90, still preserves the bright racy 
geniality of spirit and fun that has happily at- 
tached to his long consistent Christian career. 

Mr. Foote was in Cinciiniati in the summer 
or fall of 1849, and he met John Holmes, who 
oft'ered him a free trip to Quiucy on the Eagle, 
Avhich Mr. Foote declined. Tm'o years after 
this we saw a meeting of Mr. Foote and Mr. 
Holmes here in Quincy. Mr. Foote saluted the 
other with, "I am glad to meet you. Have 
you got any of that 'Moral Medicine' left that 
you recommended to me at Cincinnati?" 
Holmes' answer was in keeping, and after they 



parted we drew from him wliut was meant by 
the "iloral iledieine." He said that lie had 
offered Mr. Foote a free pass from Cincinnati 
to Quincy on the Eagle, but that the parson 
said, "No, it's Saturday now, and I never 
travel on the Sabbath : I shall wait here until 
^fonday. " "Why," said Holmes, "I can fix 
all that: we've got left over a lot of cholera 
medicine that we used in the spring when we 
were down about New Orleans. It's got eveiy 
ingredient necessary. It's as stringent as the 
Saybrook platform and can put you to sleep 
better than a Congregational sermon. I can 
give you a dose of that to-night and put you 
and your conscience asleep until the middle of 
next week — clear past Sunday." Mr. Foote, 
however, declined, and it was this proposed 
prescription which he afterward referred to 
as the "moral medicine." 

The i)opulation of the place, so far as na- 
tionalities Avere represented, had by this time, 
in 1849. undergone a most marked change. 
Already the foreign born, by reason of the 
rai)id inunigration of the ten preceding years, 
had become in nimiber at least equal to those 
who were "to the manor born." Among the 
earlier settlers there were more from Massa- 
chusetts, Connecticut and KentiTcky. than from 
any other states or sections ; the Kentuckians 
lieing more prominent, politically, as they were 
then and had lieen all over the state and the 
west, politics being the specialty of the Ken- 
tuckian, wherein he is only surpassed liy the 
Irishman. Prior to the town organization, in 
1834, there Avere scarcely a .score of citizens of 
foreign birth. About that period a few Ger- 
man families made the place their home, and 
this innnigration continued. Shortly after, 
with the connnencement of work upon the state 
railroads, there was a very large influx of 
Irish, who permanently remained. For some 
years the Irish element of pojinlation outnum- 
I)ered any of the other alien stock, but the 
steady flow since 1838, directly hither from 
the "faderland." had by this time made the 
Germans to outninnber those of all the other 
nationalities. Still, however, as before stated, 
notwithstanding the predominance of the alien 
element in the mingled population, the condi- 
tions had as yet been but little changed or 
aft'ected. The city did not at all, as it now 
does, present tlie picture of a population more 
than half foreign in appearance and an owner- 
ship of property and transaction of business in 
a much larger ratio represented by citizens of 
foreign birth or extraction. This fact is evi- 
dent not only from casual observation, but it 
is shown by the census statistics, which report 
Quincy as having in 1880, with a population of 
27,268, 20,706 native born, and nearly one- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



125 



fdiirth. 6.o6"2. foreign boni: and also, in 1870. 
7,733 foreitrn out of a total population of 
24.0,3-2. 

Such is the picture of Quiney a.s now (1886) 
exists, its dominating intiuences of sentiment, 
wealth and mimbers. It was not thus thirty- 
seven years ago, although the popular ele- 
ments were relatively almost the same. The 
home-born or native portion of the people re- 
mained in rule; foremost in social, in busi- 
ness representation and in all else except poli- 
tics. That power had been taken away as 
early as 18-10. and it has since been held by the 
naturalized citizens. This control was easily 
obtained for the reason that, until changed by 
the new constitution in 1848, a residence in 
the state of six months sufficed to give to any 
one. whether native born, or naturalized, or 
neither, the full exercise right of the elective 
franchise. And we know that there is no 
privilege for which men grasp more eagerly 
and clitJg to more pertinaciously than this. 

At this time the people all knew each other; 
the interests of each were the interests of all; 
men mingled more together. Secluded during 
a large portion of the year, while frost fet- 
tered their communications with the oviter 
world, hibei-nated, as it were, they were thrown 
upon their own resources for occupation and 
enjoyment. The winters had to be passed 
through, and there were then no opera houses, 
dime museums, skating rinks, traveling shows : 
nothing from outside, for thej' couldn't get 
here, and hence society had to fall back on 
itself, and thei-e was then brought out, of 
course, "all the fun there was." The social 
assemblings, parties, tea drinkings, church 
gatherings, sleighrides, etc., passed away the 
time. Business was not as crowding and any- 
body could ' ' shut up shop ' ' for the day and go 
a-fisliing or somewhere else. There had been, 
a few years before, a quite popular and suc- 
cessful Thespian Society, whose semi-month- 
ly exhibits furnished entertainment to the 
good people. It comprised among its mem- 
bers nearly all the then young sparks of 
the place, nearly all now dead. Cliicker- 
ing. Taylor. Sam Seger. Hoffman, Grant. 
Dell Milnor and Pickett (the two last boys, 
who played the female parts), the later, 
Pickett, afterward the famed Condederate 
General. These were gay gatherings, at- 
tracting the attendance of all and vastly the 
more entertaining because of the intimate 
mutual acquaintance between the audience and 
actors. Of the biiskined stars who paraded on 
the .stage of mimic life and forced either ap- 
plause or amusement from their friendly au- 
ditors, we believe, now remain Fes Hunt, T. H. 
Brougham and J. T. Baker. Wouldn't it be 



a rare occasion if these veteran relics of Quin- 
cy's former dramatic genius would once more 
consent to tread the histrionic stage? 

But the chief and periodical attraction of the 
winters were the library lectures. 

Brief mention may here again be made of 
these weekly lectures, since they present a 
picture of what was going on and being done 
diiring the days of winter seclusion forty years 
ago, and also on account of the contribution 
they gave to the construction and support of 
what has now become a fixed and valued in- 
stitution of the city. They constituted almost 
the sole source of available revenue to the pub- 
lic library. The lectures were home-made, pre- 
pared by our own citizens, with an occasional, 
though very rare, addition by some neighboi-- 
ing clergyman or by one of the Illinois Col- 
lege professors. They were given gratis, and 
upon such subjects as the writers chose. Some 
of them were of much merit, and if all were 
not so, yet all were attractive and well at- 
tended, and they fully served a pleasant, so- 
cial purpose, as also the financial need, which 
they were chiefly designed to meet. The ex- 
penses were next to nothing. The use of the 
court house was free, and only lights and fire 
had to be provided, so that the winter course 
usually netted two or three hundred dollars, 
about the amount that in later years has been 
often paid f(n- a single address from some 
eminent professional lecturer. As a part of 
this reminiscence, herewith is given the lecture 
programme for the season of which we write, 
1848-9. the list of lecturers and their themes, 
which M-ill convey an idea of the character of 
the mental food provided and recall also some 
familiar names. These were: John C. Cox, 
subject. "Progress of Civilization Since the 
Christian Era"; A. Jonas, "The Future Exem- 
plified by the Past": Kev. Eollin Mears. "En- 
glish Poets and Poetry in the 19th Century"; 
Dr. S. Willard. "Pneumatics"; Dr. R. Seeds, 
"Anatomy of the Eye"; T. Bronson. "Early 
Settlement of the Mississippi Valley": Rev. J. 
J. ]\Iarks. ■■p^arth as Made for Man"; John 
Tillson. Jr.. "The Saracens in Spain"; 0. H. 
Browning, "Our Duties and Obligations in 
Reference to Aiiierican Slavery": Rev. H. 
Foote. "Yankee Character": Peter Lott, "The 
I'^pper Ten Thousand." All of these, except 
Dr. Seeds, a skilled Scotch physician, who 
spent an occasional season here, were well- 
known residents. The prices of tickets were 
as follows: For a gentleman. $1.00; a gentle- 
man and lady, $1.50 ; for a family of four per- 
sons, $2.00 : of six persons, $3.00 ; and from this 
was usually netted a few hundred dollai-s, 
which was devoted to the purchase of new 
books, and without which the library would 



126 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



have stood still. This is shown by its ninth 
annual repoi't on the 3rd of December. There 
were then, eight years after its establishment, 
but 86 shares sold, 78 stockholders, 1,574 vol- 
umes (of which 80 were circulating), valued at 
$2,123. Founded on donations and with a 
choice selection of books to begin with, it se- 
cured but little after-aid of this kind. Two 
hundred and fifty volumes wei-e added during 
this year, almost all purchased with the net 
proceeds derived from the winter course of 
lectures. The slow, struggling growth of the 
Quincy Library has been the same as that of 
nearly every similar organization elsewhere. 
Of all the beneficent institutions which appeal 
to public spirit and generous philanthropy for 
their creation and maintenance the public li- 
brary is that which labors under the most dif- 
tieulty and has its claims last and least consid- 
ered. C'hurches, colleges, hospitals, schools of 
science and art, secure benefactions from lib- 
eral living patrons, whose names are duly 
chronicled, or great bequests from departed 
millionaires, many of whom hope thus to atone 
for a life of greed by giving away that which 
they can no longer keep, but among these 
many objects of philanthropy the library prof- 
its the least. The reason for this is obvious. 
Interest, personal sympathies, conscience, cus- 
tom and many another influence operates to 
point the direction of donations and bequests. 
But the library is exeepti(uial. The lover of 
books, if his wealth will warrant, prefers to 
perfect his own home collection, while the 
great ma.ss of those who use and benefit by the 
piiblic library has not usually the means to 
contribute towards its increase. The Quincy 
Library has now passed through a forty-five- 
year career of this natural indifference, and 
only now, within the past year, has it recog- 
nized and assured position, by the provision of 
a tax levy, devoted to its siTpport. The insti- 
tution was pro.jected at a meeting of some ten 
or a dozen persons on the 5th of March, 1841, 
a constitution was adopted on the 13th and 
organization perfected on the 20th of the same 
month. It was opened to subscribers on the 
18th of April and incorporated on the 4tli of 
October of the same year. At its first annual 
meeting, December 6, 1841, there was reported 
to be 735 volumes on the shelves, one-half of 
what it had now, eight and one-half years 
later. 

Another weekly ii('\vsii;i|ier. the People's 
Journal, made its ajipcarance during the sum- 
mer of this year. It was published by Louis 
M. Booth, a veteran editor now residing in 
California, who had made several ventures of 
this kind, but never vei-y successfully. The 
paper was short lived. It professed to be "in- 



dependent in politics" and, of coui'se, followed 
the usual fate of such journals. To be "of in- 
dependent thought" is very apt to l)e consid- 
ered independent of thought, and very uncer- 
tain is the career of that newspaper which has 
not a political influence in caucuses and con- 
ventions and reaching its limbs and blossoms 
towards the pul)lie offices. 

Much interest existed during this season 
over the temperance cause, with nearly as 
much excitement as that which accompanied 
the Washingtonian movement of several years 
before. This last had gradually subsided, but 
was now successfully succeeded by the organ- 
ization of the Sons of Temperance. Weekly 
and largely attended meetings were held, and 
the accessions were numerous. The cause be- 
came customary and popular, so much so that 
most of the politicians joined for awhile. The 
universal apprehension of the coming cholera 
conduced to the advance of this nu)vement. 
The year was mai'ked also by an unusual de- 
gree of religious feeling and revival, stimu- 
lated probably by the same cause as above 
named. It is a notable fact that men are more 
neai-ly ripe for reformati(ui, most ready to 
abandon the follies and temptations of the 
visible world when wnthin the threatening 
shadows of the unseen. Either a tendency like 
this or to the other extreme of despairing, un- 
bridled recklessness has been the attendant 
moral feature of all the ureaf plagues of the 
past. 

The season was singularly backward; as 
nnich so as had ever been known. xVs late as 
the middle and latter part of April there were 
severe frosts and the ground w-as frozen for 
several days. Rather odd it was, however, 
that this late rasp of unreasonable cold left 
slight injury upon vegetation in contrast with 
what was naturally apprehended. Spring 
showed up slowly for several seasons. Plant- 
ing was late and the acreage of the county fell 
off from that of former years. Not only was 
this caused partially by the varying weather 
in the early portion of the year, but labor was 
less plenty and the work on many farms was 
cni-tailed in extent by the California emigra- 
tion. The withdrawal of so much of the agri- 
cultural force of the community could have no 
other result than this, since the larger portion 
of these emigrants were the young farmers of 
the country, and in some cases all the grown 
males of a family, father and sons alike, took 
the fever and went. Up to the first of .Tune 
4,350 California wagons had passed llii-ough 
St. Joseph, bomid westwai'd; and this was but 
one of the half dozen crossing places of the 
Missouri river, and was but single file in the 
broad column of travel that from the lakes to 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



127 



the t;ulf was centering for the long march 
over the westward plains. 

It may perhaps be best portrayed how things 
looked during this eventful year, chilled in its 
natural jirogress by the early and intermittent 
cold, dispirited by widespread sickness and 
death in high places, by quoting the lament of 
a veteran editor who blends his story of the 
season's slowness and the business depression, 
with his own personal mournings over the loss 
of all the pleasure that was "going to waste." 
lie was one of the best of the good men of 
Quincy (now gone, all honor to his memory), 
and withal a most devoted disciple of Izaak 
Walton, having done as miTch in his way to- 
ward the capture of the "finny tribe" as his 
son, S. P. Bartlett, now armed with a state 
commission, is striving to do, to "balance the 
scales" and to restock our depleted streams 
and ponds, which the father so enthusiastically 
"went for." 

Thus moralizes the veteran Editor and Pis- 
cator in his paper on the first of May: "The 
weather the past week has been anything but 
pleasant and agreeable." The season, indeed, 
has been very backward, cold, sickly, gloomy 
and without any fun. Last year at this time 
the trees were out in their full foliage, and we 
had participated in one or two fishing parties. 
But this spring, the "Father of Waters" con- 
tinues to run out brim full and a little over. 
He is on an awful high: seems to have swal- 
lowed up all the bars between Galena and St. 
Louis. Well! so be it. It can't be helped, but 
we do long to make a visit to one of our old 
fishing haunts, where, with a choice friend or 
two, we may while away the day in ".just 
nat 'rally" coaxing the finny tribe. Talk of the 
enjoyments of the town ! what are they com- 
pared Avith the i)leasure when sitting on a 
shady bank, with well-baited hook and line, 
and rod in hand, and not a sound to disturb 
the stillness of the scene, save the "wood- 
pecker tap'ning the hollow tree" or the chat- 
tering of the solitary king-fisher, to suddenly 
hear the quick sound of the cork as it plumps 
below the surface with a pop ! as the minnow 
is seized by a voracious Pike, or Bass or Dog- 
fish (the sneaking rascal). We imagine we 
feel him as we give him play ! Now here — now 
there — down into deeper water : and as the 
"iron enters deeper into his" .jaw, he lashes 
the water into foam with pain and vexation! 
Exhausted at last, he is drawn ashore! 

"What say you. Pom & Co., C. M. Pomeroy, 
John Tillson, Geo. Bond and others. Dull show, 
isn 't it ? But we will assure our friends of 
the rod and line, 

"There is a good time coming, boys, 
A good time coming ! 



"The lakes and ponds are now full, and 
when old Mississip)pi withdi-aws within his 
banks, we may expect the sport to commence, 
and that sickness will yet abate and business 
hopes be restored.'" 

Notwithstanding the unpromising aspects of 
the early part of this year, with its withering 
sickness and its late and light land tillage, the 
outcome was unexpectedly satisfactory. Pro- 
duction of all kinds, though not faii'ly up to 
the average increase of former years in quan- 
tity, was generally superior in quality, as is 
not unconnnonly the result of a backward sea- 
son and a lessened extent of farm cultivation. 
Fruit was abundant, the grain yield was good, 
and most of it was safely harvested, thus creat- 
ing a brisk business for the fall, sufficient to 
compensate for the didluess of the spring and 
siHumer months. 

The provision business of LS4<^-!) had been 
steady and active. More pork had been "put 
up" than had been packed in the preceding 
winter, the rates running (juite regularly from 
atiout $2.70 to $3.00. Nearly an eciual amount 
of provision was cured during the winter of 
1849-50, although the ])acking season opened 
very late and rather dull, the fii'st figures for 
pork being $2.25 and slowly raising afterward, 
but at no time eqtial to the prices of the ])re- 
vi(His winter. 

Real estate rates varied but little dui-ing this 
year, and the changes of property ownership 
were not very many. It was reserved for the 
succeeding year, 1850, to exhibit the full com- 
mencement of a i-apid advance in land and 
values of every kind, which continued for sev- 
eral years, almost equaling the great specula- 
tive periods of 1835 and 1836. The price given 
for one well-known piece of property, at the 
time considered to be among the most valuable 
and salable lots in the city, will convey an 
idea of how property rated at this time. Part 
of lot 1, block 18, at the southwest corner of 
Maine and Fourth streets, 28 by 100 feet, with 
a three-story brick storehouse on it, was sold 
for $4,035 cash. At the same time the ground 
adjoining on the soiith, 40 feet front on Fourth 
street, and 99 feet in depth, was purchased for 
$640, $16 per foot. The varying values which 
attended the transfers of this piece of property 
are curious. 

At the original sale in 1831, the entire lot, 
99 feet on Maine, by 190 on Fourth, was 
bought of the county commi.ssioners for $18.25. 
It was early improved by Captain Pease and 
Burns, who successively owned it and erected 
on it what was about the best two-story frame 
dwelling house and store building in the place 
at the time, and it was half a dozen years later 
purchased and occupied by the Branch Bank 



128 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



of the State of Illinois. When this in.stitutiou 
failed, the property went to .sale, and in 1843 
the north portion of it was purchased by A. T. 
Miller, nominally for about $10,000: but a.s 
this consideration was in the shape of the de- 
preciated state bank paper, which had no fixed 
value whatever, it would be difficult to deter- 
mine what it really sold for. The old bank 
building was then removed to the south end of 
the lot, and ;\Ir. Miller, an enterprising mer- 
chant from Baltimore, the bi'other of George 
A. and E. G. ililliT. Imilt on the corner what 
was then the lar.uest s1<ii-e-room in the city, a 
three-story brick, 100 feet deep, twenty-five 
feet front width on Maine, being the build- 
ing which was occupied by the Herald office, 
Avlien destroyed by fire in 1870. On the death 
of Mr. Miller, the property was purchased as 
above stated, by S. & W."b. Thayer, for $4,- 
035. Five vears later. 1854. it was again sold 
for .$15,000." 

The telegraph line, which had been com- 
pleted to Quincy, by way of Beardstown and 
Springfield during the preceding year, had not 
been under the O'Rielly management, operat- 
ed to the satisfaction of all concerned. Of 
the local subscriptions on which the Illinois 
line was established, about !i>10,000 had been 
raised in Quincy and vicinity. A meeting of 
the stockholders was called and held, at 
Peoria on the lOth of April, and then there, 
imder the state law, a new company was form- 
ed and organized, into which was merged the 
O'Rielly stock and interest, and a different 
management was assumed. This was what has 
since been known as the Caton and Western 
telegraph company, which soon became ex- 
ceedingly prosperous, as its predecessor had 
not been. The Quincy interests at this meet- 
ing were represented by Newton Flagg and 
Lorenzo Bull, the latter of whom was made a 
director in the new company. On an assess- 
ment of 40 per cent being ordered, to relieve 
the company embarrassments and carry for- 
ward its business, a large portion of the 
Quincy stock was allowed to be forfeited. The 
few who paid Tip this assessment and retained 
their interests eventually foimd the investment 
very successful and remunerative. 

A quite exciting trial came off at the June 
term of the circuit court, which aroused all 
the political and no small amount of the per- 
sonal feeling of the place. This has now passed 
away under the shade of nearly forty years, 
but it Avas a stirring event at the time. It was 
a slander suit broiighf by S. T\I. Bartlett, edi- 
tor of the Whig, against C. M. Woods, pub- 
lisher of the Herald. AA''oods and Austin 
Brooks were the Hei'ald proprietors, and 
Brooks was the editor who liad written the ar- 



ticles complained of, but the suit was brought 
against Woods as being e(jually liable and 
more personally responsible. It assumed a yet 
more sharp partisan character from the fact 
that most of the whig lawyers of the city were 
engaged for the plaintiff, and the democratic 
lawyers as generally took part in the defense; 
and also because the court was presided over 
by Judge ilinshall, who had just been elected 
to the bench, as the whig candidate, after a 
warm political contest at the first election 
when .iudges were chosen by a popular vote. 
His rulings, therefore, were often regarded on 
the one side as being the conclusion of party 
prejudice, and on the other sometimes thought 
to be timid from his fear that he might be sus- 
pected of too much leaning to the side of his 
own political faith. Judge ]\Iinshall was an 
able, honest and impartial man, but vei\y slow 
of thought and new on the bench, which made 
him sometimes appear wavering and undecid- 
ed. A quick-minded, prompt acting man like 
his predecessor. Judge Purple, would have 
been far better fitted to handle such a ease 
at such a time, and escaped much of the un- 
just criticism that Judge Jlinshall received. 
The arguments of the lawyers, on the one side 
es])ocially, were almost like ]iolitical speeches, 
'i'hc i-csult at the close of a contest running 
through several days was a nominal verdict 
for the plaintiff. This trial, while unimpor- 
tant except as to local feeling, did, however, 
affect and illustrate some things well. 

One result of this slander suit between Bart- 
lett and Brooks was an improvement in jour- 
nalism in its future assumption of a more 
coiu-feous character, and more creditable and 
l)roper tone than it had previously exhibited, 
which, with occasional exceptions, it has since 
nuiiutained. Editors discovered that the pub- 
lic regarded with no sympathy, but with posi- 
tive aversion their parades of private griefs 
and personal abiise, which had become to be 
almost the sum total of editorial topic. Criti- 
cism and denunciation of the opposite party 
soon drifted into personal vilification of eacb 
other, and the result was that in s\ich cases 
the character of each contestant was lowered 
not more by what was charged upon him by 
his opponent than by the display that he made 
of the wor.st side of himself. 

The public estimate finally jilaced upon 
what was said by these belligerent "knights 
of the quill," is shown in the story of the 
Quincy lawyer, who counseled against a suit 
for slander being instituted. "Why," said the 
angry would-be client, "he has abused me out- 
rageously; he has said " "Pshaw!" 

said the lawyer quietly, "What of it? Noth- 
ing tlmt such n fellow says can slander any- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



129 



body, ami more than that, my good fellow, 
don't you know between ourselve.s whatever 
anybody may say against yon, no jniy would 
think of ponsiderins' slanderous?" 

Hartlett and Hrooks were unusually superior 
men in their vocation. Well versed in local 
political and general public information, ready 
and trenchant writers, and each popular and 
trusted as a leader in his party. They repre- 
sented, in sentiment and in character, the ex- 
treme views of the two parties of that day — 
the whig and democratic. 

The pro.i'ect of a railroad coming into Quincy 
from the east, which had for years past been 
talked about by the bu.sybodies, thought of by 
the thoughtful, and about which so many pub- 
lic meetings had been held, came at last into 
a shape of certain advancement. The reckless 
and luckless experiment of the state originat- 
ed in 1836, to cobweb itself all over with rail- 
roads, had resulted in only one thing observ- 
able, which Avas a huge debt that required fifty 
after years of exceptional taxation to pay, and 
nothing beside, except scattered over the state 
a great deal of incomjilete and worthless work. 
These and the ownership of road beds and 
franchises was all the .state and public had to 
show for the expenditures. The legislature 
wisely offered all these (except the debt) for 
sale. On the 6th of Augiist, at Springfield, 
sale was made by the state to James W. Single- 
ton, Samuel Holmes, C. A. Warren, J. M. Pit- 
man, H. S. Cooley and I. N. Morris, of all that 
part of the Northern Cross railroad lying be- 
tween the Illinois and Mississippi rivers, ter- 
minating at Quincy, for $100,000 in state se- 
curities, which were then at so low a depre- 
ciation that the cash consideration of the sale 
was really but about $8,000. This sale car- 
ried with it the ownership of the roadbed, etc., 
and all the franchise rights contained in the 
original charter. Much heavy and expensive 
grading had been done by the state on several 
sections of the line, some of which was sub- 
seqriently utilized, but in building the present 
road, a large portion of the old survey was 
abandoned, esjiecially that ])art which lies in 
Adams County. 

It was the original design of the parties 
who had purchased this railroad from the 
state to obtain local subscriptions from Qitincy, 
and from Brown and Adams counties, and thus 
strengthened, to procure moneyed means from 
the east to carry on its construction. In fttr- 
therance of this plan, a meeting of citizens Avas 
called, and held at Quincy, on the 13th of Oc- 
tober, and after some discussion which revealed 
the fact that there existed some dissatisfac- 
tion with the project in the shape in which it 
then stood, a committee Avas appointed to pre- 



sent tiie matter to "eastern capitalists," but 
from this nothing resulted. 

On the '22d of October a company Avas form- 
ally organized, under the proA'isions of an act 
l)assed Fei). 10th. 1849, Avith I. N. Morris, as 
president ; Samuel Holmes, secretary, and J. 
M. Pitman, treasurer. Work was immediate- 
ly ordered, a competent engineer, Wm. T. 
Whipple, and a corps of assistants, Avere en- 
gaged, and surveys commenced, resulting in 
the early establishment of lines A'aiying not 
very much from the original route. This or- 
ganization did not, hoAvever, for some rea- 
son, meet the general sanction, and early in 
1850, it was changed, and a year later changed 
again. A meeting, not largely attended, on 
the 30th of October, asked the county to vote 
a subscription of $100,000. Nothing came of 
this, however. This bi'ief sketch is the history 
of the beginning of the connection of this city 
with railroads, for Avhieh enterprises it has fur- 
nished nearly a million of dollars. The suc- 
cessive steps in 1850 and in 1851. AA'hen the 
city for $20,000 purchased the road, became 
its chief oAvner and subscribed $100,000, the 
first installment of the great debt above alhtd- 
ed to, Avill be stated in their proper order. 

There were several radical changes made 
during this year, in the system of county gov- 
ernment — changes prescribed by the neAV state 
constitution, and by the legislature Avhich fol- 
loAved its adoption, all of which affected the 
subsequent etirrent of Quincy history. From 
1825 to 1834, Quincy, though the county seat, 
Avas not more than any other hamlet or set- 
tlement (pi'ononnced in ancient sucker vernac- 
ular Avith the heaA'iest kind of emphasis on 
the final syllable) and its local goA-ernment, if 
it had any, Avas like that for the rest of the 
coimty, A^ested in the three commissioners, 
Avho exercised sitpervision and sway over all 
the corporate and internal interest of the 
county. The immediate local jurisdiction of 
Quincy, passed in 1834, AA'hen the toAvn Avas in- 
corporated, tinder the control of the hoard of 
toAvn trustees: and six yeai-s later, in 1840, 
Avith the formation of the city, the municipal 
authority Avas vested in the city council, mak- 
ing the city somewhat peculiarly and almost 
entirely independent of the county authorities, 
and subsequent action made it more so. The 
ncAv state constitution of 1847-48 abolished the 
county commisisioners' court, and also the 
office of probate judge, proA'iding in lieu there- 
of, for a county court, composed of one chief 
and tAvo associate judges, clothed with full 
primary jurisdiction in all matters of probate, 
and "such other duties as the General Assem- 
bly may prescribe," connected Avith the ad- 
ministration of the county affairs. Here Avas 



I30 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



a mueh-iiiiproved advance from the old county 
commissioners' court sj-stem, and the chief 
and best features of which have been retained 
and engrafted into the later and present con- 
stitution of 1872. Following' upon this con- 
.stitutional change, came tlie adoption of the 
township system, authorized by law and now 
prevailing in most of the counties of the state. 
To Quincy and Adams county the action un- 
fortunately taken at this time about the 
changes in the form of county govei'nment, 
both in the reconstruction of the county court 
and in the adoption of the township system, 
induced a Pandora's box of trouble, which a 
generation's patience has ha rdlj^yet healed. The 
constitution of 1847 had conferred a blessed 
local benefit in its arbitrary reunion of Adams 
county, and thus treading out the dispute 
over a division of the county, but sore sectional 
feeling showed itself in a strife over the elec- 
tions above referred to. The old county court 
had so much been the nursery where county 
quarrels were nurtured that to some extent 
these distrusts and estrangements entered into 
the choice of the new coi^rt, each party appre- 
hensive of what might be the action of the 
new tribunal, vested with so much more pow- 
er, and on the township question almost a 
clcjii' issue wns made between the county and 
the city. 

The township system for locnl home govern- 
ment originated in New England, and gradual- 
ly became adopted in some of the other north- 
ern states. The county court system was the 
plan universally in use in the southern states, 
and Illinois, which was originally a county of 
Virginia, had engrafted it in its state constitu- 
tion of 1818. The former system is much the 
most advantageous and satisfactory, as it is 
more in harmony with the democratic principle 
of our institutions. It brings the machinery of 
local government nearer to the knowledge and 
control of the voter, making each town, as it 
were a little republic, the unit factor in the 
general governnumt, through M'hich local in- 
terests can be more effectively promoted, and 
better giTarded. Wherever it has been adopt- 
ed, it has never been departed from and is 
gi'adually becoming the local system for the 
country. 

It was optionally incorporated into our state 
constitution of 1848, and in April, 1849, a law 
was passed providing a plan and authorizing 
the counties to vote thereon. About half of 
the counties of the state, generally in the noi-th- 
ern part, embraced the new plan, and since 
then a large number of others have done so, 
and in no case has a county gone back to the 
old system. Adams county was among the 
earliest to vote for township organization, but 



it was a long time before it was completely es- 
tablished, and its history in connection with 
the county and Quincy is peculiar. In com- 
pliance with the law above-named, the Adams 
county commissioners, rather unwillingly, it 
was said, at their September session, passed an 
order to "the judges of election in the several 
precincts in said county, to open polls for vot- 
ing for or against Township Organization, as 
provided liy the statute of Illinois, in force, 
April 16, A. D. 1849." The vote thus provid- 
ed for was taken at the November election, 
and resulted in favor of township organiza- 
tion by the decisive majority of 1,301, in a 
vote of over 2,200, the significant fact being, 
that while every precinct in the county gave 
a majority for the measure, Quincy only, voted 
in opposition, more than half of all the mi- 
nority votes thi'own against it lieing cast in 
the city. 

As authorized by the above mentioned vote, 
the connnissiouers, on the 6th of December, ap- 
pointed a committee to divide the county into 
townships. This committee reported in the 
following Alarch, 1850, the formation of twen- 
ty towns, with boundai'ies defined and names 
recommended, Quincy being one of them, hav- 
ing its Hunts the same as those fixed by the 
city charter. This report was adopted with 
the exception that in several instances, the 
names proposed by the committee were 
changed by the court at the request of the peo- 
ple of the township. Subse((uentl.y two addi- 
tional towns, Mendon and McKee, were estab- 
lished, making the permanent sub-division of 
the county to consist, as it does at present, of 
twenty-two towns, inclusive of Quincy. The 
city, however, consistently with its vote of op- 
position, and to its own disadvantage, took no 
steps toward town organization, held no elec- 
tion for officers in April, and steadily refused 
to claim or have any representation in the Su- 
])ervisors Board for twenty-five years, until 
1874, when it came in with its representation 
of one Supervisor and Assistant Supervisors, 
to which by its population, it wa.s entitled. It 
was a singular fact that dui-ing all this period, 
at any time a dozen citizens of Quincy could 
under the law. have comiielled it to organize, 
or tlie Board could, on this default of the city, 
have appointed supervisors for it; but the 
wish of the city to keep out, was met by a 
willingness on the part of the county that it 
should stay out. Dignified diplomatic rela- 
tions were maintained, however, between the 
two powers, and by formal treaty and agree- 
ment, Quincy, in consideration of its waiver of 
the right and responsibility of representation, 
annually paid in lieu thereof a stipulated sum 
towards the support of county expenses : at 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



131 



first .$300 per aniiuni. afterwards increased to 
$800. and finally $3,000. 

At the regular election in November, which 
was for county officers only, and also for the 
vote on the township question, partly nomina- 
tions were made and party lines were drawn. 
The political status of the county was uncer- 
tain. At the presidential election in the pre- 
ceding: year, Cass, democrat, carried the coun- 
ty over Taylor, whig, by 203 majoritj-, but 
there was also a Van Buren, freesoil, vote of 
261. It was the first election for officials of the 
new court, a judge and two as.sistant justices. 
The sensitive sectional distrusts before men- 
tioned, and also .some personal issues entered 
into the election and broke the unity of pai"ty 
action. The democrats elected their candi- 
date for county judge, Philo A. Goodwin, by 
a large majority, the two a.ssoeiates and the 
school commissioner. The Whigs elected J. C. 
Bernard, county clerk. 11 nd also the county 
treasurer. 

The chief and almost the only special po- 
litical excitement of this year was confined to 
the democratic party. 

It was over the election to the United States 
Senate, of a siiecessor to Sidney Breese, whose 
term expired on the 4th of March. His oppo- 
nent for the caucus nomination was James 
Shields, who died recently, after having been 
the recipient of more varied distinctions than 
almost any other man of his day. The position 
which Adams county, with its large and able 
delegation to the General Assembly, might as- 
sume was important and indeed, largelj^ detei'- 
mined the result. Breese was the more learn- 
ed, the abler and older piiblic man, having a 
political record of prominence as old as the 
state history, but he was not possessed of pop- 
idar manners or disposition and he had also 
fallen out with his junior colleague in the Sen- 
ate, Douglas, then the rising man of the 
state, and already almost, as he afterward was, 
omnipotent in Illinois. Shields was a genial, 
magnetic man. of fair talent, and he presented 
himself to the people with the fresh prestige of 
Mexican war womids and honors. 

The two a.spirants visited all sections of the 
state and Quincy with the rest. Breese here 
obtained an instruction in his favor to the leg- 
islative delegation from this county, but after 
the legislature had convened, a democratic pub- 
lic meeting, held at the court house, passecl re- 
verse resolutions which in.strncted for Shields. 
The latter was elected, but on taking his seat 
at "Washington was confronted vnth the charge 
that he had not been nine years a citizen of 
the United States, which he really lacked by 
several months. This fact was well known at 
the time of his election, but it did not prevent 



his being chosen, although his rejection was a 
certain consequence. On failing to maintain 
his senatorial seat he appealed to the legisla- 
ture at its .special session in October, and was 
easily re-elected. Time had now cured his dis- 
ability. It is a singular fact that a strong fac- 
tor among the many infiuences which conduced 
to Shields' success at this time, was his well- 
known opposition to slavery extension (a ques- 
tion that had now begun to permeate all the 
politics of the land) and that it was his faith- 
ful adherence to his friend Douglas in 1854 on 
the passage of the Nebi-aska bill (reluctantly 
given, for he disapproved its policy), that pre- 
vented his renomination and threw him out of 
the line of political promotion in Illinois. 

Among the exciting local events of the time 
was the murder of ilajor Prenti.ss, who was 
found dead in the street near the court house 
on Christmas eve, evidently killed. He was a 
well-known citizen, who had mingled much in 
local politics, and his violent death created a 
great sensation. Murders wei-e infrequent in 
those days, and whenever they did occur, the 
murderers rarely escaped detection and pun- 
ishment, a marked conti-ast with the record of 
crime in later years. In this case, West, who 
was charged with the offence, was, in the fol- 
lowing year, tried and sentenced to a three- 
year term of service in the penitentiary. 

With its period of wilting sickness and de- 
pression: the depletion from emigration: the 
doubtful early prospects of crops and dull sea- 
sons of business, latterly revived: the radical 
changes in public relations, this was one of the 
most eventful years of Quincy history: the 
more also it may so be considered because with 
the latter part of the year began a "boom" of 
prosperity : an advance in real estate values, in 
population, in business activity, which, rapidly 
developing in the following year, continued un- 
abated for the next ten vears. 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 

1850. 

C.\LIFORNIA EMIGRATION. CHOLERA. FIRST 
.SUCCES.SFUL MEDICAL SOCIETY. CENSUS 
TAKEN. POPULATION OF COUNTY AND CITY 
26.5ns. PRIVATE BANKING BEGUN. TEMPER- 
ANCE AGIT.4TION. PISC.\L ST.-VTEM?:NT OF 
CITY. PERIOD OP PROSPERITY. LOSSES BY 
FIRE. TWO GERMAN NEWSPAPERS. FALL 
ELECTIONS. STE.\DY GROWTH. PROPERTY 
VALUATIONS. 

The ice blockade of the winter of 1840-50 was 
of brief continuance. The river closed in 1849. 
on Christmas day, and opened on Januar.y 29th, 



132 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



giving good average navigation througliout the 
year, and not closing at all during the winter 
of 1850-51. The dreaded cholera which had so 
fearfull}^ scourged the city in the previous 
j'ear, returned, but its ravages were compara- 
tively light. About fifty was the estimate of 
the total number of deaths. The exodus to 
California continued, notwithstanding that the 
returning pilgrims of the year before brought 
l)ut little to show for their venture, and gener- 
ally gave dissuasive advice to those who were 
smitten with the gold fever ; but the report of 
a single case of success in the mines, no matter 
how doubtfid its credit, would outweigh all 
else, and the stream of treasure-seeking adven- 
turers still unbrokeuly tlowed westward. 

It was an observable and somewhat curious 
fact that of the hundreds who went from this 
section to California in 1849 and 1850, many 
more of the second-year emigrants made there 
their permanent home than of those who were 
of the year iireceding, and that among the 
number who have thus remained, the larger 
jjroportion came from the emigration of the 
county outside of the city. The second emi- 
gration was made up of a more stable element, 
and men moved away from their former homes 
with more fixed intentions and better arrange- 
ments, and a great many took along their fami- 
lies. 

The i)ublic excitement was still at the full 
and the interest as rose-colored as ever, with 
that novelty and ho]ie which even at this long 
later (hiy attaches to every idea of California. 
Time had not at all tamed the early eagerness 
of adventure, and ail reports from the few who 
had as yet returned were accepted .just as the 
hearer wished. In one respect the interest had 
changed. Danger was no longer dreaded as 
attendant on the trip across the desolate, track- 
less, savage-haunted plains, or over the long 
tortuous ocean route, but an equal apprehen- 
sion arose from the attested I'umors that chol- 
era had Avaylaid and was doing fell ravage 
among the traveling trains. 

Sickness and pestilence are the saddest of 
inflictions at home, but when they reach after 
the far-off wanderer, away from care and sym- 
])athy and resources, they bring tenfold ter- 
roi's, magnified liy wild rumor and fancy. The 
cholera was fearfully fatal in places on the 
plains, though the stories of its progress were 
natiu'ally much exaggerated. A special anx- 
iety was felt in Quincy. for the reason that 
with the earliest repoi-ts that the disease had 
broken out among the emigrants, came also the 
news of the death of Charles Steinagel, one of 
the most active and prominent German citizens 
of this place. Quite a luimber of Quincy and 
Adams county people died of this disease, but 



the conditions of the climate, the pure air and 
the idtitude of the countiy were repellants to 
the pestilence, which otherwise might have 
reaped a fearful harvest. 

Among the now fixed institutions of the 
place, the Adams County Medical Society, as 
at present constituted, dates its origin in this 
year. Several attempts had been made by the 
resident physicians during the preceding ten or 
twelve years to form a local medical associa- 
tion, but the eft'orts were short-lived, and this 
was the only successful organization. It com- 
menced with a membership of ten. Drs. Ral- 
ston, S. W. Rogers, Roeschlaub, IloUowbush, 
Wilson, Watson, Shepherd, Leach, Chapman 
and Elliott; all familiar names for many years 
in the past. Of these, all but three (Chapman, 
Elliott and Shepherd) were from the city, and 
now, thirty-six years after its formation, two 
only of the original members of the society 
survive. Dr. L. T. Wilson, of Quincy, and Dr. 
L. Watson, of Ellis. Kan. 

The seventh national census was taken this 
year by E. H. Buckley and W. R. Lockwood, 
Deputy United States Marshals, appointed for 
that purpose. Pi-ior to this time, as prescribed 
by the constitution of 1818, a state census had 
been taken every ten years, intermediate to 
the time of the national census, for the pur- 
pose of apportioning the representation in the 
state legislature, which is established every 
five years: the framers of this first constitution, 
rightly foreseeing that with the I'ajiidly in- 
creasing jiopidation of the state, this repre- 
sentation would soon become uneriual and un- 
certain if dejiendent for its accuracy on the 
decennial federal census. This state census 
was taken in 1825-35 and 45, but the provi- 
sion therefor, under the economic influences of 
the time, was omitted in the .state constitution 
of 1847, and also, imfortunately, left out of the 
constitution of 1873, so that every alternate 
readjustment of representation in the state leg- 
islature is now based largely on guess work. 

The returns of this census, which was quickly 
and correctly taken, gave a population of 
16,901 to Quincy, and to the entire county, the 
city included, 25,508. This placed Adams 
county after Cook and Quincy next to Chicago 
on the record as the most populous county and 
city in the state, a relative position which they 
maintained during the twenty succeeding 
years. 

The private banking business of Quincy be- 
Kan with this year. After the suspension of 
the State Bank of Illinois, with its branch in 
Quincy. in 1842, there was for some years mi^ch 
difficidty in conveniently obtaining eastern ex- 
change. This was an especial embarrassment 
to the mercantile business of the place. At 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



133 



certain seasons of the year, (.luring tax-paying 
time, some relief was afforded by the land 
agencies who at that period were drawing upon 
their eastern clients, and it was not an infre- 
quent custom for the merchants to send to St. 
Louis, or even to the branch bank of the State 
of Missouri at Palmyra and there purchase 
drafts by which to remit and make their pe- 
riodical payments to their eastern creditors. 
For a 3'ear or two before this time, 'Slv. Newton 
Flagg had been engaged in selling exchange in 
a quiet way, and his business grew so greatly 
that in the fall of 1S50, in partnership with 
Charles A. Savage, with whom afterward I. 0. 
Woodruff was associated, the banking house of 
Flagg & Savage was opened on the south side 
of Elaine street, between Fourth and Fifth, 
afterwards removed to the corner of Maine and 
Fifth, where for years was transacted a large 
and lucrative business. The house suspended 
in 1857. and resumed a few months later, but 
after a hai'd struggle of one or two years, 
tinally closed in 1860. It was the first perma- 
nently established private bank of the place. 
The earliest in date, liowever, was that of J. H. 
Smith and A. C. ]Mar.sh, who opened, on the 5th 
of ilareh, near the corner of Maine and Fourth, 
under the Quiiiey House, the "Farmers' and 
ilerchants' Exchange Company." It was not 
strong, however, and its existence was brief. 

The temperance sentiment, which at this time 
was all pervading throughout the countiy, took 
possession of Quincy with a force unknown be- 
fore or since. ]Many and large petitions were 
presented to the council protesting against the 
liquor traffic, and the granting of licenses 
therefor. In deference to these an election to 
obtain the wishes of the people was ordered 
to be held on the 9th of March. There was a 
singular accord of feeling expressed on this 
matter. The people, the politicians and the 
press worked all one way. The Whig. Herald 
and Joiu-nal vied with each other as to which 
should be foremost and mo.st radical in the 
cause, and the result was that out of a poll of 
578 (being about two-thirds of the entire vote 
of the city) all but 45 votes were given against 
license, making a temperance majority of 488. 
The council immediately thereupon assembled 
and passed an oi-dinance forbidding the retail 
sale of liquor and also I'evoking the licenses 
ah-eady issued. 

The proprietors of the Northern Cross Rail- 
road held a meeting on the loth of February, 
and, after subscribing .$10,000 additional stock, 
reorganized the company by the election of 
J. W. Singleton, I. N. :\Iorris, N. Bu.shnell, N. 
Flagg and J.' I\I. Pitman as directors, with I. N. 
Morris as president : S. Holmes, secretary, and 
Ebenezer iloore, treasurer. The board gave 



notice that on the 1st of April the railroad com- 
pany would take possession and claim the ex- 
clusive use of that portion of the roadbed lying 
within the city. A committee was appointed 
by the council to confer with the railroad com- 
pany upon the matter. This property referred 
to was that part of Broadway west of Twelfth 
street extending to the river, which had been 
relinquished by the state to the city prior to 
the purchase of the remainder of the road by 
the railroa.I company. As the city's title was 
secure and the railroad company had really 
no use for the property claimed, action on the 
subject went no further. Subscription books 
to the stock of the road were opened on the 
■Jnd of April to remain open for thirtj' days. 
No additional stock was taken. Prior to this 
period, about the first of March, the president 
of the road asked from the city a subscription 
of $150,000. It was not responded to. The 
time had not yet come. The engineers, Messrs. 
Whittle and Shipman, published two exhaust- 
ive and excellent reports of their survey, etc.. 
in which they estimated the value of the road 
as purchased at .$120,000. Farther than the 
labor of the engineers in their survey, no work 
of any consequence was done upon the road 
during this year. 

The fiscal statement of the city for the year 
ending April 1, 1850, was a well-pi'epared and 
favorable showing. The amount of bonded in- 
debtedness was reported as $33,373.43. of 
which .$20,000 had been created by the refund- 
ing operations of the past year, when by the 
issue of this amount of bonds, which realized, 
when placed on the market. $18,400, all the 
then matured bond obligations of the city were 
taken up and a balance of about $1,500 in cash, 
was left in the city treasury for "pocket 
money." It was a judicious, well-managed 
operation. All of the bonded debt mentioned 
above would mature consecutively during the 
next ten years. The outstanding vouchers in 
circulation amounted to $1,994.26, about the 
same as at the end of the last fiscal year, but 
there was at this time cash on hand to meet 
these liabilities. The total expenditures of the 
city for the past twelve months had been 
greater than during any preceding year, bi^t 
this was unavoidable, as, in addition to the 
natural increase of expense with growth, the 
year 1849 had made many and nnusual de- 
mands upon the public purse. The prevalent 
pestilence had caused the nuisance, poor house, 
pauper and other accounts to swell to a large 
figure, and there had been completed and paid 
for, during this year, one of the costliest im- 
provements ever made by the city. This was 
the grading of Sixth street from Maine to Jer- 
sev. which involved the filling of a ravine twen- 



134 



PAST AND PRESPLXT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



ty feet deep numiiig along' the entii-e leugtli 
of the block. 

At the annual city election in April there 
was no party contest. The democratic ticket, 
headed by Mr. Holmes, Avas successful over an 
independent ticket by a decisive majority; 
Holmes receiving 569 votes against 394 for R. 
S. Benneson. the independent nominee for 
mayor. At the same time, Amos Green and 
H. L. Simmons, democrats, were elected alder- 
men in the First and Second wards, John Wood 
only, in the Third ward, being chosen on the 
inde|)eudent ticket. The city council was de- 
cidedly democratic, and the organization and 
action for the year was i-adically the same. 
There had been an election held all over the 
county on the 2nd of April for town officers 
under the township law, now for the tirst time 
going into operation, but the city, though de- 
clared as one of the towns, decided not to bold 
an election. 

With the sati.sfuctory condition of the city 
finances and its credit placed in a better shape 
than at any time before, there came now an 
active advance in business, which increasingly 
continued for the next half a dozen years, 
slowing down after that time until in 1861 it 
was revived by the war times, when there was 
plenty of money and so many interests and al- 
most everybody, for a time, lived off the gov- 
ernment. This revival of business life and 
industry was all over the land as well as here. 
By some it was attributed to the stimulus of the 
California gold coming into circulation; by 
one-half of the politicians it was credited to the 
national administi-ation being whig, and this 
was as zealously denied by the other half. 
Again, and with some degree of truth, so far as 
it concerned Illinois, it was claimed that the 
new constitution, by its having redeemed the 
bankrupt credit of the state, had encouraged 
and invited immigration. It was really, how- 
ever, beside;; the effect of the above influences, 
the natural periodical return of prosperity, and 
confidence that regularly appears after a pe- 
riod of depression. 

In Quiney the effects were early and evident. 
It was a year of bustle and improvement. Two 
daily packet lines of steamers were running to 
St. Louis in addition to the Galena and St. 
Paul boats, two or three of which passed every 
day. Property rapidly advanced in value. For 
instance, the two large lots in Nevins' addition 
of the southeast corner of Maine and Twelfth 
streets, where now stands the Webster school 
house, and which had been offered for sale in 
the year before at $500, now were boi;ght for 
school purposes by the city for $2,000, and to- 
day probably the same property without the 



buildings thereon may be easily called worth 
ness structures were erected. The ilcFadon's, 
Rogers', Mauzey's buildings on the north side 
over .$50,000. Many superior sub.stantial busi- 
of the scjuare; Kendall's, since called the Citj^ 
Hall, at the corner of Maine and Sixth; Luce's 
buildings, on Fourth, south of ]\Iaiue, where for 
a long time the post office was located, and a 
number of other permanent and costly edifices 
were erected, giving better appearance to the 
city. Some handsome private residences were 
constructed. This was a feature in Quiney 's 
appearance which was sadl.v neglected before. 
Now it equals any other city of its class in the 
state, in the number, variety and elegance of its 
private residences. Then, and up to this pe- 
riod, there was next to nothing to show of at- 
tractiveness in this line, nothing but what 
would be second or third class today. The old 
Wood, Keyes and Young mansions and two or 
three others were about all. The Leavitt house, 
perhaps the most ijretentious and expensive 
private residence of its time, was built this 
year. It stood on the corner of Vermont and 
Eighth, was afterward purchased b.y General 
Singleton, and now is built over and forms a 
part of the St. Mary's School. 

With the general business stimulation, man- 
ufacturing enterprise which is always the surest 
indication of local prosperity, became active. A 
larger number of factories of a valuable and 
durable kind were established than had ever 
been before. Among them were the Phoenix 
works, by the energetic and enterprising Com- 
stock Bros., in the fall of the year, and about 
the same time the cotton factory of Dimock & 
Gove, which did a successful business for some 
years ; also the planing mill of Chase & Scripps, 
the first large concern of the kind in the city 
whicli had been working in a small way before, 
now extended its business, and a number of 
other factories beneficial to the place and which 
have continued successfully, originated with 
this year. 

There were severe losses by fire, of whicli 
there was an unusual number. In January the 
large bi'ick steam flouring mill and di&tiilery, 
known as the "Casey Mill," sitiTated near the 
Bay, about where the freight depot now stands, 
was entirely consumed. It was the most ex- 
tensive concern of the kind in the city, being a 
four-story structure, with surrounding build- 
ings, originally erected by Messi-s. Miller, at a 
cost of between $20,000 aiid $25,000. The prop- 
erty afterwai'ds passed into the hands of Capt. 
Casey and other parties, who expended on it 
some $15,000 more. It Avas a serious loss to 
the business of the place. Later than this, also 
on the 30th of March, Kimball's mill, at the foot 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



135 



of Delaware streeet, weut the way of all mills. 
This also was a large establishmeut, and an old 
landmark. It was the oldest steam mill in the 
city, erected in 1831, although much enlarged 
since. 

The long-talked Female Seminary, for which 
there had been yearning and movement for 
many mouths past, opened finally in October, 
in the buildings on the south side of Maine, 
near Sixth, which had for some years past been 
used by Miss Doty for the same purposes. It 
began under the supervision of Miss Catherine 
Beecher and a corps of teachers, with nearly 
one hundred pupils and fine prospects of suc- 
cess, which, however, were doomed to disap- 
pointment, as it lived hardly a year, sinking 
with itself a good deal of hope and more or 
less money beside. 

Among the public events of the year were 
the observances on the death of General Taylor, 
the second President of the United States, who 
had died in office. A public meeting was 
called by the ]\Iayor and proper preparations 
made, and on the 27th of July, with formal 
accompanying ceremonies, an impressive ad- 
dress was delivered at the Market House by 
Judge Peter Lott. Judge Lott was the most 
felicitoiis orator for such occasions in the city, 
and had performed a similar duty nine years 
before, on the occasion of the death of Presi- 
dent Harrison. Several persons who had oc- 
cupied places of more or less prominence in 
past Quincy history, passed away from life dur- 
ing this year. Judge Jesse B. Thomas, one of 
the oldest and ablest legal men of the state, 
Avho had presided over this judicial circuit, suc- 
ceeding Judge Douglas, in 1843, and residing 
for some years in Quincy, died at Chicago on 
the 17th of February. C4overnor Ford, a citizen 
of Quincy and pi-acticing lawyer as early as 
1833. afterward Supreme Judge and Governor 
of the state, died at Peoria during the month of 
November. A more personal as well as general 
feeling of regret was occasioned by the death 
of H. S. Cooley, who died at New Orleans on 
the 21st of March, of consumption, and was 
buried here by the Masons with a good deal of 
public display. IMr. Cooley came to Quincy 
from ]Maine, in 1840. and at once became con- 
spicuous. He was made Quartermaster General 
of the state in 1843, appointed Secretary of 
State in 1846, elected to the same office in 1848, 
and held it until his death. He was a man of 
fair talent, active and ambitious and, had his 
life been longer, would probably have contin- 
ued to rise in political distinction. 

The newspaper business exhibited the same 
advanced energy and enterprise that marked 
other callings, but it could not be fairlv said 



to be as profitable and stable. There were two 
weekly German papers issued, both moderately 
democratic in politics. One, the Illinois Courier, 
l)ublislied by Linz and Richter, came out in 
April and continued for several years. The 
other, the Wochenblatt, had but a short life, 
dying out with the sudden disappearance "be- 
tween two days" of its publisher. The three 
other journals were the Herald, Whig and the 
Journal. The latter had somewhat of an in- 
voluntary chameleon reputation. It was 
charged by the Whig with being a democratic 
sheet, and as severely attacked by the Herald 
for its whig proclivities. The editor, L. M. 
Booth, an old newspaper man, had the luck or 
non luck to often be freighted with this un- 
certain reputation. He was somewhat in the 
situation of the two Irishmen, strangers who 
met and each thought that he recognized the 
other. After a grasp of the hand and a second 
look, both started back, and one of them says : 
"Faith and we're both mistaken. I thought it 
was you and you thought it was me, and it 
seems it is neither of us." His paper did not 
prosper, and he left in April, promptly, like the 
Wochenblatt editor, for California, where he 
soon embarked in a similar business. The Jour- 
nal fell into the hands of C. M. Woods, who 
changed, in May, the name from People's Jour- 
lud to Quincy Journal, and on the 20th of No- 
vember commenced the issue of a daily paper. 
There had been two brief efforts to carry on a 
daily publication in Quincy (once, in 1845, and 
again in 1847) : each lived but a few months, 
ilr. Wood's Journal was published at the price 
of ten cents a week. It had difficvdties (sus- 
pended once or twice), but after some changes 
in name and ownership, was merged into and 
became the present Daily Herald, the oldest 
continuous daily of the city. Another journal, 
the Columbus Gazette, was started during this 
summer, but its existence was short and its cir- 
culation light and mostly confined to the county 
and its own immediate neighborhood. 

Journalism then, thirty-six years ago, was 
laden with le.ss labor, but also owned less con- 
veniences, than since and now. Local news 
was scant and hard to obtain, and the manu- 
facture of the same was a yet undeveloped art. 
I]arly news from abroad came at variable pe- 
riods. As illustrative of this, one of the weekly 
journals, in two successive issues, tells its read- 
ers that it has "no, dispatches again this week, 
owing to the storm," a somewhat significant 
comment on what the telegraph was in those 
days. 

The fall election for member of congress, 
state treasurer, members of the legislature and 
countv officials was warmly contested, with 



136 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



peculiar and iMintiictiug results. O. H. Brown- 
ing was the whig, and W. A. Richardson the 
democratic candidate for congress. Browning 
carried the city by about 50 majority and the 
county (city included) by 139. but was beaten 
iu the district; only one other county (Peoria) 
giving him its vote. John Wood, nominated as 
the whig candidate, for the state senate on the 
declination of Col. Ross, of Pike — Adams and 
Pike constituting the senatorial district, re- 
ceived 210 majority in Adams, and C. A. War- 
ren, his democratic opponent, led in Pike 
coimty by about ,50 votes. In the represent- 
ative district, composed of Adams and Brown 
counties, J. M. Pitman, J. R. Hobbs and J. 
Dearborn were the democratic nominees, 
against whoiu the whigs ran J. W. Singleton, 
Wm. Morrow and ,Holman BoAvles. Pitman, 
Singleton and Bowles went out of Adams with 
small majorities, which the first two retained in 
Brown, where, however, Hobbs secured a ma- 
jority sufficient to elect him. It was amxisingly 
noticed at the time, that Dearborn, of Brown, 
got more votes than Hobbs. of Adams, in 
Adams, while again, Hobbs led Dearborn in 
Brown, each appearing to be honored most out 
of hi.s own county. On the county ticket the 
whigs elected the sheriff and treasurer, Humph- 
rey and Pomeroy and the democrats the cor- 
oner. Munroe, by small majorities. The demo- 
cratic state ticket was also .successful by from 
two to three hundred votes. This political re- 
sult is notable as being a partial success for 
each of the two parties, which for the past 
twenty yenrs had disputed the control of the 
county with ;ibout an even record of foitune, 
and because it was the last success of the 
whigs. From this period, with a single acci- 
dental interruption in the legislative succession, 
the democratic! party maintained an easy, con- 
tinuous supremacy in all the county elections 
for the followipg fifteen years. 

An advance' in business life in all directions 
was (as before stated) the marked feature of 
this year. There was an increase iu the mill 
and provision product, less noted for the reason 
that enterprise was spreading itself in so many 
other occupations, some new. some extensions 
of what had been. As the best criterion by 
which to judge the present prosperity of a com- 
munity, is in the number and extensiveness of 
its factories, where are offered opportunities 
for ingenuity to expand and the largest amount 
of labor to be employed, so the surest test of 
permanent stability is to be foimd in the price 
and valuations of its real estate property. 
Herein is the best basis of a people's wealth, 
and herein Quincy has an even and healthy 
record. Sudden changes in the value of real 



estate almost always are fictitious, and sooner 
or later prove so. During the sixteen years of 
independent corporate existence, six years as 
a town, ten years as a city, now, in 1850, the 
retrospect revealed a slow but steady step (for- 
ward with far less of infiuctuation than at- 
tached to the career of most other young com- 
munities of the west. , It had early, it had 
always, and it had now, in 1850, a larger pro- 
portion of people owning their own homes than 
any other town or city of the same grade in the 
west : and this has continued. The reasons for 
this condition of things, it is needless to name. 
The fact exists that there are nearly 50 per 
cent more men in Quincy who own their own 
homes tliim in any other Illinois city, and it is 
easy fm- any one to deduce from this how 
strongly, luiw, of necessity, both business and 
social feelings and interests mu.st combine to 
make assurance of a permanent future. As 
evidencing this record of values during the pe- 
riod above named, the assessment tables tell a 
clear story. Valuations of real property by as- 
sessors rarely give a correct estimate of the 
value of such property, but the successive valu- 
ations are the best evidence that can be had of 
the varying value of .such property running 
through a series of years. 

The first town assessment to be relied upon 
was in 1836, when the town property was val- 
ued at $487,900. Four years later, in 1839, the 
last one made by the town, the valuation was 
$658,443. These valuations were high, much 
higher than would be made at the present time, 
but property all over the west had been rated 
at a speculative value some years before and 
so continued to be, while the percentage of tax 
assessments was low. In 1841, the second year 
of the existence of the city, the valuation of 
real estate was $729,809, and of personal prop- 
erty $95,059, and this proportion, slightly ad- 
vancing each year, became, in 1850, $1,200,391 
for real estate and $353,961 on personal prop- 
erty. In fact, these valuations which in 1835 
were relatively too high, were, in 1850, placed 
almost as much too low, the earlier valuations 
being lifted as nearly as possible to the sup- 
posed cash worth of property, and indeed some- 
times above, while the later valuations were as 
steadily falling ifar below what such property 
was actually worth. The reason for this de- 
pression in the asses.sments was, first, the in- 
fiated value that had been adopted in the early 
times, and again the operation of the, two mill 
tax to pay off' the state debt prescribed in the 
the state constitution of 1845. The unexpected 
effect of this two mill tax was, that if all the 
property in the state was valued at anywhere 
near its real worth, a much greater sum would 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



137 



be raised to apply upon the state debt than was 
needed or proper. Hence, property wa.s valued 
low to accord with the arbitrai-y standard of 
the two mill tax, while for the raising of the 
necessary revenue, the state and corporations 
could easily meet the demands of their budget 
by increasing the percentage on these low val- 
uations. 



CHAPTER XXIX. 



1851. 

PRO.SPERITY. THE YEAR OF "HIGH V^TATER." 
WHIG AND HERALD CHANGE PROPRIETORS. 
CHANGES IN THE JUDICI.\L DISTRICTS. 
JUDGE SKINNER. R,\TTjRO.\DS AGAIN. ROUTE 
CHANGED FOR 1 '.1 ;i L\ P \\-.\ V TO CEDAR 
STREETS. SAM Hi )l..\l lO.-^ .MAVOR. NIGHT PO- 
LICE. NEW BANIvl-Xi; l.-V\V. CHURCH ON 
NINTH AND STAI'E Coill'LETED. STRUCK BY 
LIGHTNING. 

Until the 1st of February, '51, the river re- 
mained open with fair navigation. It then 
closed for a week, reopening. It carried 
throughout the year a most extraordinary 
"boom" late into the fall, when it became 
finally ice-blocked on the 16th of December. 
This was the Mississippi's greatest, most tri- 
umphant year, when the waters of the upper 
Slississippi reached a height above the measure 
of any earlier mark. Its flood in 184-1 exceeded 
any in general recollection, although some old 
settlers asserted that the river had been known 
to be higher in 1832 and 1826, and there was 
also an Indian tradition that some time late in 
the last century it had attained an height never 
since equaled. Be that as it may, the certainty 
is, that the rise of 1851 surpassed that of any 
within the memory or measure of white men. 
The summer was very rainy, but the chief vol- 
ume of the flood came from the north. While 
this upper portion of the stream was thus un- 
precedentedly high, below the mouth of the 
Illinois and of the Missouri, which had been 
vastly, swollen in 1844, it did not reach the sum- 
mit water mark of that year. The rise began 
eai-ly in April, upon already full banks. As 
it continued to swell and passed above the 
measurements of 1844, the old settlei's shook 
their heads with "yes, but it won't reach the 
1832 or 1826 figures." However, when, on 
the 6th of June, the measure showed 5 feet 6 
inches above the mark of 1844 they gave up. 

It was a mighty flood, like a vast sea .stretch- 
ing from bluff to bluff. Here, on the city side, 
above and below the town, it washed the foot 
of the hills, filling Front street so much as to 
make it impassible and entirely stopping the 
operation of the mills. No small temporary 



addition to the population of the place was 
made by the incoming of many families who 
had beeri/' drowned out" of the "bottoms" 
and crowded into the tenement houses in the 
lower part of the city, i^ peculiar occurrence 
beside was, that late in the fall, when ordinarily 
the river is at its lowest, a second swell came 
down, filling the lands and overflowing the 
banks as much as is usually done at the regu- 
lar annual rise in June. It does not appear 
that this huge flood iu.jured to any very great 
degree, the business interests of the city, al- 
though it much increased the .sickness, which 
was extensive, and quite fatal, during the 
greater part of the year. 

The dreaded cholera revi.sited the city in a 
nuu-e violent form than it had appeared the 
year before, but much less destructive than 
the scourge of 1849. For eight or ten weeks 
in the late spring and early summer it pre- 
vailed with varying fatality, leaving almost as 
suddenly as it came, with a record of about 
160 deaths. As in its earlier comings, it came 
upon the people almost without premonition, 
and its advent was a shock and terror. The 
flrst cases noted were in the south part of the 
city, in the Odell family, where, in the short 
space of four .days, the mother and three chil- 
dren were taken and died, and another child 
followed within a week. Thirty deaths oc- 
curred during the last week of May, twenty- 
eight being from cholera. The same feature 
was marked at this time as had been noticed 
on its two former visits, that on the Saturday 
and Sunday of each week it was the most fatal, 
and that during those days about one-half of 
the deaths occurred. The death roll of this 
year bears the names of an unusual number of 
prominent persons and "old settlers." Espe- 
cially of these were E. W. Clowes and Ryon 
Brittiugham, brothers-in-law, both early and 
substantial citizens, John B. Young, one of the 
jiioneers, who came to this country from Ken- 
tucky at an early date, with somewhat more of 
means than the generality of the people then 
had, settled first in the south part of ,tlie 
county, and moved thence to Quincy. To his 
enterprising action the city owes many of its 
best early improvements. There died also W. 
E. T. Biitze, John Glass, early German immi- 
grants: Dr. H. G. Weoboken, a German physi- 
cian of unusual skill and attainments; Dr. J. 
W. Newland : Charles :\Iorton, the best known 
and most popular "land man" in the state; 
]\Irs. McDade; Miss Sarah Wood: Ex-County 
Judge Andrew Miller and many others of like 
notable position. Among the most conspicu- 
ous and regretted of these was, probably, S. 
]M. Bartlett, editor and associate owner of the 



138 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



Quincy Whig, who died on the 6th of Septem- 
ber, after a sickness of eight days, the event 
making sad impression. Mr. Bartlett was a 
man of marked traits of character, of fair in- 
tellect, excellent judgment, well expei'ienced in 
the essentials of his profession, with a frank, 
outspoken nature, eai-ne.st in believing what 
he said and equally earnest in saying what he 
believed, a clean private character. He had 
during his fifteen years' editorial control of 
the Whig secured a strong rejiutation through- 
out the west, and the especial confidence of the 
political party of which the Whig was a recog- 
nized organ. He was a native of New Eng- 
land, came early to the west and had worked 
as a journalist and printer in St. Louis and 
Galena prior to his settling in Quincy. He was 
but 38 years of age at the time of his death. 

After the death of Mr. Bartlett the interest 
which he had owned in the Whig was pur- 
chased by John T. Morton, who, as editor, 
in connection with H. V. Sullivan, published 
the paper for several years. This was the first 
change that had occurred in the ownership 
and management of tlie Whig since its estab- 
lishment, in 1836. The Herald about this time 
went thnuigh with one of its many changes, 
being bought by P. Cleveland & Co. Mr. Cleve- 
land was a ready, rapid, somewhat verbose 
writer, more polished, but less vigorous in style, 
than Brooks, the former editor, who now be- 
came the publisher and associate editor. Un- 
der their management, which continued for two 
years, the paper extended its popularity and 
political influence considerably more than its 
financial condition. 

The old F'ifth judicial circuit, originally in- 
cluding all the counties in the Military Tract 
and taking in the northwestern section of the 
state, formed, in 1829, was by an act of the late 
legislature divided and a new circuit made, 
composed of the counties of Adams. Hancock, 
Henderson and Mercer. This broke up many 
of the old time legal associations and limited, 
to some extent, the practice of the Quincy 
lawyers, who had for over twenty years been 
accustomed to "follow the circuit" twice a 
year and appear at the bar of each county 
in the tract. ]\Iany of them had local partners 
in the counties outside of xVdams. 0. C. Skin- 
ner, a prominent lawyer of Qviincy, who had 
resided in Carthage before coming to Adams 
county, and while there had rapidly risen to 
the leading position at the Hancock bar, a 
reputation which he well sustained in Quincy, 
was recommended by the Ijar for the judgeship 
of the new circuit. The desire was then, as it 
had been at the first judicial election, to keep 
the contest from becoming political. This time 



the wish succeeded. The circuit, on a party 
vote, was undoubtedly whig, and Skinner Avas 
a most I'adical ultra democrat, but his high 
judicial capacity was recognized and, no oppo- 
sition being made, he was unanimously elected. 
Some efit'ort was attempted to bring party feel- 
ings into the election for prosecuting attorney, 
but it cut no figure, and J. H. StcM'art, an ex- 
perienced lawyer from Henderson county, a 
whig, but not a politician, was elected to that 
olfice. 

Finally the railroad matter, that for two 
years past had "dragged its slow length 
along," which had been the topic for strife, 
talkative, public meetings, legislative action, 
and had engendered no small amount of per- 
sonal bickering and animosity, was, by the 
general action of the citizens, taken out of its 
troubles and placed on the pathway towards 
certain and early completion. A law had been 
passed through the general assembly at the last 
winter's session legalizing the assessment by 
the city of Quincy of a special tax to meet 
the interest on any railroad bonds that it might 
thereafter issue, and the city council promptly 
l)rovidecl an ordinance in furtherance of the 
]>rovisions of this law. Another legislative ac- 
lion in the same direction was the law which 
authorized the construction of a railroad from 
some convenient point on the line of the North- 
ern Cross Railroad, within Adams county, run- 
ning thence on the most eligible and prac- 
ticable route through the IMilitary Bounty 
Tract and terminating at the most convenient 
and eligilile point at or near the southern 
termination of the Illinois and Michigan Canal, 
prescribing also that such road should not run 
east of Knoxville in Knox county. These two 
judicious attachments to the railroad project 
clinched the heretofore somewhat doubtful 
public confidence in its management and lifted 
it at once to an assured success. The effect 
of the first of these special laws was to sub- 
stantiate the credit of the city in its intention 
to sustain the enterprise b.v a bond subscrip- 
tion, and the other promised an eastern con- 
nection by railroad and canal by way of Chi- 
cago and the lakes with the already finished, 
progressing thoroughfares which would be im- 
mediate on the completion of the Quincy end 
of the route. This was far preferable at the 
time to the building of a road towards the 
centre of Illinois with an indefinite prospect 
of its continuance farther eastward. Large 
l(.oal subscriptions were now made, amounting 
i-,! Quincy to between .$50,000 and $60,000, and 
also in proportionate liberal figures along the 
]U"oposed route of the road in this and the ad- 
jacent counties. The precise line was not at 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



139 



once decidod uytuu or made known, and ageuts 
and advocates were sent to the various local- 
ities between Quincy and Galesburg to arouse 
public interest and solicit subscriptions; prom- 
ising always, of course, that the community 
which offered the most money would be sure 
to secure the road. 

One of our prominent Quincy lawyers nearly 
came to grief in this endeavor. He had made 
a sj)eech in a little town in an adjoining county 
and demonstrated that there was the natural 
route for the road, almost the only feasible 
line, that they needed it, and all that was 
wanted was for the people to .subscribe liberal- 
ly, so that some other place wouldn't "buy the 
road away from them," aud made a capital and 
well satisfied impression. The next day he 
had f. meeting in a rival town about five miles 
away, and there ''spoke his piece" over again 
M'ith telling effect, when he was suddenly in- 
terrupted by a fellow calling, "Why. Mr. W., 
that's .just what you told las yesterday over in 

M ; you said the road was bound to come 

through our town and oughtn't to go anywhere 
else." To any other than this most adroit of 
legal gladiators this would have been a crusher. 
He was .staggered for the moment, but recov- 
ered Avith, "Well, gentlemen. I did sa.v some- 
thing of the kind to those fellows over there 
and the gudgeons all believed me." Brown 
and McDonough coimties voted, the first $25.- 
000, the second $50,000. 

At a public meeting of the citizens of Quincy 
on January 24rth, it was proposed that the city 
shoidd vote a subscription of $100,000 aud pur- 
chase the interests of the company which owned 
the road for .$20,000 in stock. This latter ar- 
rangement was perfected, and the council, on 
the 27th, ordered an election to be held on 
March 1st, upon the proposition to subscribe 
$100,000, which resulted in an almost unan- 
imously favorable vote, 1,074 for to 19 opposed. 
At a meeting of the stockholders on the 22d 
of March, which was largely attended, N. Bush- 
nell, J. M. Pitman, H. Rogers, J. D. jMorgan 
and L. Bi;ll were elected directors by the indi- 
vidual stockholders. Mayor Holmes i-epresent- 
ing the city, which had the larger portion of 
the stock, casting its vote in the same direction. 
The directors organized liy electing N. Bush- 
nell. President : J. 0. Wooclruif , Secretary, who 
soon resigned, and was succeeded by John 
Field, and he soon after by John C. Cox. S. 
D. Eaton was appointed Chief Engineer, and 
in April work began at the corner of Twelfth 
and Broadway. 

At the April city election Mayor Samuel 
Holmes was reehosen by a ma.iority of 268, 
out of a total vote of 984, over M. B. Denman, 



the whig nominee. At the same time C. A. 
Savage, Thomas Redmond and Geo. W. Brown 
were elected aldermen in the First, Second and 
Third wards. This election of two whigs and 
one democrat made the council a tie politically 
and was the basis for a good deal of dissension 
and harsh feeling in that body. This feeling 
had been shown somewhat in the retiring coun- 
cil, where after the board had voted to raise 
the mayor's salary from $250 to $350, he re- 
fused to receive it because it had not been 
unanimously voted. 

Mr. Lock filed a notice of contest for the seat 
given to jMr. Redmond, who had beaten him by 
17 votes. This was finally withdrawn, but re- 
mained long enough to stir up considerable per- 
sonal feeling, and when the selection of a city 
clerk came up (this officer at that time being 
elected by the council), no choice could be se- 
cured for several meetings, not, indeed, until 
after 75 fruitless ballotings. There were two 
democratic aspirants for the place, each of 
whom secured two votes, one of these votes 
coming from a whig alderman, while two of 
the whigs voted for a whig candidate, thus pre- 
venting the mayor's having an opportunity to 
decide the choice by his easting vote. After a 
couple of weeks' wrangle, however, the demo- 
crats in the coiuicil "rose to the occasion" and 
adopting a motion to elect by resolution, chose 
Mr. Cleveland clerk. He had held the office 
for the two past years, and it was partly from 
some dissatisfaction towards him and partially 
growing out of the unwillingness of the whigs 
to select the city officials until the Lock-Red- 
mond contest was settled, which caused this 
.struggle over the clerkship. It was the first 
occasion of personal, political strife, that had 
appeared in the council, which in the early 
days had very little of that demonstrative ele- 
ment Avhieh not unfrequently wakes iip its ses- 
sions nowadays. 

Owing perhaps to this dissension aud delay 
over the organization of the council no formal 
fiscal statement for the past year was pub- 
lished, but the city affairs appeared to have 
been well conducted and its credit sustained, 
though the debt had somewhat increased. 

^Iv. Holmes was a skillful business man. with 
unusual aptitude for public business and well 
acquainted with the city's history and wants, 
and made a highly commendable record as 
mayor. 

During this year's administration was begun 
the organization of a night police, and the sec- 
ond revision of the ordinances was made vmder 
the supervision of the mayor. 

Prices in all things were rising, as they had 
been for the past two years, beef at eight cents 



140 



i'AST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



and mutton seven cents per i^ound, and other 
neeessaries in proportion, made living some- 
what more expensive than it had before been. 
Eeal estate advanced rapidly in demand and 
vahie. One sale indicates this propoi-tionate 
progress. The ten acre tract at the southeast 
corner of Maine ami Eigliteenth streets, now 
known as the Collins property, which had been 
bought five years before by the late Secretary 
of State, Cooley, for .$1,000 ($100 per acre), 
was now sold for .$2,525, or $252.50 an acre, 
cash, no improvement of value being on the 
ground. All over the city, as there was also 
throughout the country, real estate was in 
eager demand and Avas changing owners rapid- 
ly and at rising figures. 

Money was plenty and easily obtained, and 
the adoption of the State Bank law gave 
broader opportunities for the establishment of 
"money factories," as they were called, and 
for a greater increase in the amount of paper 
circulation. A curious feature in regard to the 
bank law, which went into operation at this 
time, was the sectional character of the con- 
test. It was partially made a political issue. 
The whigs all favored it, the democrats gen- 
erally opposed it. The southern section of the 
state strongly democratic, was almost solid 
against the law, the central belt, which was 
whig, and the northern portion, then demo- 
cratic, favored it. Chicago voted thirty to one 
for the law, and yet, as a curious commentary 
on this, is the fact that when the law was i-ati- 
fied by far the larger number of the banks 
organized under it were located in the southern 
part of the state, where it had received the 
greatest oppo.sition. The nuijority for the law 
in the state was 62,221. 

ilueh of handsome and substantial building 
was done during this year. The fine brick 
church long known as the Centre Congrega- 
tional, at the corner of Fourth and Jersey, a 
branch of the 1st C!ongregational Society, was 
commenced. 

It is now owned l)y the Baptists. The Pres- 
byterian church, on Maine street, was enlarged 
and improved, and the Lutheran church, now 
replaced by the imposing structure on the cor- 
ner of State and Nintli, was completed. 

Touching this latter, a mishap occurred sad 
to those who were the sufferers laut amusing to 
worldlings. By some error or oversight the 
lightning rod placed along down the outside 
of the steeple was carried as far as the belfrey 
and there landed, hanging there with no con- 
nection to the earth. The lightning caught on 
the tip of the rod, followed it down and M'hen 
it came to the lower end spread itself, shiver- 
ing the steeple and setting it on fire. The flame 



was soon extinguished, but the splintered 
steeple remained as a reminder that Provi- 
dence cares no more for its own buildings than 
any others, unless they were properly finished. 
It was rather a shock to the faith of some 
good people. 



CHAPTER XXX. 



1852. 

OOV. CWRLIN. FIRST D.\ILY MAIL, BY STEAMER. 

THE whk; became a daily. IMPROVE- 

.MlO.X-l'S. l;i)ii.\l IN BU.'^INESS. .MILL BITRNED. 
Flli.-^r 1 ill'li lAL REPORT OF THE SUPER- 

in'i'i;m 'i:ni' of public schools, kossuth 
iNvrrj';o to yuixcY. railro.a.ii work car- 
ried ON. WHITNEY. TH.\YER. THAYER 
BY A POLITICAL MISTAKE. ELECTS TRUM- 
BULL TO THE U. S. SENATE. POLITICAL 
CH.\NGES. MAYOR'S SALARY RAISED TO $300. 
POLITICAL. 

A second vote was taken at the town elec- 
tions in April, on the question of the continu- 
ance of the township organization system in 
the county, which had now been in operation 
for two years. It was sustained by a vote of 
1,532, with but 222 cast against it, two towns 
only, Ursa and Beverly, voting to fall back to 
the county court system. Quincy, as at the 
foi-iiicr el(M-tioii on this issue, did not vote. 

Tliis wiis a severe season for the farmers in 
this section ot the state, owing to the ravages 
of the army w(n'm and other insect pests, which 
did extensive injury to the early crops. The 
river opened as early as the 8th of February, 
closing for the succeeding winter on Christ- 
mas day. Navigation was nnu.sually good in 
the early part of the season, and the water rose 
to within three inches of the great flood of 
1844, and aliout five feet less than that greatest 
of floods in 1851 : but it ran very low in the 
fall, so much so that the St. Louis packets were 
not able to make their trips above Quincy after 
the middle of November. 

The first regular daily mail by steamer was 
established in April from St. Louis to Galena, 
which was continued for many years, until 
superseded by the more rapid railroad convey- 
ance. Before this time occasionally mail mat- 
ter had been carried on the boats and messen- 
ucrs apjiointed to take it in charge, but it was 
only occasional and never became permanent 
until now. 

The Whig opened out as a daily on the 22d 
of ]\Iarch, issuing at the same time a tri-weekly. 
It was the beginning of the present Daily Whig, 
although it met with two or three temporary 
suspen.sions before it became substantially es- 
tablished. The uncertainties of the telegraph 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



141 



and the dearth of local matters of interest were 
the difficulties which hampered the establish- 
ment of a daily paper iu those days. 

The winter of 1851-52 was very cold and con- 
tinued late into the spring. On the 10th of 
April there came one of the most severe and 
unseasonable storms ever known in the west, 
extending throughout the state and lasting for 
several days. The snowfall was from one to 
two feet in depth. 

^lucli improvement was made iu the general 
appearance of the place by the building of 
man}- handsome, tasteful private residences, a 
feature peculiarly lacking heretofore, and also 
of large and substantial storehouses. The city 
was growing fast. Among the needed and im- 
posing improvements was Kendall's, after- 
wards known as the City Hall, at the corner of 
Maine and Sixth .streets, at a cost of about 
$20,000. This was notable as being the first 
public hall in the place. Before this time the 
Court House or the churches, if they could be 
obtained, were the only conveniences for lec- 
tures, fairs and all exhil)itions of a like charac- 
ter. ^Ir. Orrin Kendall, the owner of this hall, 
was one of Quincy's most energetic and enter- 
prising men. He moved from here to Chicago, 
and. as though he had a passion for such plans, 
erected there a hall patterned almost precisely 
after that in Quincy and endowed it with his 
name, a handsome structure, which fell before 
the great fire of 1871. The stone Episcopal 
church, now the Cathedral, was finished during 
this year. 

The boom in real estate property continued. 
An indication of these values was shown in the 
sale of what was then known as the "Mast cor- 
ner." so called from its owner, iliehael Mast, 
an eccentric, popular little man, a tailor, the 
earliest German settler in the place, and the 
first tailor also. This property, 491/2 feet on 
Maine by 100 feet on Fifth street, was sold in 
Se[)teniber for !{>4-.165, about .$85 per front foot 
on Maine. There were on it no improvements 
of value. The contrast of these figures is 
curious with what the same property "went 
for" twenty-seven years before at the County 
Commissioners' sale. Then the entire corner 
lot, 99 feet by 198, of which the "Mast corner" 
was one-fourth, brotight at auction, $16.25, 
about 17 cents per foot. Quite a handsome 
speculation. 

Business of all kinds was active and extend- 
ing. There was in it a bustle, life and confi- 
dence that gave most sanguine promise for the 
future. With a fast increasing population, real 
estate rapidly accreting in value, money facil- 
ities all that could be desired, eastern railroad 
connections assured, this was much the most 
lively and seeminglv succe.ssful vear that 



Quincy had known since 1836. The staple 
business of the past winter had been up to the 
.standard. Between ID.OOO and 20.000 hogs 
were the reported protluct of the i^acking sea- 
son of 1851-52, about the average of the three 
or four preceding years. The great fiour mill- 
ing business, which, for the last fifteen years, 
had been a specialty of Quincy. as ahead of any 
of the upper Mississippi cities, was increasing 
in proportion to its jjast standard, but it met 
with temporary misfortune during the year. 
Two of the largest of the half-dozen flour mills 
came to what is the frequent fate of such struc- 
tures, destruction by fire. These were the 
Wheeler & Osborn and Smith mills, on Front 
street, burned on the 17th of September. 

So common had then become, as it still is, 
this fatality of steam mills, that it was said 
somewhat savagely, but suggestively, when 
these two went down, "Well, this makes four 
steam fiour mills burned in the last two years. 
Better call them steam fire mills." A tally of 
the grist mills in Quincy which have thus been 
cremated, would more than exhaust one man's 
fingers. 

Among the chief manufacturing establish- 
ments of the place, and perhaps that which 
handled the heaviest transactions of any, was 
the Thayer distillery, located about one-half 
mile south of the city, whose report at this 
time stated the cost of the buildings, etc.. to 
have been $30,000: that there was annually 
consumed 300,000 bushels of grain: $12,500 
paid for cooperage : $4,500 paid to wood 
choppers: .$8,000 to employes, and that there 
was capacity for feeding 2,000 hogs and about 
half that number of cattle, which each year 
was fully used. 

The first published official report of the 
superintendent of the public schools was issued 
this year. Before this period, as required by 
law, a brief formal statement was annually 
handed into the council, and as briefly and for- 
mally placed away on file. A detailed report 
of the condition of the public schools was, on 
the commendatory recommendation of the 
mayor, ordered to be summarized and officially 
published, since which time this has been an- 
nually done, and it is only from this date that 
a fair history of the public schools can be made, 
the earlier records being meager or lost. The 
public schools had now, after many years of 
trial, outlived all the opposition and prejudice 
with which they were at first assailed ; were 
well managed, flourishing, and favored by the 
general public. There were two schools, large- 
ly attended, each with a primary department 
attached, employing in all eight teachers. 

The especial national excitement of this 
vear was the comina- to America of the noted 



142 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



patriot and exile Kossuth, who was warmly 
welcomed all over the land by manifestations 
of sympathy and respect siicli as have been ac- 
corded to no foreigner except when Lafayette 
made his tour through the United States in 
1824-25. Beside the interest that he attracted 
as being the most eminent representative of re- 
publican freedom in Europe, he was an orator 
of most graceful and persuasive nature. He 
was gifted with a lingual facility tliat enabled 
him to use the English language with a readi- 
ness and aptitude equal to Carl Seliurz, to 
whom, while he was inferior in force and orig- 
inality of intellect, he was far superior in elo- 
cutionary grace. The "Kossuth craze," as it 
was called, pervaded the whole country, 
Quincy, as well, and the ]\Iayor, always alive to 
catch a popular feeling, placed before the coun- 
cil a proposition to officially extend to Kos- 
suth the courtesies of the city, which was done, 
and seconded also by a public meeting of the 
citizens. Kossuth did not come, but he was 
met and greeted at St. Louis by a formal rep- 
resentation of the council and by a large dele- 
gation of the citizens, who returned delighted 
with him and themselves. 

The raih'oad work went steadily forward, 
between two and three hundred men being em- 
ployed in grading at various points along the 
line within twenty miles of Quincy. As almost 
the entire original state survey had been aban- 
doned, and a new line laid out, the lawyers, of 
coiirse, reaped a small harvest out of a good 
many "right of way" cases that naturally came 
up. Some not pleasant jars occurred also over 
this ciuestion. whether the road should be fin- 
ished first from Camp Point to the Illinois river, 
or ])ushed northwards to a Chicago connection. 
The indefiniteness of that clause in the charter, 
which prescribed that the road should not run 
east of Knoxville, and the uncertainty of where 
would be the Mississippi terminus of the C, B. 
& Q. road, which was rapidly reaching south- 
ward, also the adverse interests of other con- 
templated railroads in the upper section of the 
Military Tract, added to these embarrassments. 
They were all finally adjusted, however, with 
the conclusion that the noi'theru connection 
should be first secured by the way of Gales- 
burg. McDonough county, in May, by a ma- 
jority of 173, in a pretty large vote after a 
hotly contested election, voted a subscription 
of $100,000, and in August, Brown county fol- 
lowed suit by the decisive vote of 749 for, to 
316 against, a bond subscription of $50,000, and 
about .$25,000 of private subscription was 
raised at Meredosia and points westward along 
the line. 

At the October session of the city council the 
railroad asked from the city the right of way 



on Front street, from Broadway north to the 
city limits, and also the use by "loan" or grant, 
or otherwise, of a portion of the public laud- 
ing for depot purposes. The right of way 
was given and also the grant of a tract two 
hundred feet in length on the we.st side of 
Front street and north of Vermont. This was 
the first of the franchises granted by the city, 
followed by others of like nature ; which have 
given to this one railroad so much; and, so far 
as other roads are concerned, exclusive privi- 
lege. These were accorded to what, at the 
time, was the Northern Cross railroad, but 
passed and continued when it became absorbed 
in the C, B. & Q. railroad. 

The brief statement heretofore given of the 
transactions of the Thayer distillery as par- 
tially illustrative of the business of the place, 
shoidd he supplemented by a mention of other 
interests carried on at the same time by its 
active and enterprising proprietor, Avho was 
generally recognized as the foremost business 
man of the city. 

With this reference to Mr. Thayer and his 
career is associated the remembrance of another 
man who occupied the same relative position 
through ten or twelve years of an earlier pe- 
I'iod. The business enterprises of these two 
men were almost precisely the same, their in- 
fiuence and position in the community was very 
nuu'h alike, and the career of each came to a 
nearly similar close. The names of Avhat are 
called business men, however conspicuous they 
nuiy be for the time, do not live on the records 
like those of the politician and the placeman, 
but their immediate importance and influence 
is far more effectively felt, is often more ad- 
vantageous and much more permanent. 

D. G. Whitney came to Quincy from 
JIarietta, Ohio, about 1831 or '32, started a 
store in partnership with Richard S. Green, and 
rapidly I'ose to the position of being the most 
extensively engaged and supposed wealthiest 
)iiei'chant of the town, a place which he main- 
tained for many years. Of a genial, generous 
dis|)(isition, quiet but attractive demeanor, he 
had great business ambition and a shrewd, 
bold, broad capacity therefor. Beside manag- 
ing his large mercantile establishment on the 
west side of the square, wiiere probably more 
trade was done than at any three or four of 
the other stores, he had interests in several 
country stores: built also in 1834 a distillery 
two miles below the t6wn : later on erected a 
large steam flour and saw mill ten miles south, 
and in connection Avith it put up a capacious 
warehouse on the west river bank, about six 
miles above Hannibal, and subsequently built, 
at the corner of Maine and Front streets, two 
brick storehouses, the largest structures of 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



143 



the kind then in the city. In addition to the 
care of these manifold interests, jie was inter- 
ested in the .steamboat traffic between St. Louis 
and Quinej', and more or less each year en- 
gaged in grain and provision speculation. 
About 1837-38 he built the house now owned 
by General Singleton ("Boseobel"), which 
when erected, was the most expensive and ele- 
gant private residence in this section of the 
state. He pulled with apparent success 
through the "hard times" of 1837 and after, 
but failed about 1842 or '43, and twice aftei*- 
ward each time with a luTge cloud of local in- 
debtedness about him, despite which he twice 
temporarily established himself through his 
pei'sonal popularity and his strong hold upon 
public confidence. On his tiual failure, he re- 
moved to California, in 1849, and there partial- 
ly succeeded in restoring his fortunes, but 
never attained the pre-eminence that he sus- 
tained here. His death was caused by being 
crushed between the cars about twelve years 
ago. 

About 1844 or '4.5, when the financial pres- 
tige of Mr. Whitney was declining, Mr. Syl- 
vester Thayer came from New York and 
opened a dry goods store on the north side of 
the public square, under the firm name of S. & 
W. B. Tha^^er, afterwards Thayer & Co. Later 
they purchased and removed to the building 
on the southwest corner of Maine and Foiu'th. 
The younger brother was popular, and the 
older one shrewd, longheaded and enterprising. 
They soon stepped into an extending city and 
county trade, and gradually enlarged their op- 
erations in the same manner as Mr. Whitney 
had done ten or twelve years before. They 
built and operated a large steam mill at the 
foot of Delaware street, and erected on the op- 
posite side of the street the largest warehouse 
in the city, and probably the largest above 
St. Louis, with a depth of one hundred and 
sixty-seven feet and a width of sixty feet, 
which is still standing and has since been 
used for a tobacco factory and other purposes ; 
also the distillery south of the city, since 
known as Cui'tis'; made large stock pui'chases, 
bought acres of grazing lands in Missouri and 
operated on a scale as much more extensive 
than had been done before as the size and 
business of the city was greater than it had 
ever been. 

Some years subsequent to this jieriod (1852) 
they failed hopelessly, loaded as ]Mr. Whitney 
had been with local indebtedness, but this fail- 
ure was different in the one respect, that Thay- 
er carried down with him the two banking 
houses of Flagg & Savage and ]\Ioore. Hollow- 
bush & Co., while Whitnev's failure involved 



only a great number of individual creditors. 
The failures of these two men, owing so ex- 
tensively as they did, was a crippling misfor- 
tune to many, but yet Quincy owed them much. 

During the twenty-five or thirty years when 
the one or the other of them was a leading 
spirit of Quincy 's business, it was to a great 
degree their enterprise, means, business bold- 
ness and sagacity that kept the city ahead of 
the competition of .surrounding rivals, gave it 
life, activity and employment, and engrafted 
upon it pro.sperities which were bound to be- 
come permanent. Such men make towns 
though they fail. The business history of 
Quincy would be half untold if these men and 
what they did, were omitted. 

Mv. Thayer was per.sonally a ditt'erent man 
from Mr. Whitney. He was thoroughly a busi- 
ness man, and I'arely seen in society, always 
either at his counting room or place of busi- 
ness, or at home. He was also an extreme 
democrat as ilr. Whitney was as ardent a 
whig, but he only touched politics when it fell 
in the way of his business interests. He was 
elected alderman and mayor and was very effi- 
cient in both positions. To him in a large de- 
gree, and very much to his regret when the 
result transpired, is due the election of the first 
republican U. S. Senator from Illinois. It is a 
curious piece of local political history, still 
more curious from its broad effects. The whig, 
or anti-Nebraska convention, as it was called, 
in 1854. had nominated for the legislature 
Messrs. Sullivan and Gooding. A bitter per- 
sonal feeling between Mr. Gooding and Dr. 
Harrington, Avho was an aspirant for the nom- 
ination, both being citizens of Paj-sou, made 
Dr. Hai'rington incline to come out as an in- 
dependent candidate against Gooding. At this 
sanu^ time the temperance matter had stalked 
into the canvass and a series of awkward 
questions upon this sub.jeet was publicly pro- 
poTuided to the legislative candidates. The re- 
ply of ilr. Ruddle, one of the democratic nom- 
inees, to the effect that he was not especially 
hostile to a moderately restrictive temperance 
law if passed upon by the people, did not ac- 
cord with the interest and views of Mr. Thayer, 
and when Dr. Harrington appeared as a can- 
didate i\Ir. Thayer actively threw all the in- 
fluenee that he could exert against Ruddle and 
in support of Harrington. The result was that, 
while the democratic ticket carried the county 
at the November election by several hundred 
ma,jority. ]\Ir. Ruddle was beaten for the legis- 
lature by ~Sh: Sullivan, who led him six v^otes 
(Dr. Harrington getting between 600 and 
700). every other democrat on the ticket be- 
ing elected. These six votes placed Sullivan 



144 



PAST AND PKESEXT OF ADAM.S COUNTY. 



ill the lesiislature, which tlms had a republican 
majority of one, by which one vote, Lyman 
Trumbull was chosen to the United States Sen- 
ate. A.s ]\Ir. Thayer said afterwards, the re- 
sult unfortunately exceeded his ex]3ectations. 
What might have been the bearing- upon the 
country and parties had Trumbull not been 
chosen, and Shields or Matteson elected to the 
.senate as alifirming Illinois in the support of 
Douglas' Nebraska policy, is a question for 
jiolitieians to speculate on if they choose, but 
it is a queer fact th.it tliis result was brought 
about liy a ti'itiing local dispute and accident 
in Adams county. 

Money flowed freely during these days. The 
state was flooded with bank note promises to 
pay. The free banking law of 1851 was pro- 
ducing its natural fruits ('"dead sea apples," 
as they i)artially ])ri>vfd to be), as will the 
results of every financial scheme that proposes 
to perpetuate a uniform equalized national cur- 
rency which is based on other security than 
the national credit, faith and industry. Plagg 
& Savage, the leading brokers, organized the 
"City Bank of (ijuincy" and issued notes. 
Their's was the earliest established i)rivate 
bank of issue in the place. Their notes, how- 
ever, did not circulate at home, but were ex- 
changed for others of an equivalent face value 
issued by some distant banks, organized and 
with a circulation secured (?) by the deposit of 
state bonds, bought or borrowed, and the 
cheaper these were, the bettei' for the banks. 

Quincy was much exercised about this time 
for the want of a "nom de plume." All the 
other cities in the land had their fancy names, 
and Quincy had none. The titles it should 
with most apparent propriety claim, of 
"Mound City" or "Blulf City," had already 
lieen assumed by St. Louis and Hannibal. It 
was jiroposed to call it the Hill City, but that 
would have dwarfed it alongside of Hannibal, 
and Mountain City was too monstrous. There 
were sixteen churches in (Quincy at this time, 
a very large number in pniportion to the pious 
population, and it was seriously urged to have 
the place christened "the City of Churches," 
but this was a name that might not stick, and 
had already been adopted elsewhere. So the 
city Avent upbaptized for awhile longer, until 
the name "Gem City" was assumed, why, how 
iir for what specific reason it is difficult to say. 
although there are some appropriate points to 
warrant this title, and it has now become per- 
manently fixed. 

A special session of the legislature was called 
which began on the 6th of June and ended on 
the 26th. It was important only to Quincy 
for the reason that the Pike county railroad 



matter was being battled over in the legisla- 
ture, and now became a local question of some 
importance. Quincy railroad interests sought 
to "stave off" the granting of a charter to the 
Pike county road (from Hannibal to Naples) 
until the N. C. R. R. was completed to Mere- 
dosia. In this they mainly succeeded, but the 
question entered into and a good deal affected 
the political issues in the city for some years. 

This was a year of notable political changes 
and surprises alike in local and national affairs. 
The city election in April was a singular show- 
ing, completely reverisng the previous political 
order of things. The council, which two years 
before in 1850, had consisted of five democrats 
and one whig, now had five whigs and one dem- 
ocrat. The whig council, follow-ing the prece- 
dent of their predecessors, placed in all the 
appointive offices men of their own political 
faith. E. II. Buckley was chosen city clerk, 
which place he occupied for the next two years, 
and the entire city "outfit" Avas composed of 
wliig officials. John Wood was chosen mayor 
over ■}. M. Pitman by 190 majority on a vote 
of about 1.200. and John Wheeler," A. B. Dor- 
luan and J. N. Ralston were elected aldermen, 
the whigs carrying every ward for the first 
time in the history of the city. 

But little of new and local inqiortance oc- 
curred ill the transactions of the council dur- 
ing the year. One rather amusing excitement, 
such as Quincy occasionally and Quincy only 
can furnish, came up during the latter part 
of ]\Iay(n' Holmes' administration, over the 
matter of jiayiug the annual state tax. The 
collection of this tax had been heretofore made 
by a different official and at a different period 
from that of the city tax, and now by law the 
time for its payment was advanced, throwing 
the collection of two taxes into the same year. 
The fact that Quincy paid no county tax, and 
perhaps the other anomalous fact that for sev- 
eral years the eastern part of the county had 
avoided the payment of taxes, had put into the 
heads of some earnest people the idea that the 
paying of state taxes, apparently twice in the 
same year, could be got clear of, notwithstand- 
ing that they were based on separate assess- 
ments. So much .stir was made over this ques- 
tion that the mayor, who, with many merits as 
a citizen and official, always had an eye to the 
vox populi vox Dei, especially the popular eye, 
called a public meeting to decide whether the 
state tax of 1851 ought to be collected. The 
meeting was a large one and it was there re- 
solved that, while the payment of two taxes. 
so nearly together, was a hardship, yet it could 
not be evaded, and so this little teapot tempest 
was calmed down. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



145 



The one special action of the new city eouu- 
cil that created comment and criticism, was 
their raising the salary of the mayor from $250 
to $300. In the earlier times the mayor was 
not only the figurehead of the city in his rep- 
resentative character as president of the coun- 
cil and vested Avith a good deal of executive 
authority, but he was also, ex officio, a inagis- 
trate and expected to serve as such, and was, 
withal, street superintendent. Some of the 
earlier mayors, Conyers and Wood, for in- 
stance, from a sense of duty and personal in- 
clination, gave up most of their time to ovei'- 
seeing the street grading, the laying of side- 
walks, gutters, etc., which was no small task 
for whoever undertook to personally superin- 
tend all the details. The duties attaching to a 
seat in the city council were not as many as 
in later years, nor was the aldermanic dignity 
so prized and sought after as now : but for 
these, or some other reasons, the selection of 
men to fill such positions was taken much more 
satisfactorily. Take, for instance, the names of 
the aldermen of this year, 1852, who were a 
fair sample of what and who the city fathers 
used to be. John Wheeler. Chas. A. Savage, 
Thomas Redmond, A. B. Dorman, Dr. J. N. Ral- 
ston. George W. Brown, all representative men 
whose intelligence and character commanded 
public confidence, strongly contra.sting with 
some of our later day councils. 

Political feeling ran high during this last, 
hopeless, struggle of the whig party for a na- 
tional existence. Large party mass meetings 
were held during the campaign. The demo- 
cratic ticket carried both county and city, giv- 
ing Pierce for pi-esident over Scott, and llatte- 
son, for governor over Webb, nearly 400 ma- 
jority, and the local candidates about 50 less. 
To congress, W. A. Richardson was elected 
over O. H. Browning, J. il. Pitman. John Moses 
and David Wolf to the legislature fi'om Adams, 
and Brown over J. R. Chittenden, J. C. Cox 
and John Lomax, and Levy Palmer, sheriff, 
and C. M. Woods, circuit clerk, beat R. P. Coats 
and John Field. Calvin A. Warren was elect- 
ed state's attorney by about 600 ma.iority over 
J. H. Stewart, the former incumbent. The 
freesoil vote of 261 in 1848, now fell off to 
107. and the 190 whig ma.jority at the April 
city election was replaced by an equal ma.jor- 
itv on the other side. 



CHAPTER XXXI. 
1853. 



PORK SHIPPED SOUTH BY BOAT IN JANUARY. 
THE EELS CASE. JUDGE SKINNER ON THE 
FUGITIVE SLAVE L.4W. QUINCY^ GASLIGHT 
AND COKE COMPANY. B.ANKING. ENGLISH 



AND GERMAN SEMINARY. JEFFERSON SCHOOL 
PROPERTY. BUSINESS PROSPERITY. CHAR- 
TER FOR A BRIDGE. COUNTY AGRICULTURAL 
SOCIETY. QUINCY M,\DE A PORT OF ENTRY. 
THE GERMA.V TRIBU.N'E. $1011, IIDO VOTED TO 
RAILRO.^D. I.MPRO\-EMi:.\'l' OF M.\INE. HAMP- 
SHIRE AND BRO.\l)\\'AY, .\GI-J'ATION FOR 
PLANK ROAD TO lU'RTi )X RciAD ON OPPO- 
SITE SIDE OF RIVER TO THE BLUFFS. FIRST 
■STRIKE." "QUINCY BLUES." OTHER MILI- 
TARY* ORGANIZATION. 

Navigation, which had ended on the 25th of 
December, 1852, was resumed on the first of 
February, and continued until Christmas again 
in 1853. The river had been open here during 
most of the winter, and about the middle of 
January a boat, the Regulator, which had been 
wintering here, started southward laden with a 
heavy shipment of poi'k, and after ten or 
twelve days' battle with the ice, reached St. 
Louis, and returned to Quincy. It was then an 
important advance gained to get the winter 
packing product of Quincy to St. Louis or the 
south at the earliest possible period. The busi- 
ness in this line for the season had been good, 
and some 21,000 hogs were reported as having 
been packed. The price greatly varied, run- 
ning from $3.50 up to $6.00. 

The "Eels case," which had been contro- 
verted in the various courts for many years, 
originating about 1837, was decided on the 
21st of January. This case was important and 
had much national attention, because it .judi- 
cially settled the personal responsibility of par- 
ties in a free state who assisted the farther 
escape of slaves after they had fled clear from 
the state where local law recognized them as 
property, thus sustaining the validity of the 
then existing fugitive slave law in extending 
its operations into the free states, was espe- 
cially interesting to Quincy people, for the rea- 
son that the defendant had long been a promi- 
nent citizen of this place, where the case com- 
menced. Dr. Richard Eels, whose name has 
thus become somewhat accidentally historical 
in connection with the early anti-slavery 
strifes, was a well established physician here, 
and was a member of a small association which 
aided onward to Canada runaway slaves. The 
ease with its long continuation, financially 
ruined Dr. Eels, and the anxieties which it 
created probably aided in breaking down his 
health. He died in the West Indies about the 
time that this suit was determined. He was 
an unusually capable physician and a worthy 
man of rather extreme and unbalanced opin- 
ions upon some subjects. Connected with the 
topic above mentioned, which was once a con- 
stant vexation, but had of late generally passed 
out of thought, there came up a slight renewal 
of the old slavery fever. A public meeting in 
Marion county. Mo., had resolved to have no 
business intercourse with Quincy on account of 



146 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



the disposition of so many of its people to har- 
bor aud aid runaway slaves. The question 
here was agitated as to what was the obliga- 
tion in thi.s matter in lUiuois under the black 
law.s prescribed bj^ the new constitution, and 
how far the legal machinery of the state was 
subservient to the tleniand for the return of 
fugitives. Judge Skinner, who at this time was 
on the circuit bench, made public his opinion 
that only the United States law and United 
States officials had cognizance of such cases, 
and so with this closed nearly the last of the 
old-time sensitive trouble between Quiney and 
its near neighbors across the i-iver. 

The Quiney Gaslight and Coke Company, 
which had been ineoi'porated at the legislative 
session of 1852-53, perfected its organization 
on the 9th of August, with a capital stock of 
.$75,000, and made its local contract with the 
city for a twenty-five yeai-s' exclusive privi- 
lege. The greater portion of this stock was in 
the ownership of A. B. Chambers, of St. Louis, 
and he controlled the affairs of the company 
for a long time. The remainder of the stock 
was divided among the local charter members. 
The company bought on th? 30th of July the 
■ground at the corner of Jersey and Ninth, 
which they yet occupy, and began work at 
once. Ample means were at the command of 
the St. Louis parties, and the enterprise was 
rapidly and judiciously pushed, coming to an 
early completion and proving to be for a long 
time most satisfactory to the public and more 
remunerative to the owners than any of the 
other inter-corporate improvements in the city. 

Banking matters partook of the general 
quick activity. The ''Quiney Savings and In- 
surance Co.," with banking privileges, chai'- 
tered the winter before, formally organized. 
This was afterwards, with some changes of 
name and control, the First National Bank of 
Quiney. A private banking house was opened 
during the summer on the north side of the 
public square by Ebenezer Moore, J. E. Hol- 
lowbush aud E. F. Hoffman, under the name of 
Moore, Hollowbusli & Co. It did a handsome 
and lucrative business until carried down like 
the other bank of Flagg & Savage, by the fail- 
wre of the Thayers three or four years later. 

An "English and German Seminary," under 
the auspices of the ]Methodist church, Avas pro- 
jected this year, and through earnest efforts, 
enlisting other denominational influences, it be- 
came a success. This is the institution which 
was erected and long located in the imposing 
brick structure on Spring street between Third 
and Fourth, generally known as the "Method- 
ist College," now the Jefferson school house. 
Some vears after this, the name was changed 



to "Johnson College," in honor of one of its 
donors, and later still, in recognition of an- 
other beneficent gifts, it was rechristened 
"Chaddock College," which title it has since 
worn. About the time of this last change of 
name (in 1875) the college was removed to the 
corner of State and Twelfth streets, and estab- 
lished in the Gov. Wood residence, which had 
been purchased for its use. At the same time 
with this removal the city board of education 
bought, for $30,000. the old college property, 
which comprised, besides the valuable building, 
an entire block, and located there the Jeffersou 
public school. This was a judicious and op- 
portune purchase for the school interests of 
the city. It chanced to come at a time when 
the Jefferson school was required to be re- 
moved from Jefferson Square, to make way for 
the new court house, and there was secured 
to the school board a substantially built struc- 
ture, amply adaiDted to the purpose, with a 
larger surrounding of ground than any other 
of the eight city school houses, placed also in 
a quarter where it might not be easy in the 
future to obtain a sufficient amount of land so 
centrally and satisfactorily situated for educa- 
tional uses. 

Trade and business of every kind continued 
more and more fiourishiug. About forty 
steamboats ran regularly from St. Louis to 
Quiney, and passing here in the up river trade. 
During the free navigation period of ten 
months, Avhicli continued into December, with 
a brief suspension in the spring (an unusual 
occurrence), there were registered thirteen 
hundred and fifty steamboat landings, averag- 
ing about five arrivals each day. 

A statement compiled at the close of this 
year, which is probably correct so far as it 
goes, but incomplete on account of many omis- 
sions, rates the annual export trade of the city 
as amounting to $1,248,011. This professes to 
embrace all the values of product and manii- 
facture that had been sold and shipped away. 
Among the leading items therein cited were 
3.153 barrels of beef, 6.850 of crackers, 28,923 
of riour, 20,296 of whisky, 101 carriages, 594 
wagons. 5,092 stoves, 4.165 plows. 4,119 hides, 
8,039 bales of hay, 116 hogsheads of tallow, 
3,600 boxed candles, 430,000 feet lumber, 358,- 

000 laths and shingles, $91,000 worth of cast- 
ings, engines, etc., 40.866 bushels of wheat, 
71.386 of corn and 137.299 of oats. At the 
same time another, like the above only partial 
.statement of the business employments, reports 

3 steam flour and 2 steam saw mills. 2 distiller- 
ies, 25 steam engines in use, 6 machine shops, 

4 foundries, 1 cotton. 1 woolen, 1 wooden ware, 

1 flooring factory, 3 sash, 3 carriage, 3 large 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADA:\IS COUNTY. 



147 



wholesale furniture factories and several 
smaller ones. 2 extensive wagon and plow fac- 
tories and 7 smaller ones, 2 planing mills, 5 
lumber yards, 1 book-bindery, 2 hardware, 6 
iron and stove, 3 books and stationei-y, 4 drug 
and over 200 retail .stores, grocery, dry goods, 
e.tc, 2 banking houses, 18 churches, 2 daily and 
3 weekly English and 2 weekl.v German news- 
papers. The official valuation of city prop- 
ertv for taxation, real and personal, footed 
$2,076,360. 

The old court house, the second one, built in 
1836 on the east side of the square, was en- 
larged by having an extension attached to the 
rear, and, by an arrangement between the city 
and county, the former obtained the use of one 
of the large lower rooms for a clerk's office and 
council room, which was thus occupied for the 
following fourteen years. 

A charter for a bridge company was pro- 
cured at the legislative session of 1852-53, the 
incorporators being the directors of the N. C. 
R. R. and some other parties connected there- 
M'ith. The recpiirements of the charter were 
that the bridge should be commenced within 
three and finished within sis years. These 
time conditions were not complied with, but 
extensions of the charter were obtained and 
with some changes from the original plan, this 
enterprise was the origin of the present rail- 
road bridge, constructed some twelve or thir- 
teen years later. 

With the accession of the democratic party 
at the national election in 1852 to administra- 
tive control of the country, there followed the 
u.sual changes among the federal officials. 
Austin Brooks, editor of the Herald, was made 
postmaster, supplanting Abraham Jonas, who 
had held this ofSce chiring the past towv j'ears. 
Another person, a partner of Mr. Brooks, had 
been booked for this place, but an unlucky busi- 
ness contretemps, coming to light, just on the 
eve of appointment, precluded the use of his 
name, and the office went to his partner. Also 
A. C. Marsh, as Register, and Damon Housef, 
as Receiver of the public land office, succeeded 
Henry Asbury and H. V. Sullivan. There was 
a good deal of local special importance attached 
to the land office and to these positions. They 
had been, in earlier years, places of distinction 
and responsibility, and were at one time largely 
lucrative ; mainly so from the fees, the stated 
salary being small, only ^400 per annum. Their 
value had been for some time past steadily 
shrinking, and their importance also, and the 
appointees above named were the last to hold 
the offices, which ended with their term. 

The Quincy land district, established in 1831. 
embraced the entire Military Bounty Tract, and 



covered the 5.369,000 acres of public land lying 
between the Mississippi and Illinois rivers, 
reaching as far north as the latitude of LaSalle 
and Rock Island. More than one-half of this, 
about 3.500,000 acres, was by congressional law 
reserved from general purchase, and specially 
set aside to be deeded as bounties to the soldiers 
in the war of 1812. Patents for these thus re- 
served lands were issued to the soldiers as early 
as 1815 and in the four or five following years. 
The remaining unpatented lands were not of- 
fered for sale until a long time later, a large 
portion of them being reserved for more than 
20 years. The cheapness of these bounty lands 
which could be bought from the soldier paten- 
tee : 160 acres for from .flO or $15 to $30 : or the 
state tax title for a still lower figure, while the 
government price for land was $2.00 and later 
$1.25 per acre, and their vinsurpassed fertility, 
with the advantage of a location between and 
nearly bordered by two great navigable rivers, 
were tempting offerings to the adventurous emi- 
grants and to the speculator, causing a flow of 
settlement towards this section far in advance 
of that received by any other part of Illinois; 
an immigration which continued when the re- 
mainder of the hitherto govei'ument land was 
thrown open to genei'al entiy. With the loca- 
tion in Quincy of the public laud office, there 
naturally followed the establishment of the pri- 
vate land agencies, which represented the titles 
to nearly all the unoccupied land in the bounty 
tract that had been granted to the soldiers. 
Hence every one desiring to purchase either 
piiblic or private land had to apply personally 
or othei'wi.se at Quincy. which, of course, thus 
became the sole land market center for this 
section of the state. Had Rushville, which at 
that period (1831) was more populous than 
Quincy, and came near being preferred, or Pe- 
oria, which was about ecpially central so far 
as the location of the lands lay : had either of 
these been the point selected for the public land 
office, one of the .strongest factors in the early 
history of Quincy 's prominence and improve- 
ment would have been lost. Most of the gov- 
ernment land had now. in 1853. passed into pri- 
vate ownership, and when, soon after, the gen- 
eral government donated to the states all the 
swamp lands, or those sub.ject to overflow, so 
little was left in this district that it was no 
longer necessary to maintain the offices here, 
and they were removed to Springfield. 

Another federal office was created about this 
time. A bill was inti-oduced into Congress in 
December, to make Quincy a port of entry, 
which passed during the session. The ob.ject 
was to convenience the railroad in its payments 
on the iron imported from England. Under the 



148 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



operation of tliis l;i\v shipment could be made 
through direct to (juiucy and here taken out of 
store, and the duties paid thereon from time to 
time in such amounts as the railroad company 
required. Several other cities on this great 
"inland sea" (as IMr. Calhoun, to evade his own 
oiii)osition to internal imi>rovenients, termed the 
upper Mississippi), that were similarly inter- 
ested in railroad enterprises, were also about 
this time, made ports of entry, and continued 
such for a Jiumber of years, a good while after 
the chief reason for their establishment had 
passed away. The law relating to Quiney went 
into effect Feb. 2, 1854. and the apjiointment 
of surveyor of the port was made soon after. 

At the November election, which this being 
the odd year, was only for county officers, the 
democrats carried the county by the usual av- 
erage ma.jority of about 200. electing W. II. 
Cather County Judge over Henry Asbury : Geo. 
W. Leech County (Uerk over 1). M. Prentiss, and 
J. H. Luce Treasurer over C. JI. Pomeroy. The 
city election, in April, was a mixed success for 
both parties. The whigs re-elected John "Wood 
as Mayor over J. M. Pitman by 6 votes, and 
C. A. Savage to the council from the First ward 
by 3 majority. F. Wellman and 8. Thayer, 
democi'ats. were elected in the Second and 
Third wards, and the general democratic ticket 
was snoeessful. With the casting vote of the 
Mayor, the council continued the former whig 
officials. 

A meeting of whigs was held on the fith of 
May to consider the itrojeet of establishing a 
Oerman whig ncAvspaper. There were two Ger- 
man periodicals then published, both of which 
were democratic. Mr. Wood proposed to pur- 
chase type, etc., for such a paper if the party 
Avould sustain it for five years. The result was 
the e.stablishraent of the Tribune, which made 
its ajipearaiice on the first of November as an 
independent German weekly. It did not, how- 
ever, live out its time. The promised support 
failed within a year or two and after passing 
through several changes of owner.ship and 
name, it became what is now the Germania. 
The Herald met with another of its frequent 
kaleidoscopes and suspended during the sum- 
mer, resuming about tlie first of August under 
the management of W^ni. ~Sl. Avise & Co. 

Railroad matters were progressing success- 
fully. Much of the grading through Adams 
county, the heavier sections excepted, was well 
advanced toward completion, and before the 
close of the year the entire roadbed to Gales- 
burg was under contract. Some changes oc- 
curred in the management and in the directory, 
where a causeless inharmony temporarily oc- 
curred that Avas soon corrected. At the stock- 



holders' meeting in April the old directors were 
re-chosen with two additional members, these 
were Brooks and Joy, representatives of the 
northern interests in the road, which eventually 
obtained its control. W. H. Sidell became chief 
engineer, succeeding Newell, and continued as 
such until the final finish of the I'oad to (iales- 
burg. Latei John Wood was made director in 
place of Pitman, resigned. 

At the 1852-53 session of the legislature an 
act had been obtained authorizing the city, by 
a popular vote, to subscribe $100,000 in addi- 
tion to what had been already given towards 
the roii.struction of the railroad. The company 
made application for this, and on the 23rtl of 
June a public meeting was called to consider 
the matter, at which it was manifest that the 
general feeling was favorable and earnest for 
the subscription. The president of the road re- 
l)orted in detail its condition and jn'ospects. 
what had been done and was desired and stated 
that an additional siun of $1(J0,00() was required 
to completely grade, bridge and iron the road 
to Galesburg-, and that the plan proposed was 
for Quiney to furni.sh .1^100,000, JIcDonough 
county i|i25,000 (having already given $50,000), 
and that the remainder would be made up by 
lU'ivate subscription, also then and at a subse- 
quent meeting the railroad directory pledged 
itself to take care of the interest on these 
bonds. The city council promptly ordered an 
election to be held on the 30th of July foi' the 
proposed subscription of .$100,000 in eight per 
cent bonds. The project was carried by a 
nearer approach to unanimity even than at the 
election over the first subscription two years 
before. Then the vote stood 1.074 to 19. Now 
there were 1,133 votes cost for and but 4 
against. McDonough county followed suit in 
August by a vote of 1,145 in favor of the $25,- 
000 subscription with 285 opposed. There was 
also $30,300 raised liy personal subscription, 
this about completing the amount called for. 
This was the second of the five subscriptions, 
amounting to $1,100,000, which have mainly 
made the foundation of the present city debt, 
the amount above named having been increased 
gi'eatly by the funding of long delinf|uent inter- 
est. Whatever may be said or thought now, 
then, or at any time as to the need or propriety 
of incurring these great debts, Quiney has for 
them its own sole responsibility to bear, for it 
is a patent fact that each and all of these meas- 
ures were eagerly adopted, not only with no 
.shadow of dissent, but with an almost feverish 
enthusiasm of unanimity. To the $1,100,000 
cited above as the sum of Quiney 's investments 
in railroads may be added the city proportion 
of $220,000 voted by the county to the two 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



149 



roads running' north and south, which, however, 
became no part of the liabilities of Quiney. and 
its burden has insensibly passed out of exist- 
ence. A special i.s.sue of bonds to the amount 
of $12,000 was made durinji: this year to meet 
the payment on bonds, about to mature and to 
take up and fund local indebtedness. 

An unusual amount of expensive and perma- 
nent public improvement was done during this 
year. Maine and Hamp.shire streets along and 
eastward from the public scpiare were heavily 
macadamized, "a deep kneeded want during 
the muddy months." was Quiney 's veteran 
punster's comment on the matter. Broadway 
from Twelfth to the river was put in pa.ssable, 
traveling condition, by having its uniform 
grade established and the same nearly finished 
before the close of the year. This comprehen- 
sive and costly work, involving one of the larg- 
est expenditures of the kind that the city had 
as yet made, was the canse of constant war in 
the council, f-nd among the new.spapers through- 
out the summer and fall, affording plenty of 
material for outside gossip and discus.sion, and 
often for merriment. It was the raciest, mo.st 
honest contest of which the council had up to 
this time been the theater, not exhibiting the 
cavortings that sometimes have been shown 
there in later years, but it was pugnacious and 
plucky and long. The city fathei's wei'e evenly 
divided on this issue. The two from the north 
and one from the middle ward ardently urging 
it. while the two from the south ward and the 
other middle ward member were ecpially tliut- 
like in their opposition. The project was brought 
forward, passed through the council, because of 
the absence from the city of one of the south 
ward aldermen, the contract was let and the 
grading commenced. "When, however, this ab- 
sentee alderman returned and one of the north- 
siders happened to be away, the boot changed 
legs; the order for grading was revoked, and 
payment on the work done susspended, until by 
another chance and the absence again of a 
south alderman and the return of the north 
member, thus giving back the original majority, 
the improvement started up again : and so it 
see-sawed throughout the season, while all the 
time one newspaper, to make capital against 
the city administration, and because its special 
friend didn't get the contract, bitterly de- 
nounced the job. and the other paper, to sus- 
tain the administration and because its special 
friend had secured the contract, fought for it 
with ecpial zeal. It was a furious warfare of 
words. The editors have gone, the contractors 
are dead, and two only of the aldermen are 
living, l)ut the work went on to completion. It 
was, as before said, a very expensive and 
ti'oublesome improvement to make, appearing 



to many as unnecessary at the time, but was of 
I'eal, e.ssential importance. This half mile cut 
to the river had been made by the railroad com- 
pany twenty years before, and now much was 
needed to bring it into useful and available 
condition as a street. 

At Twelfth street it lay some ten or twelve 
feet below the present surface level, to which 
it was raised again at this time, and to equalize 
the grade westward required many changes to 
be made all along the line, some of them quite 
costly, but the result in creating the best thor- 
oughfare, in fact, the only easy graded street 
from the river up into the city, more than war- 
ranted the pi'opriety of the expenditure. 

The grade also of Maine street from Eighth 
to Eighteenth streets, then the eastei-n limit of 
the city, was established and partial work 
begun thereon, yet many years passed before 
the street was brought to anything like its pres- 
ent handsome appearance. Settlement along 
it at this time was thin, there being but three 
houses east of Twelfth, and not many more 
west to Ninth, and the ground was unequal and 
broken. One now looking along that broad 
.stretch of smooth bedded street, with its easy, 
graceful proportion of rise and decline, cannot 
easily realize that its whole length from Ninth 
to Sixteenth, was at this period a billowy suc- 
cession of lean hazel ridges and abrupt ravines, 
as numerous as the crossing streets and at times 
almost impassable, changed as it now has be- 
come into the most beautiful thoroughfare of 
the city, which indeed can scarcely be elsewhere 
surpassed. 

Real estate values continued to advance as 
they had been .steadily doing .since 1840, ac- 
celerated by the active railroad movement and 
prospects. To the surprise of .some, however, 
this increased rise appeared more in the eastern 
and ceuti-al sections, than in the older portion 
of the city under the hill, where it might be 
presumed, from the location there of the depot, 
adding the railroad to the river business, that 
the value of the ground in that vicinity would 
be most enhanced. The result was the reverse 
of this expectation. Some property there 
changed owners, and at good advanced figures, 
but the trades made were mostly speculative, 
and the figures lower than relatively ruled else- 
where. The lot on the corner of Front and 
Broadway, which for some yeai's had "gone 
a-begging" at $20.00 per foot, was now sold for 
.$30.00. but this was somewhat exceptional, and 
generally the investments in this quarter re- 
munerated slowly, the truth being that there 
has always been a larger area of ground and 
frontage on the river than was needed for the 
Inisiness that required to be specially located 
there, and this fact holds good as much in later 



150 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



days as it Hhvays did in earlier times, when 
only "steamboat business"" was transaeted un- 
der the hill. 

The promise and stir of the coming railroad 
stimulated some other latent ideas of enter- 
l)rise into activity. There had been for many 
years a common "talk," usually just before a 
city election, of a plank road across the river 
bottom opposite the city. One frequent candi- 
date for i)ub]ii' honors, periodically used as his 
political shibboleth, "a town clock, free ferry 
and ^lissouri plank road." These of course 
amounted to nothing after the election, but now 
with the spirit of enterprise well aroused, and 
some rivalry excited, the first practical move- 
ments were made in the direction of the last 
above named and the most important of the 
three measures suggested. 

Hannibal, seeing that Quincy had an assured 
eastern and northern railroad connection, while 
its own was at yet uncertain, had pushed out 
to good completion its plank and gravel road, 
reaching through the bottom lands to the Illi- 
nois blutt's so as to secure and retain all the 
trade of the southern part of Adams county. 
With an eye towards meeting this flank move- 
ment from our little rival city, a Quincy com- 
pany projected and completed the survey of a 
line for a plank road to Burton, nine miles 
southeast of the city ; and what was of like but 
much greater importance, an elaborate exam- 
ination and svTrvey with estimates of expense, 
was made by a skillful engineer, B. B. Went- 
worth, for about five miles of road, commencing 
at the ferry landing opposite the city and 
reaching almost by an air line to the north 
FabiiTs bridge at the foot of the Mi.ssouri bluffs. 
The estimates were, for a road of this charac- 
ter, raised above possible overflow, trestled 
bridges, etc.. $19,246 for a single track with 
passings, and $21,656 for a doiible track. What 
has been expended since this time, thirty-four 
years ago. in endeavoring to make a road of 
this character, we do not know, but it is truth 
beyond question that if the above naiued 
amount, taken from what has been given rail- 
roads, vast as their benefits have been, had been 
devoted to the opening of these two enterprises, 
the gain to Quincy would have been very great 
and the railroads would not have missed it. 

The first formal workman's "strike" broke 
out this year among the laborers at the brick 
and lumber yards, who claimed an advance of 
pay from seventy-five cents to a dollar a day. 
They all quit work on the 20th of June and 
paraded the town in procession, preceded by 
music of drums and fife. This was then a nov- 
elty and attracted attention, resulting in the 
yielding of the employers to the demand. 



The military fever, which had been gradually 
(lying out since the close of the ^Mexican and 
:\lormon wars, broke out afresh this year with 
the organization of the Quincy Bh^es, made up 
in part from the members of former like asso- 
ciations, under the captaincy of B. M. Prentiss, 
which soon became a somewhat noted and cred- 
itable company. A German compam', the 
Rifles or Yagers, was at this time the only or- 
ganization of this character in the city, and 
it went out of existence soon after. The for- 
mation of the Blues brought out several other 
companies within the near following years. 
These were the "Quincy Artillery," under Cap- 
tain Austin Brooks, of the Herald, a dapper 
little "cadet company, composed of the boys 
from Root';--. High School, and commanded by 
Captain Martin Holmes, and the "City 
Guards," under Captain E. W. Godfrey, who 
as a captain in the 18th Missouri Infantry, was 
killed at the battle of Shiloh in 1862. Quincy 
thus had for several years foiu- military organ- 
izations, but all of them disbanded before 
1861. except the City Guards, which being then 
still in prosperous condition, became the nu- 
cleus from which was formed the two compa- 
nies which volunteered in the spring of 1861 
to do duty in the war of the rebellion. Prior 
to this period, 1843, there had been at different 
times four military associations in the city, the 
first being the "Grays" in 1838-9, next the 
"Riflemen" in 1843, and shortly after the 
"Montgomery Guards," an Irish company, and 
the Germany company of Captain Delabar be- 
fore mentioned. The "Riflemen" and "Mont- 
gomery Guards" enlisted in the Mexican war. 



CHAPTER XXXII. 



1854. 

ICE p.ACKi.xi; i; i:c( iM i:s a iu'sixes.';. width OF 
THl-; ici\i;i; :mm;ii i.'i-:!':'!' Tl I 1';atI{I': .s'IWRTED. 
.\MA'ii:iic Ai-nu;.'^, jiicii: .scikkii.. ni:i;i:a.sk_a. 

BILL. I'dJJTIC.VL CHANGES. DATU.M FOR 
STREET GR.\1)ES FIXED. MOLTLTON'S ADDI- 
TION. SW.\MP LANDS SOLD. G.AS COMPANY 
STARTED. FIRST LOCOMOTIVE BROUGHT TO 
QUINCY. A HOT SUMMER. DISTILLERY 
BURNED. QUINCY CADETS. 

The winter of 1853-54 was generally pleas- 
ant, not marked by any extreme degree of tem- 
perature, although the snowfall was unusually 
large. The staple business of the season kept 
up with former years, about 22,000 hogs being 
packed, which was a fair average product. A 
new l)ranch of business began about this time, 
rather light at fir.st, but one that has since rap- 
idly increased and grown to a place among the 
leading industries of the city. This was ice 
packing, heretofore altogether a private affair, 
which now, however, commenced as a regular 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAilS COUNTY. 



151 



business. The tirst ice houses for packing, 
preserving and selling throughout the city, 
wei"e built this year, on a small scale compared 
with what it has since become, but fullj' up to 
the wants of the place at the time. I. Cleve- 
land, and soon after J. Cole, were the pioneer's 
in this line, packing not a great deal, but 
enough for local distribution during the fol- 
lowing summer. The river on the 23rcl of Feb- 
ruary, at a very high stage of water, with 
flooded banks, unfettered itself from winter 
thraldom, and thence on throughout the suc- 
ceeding winter, 1854-1855, remained entirely 
free from ice. Navigation was ea.sy and lasted 
long by reason of this early opening, and the 
nearly full continuance of the spring rise as 
late as the middle of November. All through 
the summer the river was high. Twenty-one 
feet above low water mark was the gauge given 
of the highest water, and this unusual altitude 
long sustained gave a greater avei-age volume 
of iiow through the season than had been often 
before known. 

A question much mooted then, and perhaps 
since, as to what is the exact width of the 
Mississippi at this point, was referred to some 
of the railroad engineers, who settled it by a 
careful measurement made over the ice in 
February, which had never been thus done be- 
fore. Starting from low water mark, at the 
foot of Vermont street, and running on an 
exact east and west parallel to a point about 
200 feet south of the ferry landing on the Mis- 
souri shore gave a distance of 3,960 feet, al- 
most an even three-quarters of a mile. Since 
this measurement was made, on account of en- 
croachments from the east side of the river by 
the extension of the public landing, and per- 
haps some changes in the banks on the opposite 
shore, the above figures may have slightly 
varied. 

A special session of the legislature ha\'ing 
been called by the Governor to meet on the 
9th of February, an election was ordered to be 
held on the 6th of this month to fill vacancies 
made by the resignation of John "Wood, senator 
fi'om the Adams and Pike district, and of J. M. 
Pitman and John C. Moses, representatives 
from Adams and Brown. The democrats in 
convention nominated for senator Solomon 
Parsons of Pike, and for representatives Wm. 
H. Benneson and Tliram Boyle of Adams, while 
the whigs brought out John McCoy of Adams 
for the senatorship, and J. W. Singleton of 
Brown and John C. Cox of Adams as their can- 
didates for the lower house. The election re- 
sulted in the success of Parsons. Singleton and 
Boyle. There was a light vote cast, and the 
result was efifected by local influences and the 
politic indifference felt by the whigs in regard 



to the election. The whig candidates, with the 
exception of Singleton, and also all the candi- 
dates from the city, were in some parts of 
the county and in Brown overlooked altogether 
in some precincts securing not a single vote, 
and in Brown the Singleton vote was about 
three times the total of all the others combined. 

Another special election was held on the 4th 
of April for a county clerk to succeed George 
W. Leech, who had been chosen to this place at 
the November election in 1853, and died three 
months after, on the 9th of February. Leech 
was a popular and .skillful official, familiar 
with the routine and history of public business 
with which he had been associated from boy- 
hood, belonging to one of those hereditary 
office-holding families, of which the country 
has so many. His early death was a public 
loss. At this election John Field, whig, was 
chosen over Wash. Wren, the late democratic 
-sherift". by nearly 300 majority. 

Changes were made in the legislative dis- 
tricts by the apportionment law of 1854. Un- 
der this Adams county was separated from 
Pike, and •with Brown made a senatorial dis- 
trict, and also Adams became a .single repre- 
sentative district, entitled to two members, in- 
stead of as before, having three members in 
connection with Brown county. There was 
also enacted at this session a law which be- 
came a part of the city charter, providing for 
the election of two police magistrates for the 
city and relieving the mayor from judicial dii- 
ties. 

The first attempt at an established theater 
dates from this time. There had been as early 
as 1839 a "Thespian" organization, composed 
of a goodly number of the youngsters of the 
town, who fitted up a little hall on Third street, 
between Hampshire and Maine, and with well 
prepared scenery and costiunes. gave exhibi- 
tions to their own satisfaction, and which af- 
forded special pleasure and amusement to the 
people of the town. This association continued 
for several years. Among its members, and 
we believe the only ones now living and resi- 
dent of Quincy. were J. T. Baker. Lorenzo 
Bull, T. 6. F. Hunt, Thomas Brougham and 
Ithema Taylor. A traveling troupe would oc- 
casionally come along and make use of the 
Thespian Hall, with its scenery, etc.. but the 
stay of such was brief, that of 3IcIntATe and 
Jefferson, father of the noted comedian, who 
performed here for several weeks in 1843. be- 
ing the longest. Nothing, however, like a pei'- 
manent theater, with its own professional com- 
pany, was planned until in the winter of 1853- 
54. Geo. J. Adams then began a series of 
"dramatic exhibitions" and lectures on elocu- 
tion, in the Danake Hall on Maine street be- 



152 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



tweeu Foui'th and Fifth. Adams, "Crazy 
Adajus, "" as he was called by some on account 
of his eccentric actions, was a very bright man. 
who had practiced at almost everything — cler- 
gyman, lecturer, i\Iormon missionaiy and apos- 
tle — and was withal, an actor of far more than 
average capacity and reputation. His troupe 
was composed of students from his class in elo- 
cution, with an occasional aid from some wan- 
dering actors, and the exhibitions were reason- 
ably successful, lasting otf and on for two or 
three years. During the time when he was 
managing these exhibitions, Thomas Duff, his 
brother-in-law, and wife, who had been per- 
forming in the east, came from New York and 
made their first appearance. Later, about 
1S57, when Adams dropped the management of 
this occasional theater, as it might be called. 
Duff, with a full company, came, and since that 
pei-iod carried on a theater from time to time, 
with occasional suspensions, for a good many 
years. 

The act oi Congress, creating a "port of en- 
try" at Quincy. was ai)|)i-()ved by the President 
on the 2nd of January, and in Jlarch Thomas 
C Benneson was appointed and confirmed as 
'■'port inspector." Aboiit twenty-five years 
later this officej with several other of the ports 
on the Mississippi, was aboli.shed. 

An earnest effort was made during the early 
jiart of this year to engraft a city high school 
upon the existing public school system, and a 
very large meeting was held at the court house 
on the 3rd of January in advocacy of this 
pro.ject. Following on this a lengthy petition 
was presented to the council at the February 
meeting, and referred to a committee com- 
posed of three of the aldermen and the super- 
intendent of public schools. At the ilarch 
meeting the ma.iority of this committee re- 
ported unfavorably, but recommended the 
building of more school houses for education in 
the common grades, which report was adopted 
by the council, and at the same session a reso- 
lution was passed to submit to the voters at the 
next charter election, the (juestion of a high 
school, and iif (ibtaiiiing from the legislature 
the authcii'ity tn le\'y an additional tax for its 
support. The matter made much excitement 
in and out of the council. It became at last a. 
partisan (luestion, and entering into the April 
city election, was there overwhelmingly voted 
down and carried down with it the political 
supremacy of the whigs in the council. The 
immediate result of the agitation was the erec- 
tion of another school house, the Web.ster 
school, at the corner of Maine and Twelfth, 
Avhich was projei'ted and commenced during 
the latter part of the ye;ir. and was at the time 



of its consti'uction, nnicli the most complete edi- 
fice of the kind in the city. An appropriation 
was made at this time of $25.00 a quarter for 
the education of colored children, provided 
that the superintendent thought it expedient; 
but it effected nothing. 

This was what Greely was wont to call an 
"off' year in politics," no presidential election 
occurring, yet it was a period of more political 
excitement and radical changes, attended with 
an unusual tiegree of i>ersonal bitterness, than 
any other since the nation was formed. That 
l)olitical Pandora's box, the Nebraska bill, 
shattered for a time the supremacy which the 
democratic party, organized some twenty-five 
years earlier, had during nearly all the subse- 
((uent time strongly maintained, severing from 
it a large portion of its best material. This, 
with the great bulk of the now dissolving whig 
party, formed a new association, to soon secure 
possession of the national administration for a 
period about equal to that of its predecessor. 
With the introduction of this question to public 
thought. C^uincy, like the rest of the country, 
was aroused at once. The measure and the ac- 
tions and motives of prominent men became 
the current constant topic of talk, and were 
discussed, disputed denounced and defended in 
every way and everywhere. 

The general local sentiment Avas at first un- 
favorable in the Nebi'aska l)ill, but there was 
also a strong sentiment of confidence and pride 
towards the popular senator who was the 
father of this measure and whose first entrance 
u])on his eminent national career was from this 
city, his foi-mer home. Early in February, 
therefore, a |>ublic meeting was called by the 
friends of Senat(n' D<niglas to approve of his 
action and endorse the bill. W. II. Cather, 
comity .judge, presided, and J. II. Luce, was 
secretary. The meeting was small and inde- 
cisive, and was ad,journed to the 28tli, when 
the assemblage was vei-y large. The proceed- 
ings were exciting and amusing. All the ex- 
treme anti-slavery men of the city, who had 
heretofore i ounfed but lightly in political af- 
faii-s, bciiiu vci-y few in numbers but very eai'n- 
est iialiirally on an issue like this, floated to 
till fniiit and did most of the battling, and the 
rcsdlutiiiiis <il' approval were voted down. Sev- 
eral other meetings were held with the same 
general result, and on the 3rd of April, at a 
meeting with R. S. Benneson, a former demo- 
crat, as president, and Dr. Ralston, whig, sec- 
retary, where the same stirring scenes of strife 
oi-fii! red, a resolution condemnatory to the bill 
and charging upon the senator the responsibil- 
ity for the ngitafiim of the slavery question, 
w;is ])assed by a vote of about three to one. 



PAST AND PliESEXT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



153 



The separation continued, and by the time the 
fall campaign commenced, partisan lines were 
distinctly drawn on the question of the Ne- 
braska bill, which became in fact the only issue 
which was discussed at the November election. 

The city election in April partook of this 
strong partisan and personal feeling and was 
hotly contested. The whigs, who had usually 
a reliable majority in two wards, though 
slightly in a minority in the whole city, renom- 
inated for mayor John Wood, with J. C. Ber- 
nard, E. K. Stone and N. Flagg for aldermen ; 
and J. ;M. Pitman, who had twice unsuccess- 
fully contested with Wood for the mayoralty, 
was again placed at the head of the demo- 
cratic ticket, with W. D. Morgan, J. B. ilerss- 
man and Jas. Arthur as candidates for the 
council. The high school question, which was 
publicly voted upon at this same time and the 
jiroposition to I'aise a .special tax for the sup- 
])ort of the .school or two schools, had been in- 
judiciously pressed, and beaten in the council, 
public sentiment not having ripened for it as 
yet. It now became a prominent feature iu 
the election and determined the result. Pit- 
man was returned as elected by one vote, and 
two of the whig aldermen by like slender fig- 
ures, Bernard by a majority of one and Flagg 
three. The two democratic police magistrates, 
A. Wood and T. Monroe, were also successful 
over T. H. Brougham and J. E. Dunn. This 
was the first year when police magistrates were 
chosen. The vote. 1.335. was the largest ever 
cast in the city, exceeding that of the previous 
presidential election. 

Right after this hard fought election, and 
pending the formation of the new city adminis- 
tration, there sprang np a stubborn political 
strife in the council. The existing board was 
composed of two democrats and four whigs. 
one of the latter. Dorman. being absent, mak- 
ing it stand three to two without the mayor. 
When the board convened to count in and qual- 
ify the member.s-elect. Wood, after the vote 
was declared, filed a notice of contest against 
Pitman's election and vacated the chair. Al- 
derman Thayer was made temporarj^ chairman 
and thereupon the three whig aldermen de- 
manded that the newly elected aldermen, whose 
claims were not contested, should be first qual- 
ified and the question of right to the mayoralty 
be afterward considered. The two democrats 
refu.sed to recognize this line of procedure, and 
by leaving the house broke the ciuorum. This 
rather fai'cical performance was continued at 
several meetings for nearly a fortnight, caus- 
ing a suspension of general business, iintil 
finally Wood withdrew his demand and the 
new board was organized. It then, with a 



party majority through the casting vote of 
the mayor, changed the political character of 
all the appointive offices. Since this period, 
1854, with one exception, in 1859, although an 
occasional opposition mayor has been elected, 
the democratic party has maintained an un- 
broken majority and control in the city council 
for thirty-three years. 

An important measure was adopted by this 
council tending to better define the hitherto 
doubtful system of city levels. The earliest 
formal step in this direction was a resolution 
or ordinance some years before that the "door 
sill of Holmes' store at the corner of Front and 
Hampshire.'' .shoidd be the regulation base. 
But the store had been rebuilt, the door siU 
changed, and Holmes had moved away so that 
grade calculations had now to be made from 
the seeoudar.y standards, involving much un- 
certainty, and beside this the regulation base 
above named was not itself fixed upon a deter- 
minate permanent plane. Now the council, 
with low water mark as a basis, established 
"the 'bench mark' on Delabar's house at the 
corner of Spring and Front .streets, 20 31-100 
feet above low water mark, as the governing 
point for city grades.'' This well devised plan 
was still defective so long as it depended on 
"Delabar's house" for the "bench mark." A 
few years later it was improved and carried to 
completion by the present excellent system, 
which with elaborate and accurate calculation 
and measurements, established a base or datum 
plane 200 feet below low water mark, from 
which all grades are to be computed, and makes 
at the Franklin school house, "a table-stone for 
city levels'' 230 feet above the river base, with 
monumental .stones, corresponding to this table 
stone, at the center all the street intersections. 

A city census, ordered by the council to as- 
certain the number and locality of the school 
children to be provided for, on the 1st of June, 
reported 5.878 under 20 years of age. and the 
total population of the city at 10,977, of which 
196 were resident in East Quincy, as that por- 
tion of the city lying east of Twenty-fourth 
street and not yet attached, was called. It was 
generally thought that this figure. 10,977, was 
a good deal too low. The valuation of city 
property of all kinds by the official assessment, 
liased on a low standard of about one-third the 
actual value, as were all tax valuations at this 
time, was retui-ned as .'|>2.076,360.86 

Property prices continued to advance as they 
had been doing for several years. A good 
deal of immigration flowed into the city and 
the surrounding section, and largely increased 
business of all kinds, and more extensive stocks 
of merchandise gave evidence of prosperity. 



154 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



Manj' transfers of real estate were made at 
good profit figures. The largest land sale that 
had yet taken place in connection with Qniucy, 
larger, indeed, than any since, was the sale at 
auction in December of the 160 acres lying in 
the northeast part of the city between Eigh- 
teenth and Twenty-fourth and Broadway and 
Chestnut streets, now known as Moulton's ad- 
dition. The history of this tract and its enor- 
mous increase in value , passing unbroken 
through but three transfers from its first 
owner, is curious enough to detail. 

It was patented in 18.18 to Paul Barnard as 
bounty for services in the war of 1812. The 
same year, by conveyance made on the back of 
the parchment patent, Avhich I have before me, 
it was sold by the soldier for $53. Thirty 
years after, in 1848, it was again sold for 
$6,400 — $40 per acre. In December of this 
year, 1854, it was platted into nine blocks and 
eighty-two lots, each hit containing from one 
to two acres, the subtraction of the streets 
leaving about 130 acres to be sold. It realized 
at this sale about $45,000. or an average of 
$350 per acre. The lot on the northeast cor- 
ner, a little less than two acres, brought $800, 
and a similar sized lot on the southwest corner 
for $1,250. So great an advance in the value 
of a single piece of property, passing through 
so few owners' hands, is rarely found. 

Nearly at the same time with the bcfure- 
mentioned sale of the "Moulton" or "Skiddy 
quarter," which last was the name it had borne 
for thirty years, there Avas another extenssive 
land auction which attracted local attention 
and was profitable to some. This was the sale 
of all the remaining swamp or overflowed lands 
in Adams county, that had, prior to 1850, been 
the property of the general government. Con- 
gress in 1850 donated to the states all such 
lands as lay within their respective boundaries. 
Illinois relinquished in 1852 her interest in 
these lands to the counties where the same 
were located. The Adams county coui't oi'- 
dered a sale to be made on December 4th, 
1854, of its lands, amounting to over 25,000 
acres, which realized to the county treasury 
about $12,000. All the unentered larid, includ- 
ing the islands east of the river channel, the 
low bottom land between tlie river and the 
bluft", the lakes, among them the great Lima 
lake or Lake Paponsie, as it was originally 
called, covering over three thousand aci"es : 
every foot of ground, in fact, that was at all 
subject to even occasional overflow, was em- 
braced in this sale. Much of it was or seemed 
to he worthless, and brought not over ten cents 
per acre, but again a great deal of it Avas of 
special value and there offered an opportune 
chance for profitable purchase, of which shrewd 



speculators who were posted and knew what to 
buy, availed themselves. 

The flrst Adams county agricultural fair was 
held on October 18th and 19th of this year. 
It had been projected with a good deal of en- 
thusiasm and unity in the fall of 1853, and 
though a crude affair, in some respects, was a 
success. It exhibited on a piece of vacant 
ground a little north of Broadway, between 
Sixtli and Eighth streets. The enclosure was 
made by an irregular sort of fence or barrier, 
formed by piles of fallen trees and brushwood, 
looking much like a military abatis, and sen- 
tried all along on the inside by the committee 
men to keep out the boys. The attendance and 
display, both from the city and county, was 
good, and the institution hence onward for sev- 
eral years was an object of general interest and 
advantage. Unfortunate jealousies or misun- 
derstandings in later years broke it down, and 
the supporting interests leaving Quincy located 
near the center of the county, establishing 
there a fair which has been a steady success, 
representing, however, more of the county 
than of the city elements of industry. 

The ]\Iethodist seminary Avas now finished 
and opened to students. It Avas somcAvhat suc- 
cessful, but laden from the start Avith financial 
embarrassments, from Avhich it took many years 
to receive relief. The fine building in Avhieh 
it began its career Avas eventualy sold to the 
city for a public school, and the Chaddock col- 
lege, as it is noAV called, in honor of one of its 
donors, Avas reniOA^ed to the present site at the 
corner of TAvelfth and State streets. The Cen- 
tre Congregational church, at the corner of 
Jersey and Fourth streets, the neatest building 
of the kind as yet constructed in the city, built 
by a seceding portion of the First Congrega- 
tional cliurch society, Avas finished and dedi- 
cated. 

The most notable and commemorative occa- 
sion of the year and literally the most shining 
event. Avas the completion of the gas works, 
and the first lighting up of the city on Decem- 
ber 1st. This Avas as great a gala day, or 
night, rather, as Quincy had as yet knoAvn. and 
was signalized by a general turning on of the 
gas in all the street lamps and priA'ate houses, 
and a general turning out of all the people into 
the streets to see how the city and themseh'es 
looked, and also by a gay evening banqiiet at 
the Quincy House. The gas company had ob- 
tained, two years before from the state legis- 
lature, a perpetual charter, giving it the exclu- 
siA-e right for tAventy-five years to the use of 
the streets for furnishing light to the public 
and to priA'ate parties, and had concluded a 
contract Avith the city, folloAvin<r the terms of 
the charter, for tAventA'-fiA'e A-ears. It noAV 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



155 



slmne out with its well completed works, with 
a laid line of three and a half miles of pipe 
through the best settled part of the city and 
sixty-five street lamps erected and ready for 
instant use. with provisional arrangements 
completed between the company and the city, 
for their lighting and maintenance. It is due 
to fact and history to say that the contract was 
a mutually snccessful one, advantageous to all 
the parties. Under judicious and faithful man- 
agement in its earlier starting, the company has 
also well lighted the city, and has always re- 
ceived, almost from the very commencement, a 
remunerative return to itself. 

Besides this well-remembered occasion of the 
introduction of gas there was now the advent 
of other "first things" to be tabled in the rec- 
ord of this year, and these, though unattended 
by demonstrations like that which looked upon 
the first lighting up of the city, were equally 
events of public importance and attraction, and 
their dates are notable as initial points in the 
advancing movements of Quincy. On the 12th 
of ilareh two small locomotives (as railroad 
engines used to be called), reached here, 
brought by barge from Chicago through the 
canal and down the Illinois river. Crowds 
gathered, of course, to see the new comers, but 
it was not itntil Sept. 12th that one of them, 
the Tarnum. was ptit in working order and 
placed on the track to assist in the construc- 
tion of the road. This, the pioneer engine, had 
a goodly crowd of gazers to Avitness its start. 
It had gotten the name of Barnum from the 
anti-railroad men. for there were a few croak- 
ers even in those days, who saw it Ijing on the 
landing iinused for six months and dubbed it 
after the great prince of humbugs. On i\Iay 
.")th the first .shipment of railroad iron, 100 
tons, arrived, and 'Slay 29th the first rail was 
laid. All these occurrences, though unmarked 
by formality, drew special attention, from the 
universal interest that was felt in regard to the 
railroad. Some .jarring matters in the railroad 
directory brought about the resignation of J. 
il. Pitman and the election of John Wood as 
his successor, and the resignation of John Field, 
M'ho had been elected county clerk, was sup- 
plied liv the selection as secretarv of John C. 
Cox. 

Final finish was made towards the certain 
completion of the railroad both north and east 
by the vote of Brown county pledging a sub- 
scription of .^100,000 to the eastern branch from 
Camp Point to ileredosia. This was first ef- 
fected through the influence of private parties, 
whose public spirit had taken hold of the 
project. No chartered railroad company there 
then existed. There w^as not then as there is 
now. a general incorporation law authorizing 



corporate organization at any time in the in- 
terim of legislative sessions, and it was two 
years later that the parties who built the road 
through Brown county secured a charter at 
the session of 1856-57, against a factious oppo- 
sition. The first election in Brown for this 
$100,000 subscription failed. The vote was 
525 for to 206 against, but the terms under 
which the election was held required that the 
vote in favor of the project should be equal 
to two-thirds of the vote ca.st at the last general 
election. It failed by seven votes, through 
over-confidence and inattention. At a second 
election held a few weeks later it was carried 
by a most decisive vote, there being scarcely 
any opposition. 

The summer was extremely hot. the hottest 
ever known, as the oldest inhabitants always 
say. The thermometer rated on July 17th at 
105. and six days during the month showed a 
degree over 100, with a monthly average of 93, 
really an extraordinary continuance of heat. 
With this was also much sickness. The cholera 
made a slight visitation, but only some half a 
dozen cases oceuri-ed in the city, while near 
around and in the county there were a good 
many more cases. 

Some notable changes occurred among the 
newspaper establishments, always objects of 
public interest. The Patriot, published by 
Warren & Gibson, edited by the latter and later 
l)y D. S. ]\Iorrison, became a tri-w-eekly on the 
16th of September. H. V. Sullivan, the first 
publisher of the Quincy Whig, with which he 
had subsecptently been always connected, sold 
his interest therein to Henry Young, and made 
preparation for establishing another paper. 
This, the Republican, he brought out in part- 
nership with F. A. Dallam in the following 
year. 1855. There were at this time four estab- 
lished journals in the city, the Herald. Courier 
(German). Whig and Patriot. The first two 
were democratic, the Whig was whig and the 
Patriot independent and anti-slavery. 

The military mania was all-pervading this 
year. The Blues made their first parade, in 
creditable shape, on the 7th of January, and 
later in the seasan an artillery company under 
the command of Austin Brooks, of the Herald, 
w-as organized, but did not turn out initil the 
next year. 

Probably the most destructive fire that had 
as yet attacked the city, was on the 20th of 
October, when Thayer's large distillery with 
many of its surroundings, were destroyed. The 
damage was estimated at over $50,000, with lit- 
tle insurance, a much greater figure than had 
footed the losses suffered at any former fire. 

Political excitement, here as all over the 
countrv. was intense and continuous through- 



156 



PAST AND PKESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



out the whole year. That mad issue made by 
the repeal of the Missouri compromise, ott'ering 
the entrance of slavery into the territories and 
its protection while there, absorbed all other 
questions of dispute, shattering' old party as- 
sociations and creating a new line of political 
separation. The Nebraska bill and slavery ex- 
tension were the leading and almost only sub- 
jects of thought and discussion, resulting in the 
overthrow cf the democratic party in the state, 
completely reversing the political conditions 
that had existed, unbroken, for twenty-five 
years. The operation was different in several 
sections of the state. In the northern part, 
which had heretofore been decidedly demo- 
cratic, almost the entire whig party and a very 
large percentage of the democratic, united in 
what was called the anti-Nel:»raska movement, 
from which sprang the repnl)lican party. In 
the central belt, where the whig element was 
.stronger, the parties remained nearly the same; 
a few changes only being made from either 
side. In the southern section where were th(> 
great democratic majorities, with the exception 
of the locations wherein the German vote lay, 
which now cut loose from the democratic party 
to which it had been almost solidly attached, 
the democrats as a whole and nearly all of the 
few whigs that were there, supported the re- 
peal of the compromise, thus leaving scai-cely a 
nominal opposition in all the Egyptian ]>art of 
the state. 

In Adams counly and adjniniiig the political 
changes were few and very nearly offset each 
other. Wm. A. Richardson was renominated 
for congress at the democratic convention after 
a long and stubboi-n contest between several 
other aspirants, and Archibald Williams was 
brought out by the opposition. The other 
democratic candidates were, for state senator, 
Wm. II. Carlin : for representatives. J. M. Rud- 
dle and Eli Seehorn, and Wilson Lane for sher- 
iff. Opposed to these wei-e Peter B. Oarrett 
for the senate; for the house. II. V. Sullivan 
and Wm. B. Gooding. I'egulai- nominees, and 
Wm. C. Harrington, independent, and B. M. 
Prentiss for sheriff. It was at this election 
that a small local cause brought about the elec- 
tion of the tirst republican U. S. senat(n' from 
Illinois, which has already been mentioned in 
these sketches. 

A curious feature connected witli the organ- 
ization of this legislature, before alluded to. 
with its meagre majority of one, and being the 
tirst anti-democratic legislature in the state 
since the formation of that party, is worth men- 
tion. It is not local to Quincy or Adams 
county, but is a part of the general political 
history of the state and nation, and caused the 
Adams county representation in the general as- 



sembly to play a nnich more imi)ortant part 
than it otherwise might have done. Abraham 
Lincoln and Stephen T. Logan, the two most 
eminent men in that section, were elected by 
several hundred majority as the anti-Nebraska 
members of the house from Sangamon county, 
Mr. Lincoln very much against his wish, be- 
cause he was recognized as being the candidate 
of the party for election to the U. S. Senate. 
When it was a.scertained that the anti-Nebraska 
party had the control of the legislature by a 
cleai' majority of at least three, ilr. Lincoln 
resigned, every one supposing that Sangamon 
coiuity would choose as his succes.sor a man of 
the same political stamp. But the democrats 
laid low. and (piietly organizing a "still hunt," 
run ill a Mr. JIcDaniel, a very obscure man, 
and completely reversed the 600 or 700 major- 
ity of the month before. This left the balance 
of strength so close that half a dozen anti- 
Nebraska members, formerly democrats, cou- 
ti'olled the situation and the.v demanded that 
Mil anti-Douglas democrat, rather than an old 
whig, should be elected as the successor of 
General Shields in the U. S. Senate. They suc- 
ceeded, and after several days' balloting, where 
]\Ir. Lincoln came very near success. Judge 
Trumbull was chosen by one vote more than 
the vote given to Matteson, the Douglas can- 
didate. Had IMr. Lincoln not been a can- 
didate for the legislature, some other man like 
him in opinions would have been chosen with 
Judge Logan, and Mr. Lincoln would have 
been elected senator. Had he not resigned the 
result would have been the same. But if Abra- 
ham Lincoln had gone into the United States 
Senate in 1854, would he there have achieved 
that distinction which he afterward acquired, 
and would he four years later, in 1858. have, 
fi night the great debate with Douglas, which 
laid the foundation of his elevation to the pres- 
idenc.v and eternal fame ■ 

A ju-ivate "High School" was opened by 
Prof. ]M. T. Root on the fith of October, which 
ma.v perhaps projierly be called the tirst of its 
kind, since it was the only institution claiming 
such a character that was sustained for any 
great length of time. This school was jiopular 
and prospered inider the management of ]\[i'. 
Root and of those who succeeded him, until 
about the time when, several years later, the 
public high school, of like scope, and affording 
equal advantages, such a one as it had been 
unsuccessfully proposed to establish in the 
spring of this year, was engrafted upon the 
city school system. IMr. Root, beside being an 
unusually well educated instructor, and a de- 
cided thoiigh gentle disciplinai'ian, possessed 
that other valuable trait in a teacher of sym- 
pathetic association with his pii|»ils. He added 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



157 



to the attractions of his school by the organiza- 
tion of a military company from among his 
students. This, the "'Quiney Cadets," with 
its simple, tasteful uniform, and a drill jjrofi- 
eieney equal to the average, soon Ijecame one 
of the popular institutions of the city. One of 
its officers. Lieutenant Shipley, afterwards a 
lieutenant in the 27th Illinois Infantry, was the 
first commissioned officer from Quiney who was 
killed in the civil war, at Belmont, ^lo.. in 
1861. 

Another eft'ort was made to establish a public 
free school for colored children by an appropri- 
ation of the council of $150 towards building 
a school house "whenever the property was 
bought and paid for." This project, like that 
proposed in the early part of the year, was a 
failure. 

The Westminster church, December 24. 1853, 
representing the old school branch of the Pres- 
byterian church, with the Rev, Wm. McCandish 
as its pastor, began service in a small building 
on Sixth street between ilaine and Jersey. 
Soon after they erected a church on Hampshire 
near Ninth, which they occupied until they re- 
united with the other I'resbyterians aljout 
thirty years later. 

There were at this time eighteen religious 
societies in Quiney having churches for regu- 
lar worship. Of these, thirteen conducted 
services in English, viz. : Two IMethodist Epis- 
copal, one Protestant ]\Iethodist, one Christian 
(or Campbellite), two Presbyterian (Old and 
New School), two Congregationalist, one Epis- 
copalian, one Unitarian, one Universalist and 
one Catholic : and five in German, two Evan- 
gelical, one Lutheran, one ]\Iethodist Epi.scopal, 
and one Catholic. The Catholic societies were 
by far the largest of any of these. Their in- 
crease in this section for a good many years 
had been rapid and extensive. A public state- 
ment made abotit this time reports the Catholic 
diocese of Quiney to embrace 52 churches, 39 
stations, Avith a church attendance of 42,000. 

iluch the most comprehensive annual re- 
view of the city that had as yet appeared was 
prepared and published at the close of this 
year. It is too lengthy and detailed for repeti- 
tion here, though some of its principal state- 
ments may be shown. The gross amount of 
business reported displays a decided increase 
over any pa.st year. The value of "agricul- 
tural exports" was as recited, .$1,171,258. 
Among the leading items scheduled were 48,000 
barrels of flour, valued at .$312,000: of hav. 
1,325 tons, $17,225 : wheat, 22,294 bushels, $24,- 
6.33: oats, 192,839 bushels, .$61,710: corn, 76,- 
416 bushels, $32,190: to this last article the 
compiler says should be added the 178,514 
bushels that it took to make 624.800 gallons of 



whiskey, worth $206,184, all of which was 
made and shipped from here. The total num- 
ber of hogs packed was 23,000, an advance on 
the previous year, and the value of the manu- 
facture $296,444. Beef packing summed up a 
value of .$49,149. Shipments south were made 
of 301,560 pounds of hides, valued at $15.078 ; 
62,200 boxes of soap, $15,500; 4,215 boxes of 
candles, .$25,440: 3.000 barrels of crackers, $15,- 
000. Of brick 6,000.000 were manufactured, 
worth $21,000, and marble and stone work to 
an equal amount was done. Cabinet work 
amounted to $106,390. The cooper shops, 21 
in number, turned out 55,400 flour, 10,750 pork 
and 14,550 whiskey barrels, and other work 
amounting to $63,362, The 15 wagon and plow 
shops and the 2 carriage factories reported a 
business of $179,315 ; 2 planing mills and 18 
carpenter shops $152,211 : 1 steam saw mill 
$50,000 : 5 machine shops, $77,450 : 4 foundries 
(2 of them stove), $165,520: 5 saddle and har- 
ness shops, $77,030: 5 lumber yards received 
5,000,000 feet of pine lumber worth $100,000, 
230 licensed stores of all kinds are reported as 
transacting business to the extent of $1,279,500. 
The compiler says in reference to the last 
amount above stated that he is disposed to 
consider it as possibly $200,000 too small, but 
that he had sedulously through his entire ex- 
amination, from fear of over-estimation, kept 
his figures down as much as pos.sible. 

This statement of the leading industries of 
the city was compiled by a (juaiut. earnest 
old gentleman, now deceased, who was from 
very early times and for nearly half a century 
one of the notables of the place, and of whom 
and his oddities a characteristic anecdote fol- 
lows. He was an excellent, benevolent man, 
defectively educated, but a singular compound 
of shrewd intelligenec and eceenti'ie action, a 
most ardent whig, and opposed to innovation 
of old theories, political, medical or anywise, 
having an especial distrust of whatever new- 
fangled thing began with "anti" or ended 
with "isms." What the worthy captain pre- 
cisely meant by hydropathic inventions, he 
only could explain. He considered some med- 
ical ((uaekery. or maybe a lurking pun on the 
sound of the first syllable of the word hydro- 
pathic, as the story below, one of a thousand 
such as might be told about him. illustrates : 

At a social gathering, where the captain was 
present, during the time, many years ago, when 
animal magnetism, mesmerism, spiritualism 
and such like perplexities were new, but per- 
vading the country, and as little understood 
then as now. the subject of transcendentalism 
became a topic of talk. It was a new idea and. 
a strange word to the captain, and kept him 
unusuallv silent for awhile. "Transcendental- 



158 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



ism," tlioiight lie to himself for awhile, all in 
a puzzle. Part of this word soiinded familiar, 
but altogether it was too long and too deep for 
him, when suddenly some expression used in 
the discussion threw at once a flood of apparent 
light iipou his mind. "Oh," said he, "I see 
what you're talking about; it's a religious 
fixin' it seems. I didn't know before what 
transdentalism meant. I thought it w;is some 
new fangled ism about the teeth!" And then 
he dived into the discussion as fearlessly, as 
learnedly, and no doubt as lucidly as any of 
the other disputants. The subject was one 
which calls for more tongue than sense; and 
is well described by a satiric old Scotch phil- 
osopher as the fairest of all themes for con- 
troversy, "because, dyje see, it's an equal for 
baith parties, for the mon who talked didna 
ken what he meant, and the gude folk that 
listen dinna ken e'en all of his fool clatter." 

The unusual early spring flood, continuing 
throughout the summer, suddenly subsided in 
the late fall mouths, leaving an almost unpre- 
cedented low stiiyc of water. On the middle of 
Novembei" thirty inches of water was reported 
in the river channel, and much floating ice thus 
early appeared. This shallow channel and ob- 
structing ice continued throughout the coming 
winter, hut at no time did the river freeze fast. 
Boats with difficulty made occasional trips 
from St. Ijouis to Keokuk all through the win- 
ter months. 

There was much financial distrust and busi- 
ness embarrassment during this year all over 
the west, and especially in Illinois, growing out 
of the weakness of the .state stock banking sys- 
tem. Illinois was flooded with bank paper se- 
cured by pledge of the uncertain and declining 
bonds of other states, and rivalry and competi- 
tion among the banks and brokers brought 
about some failures and created a general dis- 
trust toAvards all bank paper, yet the average 
prosperity continued, and in Quincy especially 
so, making this year, 1854, the most hopeful 
period in all its history to date. 



CHAPTER XXXIII. 
1855. 

THE BAT A PLACE FOR WINTERING STEAM- 
BOATS. VOTING ON A TEMPERANCE LAW. 
SKINNER ELECTED JUDGE OF SUPREME 
COURT. SIBLEY ELECTED JUDGE OF CIR- 
CUIT COURT. FISCAL STATEMENT. STREET 
IMPROVEMENTS. HOSPITAL GROUNDS PIIR- 
CH.-VSED. RAILROAD IMPROVEMENTS. WOOD- 
LAND ORPHANS' HOME. QIUNCY AS A PORT 
OF ENTRY. A CITY DIRECTORY. U. S. LAND 
OFFICE MOVED TO SPRINGFIELD. REVIEW 
OF ITS HISTORY. THE NEWSPAPERS. MILI- 
TARY ORG.\NIZATION. PROSPERITY. 

Business during the winter season was good. 
The pork production, at that time the best in- 



dex of business prosperity, amounted to .$35,- 
000, which with the occasional steamboat ar- 
rivals, made activity and kept other occupa- 
tions active. The river continued to keep open 
throughout the early part of the winter, with 
more (u- less running ice, and an average of 
about three feet in the channel. It shut down 
on this uncertain navigation by freezing solid on 
the l25th of January. The last steamer which 
left here on the 22nd of January was nearly s- 
week on her passage to St. Louis. The river 
opened for the season on March 8th, and main- 
tained a good stage .of water until its final 
freeze on the 24tli of December. Some half 
dozen large steamers were laid up for the win- 
ter, i)ainted and repaired, in the "bay," which 
made quite an addition to the business appear- 
ance of the place. This making use of the 
'"bay" for the wintering and repair of boats 
during the winter, had been for a few years 
common, and after this time continued, but for 
some reason it has been abandoned. There is 
no place on the upjjer IMississippi so fitting in 
all respects as the Quincy Bay for "putting 
in ordinary" of steamboats in winter, and for 
several years it was not unusual to see half a 
dozen or more of No. 1 crafts there, among 
them sometimes, a large New Orleans steamer. 
Two important elections were held during 
the summer of this year, one of them general, 
embracing the entire state, and the other, 
which occurred on the same day, June 6th, con- 
fined to the central section, including Quincy, 
Avhere it aroused especial interest and feeling. 
The first was over the ratification by jyopnlar 
vote, of a stringent temperance law which had 
been passed at the preceding session of the 
legislature, subject to approval of the people. 
The law was largely fashioned after the Maine 
liquor law, and the contest over it was quite 
stirring, producing an unusually large vote 
(about 170,000), an increase of more than 30,- 
000 on the state vote of the previous year. No 
political lines were drawn at this election, 
which was the first of the kind held in Illinois, 
but action on the law was strongly sectional, 
it receiving general support in the northern 
counties, wliile in the southern section it was 
a.s uniforndy opposed. It failed of ratification 
by about 14,000 votes. Quincy gave against it 
a majority of 105. which was increased in the 
county to 978. 

The appointment of Judge Treat as United 
States district judge for southern Illinois made 
a vacancy in the supreme court of the state in 
the second district, and -ludge Skinner, who 
had acceptably presided over the Adams and 
Hancock circuit, offered as a candidate for that 
position. Opposed to him were Stephen T. 
Logan of Sangamon, and Charles IT. Constable 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



159 



of Wabash eouuties. Political feeliDg was uot 
enlisted in this election, but like the election 
on the liquor question, local sentiment and 
preference was active and controlling each 
aspirant receiving the general vote of his own 
section of the district, and Judge Skinner was 
easily successful by about 10,000 majority. 
The contest for the eii'cuit judgeship and a suc- 
cessor to Judge Skinner, was like the above, 
a sort of triangular duel, and was attended 
with more of personal bitterness than often at- 
taches to a purely political contest. The Adams 
coTuity bar, with a desire to avoid political 
strife, had almost unanimously recommended 
for this position George Edmunds, an active 
and rising j'oung lawyer of Quincy. A per- 
sonal hostility to Mr. Edmunds brought for- 
ward an opposition and some severe attacks, 
which were refuted, but operated upon the elec- 
tion. Resultant on this was the candidacy of 
Joseph Sibley and John AV. Marsh of Hancock 
county, the first, as the nominee of a democratic 
convention, and the latter one of the oldest and 
most experienced lawyers of the state, sup- 
ported generally by the whigs of the district, 
such as had not committed themselves to the 
support of ]Mr. Edmunds. It was a close and 
doubtful election, ending in the election of Mr. 
Sibley by a small majority. Judge Sibley was 
three times re-chosen to this oliSce. holding it 
for twentj'-four years, the longest term of ju- 
dicial circuit service known in the state. 

The fall election for county officers excited 
but little interest. Three officials, treasurer, 
school superintendent and surveyor, only were 
to be chosen, and the democrats elected them 
all. At the city election in April J. M. Pitman 
was the democratic candidate for re-election to 
the mayoralty, and was successful with the rest 
of the ticket by 250 majority over "Wm. B. Pow- 
ers, "independent" candidate. This secured 
the democratic control of the council, which 
was continued through the three succeeding 
years, and no changes were made among the 
official representatives of the city. 

The annual "fiscal statement" of the city 
for the year ending April 1, 1855, exhibited a 
more economical administi-ation of the city af- 
fairs than that of the preceding year, when, as 
per this report, the expenditiu'es had exceeded 
the receipts by $4, 174. .37, while by the showing 
of '54-55 the receipts amounted to .$37,476.64 
and the expenditures to only .$36,993.95. leav- 
ing a balance on hand of $482.69. 

A very decided advance in population was 
told by the state census taking during this sum- 
mer, 10.754 against 6,901 as returned by the na- 
tional census in 1850, showing an increase of 
over 56 per cent within five years. An un- 
usual amount of substantial improvement also 



marks the records of this year. Jersey street, 
making now the seventh completed traversable 
track between the upper and the river section 
of the city, was graded from Third to Front 
street, Maine street was macadamized from 
Fifth to Eighth and brought to a better level 
father east. Broadway east of Wood, or 
Twelfth street, as it now was called, was in- 
creased in width to 76 feet to correspond with 
its western width. Thirteenth nor Fourteenth 
street was opened from Jersey to Broadway. 
This opening was the first departure from the 
original town plan which had heretofore been 
generally followed, of evenly bounded blocks 
24 rods square and streets 4 rods wide ; a very 
judicious arrangement, neatly adapted to the 
system of the federal land surveys and to the 
road laws of the state. The innovation in the 
establishment of Foixrteenth street by making 
a block of double the usual length from eaist to 
west has since been followed in some other ad- 
ditions in the eastern part of the city by leav- 
ing out each odd numbered street running 
north and south. It was growing out of this, 
and with the idea of regulating the future 
shaping of the city, that the council, however, 
not now excepting to this particular measure, 
made the requirement, under the provisions of 
a .state law to that efi:'ect. that all plots and 
plans for addition to the city mu.st before be- 
ing recorded obtain the approval of the city 
council. The chief idea in this ordinance be- 
ing to ensure that all streets, platted in the 
outer sections of the city, shall conform in 
width and alignment to those already existing, 
even though they may not connect therewith. 
Orange street, since called Eighteenth, was 
opened from State street to Chestnut. This 
was on the line which had heretofore been the 
most eastern boundary of the city. A large 
addition was noAV made. At the January meet- 
ing of the council a new city charter was pro- 
posed and the mayor authorized to proceed to 
Springfield and urge its passage througli the 
legislature. The main feature in the new 
charter was the enlargement of the city area. 
It proposed to about double the area of the 
city, making Twenty-fourth street the eastern 
and Locust and Harrison the northern and 
southern boundaries. The measure passed 
with some opposition, and was much resented 
by many parties, who. OAvning land near the 
city, were thus forced into citizenship against 
their wish and made to encounter increased 
taxation and responsibility for the large past 
and prospective city debt. 

Orange street continued to be the eastern 
boundary of the city. The proposed amend- 
ment to "the charter for the purpose of enlarg- 
ing the citv area, although it easily passed 



i6o 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



through tlie L-ouneil, met witli iiiuuli (ipixisitiun 
ill the legislature, Avhere the outside interests 
could make themselves heard, and it failed to 
become a law. Two years later, however, at 
the regular session, the same measure was in- 
troduced and passed in January, 1857, and at 
the same session, a month later, another amend- 
ment to the charter was passed adding to the 
city what was then known as East Quiney, an 
area of about eighty acres Ijouuded by Broad- 
way and Thirtieth, an east and west line about 
on the extension of Jersey street taking in the 
old city cemetery, and Twenty-fourth streets. 
These lines, then made, have not since been 
changed and constitute the present bounds of 
the city. An order was made by the council 
that there should be prepared by the city engi- 
neer a complete plan of the city, showing the 
grades of all the streets and alleys, their di- 
mensions, with points of intersection detined 
and marked, and figures attached, which should 
be the official record of grades a.s uiiJfoi'mly 
established all over the city, the same to be 
finished witliin two years. This was a project 
like that which had been begun in the preced- 
ing year, but then only p;irtially carried out. 
Before the two years' limit expired, the addi- 
tion to the city above mentioned was made and 
the work extended so as to comprehend its 
entire area, and this established system of siir- 
vey and grades remains, with occasionally 
slight alterations such as the local interest 
seemed to require. A charter for Quiney water 
Avorks was obtained from the legislature, l)ut 
nothing resulted from it. Ten yeai's later a 
charter for the same purpose passed the legis- 
lature, liut did not receive the executive ap- 
proval, and it was not until about ten years 
farther on that an individual enterprise, com- 
menced on a somewhat limited scale, perma- 
nently established for the city this essential 
improvement. Purchase was made by the city 
of John Wood, for .$8,160 in eight year bonds, 
of what was then called the Hospital grounds 
(since Tised for that and other police purposes), 
a tract of land of about eight acres lying west 
of Fifth street and south of and adjoining the 
Woodland cemetery. 

An important business arrangement was now 
concluded between the city and the railroad 
company, by which the latter obtained from 
the city permanent rights in portions of the 
public ground belonging to the city, and trans- 
ferred as consideration to the city the owner- 
ship of several pieces of property, mostly city 
lots along the river bank, which the railroad 
company had obtained by purchase, or had re- 
ceived in the form of subscription towards its 
construction. Much of the land which the rail- 
road company thus obtained and needed for its 



uses, that l.ving north of Broadway, was subject 
to overtiow at a high stage of water, and the 
grade had to be raised several feet. On this 
the building of an engine house and machine 
shops, of stone, and a large frame freight depot 
was begun early in the fall and sufficiently com- 
pleted for use early in the ft)llowing year. 

A charter was obtained from the legislature 
in February for the Woodland Orphans' Home. 
This charity was projected in 1853, when fif- 
teen philanthropic citizens united for its estab- 
li.shment, each one isledgiug !flOO towards the 
Ijurchase of a ground site on which to found 
the enterprise. The land was bought for this 
amount, .$1,500, of John Wood, being the block 
owned by the "Home" on Fifth street, east 
of the cemetery. Prom this time the institu- 
tion has been successfully conducted, doing 
much good. It has secured a hold upon the 
general symjiathies of all classes in the com- 
munity. I'.-i using it to become one of the most 
useful and jiojudar among the public charities 
of the city. 

Among the many notable "first things" of 
the place, which are always curious, was the 
direct imixirtation of foreign goods to Quiney, 
througli the medium of no other custom house, 
thus placing Quiney on a direct trading foot- 
ing Math all the rest of the world, which is told 
thus: "The fir.st government duties on foreign 
merchandise received from any of our mer- 
chants by the collector of the port of Quiney, 
Avere ]iaid a fcAv days since by Messrs. L. & C. 
II. Bull, on cutlery and files imported by them 
from Sheffield, England. This house has for 
some time past imported direct many of the 
goods of foreign manufacture required for 
their business, but before Quiney was created 
a port of delivery, the duties had been paid at 
the port of entry. New Orleans.'' 

The office had been established at Quiney 
about two years before, but it was to facilitate 
the importation of railroad iron, and only this 
class of freight had been received up to this 
period. According to the record, the above 
shipment and receipt Avas Quincy's first priA'ate 
mercantile transaction Avith f(n-eign countries. 

The veiy important exchange of property and 
rights betAveen the city and the railroad com- 
pany, before mentioned as having been con- 
summated by the action of the council, has been 
so often a question of curiosity, and sometimes 
of legal controversy, that a detail of the prop- 
erty transferred, is here giA'en. It Avas a Avell 
considered and thoroughly understood transac- 
tion at the time, supposed to exchange equal 
equities, permanent in their nature and mutu- 
ally advantageous. 

Under this agreement there Avas sold by the 
railroad company to the city, the river frac- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



i6i 



tious of li)ts :J. 4 ;md o, of block 16; 3, 5 and 6, 
of block 25 ; the north 56 feet of river fraction 
of lot 3, block 26, being 650 feet, and all the 
private ground west of Front street, from the 
public landing to 56 feet south of York street, 
except river fractions of lot 6, in block 16, and 
-i in 25. The railroad coni[)any released their 
former right to erect iMiildings on Front street, 
south of Broadway, or to occupy the public 
land south of halfway between Vermont and 
Hamjishire, releasing also all their right to 
Broadway, east of Twelfth street, unless they 
hereafter had use for the same for a railroad: 
and further releasing to the city the right to 
collect city wharfage from their grounds, such 
as is collectible from the public landings, and 
further obligated themselves to furnish a good 
road below Olive street, past their ground, 
fronting thereon, till that street was opened, 
and to pay all damages, which might be as- 
sessed for rights conveyed to the company. 

On the other hand the city sold to the rail- 
road company all of the public landing, north 
of a line extending west from the center of 
block 6 : all of Front street north of a line 50 
feet south of Oak street and south of a line 
660 feet north of Pease's addition, all of Oak 
and (Jreen. now Vine, streets west of Olive 
street, giving also the privilege of using Broad- 
way and Spring streets west of west line of 
Front street, but without the right to erect 
buildings thereon ; of Front street south from 
50 feet south of Oak street to Broadway, except 
sidewalks, and of making two railroad tracks 
in and along that jioi'tion of Front street south 
of the noi'th line of Broadway to center of said 
block 6, with some conditions as to the line of 
said tracks, etc. And the city further agreed 
not to condemn any portion of the railroad 
property for a public landing. 

The property and franchises conveyed by 
these agreements thus vested severally in the 
city and the Northern Cross R. R. Co., and later 
on the absorption of this company in the Chi- 
cago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, all of 
these rights and obligations were transferred 
to this last named corporation. 

A city directory was published this year by 
J. T. Everhart. which was (|uite a comprehen- 
sive and complete work, really the tirst of the 
kind. There had been heretofore some small 
issues of this character, but they Avere very in- 
complete and meager, hardly woi'thy of the 
name. 

The second annual meeting of the Adams 
(\Hnity Agricultural Fail' Association was held 
on the 26th of October and the two following 
days. It was a great advance on that of the 
lireceding year, being a success, to which the 



city and county industrial interests of all kinds 
alike contributed, and it attracted attention 
and attendance from all the surrounding sec- 
tion, both on this and the other side of the 
Iriver. Afterward for a number of years the 
Adams County Fair, with Quincy as its natural 
location, maintained this favorable prestige, 
each exposition, in its extensive and varied 
display, surpassing that of the year before. It 
soon ranked among the best of the Illinois 
comity fairs. Largely was this owing at first 
to the judicious interest bestowed upon it by 
the manufacturing, mercantile and other active 
enterprises of the city. With the weakening 
of this support and the introduction of other 
less legitimate features for a fair, its location 
was subsec[uently changed. 

There were the customary changes among 
the newspapers dnring this year. These, 
though often of but passing importance, are 
links in the chain of local record; since the 
newspaper history of a place is an essential 
portion of its complete history. It is curious 
to note the checkered career of journalism in 
Quincy, and its many changes, almost as fre- 
<(uent and periodical as the return of the sea- 
sons. 

Of the two oldest and permanent journals 
the Herald, to the present elate of writing, dur- 
ing a life of over fifty years, has passed through 
about thirty changes of partners and owner- 
ship, and the Whig, three years its junior, has 
had during nearly the same length of time, 
about half as many, while among the many 
smaller journals, that is, such of them as lived 
long enough to undergo a change of parents, 
the same conditions were common. 

The Herald had its partial change in owner- 
ship, though its management remained the 
same. The Patriot and Republican, established 
as a weekly in 1854, came out on January 1st 
as the Daily Republican, published by Thos. 
Gibson and D. S. Morrison. The latter as edi- 
tor soon became engaged in a political and per- 
sonal wrangle with Brooks of the Herald, from 
which grew a street fight and a law suit, the 
whole productive of nothing but public annoy- 
ance and fees for lawyers. Quincy was made 
notorious for many years by its own newspaper 
scurrility, much to its dissatisfaction at home 
and discredit abroad. The death of Mr. A. 
Roesler, a very h^ighly informed man, editor of 
the Tribune, a German weekly, caused a change 
in the management and character of this jour- 
nal. It had been started in 1853 by an asso- 
ciation of whigs as a political paper, but had 
not met with much pecuniary fortune. It now- 
passed into the possession of Winters & Phief- 
fer, and subsequently through other hands, be- 



l62 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



c'omiu.u' the present Cieniuiiiia. In hiter years 
the political eharaeter of the paper has been 
changed. In the Whig, the death in June of 
]\f r. Henry Young, one of its publishers, brought 
about a change there also. The interest owned 
by J\Ir. Young was purchased by V. Y. Ralston. 
Morton & Ralston who now for sometime pub- 
lished the pajjer, a M'eekly and daily. jMr. Ral- 
ston was a young man of nuieh energetic talent 
and possessed a special ajititude for journal- 
ism, in which he might have become distin- 
guished had he continued in the jirofession. 
Ho abandoned it after a brief ti'ial, began the 
practice of law with good success, removed to 
Macomb, 111., went into the army as a captain 
in the 16th Illinois Infantry, and died during 
the war. 

This was a great military year, the most 
warlike looking period that Quincy had ever 
yet known, or ever after knew, until the later 
well-remembered period when real war raged 
throughout the land. Two military companies, 
the Blues, Captain Prentiss, and the Yagers, 
C-ajitain Delabar (the latter a German com- 
pany), had been in existence for some time. 
Three others now nuide their appearance. An 
artillery company was organized in June, of 
which Austin Brooks of the Herald was elected 
captain. He accepted the command, as he said. 
on the condition that the company would "turn 
out if required to enforce the fugitive slave 
law." A cadet company with ^I. V. D. Ildlmcs 
as commander, composed nf the students of Mr. 
Root's school, was formeil about the same time; 
the two making their first parade on the 4th 
of July, and later, in the fall, was organized 
the City Guards, Capt. E. W. Godfrey, tiu-niiig 
out for the first time on the 19th of No\eiuber. 
A liatn]li(ui was foi'med from these coiiipaiiies. 
with .Ma.joi- J. R. Hollowbush as C(uninander. 
Emulation aniong tiiese several organizations 
made them of much interest and produced a 
high degree of military proficiency. A very 
imposing display was made on the 4th of July. 
There was the usual ceremonial observance of 
the day, greatly aided in effect by the large 
military force of the four Quincy companies 
and a visitiiiL;- company from Keokuk. Noth- 
ing like it had vxrv liefore shown up in QuiiK'y. 
It altogether put out the memories of I\[ormon 
war glory. 

There was a good deal of financial distrust 
and embarrassment ])i-evaleut at this time, ow- 
ing to excessive speculation anil the large issue 
of uncertain money by the numerous western 
banks. Quincy was but slightly affected there- 
by. The suspension of the banking house of 
Page & Bacon, of St. Louis, and their close 
connection with Flagg & Savage, then the lead- 
inu' bank of Quincy, caused some local uneasi- 



ness: not sufficient, however, to seriously dis- 
tui'b business. The firm in St. Louis soon re- 
sumed, but after a year or two went down 
finally, and the breaking of this great house 
luid an infiuence in causing the failure of the 
Quincy banking house, at a later day. 

The general business of the city continued 
j)rosperous, and increased at home and abroad 
much imn-e than it had in any previous period. 
The railroad, which in the latter part of the 
year, was completed to Galesburg, making there 
a through connection to Chicago, had brought 
to Quincy from the counties north and east of 
Adams, associations aiul acciuaiutanee which 
extended the trade of the city to a distance 
and into localities wliere it had heretofore been 
almost a stranger. And now connnenced and 
has since continued, a diversion of business 
connection and travel, which for thirty years 
had entirely gone to, and eastward through, 
St. Louis, towards Chicago, drawn thither liy 
the lessened distance from the eastern markets 
and the more rapiil transit afforded by rail 
than by the river. 

Substantial and tasteful imi)rovemeut of 
every kind was uiius\udly marked. The stone 
Ei)iscopal church, now the Cathedral at the 
corner of Hampshire and Seventh streets, which 
had been several years in building, was com- 
pleted and occupied. Many of the best private 
residences of the city M^ere erected at this time. 
It was what would have been called now a 
" I loom year. '" ( )ne of the city papers publishes 
eai'ly in the >'ear "as one of the evidences of the 
progress and prosperity of Quincy, that there 
are already contracts made for laying nearly 
ten million of brick in buildings to be erected 
in the city this se;is(Hi. The supply of brick 
is entirely inadequate to meet the demand. 
Good brick ccunmand a high price, say $5 to 
$6 per thousand. All now made or in the kiln 
ai'P engaged. 

The gas company, during this year greatly 
extended its mains, and set up from twenty- 
five to thirty additional street lights. The coal 
trade brought to the city by the railroad luiving 
reached the coal fields of ]\IcDonough county, 
now became ;dmost at once an extensive line of 
business, cheapening the general price of fuel 
and affordiut;- coal to steamers, factories and 
l)rivate parties at rates greatly reduced from 
foi'mer figures. 

Values of real estate kept advancing both in 
;inil around the city. As a token of this, the 
]\rauzey stoi'chouse on the north side of the 
square was purchased in October by the Budde 
Bros., for .$4,500. The ground being under 
lease, did not sell with the building, hut the 
privileae passed of buying it. 25 feet, for $2,- 
000. This same iiiece of griunul sold smne three 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADA.MS COUNTY. 



163 



years before, for $1,000. In the suburbs of tlie 
city the advance in prices was yet more marked. 
What was known as the "Bnena Vista" Farm, 
two and a half miles east of the city, sold for 
$50.00 per acre. Forty acres of the "Fox 
Farm," now John Dick's, two miles north with 
no improvements on it, brought $100 an acre. 
The "Brewer Farm," one and a half miles east 
on State street, sold for $100 per acre, and the 
"Pearson Farm," two and a half miles south- 
east of the square, was purchased for $125 per 
acre. 



CHAPTER XXXIV. 

EXCESSIVE COLD. COMPLETION OF RAILROAD 
TO CHICAGO. QUINCY & PALMYRA ROAD. 
NEW B.\NK. WAB.A.SH FROM CAMP POINT TO 
ILLINOIS RIVER. V.A.LUE OF PROPERTY. OR- 
G.A.NIZ.\TION OF POLICE. LARGE CISTERNS. 
POLITICAL CHANGES. RISE OF REPUBLICAN 
PARTY. FALL ELECTONS. GROWTH OF BUSI- 
NESS. 

Navigation ended on December 2-!:, 1855. and 
the river remained ice-locked until March 18. 
1856. when it opened, closing again on Decem- 
ber 8, of this year. The winter of '55-56 was 
very severe, at times bitterly cold, with much 
snow, sleet storms and ice. The weather dur- 
ing the early part of January was particularly 
harsh, the mercury on the 7th falling to 28 
degrees below zero, and the early weeks of 
February were equally cold, the thermometer 
.showing 27 below on the 3d of the month, and 
the same again on the 9th and 10th. The stage 
driver came in on the evening of the 3d with 
his mail coach, so chilled as to be speechless, 
unable to handle his team, and had to be lifted 
down from his box. It was a season of much 
distress from this cause, but was, however, a 
very brisk period for business. Forty-five 
thcu.sand was the number of hogs reported as 
being packed during the season. 

The especial event of the time was the com- 
pletion of the railroad to Galesburg on the last 
day of January. This had been finished and 
was operated as far as Avon on the 1st of Jan- 
uary, and a short gap between this point and 
that portion of the road that was being built 
from Galesburg southward, was filled in on the 
above date, making the connection with Chi- 
cago complete. It was a jubilee time, and the 
satisfaction and anticipations of the people was 
told by the press as follows, with the flaring 
design of a locomotive and train and In'oad 
headlines of "Through to Chicago. A rail- 
road connection with the xVtlantie cities. All 
aboard." 

"We have the high satisfaction of announc- 
ing the completion of the Northern Cross Rail- 
road. The last rail is upon the ties and the last 



siiike is driven, and another iron arm reaches 
from the great west unto the Atlantic ! 

"The event is an impoi'tant one and in- 
augurates a new era in the history of Quiney. 
For years our citizens have been looking with 
an intense interest to the consummation of this 
enterprise which was to open, and which has 
opened, to Quiney, a future radiant with eveiy 
promise of prosperity. A new vitality and a 
new strength has been given to our city, ap- 
parent in the immense increase of business in 
all departments, transacted during the past 
season, and in the extensive preparations that 
are making for substantial improvements in the 
way of buildings that are to go up this year. 
We have every reason to congratulate our- 
selves upon the present and prospective pros- 
perity of our beautiful and flourishing city. " 

No event ever occurred in the history of the 
place that was hailed with more of universal 
satisfaction than the final construction of this 
road. It was felt to be the one needed resoui'ce 
to free traffic and travel from its winter 
thraldom when the river was closed by ice, and 
to establish the place on conditions of equality 
with the surrounding rival cities, and in it the 
citizens had freely embarked their means and 
their hopes. 

Following shortly after the above mention of 
the gratification which greeted the completion 
of the road, and showing the results of this 
quickened connection with the east, and how 
they were relished, appears a press notice again 
giving the "acknowledgements of the editor 
and of ;Mr. Sam'l Holmes to Major Iloltou for 
a fine, fresh codfi.sh. right from Massachusetts 
Bay, the first arrival of the kind in Quiney. 
After partaking of the same we pronounce it 
a 'creature comfort of the first water,' and 
tender our thanks." All of these, Messrs. 
Holmes. Holton and the editor, were born Yan- 
kees of the most cerulean hue, possibly may 
have been (as has been said of Yankee chil- 
dren) weaned on the above aliment. One may 
imagine the gusto with which they and their 
brother Yankees greeted these "representatives 
of both hemispheres;" as Daniel Webster 
dubbed them, fresh from the ocean, after hav- 
ing been obliged for years of life in the west to 
eat their codfish — salt. 

One enterprise connected with this road open- 
ing, merits mention as being among Quiney 's 
many "first things," the short-lived pioneer 
here in a line of business which though now 
co-extensive with the land, had at this time, 
but a limited and ])artial scope or operation, 
compared with what it has become. This was 
the establishment on the 1st of January, by 
some Quiney parties, of the "Godfrey and 



164 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



Snow's express" from Qniiiey to Chicago. 
These parties had originated this scheme with 
.some success in running their express to St. 
Louis by boat and for awhile made it profitable 
as well as also a convenience to the public 
wiien extended to Chicago, but the heavy hand 
of wealthier companies, controlling more ex- 
tended facilities, soon took possession of the 
business and forced them out of what had 
promised to be a lucrative enterprise. 

The long desired railroad communication 
with Chicago being secured to the great grati- 
fication and convenience of the people of 
Quincy, they at once in the Hush of this satis- 
faction began inunediately to look around tor 
additional railroad advantages. Two projects 
were prominent and promising. One was the 
making of a direct eastern route by a road from 
Camp Point to the Illinois river, to link on to 
the connections of the great road that was 
pushing its con.strnction westward from Toledo. 
This was already arranged for and the project 
was under way. The road that had been just 
finished to Galesburg (The Northern Cross 
R. R.) was intended to be the western portion 
of the Wabash, the road from CamjJ Point to 
Galesburg, being a branch engrafted on the 
original charter. It was deemed more inune- 
diatel.y important to push the road northwards 
towards Chicago and this had now been 
effected. The other thought was of a western 
road into and across Missouri. This was finally 
done at an early after date, but at an unneces- 
sary and uncalled for cost. The Hannibal and 
St. Joseph R. R. commencing at the latter point 
on the j\Iissouri river and crossing the northern 
portion of the state on a nearly direct east and 
west parallel to its eastern terminus at llaiuii- 
bal on the Mississippi, twenty miles south of 
Quincy was constructed under the partial pre- 
text of making a military road, by the con- 
gressional grant of a large body of public lands. 
The system was the same that a few years be- 
fore had been adopted in the charter of the 
Illinois Central, and has since been the basis 
upon which nearly all the great i-ailroads west 
of the Mississippi have been built. At the time 
of its projection it was intended and expected 
(and the alignment of the proposed road was 
favorable and proper therefor) that there 
would be two eastern termini, one at Hainiibal 
and one at Quincy : but the latter point, for 
political reasons was dropped out of the bill 
and Quincy had to ultimately construct its con- 
nection from its own resources. Our people 
however were anxious for the road, knew its 
importance and felt very generous and for- 
giving at the time. A company was organized. 
late in the year known as the Quincy & Palmyra 
R. R. Co., with ex-Mayor Holmes as its presi- 



dent, which proposed to construct a line of road 
from West Quincy to connect with the Hanni- 
bal & St. Joe ti-ack at Palmyra, and upon this 
scheme the city took decisive action early in 
1857, securing its completion. 

Among the new enterprises of this year was 
the establishment on the 1st of June of the 
"Bank of Quincy," by Boon and ]McGinnis, 
with a capital stoVk of "!l^2(:)0.(»00. this being the 
third institution of the kind in the city. Its 
ideation was at thi^ corner of Maine and Fourth 
under the (Quincy House. Its business was not 
largt for awhile but a year or two later on the 
failure of the two older banks, that of Flagg 
& Savage and of Mt)ore, Ilollowbush & Co., 
leaving this bank the only financial in.stitution 
in the eity, it had the monopoly of such business 
and for a time was succes.sful and prosperous. 
Tills eai'eer was but brief. The failure of ex- 
(iovernor Matteson, who was its chief owner, 
and other causes, brought about the winding up 
of its affairs after three oi' four years' ex- 
istence. 

The third big hotel was conunenced at this 
time. There had been the "Quincy House," in 
1836, and the "City Hotel," afterwards the 
"Virginia," about the same time, and now came 
the "Gather House," named for its proprietor, 
located on Hampshire between Fifth and Sixth 
streets on the site of the old Judge Young resi- 
dence, which since, much enlarged and with 
the name changed, has become the popidar Tre- 
mont. 

The Quincy House which had latel.v changed 
owners and been closed for a time for repairs 
and additions to be made, was re-opened by 
Floyd and Kidder from Chicago, and imder 
their skillful numagement soon became as pop- 
ular and noted as in its earlier days. Another 
city feature was the starting of a bus line run- 
ning to the boat landing and the depot and 
over the city, an enterprise rather crude in its 
commencement, but one that lived and soon 
swelled into permanent existence. Improve- 
ments of all kinds continued. Many and more 
tasteful houses were erected than had ever been 
before, esi)eeially in the eastern part of the city. 
Property values kept on the rise, not at extrava- 
gant figures, but with a stead.v. healthy ad- 
vance. The corner of Hampshire and Sixth 
was sold for ^1'2.^ ]>er front foot, 100 feet in 
depth. A small lot 17 feet front on the south 
side of the public square between Fourth and 
Fifth streets brought $200 per foot. The corner 
of Jersey and Third streets, 75 feet front, im- 
proved, sold for $5,500. A large lot on Maine 
street at the corner of Thirteenth. 175 feet front 
'nnniing liack 400 feet to Hampshire sold for 
$5,000. This was the largest price yet paid 
for property anywhere and was thought to be 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



165 



extravagant figure but the jjurehaser divided 
tlie ground into smaller lots and soon realized 
a handsome profit from his investment. Busi- 
ne.ss in all branches was active and satisfactor.y. 
A brief mention, of the transactions of some of 
tlie leading mannfaeturing industries will in- 
dicate this. The mills of Quincy have always 
had the highest reputation abroad for the su- 
perior ciuality of flour which they produced, 
their brands commanding the top figure in the 
eastern and southern markets, and when 
brought in competition with other brands they 
were in the habit of taking the premium. The 
l)usiness was a steadily growing one and below 
is given with the names of the six mills at this 
time running, a summary in round numbers of 
the amount of flour manufactured, and the nimi- 
ber of bushels of wheat consumed for the year 
closing December 31st. 1856. 

Bbls. Flour. Bus 'Is. Wheat. 

Star :\Iills 20.000 100.000 

Castle :Mills 20.000 100.000 

Eagle Mills 20.000 100.000 

Citv :Mills 40.000 200.000 

All., :\Iills 10.000 50,000 

Total 110.000 550.000 

The average price of Hour during the year 
was $5.50 per barrel, making the total value of 
the milling business to have been $715,000. The 
wagon and plow manufacture had become very 
important and extensive and there were aboiit 
twenty establishments engaged in this business. 
One of these, that of Timothy Rogers, employ- 
ing from 35 to 40 hands all the year round, 
turned out 800 wagons valued at $60,000, and 
1.200 plows worth $8,000. A notable and grow- 
ing business, then as now. was that of the stove 
foundries. The Phoenix Stove Works, which 
was the most extensive in the city, reported the 
making of 9,145 stoves of various patterns, an 
emplovment of 58 hands and sales for the vear 
of $199,128.42. This with the other like con- 
cerns aggregated the value of store manufac- 
ture at $175,128. The aggregate value of the 
liunber handled by the five lumber yard firms 
footed up to $251,350. measuring 8,950.000 feet 
of lumber, shingles 3.950.000, lath and timber 
1.9] 0.000. In this is not included the home 
manfactured lumber. The pork packing was 
not as large as the year before. There was a 
small increase in the number of those engaged 
in the business, but a falling oft' in the number 
of hogs and value. The result of the winter's 
work '56-57 Avas 38.306 hoas packed, valued at 
$986,492. 

Sevei'al disastrous fires occurred in the early 
pai't of the year, some of them in business and 



central sections of the city, one at the north- 
east corner of the public scjuare, and one farther 
east on Hampshire street. The loss was severe 
to some of the occupants but the gain was great 
to the city. The same enterprising impiolse 
which many years before, when the old log 
courthouse caught fire, induced the happy spec- 
tators to throw on more kindling, was gratified 
to see the "old rookeries" go with the prospect 
of their being replaced by better structures. 
Another result of these fortunate misfortunes 
was to increase precautions against fire. 

The leading local events of the year was the 
building, or rather the initiation of the build- 
ing of the Wabash railway eastward from JMt. 
Sterling. This project which has been alluded 
to earlier in these sketches, as being under way 
at the commencement of the year, was put into 
active shape before summer. The proposition 
was made, advocated through the press and 
jtresented on the 17th of ^lay to the council, 
that the city should subscribe $200,000 to the 
stock of the railroad projected from Camp. 
Point eastv.'ard to the Illinois river known 
as the Quincy and Mt. Sterling R. R. The 
council voted favorably and authorized the 
mayor to make subscription to the above 
amount, and ordered an election to be held on 
the 24th of May for authoi'ity to issue $200,- 
000 twenty yeai's' bonds, drawing eight per 
cent interest, to be applied to the construction 
of this road. The election was a one-sided af- 
fair. Fifteen hundred and sixty-two votes were 
cast, which was a very large representation for 
that time at a special election, and all biit 
twenty-one of these were east in favor of the 
subscription. Work was commenced imme- 
diately. Indeed it had been progressing to some 
extent before the city took action upon the mat- 
ter. The whole line was immediately put under 
contract with the condition and promise that it 
Avould be completed by December 1st, 1857. 
Its completion was not precisely on time, but 
came nearer thereto than most of the railroad 
constructions do. Before its final finish a speck 
of war arose on its line calling for the inter- 
position of muskets and bayonets, this being 
the fourth war in which Quincy was engaged. 
There had been the Black Hawk, the Mexican 
and ilormon wars and this next, the "Brown 
county war" had its fair share of heroic ad- 
venture of which hereafter, in its time and 
place. 

There was a warm contest at the city elec- 
tion in April but the whigs were successful in 
electing John Wood as Mayor, over J. W. 
Singleton, by a majority of 44, in a total vote 
of 1.525, which it will be observed was very 
near the same number of votes east at the 



1 66 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



special election on the railroad .subserii^tion six 
weeks later. The whigs also elected Henry 
S. Osborn and Robert S. Benneson as aldermen 
in the First and Third wards over John Abbe 
and H. VogeliJohl, and J. B. Merssman, demo- 
crat, was chosen in the Second ward over J. W. 
Brown. The control of the council was still 
democratic. An amusing stir was made later 
in the year by a petition being presented to the 
council, with a respectable number of signa- 
tures, asking that an examination should be 
made into the right of two of the aldermen to 
hold their seats. It Avas asserted that they 
were not American citizens. As the petition 
gave no names of the aldermen who were thus 
disqualified, the petition went to tiie wail and 
was not heard of again and we believe to tliis 
day it never has been certainly known who w;is 
pointed at by this paper. 

The value of property in the city by the 
assessment of 1856 was reported at $3,668,555. 
On this the tax levy was ordered of one-eighth 
of one per cent for schools and scliool purposes; 
three-eights for meeting the railroad debt 
liabilities and one-half for ordinary expenses, 
and it was ordered also that there should be 
a sufficient levy made on property where the 
gas was in use to jiay two-thirds of the expense 
of lighting the streets. The city debt and ex- 
i:)enses so rapidly increasing on account of the 
large railroad subscriptions roused the atten- 
tion of the council to making some effort to pre- 
pare for growing future liabilities, and an order 
was passed authorizing the mayor to make a 
loan for the pni'i)ose of estalilishing a sinking 
fund, but either from not understanding how to 
make the arrangement or from some other good 
cause the pioject languished out of existence 
.just as a dozen similar schemes have done in 
later years. A change was made in the regula- 
tion base or datum for calculating grades, 
which in 1853 had been established at the bench 
mark figure of 20, 31-100 feet above low water 
mark. This figure was found defective for en- 
gineering reasons and by resolution the figure 
100 was added. It stood thus for some years 
until perfected liy the i)resent plan. The name 
of Orange street was changed to Eighteenth 
and the coinicil ordered that the streets east 
of this should be, when opened, called Twen- 
tieth and Twenty-fourth, thus, continuing the 
plan of double blocks which had begun at 
Twelfth street but contemplating the possible 
division of these blocks in the future, and the 
designation of the streets so made, by the odd 
numbers as Twenty-first and Twenty-third. 

The first movement was now made towards 
giving systematic organization and appearance 
to the city police which from small beginnings 



some years before had now grown into fair 
sized proportions. Originally and for some 
time it consisted solely of the city marshal; 
then a night patrol was added and at this time 
it was composed of eight men, a lieutenant, a 
night constable and six watchmen. Uniforms 
of course were not yet to be thought of, but 
the council ordered that members of the force 
should be furnished with a white star to be 
worn upon the lappel of the coat and alst) with 
a rattle, at the public expense. It was a num- 
ber of years before any addition in the matter 
of giving designation and uniformity of ap- 
pearance to the city j^olice was made. A re- 
vision of the ordinances, this being the third 
since the organization of the city, was ordered 
and completed during the year. The annual 
amount of destruction from fire, before men- 
tioned, caused the council to largely increase 
the facilities for its suppression by adding to 
the machinery and resoui'ces of the fire de- 
partment, among which was the construction 
of three large cisterns near by three of the late- 
ly built churches. With these, it appears from 
the records, that the city now had seventeen 
public cisterns which had been made during 
that number of years. These were absolutely 
essential and some of them were costly. It 
might be a curious search for any one thus 
disposed to try and ascertain how many of 
these old cisterns, so serviceable and needful 
in their day and constructed with so much of 
care and expense have been abandoned, or were 
destroyed even before the establishment of the 
watei'wiuks system dispensed with their use. 
Some have been f(n'gotten, or destroyed, with 
no remuneration to the city. 

An advance was made in the character of 
city journalism. The five newspapers of the 
year before still lived and flourished, three of 
them English dailies. The Daily Republican, 
then much the most enterprising paper of the 
place was enlarged, and the Journal, a German 
pai'.er, came out in February as a semi-weekly. 
It was a republican or anti-slavery journal, 
quite ably managed by Winters and Pfeiter. 
The other German paper, the Courier, was 
democratic. A very good directory of the city 
was prepared for this year liy iJoot. the best 
that had yet appeared. 

A puldication was made at the close of the 
year, which attracted interest at the time for 
the reason that then the city was an owner 
in the Northern Cross Railroad and the people 
felt interested in the business progress of the 
enterprise, in which they had so heavily in- 
vested. It is also worth seeing as a contrast 
of the railroad bxTsiness thirty-one years ago 
with that which is done at the present time. 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



167 



The Northern Cross Eailroad. completed from 
Qiiincy to Galesbiirg at the commeueement of 
the year 1856, reports for the last six months 
ending December 31st, 1856, that its receipts 
from passenger travel amounted to $74,125 ; 
from freight^ to $133,878.12; from mails, etc., 
$7,219.32. making a total of .$215,222.79. and 
that the expenses amounted to $108,643.48, 
leaving a net earned profit of $106,570.31. 

The political record of this year was novel 
and stirring all over the land. It was a 
transition period in American politics such as 
had never been known before. The repeal of 
the Missoiu'i compromise two .years before this 
date had loosened all party harness and caused 
to swing away from their old time moorings 
at the state and congressional elections nearly 
every northern democratic state, such as New 
Hampshire. Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin. Michigan 
and others that had until now from their 
earliest days unchangeably floated the demo- 
cratic flag, and now on the broader arena of 
a presidential contest, these separations con- 
tinued and were nationalized into new and per- 
manent party formations. Almost the entire 
whig party in the northern and western sec- 
tions of the state, with large accessions from 
the democratic party which acted together in 
1854 under the name of Anti-Nebraska, now 
took the name of republican. In the extreme 
southern and southeastern part, nearly all the 
old whigs became democi'ats. A portion of the 
whigs formed an organization known as the 
"American" or "Fillmore pai'ty," which after- 
ward merged into the republican, with which 
it usually coalesced on local matters. In the 
Quiucy congressional district, the defection 
from the democratic party was less than in 
some other sections of the state, and the polit- 
ical results .showed but little change from 
former years. Elsewhere, many leading repre- 
sentative men, such as Triunbull, Palmer, Judd. 
"Wentworth and others, seceded from their 
party with a large following, but in this district 
for reasons needless to name, no democrat of 
prominence beyond his county, left his party 
and lines lay nearly as before. 

At the county fall election Buchanan, demo- 
crat, received for president 3,311 votes to 2,256 
for Fremont and 662 for Fillmore. There was 
a imion of the Fremont and Fillmore voter, on 
a portion of the state ticket and on the county 
officers. W. A. Richardson, who had resigned 
his seat in c('ngress to run for governor, carried 
the city and county over W. H. Bessell by 1.208 
majority. Hamilton, the democratic candidate 
for lieutenant governor, leading John Wood 
(who had been nominated for this office to fill 
the vacancy on the ticket caused by the resig- 



nation of Francis Ilott'man, who Avas ineligible) 
694 votes. The local democratic ticket general- 
ly was successful by from 500 to 700 majority 
except in the case of I. N. Morris, democratic 
candidate for congress, who fell behind his 
ticket, leading Jackson Grimshaw 361 votes, 
while J. C. Davis, the candidate to fill the 
vacancy of Richardson's resignation, received 
a majority over Thos. C. Sharpe of 760. C. A. 
Warren was chosen for state's attorney over 
S. P. Delano; Samuel Holmes and M. M. Bane 
for representatives over J. F. Battell and John 
Tillson; T. W. McFall, circuit clerk, over H. 
V. Sullivan; John Cadogan, sheriff, over George 
Rhea ; the successful parties, all democrats, re- 
ceiving majorities ranging from about 500 to 
7;;(; i.s above stated. The county vote on call- 
inu a convention to revise the con.stitution was 
2,840 for to 1,923 against. This proposition 
was oefeated in the state. 

Quincy was not in its thirtieth year of ex- 
istence. Its growth, as shown at successive 
periods, rose fr(mi about 20 in the place and 
near neighborhood in 1825 to about 350 in 
1830: to 753 in 1835; 1,850 in 1840; 4,007 in 
1845 ; 6,901 in 1-850 ; 10,754 in 1855, and is sub- 
secjuent increase has been up to 14,362 in 1860, 
24.052 in 1870, and 27,^68 in 1880. The popula- 
tion of the county, including Quincy and also 
Hancock county, which was then attached to 
Adams, was 292 in 1825 ; of the countv, Quincv 
included, 2,186 in 1830; 7,042 in 1835 :" 14,476 in 
1840; 18.399 in 1845; 26.508 in 1850; 34.310 in 
1855 : and the population since, the city in- 
cluded, has been I'eported at 41,323 in 1860; 
56.362 in 1870, and 59,148 in 1880. It will be 
noticed that prior to 1845, the county popula- 
tion increase was vastly more rapid than that 
of the city, since which period, the city has 
steadily been gaining, and it is probable that 
the census of 1890 will show more than half of 
the population of Adams county numbered as 
residents of Quincy. 

There had been a long period of good naviga- 
tion, nearly nine months, with 1,280 arrivals of 
boats, exclusive of the daily Keokuk and St. 
Louis packets. Seventy-five thousand was the 
estimated number of packages transported bv 
I ivei-, and about 100,000 by rail. 

The coal business, which had but commenced 
during the previous year, amounted to a re- 
ceipt of 15,000 tons. ^Manufactories reported 
increase in number and in extent of produc- 
tion. There were 8 furniture establishments 
employing 225 hands: 5 flour mills turning out 
105.400 barrels, valued at$685.100: 4 distilleries 
producing .$432,656 worth of spij-its ; 25 cooper 
shops making near 140,000 barrels, hog.sheads, 
etc., with an aggregate value of about $130,000; 



i6S 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



12 Avagou shops -vvitli a iiiamifaeture of 1,265 
wagons, besides i)lows, carts, etc.: 7 harness 
shops: 2 carriage factories; 4 machine shops 
and foundT'ies; 6 planing mills which worked 
up 400,000 feet of lumber; 4 steam saw mills 
which sawed 470.000 feet of lumber valued at 
$117, . 500 : 1 large iron and copper factory, the 
business of which amounted to .'f!l2,400; 3 soap 
and candk^ factories whose transactions footed 
up to !j^41,000; the bricl-: luisiuess was extensive, 
16 yards prndueiug Ki. (170. 000: one large st-ive 
foundry whose work alone was $99,128.04, and 
the total of luanufaeturiug from these and a, 
few other leading- establishments was tlgnred 
.$2,318,952.45. and the number of hands aver- 
aging 900. This summary (.imitted very many 
of the smaller establishments, from which statis- 
tics were difficult to be procured. 

The general sum of business had nearly 
doubled over that of the preceding year, not so 
much by the starting of new firms as by the 
expansion of business of those already existing. 
The grain trade was extensive, 1,227,000 bushels 
of wheat and Hour being shipped RAvay, nml:- 
ing Quinc.y in this line of trade next in the 
■state to Chicago; there were also shipped or 
manufactured 417,661 barrels of flour. The ex- 
portation of pork was 17,962 barrels: bacon 
1,648 hogsheads, and 9.500 packages of lard. 
There Avas a falling oil' in old staple business 
of pork packing here as generally in the west. 
Trade in dry goods and groceries was large 
and prosperous, five houses exclusively in the 
former line, did a business aggregating at $356,- 
410, and from twenty groceries sales were re- 
ported amounting to $540,000. The amount 
done in this line of trade was estimated at not 
less than three-(piarters of a million. Lumber 
had become a very extensive business, amount- 
ing to a total in the year of 1.365,000 feet. 



CHAPTER XXXV. 

18.57. 

CITY LI.MITS KXTI'^INUKI) I'^INA XI 'TAL. IN DEBT. 

Horsios .xr.Mr.ioKioi ' M<isi'tT.\L ground 
Bori'.ii'i' s.\i,i"i.\ i,n'i:xsi': iji'iostion. many 
BUii.i'i.xiis ii(i in Kisi: i.\ riE.\L estate 
v.AlU'k.'^, kii:,st i-Mj.VKLi (jk trade, money 

PANIC F((REI(4N IMMIGRATION INCREASES. 
COLLEOI.^TR I.\'STITlITION ATTEMPTED. BE- 
COMIX(i .\ REAI^ CITY. 

In the chapter of the preceding year (1856^ 
has been given the successive population in- 
crease of the place from its settlement to 1880. 
This now, at the date above (1857), had grown 
from the handful of residents, in 1825, to about 
12,000. The exi)ansion of the city in area had 
not run evenly with its increase of population. 
From 1825 to 1834 it was Init a name where the 



court met and the county commissioners as- 
sembled, being simply the county seat located 
on the fractional cjiiarter section of about 157 
acres that had been purchased by the county 
and was controlled like every part of the coun- 
ty, by the county commissioners. AVhen in 
1834 upon becoming a town and assumming an 
independent local government, the limits as 
fixed in its incorporation were the river on the 
west, and tlie present Jefferson, Twelfth and 
Vine streets on the south, east and north. This 
c(}mprised an acreage of a triHe over SOO with 
a population of about 700. These boundaries 
wci'e niiclninged in 1840 when the town became 
a, city and so continued until 1847, when what 
is known as Nevins" Addition, being the 120 
acres lying between Twelfth, Broadway, Eigh- 
teenth and Jersej- was attached. This addition 
was made under the provisions of a clause in 
the original charter of the city, that any land 
adjoining the city on being laid off into lots 
and blocks might be annexed. The population 
at this time was about 5,000. At the legislative 
session in -lanuai-y. 1857. the next matei'ial 
cliangc was iiiailc by moving the north bound- 
ary liiM' Ihree-foui'ths of a mile farther to the 
present Locust street, and the same line pro- 
longed westward to the river; a half mile east 
to Twenty-fourth street, and a half mile south 
to Harrison and on that line Avest to the riA^er 
taking in some tAventy-fiA^e hundred acres. This 
liddition added but little to the population, 
as it Avas nearly all farm land or unsettled. The 
action met Avith bitter opposition from most 
of those liA^ing on or OAvning lands, thus sum- 
ma i-ily broiudit into the city. They complained 
that the legJslatiAe action Avas unfair since the 
subject of annexation had not been mentioned 
at the preceding election, that there Avas in- 
jnstic' in placing them and their property 
inider another jurisdiction Avithout their having 
a voice and vote on the cpiestion, and especially 
that they and their property ought not to be 
subjected to the burden of the already large 
city debt for the creation of which they Avere 
not responsible. To this last objection the reply 
Avas made that their oAvn property adjacent to 
the city had been vastly increased in value by 
the expenditures and improvements made in 
the city from Avhich the debts originated. The 
opposition, though it nuide much personal dis- 
comfort f(n- our members at Springfield, Avas 
fruitless, and the annexation Avas made. The 
city noAv had betAveen 12,000 and 13,000 of 
population. Some ten years later about 120 
acres more Avere added, lying south of Broad- 
Avay to near York and east from TAventy-fourth 
to Thirtieth street, since Avlien the limits liaA-e 
been unchanged, comprising a total area of 
about 3,500 acres. With this extension of the 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



i6g 



limits, there Avas an incfease made in the num- 
ber of wards from three to six, thu.s making 
the council to consist of twelve aldermen, twice 
the former number. The manner of selecting 
officers in the new charter was left as before ; 
the mayor, marshal and aldermen, being- 
chosen by popular election, and the other offi- 
cials elected by the council. Two years later, 
in 1859. a law was passed making most of the 
city officers elective by the people. At the first 
election held under the new charter in April. 
a large vote was polled, the democratic ticket 
succeeding by a large majority. Sylvester 
Thayer receiving 1,032 votes to 698 for Charles 
A. Savage. The democrats elected as aldermen, 
Thomas Jasper and ]\I. McVay, in the first and 
third Avards, over J. C. Bernard and G. M. 
Brown, and in the fifth J. B. Hicks and A. J. 
Lubbe over U. S. Penfield and C. ileyer, and in 
the sixth, S. M. Bartlett and John Schell over 
F. Flachs and James Woodruff, Avhile in the 
second ward J. B. Brown was chosen over Levi 
Palmer, and in the fourth B. F. Berrian and A. 
Kellar over J. Voglepohl and W. E. Wilson, the 
republicans carrA-ing this neAV Avard. This AA^as 
the first appearance of the republican party at 
a city election. By a requirement of the laAV the 
aldermen in the neAV Avards, the fourth, fifth 
and sixth, Avhere tAvo had been chosen drcAV 
lots for the one year and the tAvo year teriTi, 
Avhen ilessrs. Kellar, Lubbe and Schell drcAV 
the short term and their three associates held 
over for tAvo years. 

The city organization Avas completed in the 
council by the re-election of A. W. Blakesly as 
clerk and all the other democratic officials of 
the last year. 

An unusual amovmt of important and perma- 
nent business came under the consideration of 
the council and Avas concluded during the year. 
The financial situation of the citj' Avas far from 
being satLsfactoiy. Its bonded indebtedness 
Avithin the past fcAV years had greatly increased, 
amounting uoav. exclusiA'e of railroad subscrip- 
tions, to over $200,000, and Avith the railroad 
debt to three times this amount, some of it 
ovei'due. and all rapidly maturing, AA'hile a large 
amount of vouchers Avere outstanding and cir- 
culating at a heavy discount. Other projects 
Avhieh miist add largely to this debt, Avere being 
popularly pi-oposed and the city credit from 
these causes Avas not by any means in a com- 
mendable shape. The revenue Avas unequaltothe 
great increase of current expenses. The fiscal 
statement for the year ending March 31. favor- 
ably prepared as all such statements are. shoAVS 
up the situation. As therein reported, the re- 
ceipts from all sources amounted to $82,627. 
Avhile the expenditures totalized at $93,823.34— 



.$11,096.34! of Avhich Avas in unpaid city 
vouchers. There Avas OAviug to the school fund 
$11,359.89, AA'hieh as reported by a committee 
of the council, ''had been used for other pur- 
poses" by the city (a mild expression SA'uony- 
mous Avith misappropriation) and uoav, to tem- 
porarily meet this demand, a ten year ten per 
cent bond for the above stated amount Avas 
ordered to be issued. In this connection it may 
be mentioned that the pervei'sion of the school 
moneys did not cease for seA'eral years and Avas 
finally adjusted, Avhen the delinquent amount 
had reached to about $24,000 by the council 
ceding to the school board all such title as it 
possessed to realty occupied and used or to be 
used for educational purposes Avithin the city. 
This comprehended the Franklin, Jefferson and 
Webster school houses, and adjacent grounds. 
This was a fortunate arrangement for the 
school interests but someAvhat sacrificial to the 
city AA'hieh by its incorrect and perhaps it might 
be called illegal manipulation of school affairs 
Avas compelled finally to pay up at a much 
heavier cost than Avould have been in the pur- 
suance of a more proper and prudent course. 
The carelessness in these matters was shown 
by the fact that about this time it was found 
that the treasurer's record account of the city 
Avith the schools. Avas missing, and an estimated 
balance of $3,300. these beine' the last figures 
remembered, Avas agreed upon as due the school 
fund from the city. The three schools above 
named Avere the only ones in existence at this 
time and Avere in prosperous shape, Avell man- 
aged and attended. They employed 14 teachers 
and reported an annual attendance of about 
1.000 pupils. The coi5t of carrying on the 
schools for the year ending June 30, 1857. Avas 
reported at $5,957.82. 

There had been an attempt made at economy 
during the past year. The street improvements, 
generally the largest expense item, was rela- 
tiA'ely less than usual biit other demands in- 
cident to a young and rapidly groAving city, 
such as police, paupers, salaries, fire depai-t- 
ment and contingent, sAvelled the total to 
former figures. And then piled on these, AA'ere 
the cost of bonds taken up. some $35,000 and 
railroad bond interest $14,000, Avhich made an 
easy account for the deficit of nearly $12,000, 
in the year's business. Additional to all this, 
AA-as the $5,000 of matured bonds unpaid, and 
nearly $40,000 maturing this year Avith an al- 
most equal amount Avhich Avould become due 
in each of the half dozen folloAving years. The 
outlook Avas not encouraging, and the city Avas 
just beginning to realize the Aveight of its debt, 
it had assumed burdens Avithout proper pro- 
vision for carrying them. These burdens 



170 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



seemed needful at the time to assume and 
ultimately brought vast advantage, but were 
burdens noue the less for a long aftertime. To 
tide over these aeeruing liabilities and tem- 
porarily restore the city credit, a loan was 
ordered by the council and an issue of $75,000 
of bonds authorized to i)rovide f(U' the same. 
This, of course, became an addition to the 
permanent cit.y debt, which was now to be 
further increased by the subscription of $100,- 
000 to the Quiiii'V aixl l*aliiiyi';i Hailroad. The 
Hannibal anil SI. .lor road was now iicai-ly 
comjileted. It was const i-iicted under govern- 
ment aid as a luilitary road, hy a large donation 
of public lands. The desire had been that it 
should branch at Palmyra with one or two 
termini on the east, one at Hannibal, the other 
at Quincy. The plan through the influence of 
political complications failed and it cost Qiiincy 
$100,000. A company was organized to build 
this connection and having oljtained the neces- 
sary authority from the legislature, applica- 
tion was made to the city council for a sub- 
scription. The council voted a subscription of 
$100,000 subject to an endorsement liy the 
people. The election was held on the -tth of 
April, resulting in a vote of 94-2 for and 11 
in opposition. Upon this an issue was ordered 
of bonds to the above amount running 20 years 
with 8 i)er cent interest and the road was 
speedily built, i'almyra also voted $30,000 to- 
wards its construction. This was the last in- 
vestment of the city in railroads until about 
twelve yeai's later. 

This $100,000 subscription to the Quincy and 
Palmyra railroad was not completed as origi- 
nally suggested and intended. The first prop- 
osition was that Quincy shoidd give $100,000 
and that Palmyi-a and the Missouri counties 
interested would give an equal amount, one- 
half of which ($50,000) was to be voted by 
Palmyra. On this expectation and understand- 
ing, the election was ordered by the council. 
The outside interests diil not come up to their 
promise but Quincy did, talcing as usual the 
heavy end of: the log, and the road was rapidly 
built maiiil>- on the liasis of the city subscrip- 
tion and the credit given by the same. The 
Qninc.v and Toledo road, from Camp Point to 
Meredosia, to which the city had voted $200.- 
000, was diu-ing this year, under the active 
management of (ieneral Singleton, placed 
under contract in ^lay, rapidly pushed forward 
and so far finished to Mt. Sterling by Christ- 
mas that the cars were then running and a 
pleasant celebration was held at that place 
largely attended by people from Quincy. The 
eonstrnetiou of this road was by the aid and 
interests of the Toledo and Wabash with which 
it became consolidated a few vears later. 



The assessed valuation of city property for 
the year was $3,020,895. On this was levied a 
tax of one-eighth of 1 per cent for school and 
one-half of 1 per cent for ordinary purposes to 
which was added a three-eighths of 1 per cent 
for railroad pvu'poses and later again of 1 per 
cent special tax to meet the interest on the 
Toledo K. K. bonds issued in January of this 
year. It api)eared to be the idea of the coun- 
cil in these times, to provide by special tax for 
the accruing interest on each separate issue of 
railroad bonds. This was a praisewoi'thy plan, 
which if it had been carefully carried out 
might have lightened the load which the city 
was compelled to shoulder with its great pile 
of overdue and maturing bonds, swelled liy 
years of delinquent interest. 

The entire debt now was $707,060.73 of M'hich 
$500,000 was from railroad subscription and all 
of this except about $11,000 drawing inter- 
est. The estimated revenue for the year 1857 
was placed at $75,000, a dark outlook, when the 
resource and liability figures were placed 
alongside each other in contrast. 

The enuinei-ation of the houses, an essential 
in every city, was now for the first time ordered 
b.\- II1C council. Their first resolution fornmlat- 
ing this pi'oject, was an anuisin.g alisurdity. It 
jircscrihccl that each 25 feet of lineal curbstone 
measure should coiisHtute a number, that Front 
street slionid be the l)ase for streets running 
east and west, the figures alternatin.g aci-oss 
the street every 25 feet, and this jiart of the 
plan has continued excepting that some dozen 
years later the convenient Philadelphia sys- 
tem, as it is called, was adojited Avliich makes 
the initial figures of each house number to 
corresp(uid with the initial figures of the street 
lioundiiig the lildck. 

So far all was cori'ect, liut the otliei- part 
of the council resolution, established a double 
base for streets running north and south, one 
at Broadw-ay and the other State street, with 
a mixed ])resci-ii)tion for affixing of duplicating 
numliei's Avhich would have puzzled the oldest 
inhabitant I0 have found his way into or (uit 
of the city had he looked to these figures for 
guidance. It i)i'oved so practically absurd and 
confusing when put in operation, that it was 
abandoned and Maine street made the base from 
which to luimber north and south respectively. 
This enujneration of houses was done, luider a 
contract with the council, by ]\IcEvoy and 
Beatty, who at the same time prejiared a city 
directory. It was crude compared with later 
publications of the kind, but was by far the 
most thorough and complete of any that to this 
date had been prepared. All the earlier direc- 
t(u-ies, contained the same skeleton sketch of 
the town settlement, a few oft-told old stories 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



171 



and very incoinplete lists of names with great 
lack also of accurate designation of residences, 
etc. This book amplified all that was valuable 
in earlier directories in regard to city history, 
government, business and general condition, 
and contained about 4,500 names with resi- 
dence and business carefulty located by num- 
bers. 

From this enumeration of 4,500 the estimate 
is a fair one that the population of nearly 11,- 
000 in 1835 by the state census had now grown 
to above 12,000. This was proven by the 
census of 1860, three years later, when it was 
reported at 14,362. 

This 1857 directory, so correct and concise 
in most particulars, fell into the stereotyped 
error of all such publications, by assuming 
the population of the place as 20,000. This 
tendency to over-count popiilation is common 
with census takers and reporters, and always 
tinds a ready endorsement in beliefs. 

There were twenty established churches at 
this time in the city, eighteen Protestant and 
two Catholic. Services in fourteen of these 
were conducted in the English language, and 
in the others, in German. 

The city had made a few years before, the 
very judicious purchase of eight acres of land 
lying south of and adjacent to Woodland Ceme- 
tery, known as the Hospital Grounds. There 
was no decided idea as to what special use 
this groinid should be applied to, but after some 
disagi'eement in the council, the "Poor House" 
building was ordered to be erected at a cost 
of about $2,700, and the ground became de- 
voted to that use and also for a work house 
some time later. 

For the first time there came up in the 
coimeil for consideration the liquor or saloon 
license question in the shape of a local option, 
such as then had not even a name, although 
the principle has now become a national issue. 
Petitions were poured into the council protest- 
ing against the granting of grocery or saloon 
licenses, (which meant the same) on portions 
of a street or in blocks where a majority of the 
property owmers or those doing other business 
there objected. The council took the position 
that they would be governed by such remon- 
strances in the matter of granting grocery 
licenses, and adhered to this i-estrictive policy 
tenaciously, except when, as very often, they 
didn't. It is a suggestive fact connected with 
this matter, and with the council legi.slation 
then (and which colors all legislation on this 
subject) that the grocery license for the pre- 
ceding year amounted to $4,721, being more 
than the amount received from all the other 
licenses combined, proving itself to be the most 
fruitful source of revenue obtainable bv the 



city, and of course to be gently handled for 
expediency's sake. 

The local improvements, i>ernKiiient in kind, 
both public and private, for which Quincy has 
always been especially noted, went on the same 
as heretofore. As indicative of the extent to 
which improvement had been cari'ied, a discus- 
sion came up during this year, to wiiich the 
writer was a party, and from it a wager was 
made as to the amount of brick sidewalk then 
existing in the city. On this a calculation and 
measurement taken, showed that there -^vere 
thirty-three miles of such walk constructed, al- 
most all of it twelve feet in width and in some 
cases sixteen feet wide. No other city in the 
United States, great or small, old or new, at 
this time w^as equally improved in this respect, 
and this feature continues. This extensive sys- 
tem of street improvement and completion, 
originated with the first years of the city, par- 
tially from necessity, and due also to a spirit 
of enterprise. The broken nature of the ground 
compelled an unusual amount of work in the 
form of levelling and making passable the 
thoroughfares, and these again demanded to 
be protected by the laying of gutters and side- 
walks, and this custom spread into portions of 
the city farther perhaps than there was an 
actual need for such work to be done at the 
time. Seven streets, Broadway, Vermont, 
Hampshire. Maine, State and Delaware were at 
this time passably graded fi-om the top of the 
hill to the river and during this year the grade 
of Jersey was completed. 

The systematizing of the city surveys and 
grades progressed under the direction of the 
city engineer, who reported having placed 250 
stone monuments as points of reference at the 
street intersections. The "Public Sc|uare," 
which for twenty or more years had known 
no other name, was now formally, by resolu- 
tion of the council, christened Washington 
Park. Private improvements, both in amount 
and value, far surpassed what had beeji made 
any former year. Nearly all of the costly 
and imposing four-story structures of the south 
side of Maine between Fourth and Fifth, facing 
the square were erected during this season. 
The two fine buildings of E. K. Stone, imme- 
diately east of the Quincy House, the Lomolino 
biulding, now owned by John Leaman, a few 
doors farther east, by far the most expensive 
constructed edifice in the city, and the most 
elaborately finished, co.sting nearly $20,000, and 
the four-stoi-y hmises of Flagg and Savage, 
at the corner of JIaine and Fifth, were all com- 
pleted and occupied early in the fall. The 
rental of each of these la-st named houses w^as 
$2,000 per annum. The iletz building, on Maine 
street east of Fifth, was now built, and the 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



"lless House," .since become the '" Occidental,'" 
was enlarged so as to become the largest and 
most commodious hotel in the jjlace. 

Equal with the many improvements made, 
Avas the transfer and sale of property to an 
extent such as had not before been known, and 
at rates jjrogressively high. A somewhat 
lengthy recital of some of those is worthy of 
note, as showing how well known property in 
tlp^e city was valued then in comparison with 
former and subsequent rates. The purchases 
were made mostly by our own people, but in 
a number of eases by speculators from abroad. 
The fifty feet at the southeast corner of Maine 
and Fifth streets (a short unoccupied lot) sold 
for .$:i()5 per front foot. The small lot at the 
southeast corner of Hampshire and Fifth, with 
the JH'ick house on it, still standing, bi'ought 
$7. TO"). These and many other of the sales 
made during this year were at public aiu'tion. 
A lot on Fifth street, immediately south of the 
old courthouse ground, 25 feet front, was piw- 
chased for $430 per foot, this being the highest 
price up to this time which had ever been paid 
for city proj^crty. Tlv: Tiiayer building, a 
three-stoi'y brick at the corner of Maine and 
Fourth, embracing 50 feet ground, where the 
public library building is now being erected, 
M-as liought by James Parker for .$15,000. On 
Fi'(int street at the corner of Maine two large 
lirick warehouses, these also being the prop- 
erty of the Thayers, who failed about this time, 
sold for $11,000 cash. The quarter of the block 
at the southwest corner of Broachvay and Fifth, 
then and ever since iised as a lumber yai'd, 
changed owners for $20,000. In other parts 
of the city farther away from business centers 
many sales were made at correspondingly high 
figures. In Moulton's addition the half of two 
large lots was sold for $2,180, the entire two 
lots having been purchased the year before for 
$2,000, projiertv on the corner of Vermont 
and Twelfth, $22.00 per front foot. Ground 
on the hillside on Maine, west of Third, brought 
$170 per foot. A large sale was made of ground 
on Ninth and York for $5,000 to the Dick 
brothers, which became the foundation of their 
great bi-ewery. Outside of and near the city 
the same high rate of value ruled, and many 
transfers Avere made. Eighty acres, a mile and 
a half north of toAvn, which had been pur- 
chased but a few weeks before for $16,000 was 
offered at auction and sold at an advance of 
nearly $4,000. There never before, except about 
1835-36, when the town Avas comparatiA'ely 
small, has been recorded so lively a traffic in 
propei-ty based on the groAving prospects of 
the place, and most of these inA'estments, like 
those of the earlier date, proved remunerative. 
The Avidoning business of the citA^ stimulated 



the idea of forming a "Board of Trade," an 
institution ahvays of A'alue to a commercial city 
and of Avhich in like name or character Quiney 
has had so many. This Avas the first organiza- 
tion of the kind. It Avas formed in May Avith 
C. 31. Pomeroy as j^resident and a large mem- 
bership of most of the prominent business men 
of the city. It centered interest, Avas useful, 
and like several other such of later exi.stenee 
lasted but a year or tAvo, fi'om some fatality 
Avhieh seems to unfortunately attach to such 
associations, and is noticeable chiefly as being 
the first enterprise of the kind formed in the 
city. 

The business shoAving of the year Avas actiA-e 
and generally prosperous notwithstanding the 
failure of the largest business house of the city 
(the Thayers, Avhose store, mill and distillery 
comprehended much the most extensive oper- 
ations, that up to this period had been carried 
on in the place) and also the suspension of tAvo 
leading banking houses. The Avinter business 
of 1856-57 Avas fair, though less than usual in 
some branches. Navigation had been free for a 
portion of the season. It Avas suspended liy the 
river being frozen, from December 8th to the 
15th of the last year, AA-as resumed at the latter 
date, and continued until the early part of Jan- 
uary Avhen the ice became fast, and so stayed 
until the 18th of Februaiy Avhen it finally 
opened for the season, affording good boating 
facilities until the last Aveek in NoA'ember, then 
became very low, but remained open Avith only 
occasional numing ice throughout the folloAA'- 
ing Avinter. 

The season Avas a memorably cold one. On 
the 9th of February occurred one of the most 
severe snoAV storms Avithin memory, folloAved by 
rain, sleet and an intense cold, covering the 
country Avith ice and almost suspending travel. 
even on many of the railroads. Springfield 
could only be reached from Quiney by going 
by the Avay of Mendota and Bloomington. 

The old staple Avinter industry of the place 
shoAved some falling off from the record of pre- 
vious years. About 38,300 hogs ouly aggregat- 
ing in Aveight of product 8,989,462 pounds Avere 
packed during the Avinter, some 5,500 less in 
niuuber than Avere put up in the year before, 
although not so much less in Aveight. This or 
nearly the same percentage of decrease in the 
pork j^roduct of the year, Avas general in the 
Avest at this time. Other manufacturing inter- 
ests evidenced increasing business and success. 
The .stoA^e foundry business among others, had 
already groAvn to be A-ery extensive, furnishing 
a large area of country, and employing many 
Avorkmen. One, the Phoenix .stoA'e Avorks of 
Comstock & Co., reported as its annual busi- 
ness, running info the Avinfer of 1856-57, haA^- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



173 



ing- made of cookiug stoves 5,518, heating 
stoves 1,488, parlor stoves 2,460, a total of 9. 
456, in the manufacture of which they used 
987 tons of eoal, 20,000 bushels of coal and 
coke and 200 cords of wood, employing- an 
average of 60 workmen whose wages amounted 
to !fi30,232.42, and the aggregate business of 
the firm was over $100,000. This was the larg- 
est of the several stove foundries, but work 
was done by others in equal proportion, 
amounting altogether to about $200,000 of 
maiHifacture of this kind in the city. 

The "Quiney Savings and Insurance Com- 
pany" which became the First National Bank 
of Quiney, opened as an exchange and bank- 
ing house, early in August. This made the 
foui'th banking house now in operation, the 
others being the '"Bank of Quiney," and the 
two firms of "Flagg & Savage" and "Moore, 
Ilollowbush & Co." The two latter failed a 
few weeks later. Quiney had now its first ex- 
perience in a financial disaster and panic, but 
somewhat strangely, though there was much 
of excitement, business operations generally 
were but slightly afit'ected. There was a money 
panic all over the country in the fall, especially 
wild in the west, and many failures, all the 
great banking houses of St. Louis being forceci 
to suspend and bringing down with them 
houses with which they were associated or 
which were dependent upon them. This told 
with some efil'ect in Quiney. One of the indirect 
causes for this condition of affairs, was the 
horde of private state chartered banks which 
flooded the country with their handsomely pic- 
tured promises to pay, and which were scat- 
tered everywhere with most christian benevo- 
lence but unchristianlike were finally found to 
be without any redeemer. The monetary panics 
and business depressions in all past time may 
be mainly traced at almost every period of 
disaster to these home-made banks of state law 
parentage. There had been no suspicion of in- 
solvency attaching to any of the Quiney banks 
though failures elsewhere were daily being 
published, when the town was surprised on 
the 28th of September to see the notice on the 
door of ]\Ioore, Ilollowbush & Co. of their sus- 
pension and at the same time was spread, the 
news of the failure of S. & W. B. Thayer. A 
co-incident case occurred about twenty years 
later when the failure of the largest business 
house of the city brought with it the suspen- 
sion of the largest bank. The house of Flagg 
& Savage was equally or still more crippled by 
the failure of the Thayers but held the con- 
fidence of the public in its solvency to such an 
extent that the run upon them was slight, but 
about six weeks later it was compelled to close 
doors, resuming after a short period of sus- 



pension, Init finally gave up and i^ermanently 
closed. The failure of these three houses was 
for a long time felt by many but caused no 
marked depression in general prosperity. 

The permanent failure of the banking house 
of Flagg & Savage which occurred several 
months later, and after their temporary re- 
sumption, was a much regretted affair. While, 
as before stcited, the closure of this and the 
other banking houses had no serious influence 
on the current business, for the reason that the 
city was in healthy progress and its business 
was peculiarly strong and solvent, yet the 
lii'eaking down of this bank was generally felt 
to lie a personal and public sorrow and mis- 
foi'tiine. 

It was the first private iKinking enterprise 
of the city. Its proprietors were free, gener- 
ous, lavish indeed of their and to whatever was 
of a public interest or a private charitable ap- 
peal, and the personal popularity of the insti- 
tution and its managers was well nigh univer- 
sal. At the time of their first suspension, so 
strong was their hold upon the public con- 
fidence and sympathy that a notice was pub- 
lished, signed by quite a ninnber of the wealth- 
iest citizens, expressing faith in their sol- 
vency and ottering the assistance of their in- 
dividual credit and means. No such guarantee 
was made at the time of their final failure in 
1860. It would have been useless if given and 
was not asked for. 

The year was a somewhat jieculiar one in its 
climatic conditions, with varying temperature 
and less healthy than usual. The city was 
somewhat severely scourged and scared still 
more by a smallpox visitation during mid-, 
sunnner and again in the fall. The matter was 
met and promptly provided against, by unusual 
system on the part of the city authorities, or 
rather by the mayor. ]\Ir. Thayer, the same 
whose financial failure occurred about this 
time, who as mayor, however, proved to be one 
of the most capable and effirient business men 
that ever filled the position. 

An episode of this year was a rattling earth- 
quake shock in July, which pervaded the Mis- 
sissippi Valley and was pronounced by old in- 
habitants as the most severe of any that had 
shaken up the country since the famous great 
earthquake of 1811. The names of a number 
of well known citizens passed to the death roll 
of the year. Among these in March, was the 
Rev. Joseph Kunster, of the German Catholic 
church, who had been resident here for a num- 
ber of years and became more than usually 
well known and influential* generally. I\Ir. 
Alexander Savage, a former citizen of Maine 
and for several years resident in Qiiincy, died 
in the latter part of July at the age of 77. Mr. 



174 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



Levi Wells, one of the few reiiiaining real 
pioueer fouuders of county aud city, ended an 
honored life on July 11th, aged 6-i. Mr. Wells 
had long been an Illinoian, dating his citizen- 
ship farther back than any other of the old 
settlers. He was born in Connecticut in ]793; 
came to Illinois (which was then a territory) 
in 1818. a year before the advent of his two 
later life pioneer associates. Wood and Keyes. 
both ' f whom survived him. He came to Adams 
county (then Pike) in 1824: was in 1825 elected 
one of the tirst three county connnissioners. 
with Willard Keyes and Peter Journey. This 
office he held during the first three years of the 
county history and early times of Quincy. He 
was averse In luililic positions, and held no 
other in after life. lie early in life engaged in 
mercantile husniess. and was the possessor of a 
large property in and ad.iaceut to the city. 
He was of a decided religious nature, being one 
of the founders of the First Presbyterian (now 
the First Congregational church) and of the 
present Presbyterian church, in which he was 
the leading elder from its organization until 
his death. His philanthropy kept pace with 
his religion and his charities, though unob- 
trusive, were many and judicious, and his long- 
life here was attended with public and personal 
respect, as was his death, with regret. 

A marked increase aooeared about this 
period, one that continued for some time after, 
in the foreign immigration, which had rela- 
tively fallen otf of late years. This was almost 
entirely German. The earliest foreign en- 
graftment to any great extent upon the popula- 
tion of the i)lace had been of Germans, about 
1834. a few as early as 1833, and the immediate 
succeeding years. In 1836 and thence along 
until 1839-40, a very large settlement of Irish 
came in. induced by the state, public improve- 
ments and the railroad labor re(|uired here at 
the time. These mostly remained, and a large 
percentage among the Irish families of the city 
now coimf hnck their coming to that date. 
Later on, ahout LS4(I. and for ten to tifteen 
years, a steady stream of German immigration 
flo^ved in. very lai-gely some years, which had, 
however, began to gradually decrease, and 
now in 1857, for some reason not apparent 
here, it revived again. One steamer in Jlay 
landed one liimdred emigrants who had shipped 
direct fi-oiii (iermany for Quincy, and othei' 
arrivals in like character and number came 
in from time to time dui'ing the season. It 
was an odd, though it had become a common 
sight, a few years before, to tind in the early 
morning, the entire public landing covered by 
these families with their multifarious house- 
hold goods of every description, many of them 
cumbi'ons articles, whose bullj and weight maih' 



the cost of transportation to infinitely e.\ceed 
their value, and perhaps among the scores of 
newcomers not a single person was able to 
speak or understand the language of the land 
where they had come to make a home. 

The political record of the year after the 
.spring election, had little of interest, there 
being no general election in the state, except 
for county officers. The only important federal 
office in the city, that of postmaster, was filled 
by the reappointment of Austin Brooks, editor 
of the Herald. At the fall election a so-called 
"independent" ticket for county officers was 
put into the tield in opposition to the nominees 
of the democratic party. Nominally "inde- 
pendent," it was composed of and supported 
by the whigs, who, though their party organ- 
ization was abandoned, had not as yet chry.s- 
talized completely into the republican party, 
of which they then and since formed the main 
numerical strength in the north. The election 
resulted in the usual democratic success. W. 
IT. Gather (re-elected). Alex. Johnson, and 
Wilson Lane being chosen for county judge, 
clerk and treasurer, respectively, over W. S. 
Lee, John Field and Thomas Durant, by about 
700 majority, with the exception of the vote on 
clerk. Field, a very popular man, carrying the 
city by nearly 250 votes, though beaten in the 
entire county by about the same figures. The 
general democratic majority in the city aver- 
aged about 100. The vote of the city at this 
election was 1,327, that of the county (city in- 
eluded) 3,870. There was a surprising falling 
off in the vote given at this election, as com- 
pared with that of the last year, and also at 
the mayor's election in April, proving how 
utterly defective aiul >inreliable election re- 
turns are as a basis for estimating population. 
The ]iopulatiou of both city and county were 
unquestionably rapidly increasing, yet the 
comity vote (')f 6,229 in November, 1856, had 
now dropped nearly two-fifths, and that of the 
city, which amounted to 1.730 eight months 
before, fell away nearly one-fourth. 

The periodical movement was made towards 
the establishment of a collegiate institution, a 
charter for that purpose having been obtained 
at the last session of the legislature. The 
leaders in the project and trustees of the pro- 
posed school or college were from among the 
most liberal and representative men in the 
city. John Wood. Willard Keyes, Samuel 
Holmes. E. Grove, R. S. Benneson, S. C. Sher- 
man, H. Foote, G. L. King. S. II. Emory, W. 
.McCandlish, J. R. Dayton, O. H. Browning, L. 
Kingman, L. Bull and C. A. Savage, and the 
Rev. J. J. Marks, pastor of the Presbyterian 
church, was selected as the president of the 
institution. 



FAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



175 



It was tiie design that there shiuilil he t\v(i 
departments (male and female) sejiarately h)- 
cated, but to be under one general sui)ervisiou 
or charge. A block of ground, at the southeast 
corner of State and Twelfth streets, was 
donated by Governor Wood, and one also by 
Mr. Keyes, on Eighth and Vine, conditioned on 
the Slim of $75,000 being subscribed by citizens. 
The enterprise was not completed as originally 
inteiuled, l)ut was a partial success, resulting 
in the support of two very excellent schools 
for several years, each of a much higher pre- 
tension and proficiency than any that had pre- 
viously existed in the city. 

Amusements kept even pace with all the 
other several advances. A theatre with regu- 
lar |)erforniances six evenings in the week, 
was the leading contribution in this line. It was 
located in the city hall and continued during 
nearly all the earlier portion of the year. The 
management was in the hands of Thomas Duff, 
the veteran actor; was well conducted and pop- 
ular, giving far more satisfaction to the public 
than it proitably did in a financial sense to its 
proprietor. 

Beside the theatrical amusements before 
mentioned, other like gayeties and attractions, 
such as are incident to a city, were frequent 
and continuous during the year, far more than 
at any previous period. Military and firemen 
and society displays and iiai-ades. and excur- 
sions to neighboring cities and incursions of 
similar associations to Quincy. were of com- 
mon occurrence. 

The city had taken a long step forward in 
metropolitan appeai'anee. While it would not 
be kind to say that its people put on city airs, 
it was however the evident fact that the place 
had assumed a citj' air, such as was observable 
now for the first time. The many and handsome 
buildings erected during this and the last year; 
the liberal ini|irovements and ex]ienditui'es 



wliic-li the city had made; the enlarged variety 
of occupations which had been rapidly estab- 
lished ; the prosperous show of business with its 
accompanying flush of money and free expen- 
ditures of the same, and largely the effect of 
the increased and quickened facilities for travel 
and communication with other places near or 
distant, which invited also a corresponding 
advent of strangers and passing travelers to 
the city, far in excess of what had ever lieen, 
these wei-e among the causes which gave the 
city its peculiai'ly lively and attractive appear- 
ance. 

It would be safe perhaps to say that there 
were ten visitors during this year to one com- 
ing into the place five years before. It was 
not longei' than that period past, when, when- 
ever a stranger made his appearance, the whole 
community, village like, would note his com- 
ing, inquire and soon find out who he was. 
what he was after, etc. Not so now. This 
year marked a social change in that respect 
which was permanent. People came and went 
with as little notice, unless some peculiarity 
attached to them, as they did in London or 
New York, or do in Quincy today. A new era 
had now commenced. With its landing alive 
with activity and laden with piles of shipment 
for its daily line of steamers ; with its punctual 
railroad whistle, telling the time and also the 
coming and going of travelers by the score; 
its city nuisance and necessity, the noisy but 
convenient "bus line to all parts of the city"; 
its hotels thronged with guests, and, influenced 
by all the new surroundings, the people as- 
suming, unconsciously to themselves, a more 
ipiick, prompt manner and action, personally 
and in business. Quincy now, thirty-tw^o years 
from the date of its founding, seventeen years 
subsequent to its incoi-poration as a city, fully 
exhibited the characteristics of such, and felt 
itself to be one. 




HISTORY OF OUINCY 



PART II. 



EDITOIUAL PREFACE. 

In taking \ip and i-arrying on the history of 
Quiney from the ])oint at which it was left by 
Col. Tillson. and then in following- with a 
general history of Adams County, a topical 
method has been employed. The chronological 
plan pursued by ('ol. Tillson was not deemed 
practicable with the time at command. In 
thus tracing in a topical way the leading fea- 
tures of the history of the city and the county, 
all available historical works have l)een con- 
sulted and information has been received from 
innumerable i)ersons. In a number of in- 
stances credited ai'ticles will be observed and 
to the authors thereof and to all othei' persons 
who have contributed so generously to their 
time, thought and labor, or of infoi-mation, I 
desire to express my sincere obligation. 

CICERO F. PERRY, 
(Quiney. 111., :\Iay 15, 1905. 



IXTRODl'CTORY. 



"I cannot play upon any stringed instru- 
ment; but I can tell you how to make a little 
village a great and glorious city." — Them- 
istocles. 



It was not by accident that John Wood and 
Willard Keyes wei-e attracted by the site of 
what became Quiney. Those pioneers were 
men of intelligence and good judgment. They 
saw and were convinced, not merely for the 
present but also for the future. Whether in 
looking over the then wilderness these men 
perceived as by intuition those peculiar na- 
tural advantages which are making Quiney so 
famous for manufactui'ing, they at least saw 
many things calculated to attract and hold 
population. Nor were those far sighted 
pioneers impressed by the material view-point 
alone: They also saw and were duly impressed 
with the natural scenic advantages of which 
our people are so justly proud. Standing upon 
our noble bluffs, at present Indian ilounds 
I)ark, or Riverview park, the gaze of the 
pioneers swept the majestic Mississippi River 
far away to the north and far away to the 
south and across the river to the west far be- 
yond the dark blue forest lines — views not ex- 
ceeded in grandeur along the entire length 
of the great river. Easily may we under 
stand how those glorious views from the fine 
bluffs, now happily secured to the people of 
Quiney forever, made a powerful impression 
upon the minds of the first settlers. They 
foinid the material outlook ecjually inviting 
and it goes without saying that the material 
advantages were fully appreciated by such 
men. They realized full well the importance 
of a settlement being surrounded by good soil, 
and they were judges of soil. All around the 
site of the proposed settlement, and for an 
indefinite distance, they found the very best 
liasis for that essential calling — agriculture. 

In considei'ing the nuitter of trade and com- 
merce, there at the feet of the grand bluffs 
Mowed the mighty stream, a potent, conven- 
ient means for conveying to the outside world 



178 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAI\IS COUNTY. 



the pfodurts of the rieh lands, of the forest, 
or of handicraft, antl the means, as well, of 
bringing needed commodities into the settle- 
ment. Other pioneers came and also saw that 
it was good — and thns Qniney was born. 

Eighty years is a long time in tlie life of a 
liuman lieing. liiit it may be little more than 
childhood in the life of a city. Athens is 
3,(H»0 years ohl ; London, 1.800; Edinburgh, 
1,300: "and Vienna, almost !I00 years old. St. 
Augustine, Florida, the oldest city in the 
United States, is only 840 years old. Quincy. 
which was founded May 1, 1825 — eighty years 
ago todsiy, .Mny 1, IDUr.^-caii only be ("ailed 
"old" in (•(iiiiparisoii with cilics that are vei'v, 
very young, as tlii^ lilV of citii's destined to 
live are measured. 

And nothing could he more certain in the 
natural order th;iii that (^iiincy is destined to 
live. While miishr<iom growth has never been 
hers, such has been the excellent character 
of her population, such their thrifty progres- 
sive methods, that the Quincy of today has 
I'eached a degree of inherent strength and 
solidity the extent of which is most gratifying 
and encoui-aging. Striking proof of this in- 
herent strength ■\\'as seen during the tinancial 
panic of 18!)3. While all over the nation 
banks wei'e tottering, not one of the banks in 
Quincy was affected, lint why should a city 
not be financiall.N' sti'onu', in which so nuiny 
manufacturers depend so largely upon their 
own capital, a city in which there is between 
.$8,000,000 and $9,000,000 in the savings banks ,' 

It is not alone by striking increase in pop- 
ulation that the true worth or the real prog- 
ress of a city is measured, and the life of 
Quincy presents innumeralile facts amply .iusti- 
fying satisfaction and pride. Pre-eminently a 
manufacturing city, the enterprise and merits 
of our magnitieent industries have made nuir- 
kets in all parts of the world, and which ai-e 
constantly being cnlai'ged with (•on'csi)ondiiig 
profit and fame to (,)iiincy. Essentially a city 
of homes, the large inimber of our tasteful and 
elegant residences arc constantly in evidence 
and steadily im-rc-ising. Such has Ihmmi 
Quincy's progi-css in education that our p\d)- 
lic and ju-ivate schools and higlici' institutions 
of learning ran!.: with the best, and in our 
splendid colle^■es are students repi'esenting all 
parts of the Ignited States. Quincy's ]irofound 
interest in I'eligion is made clear liy the very 
great number and the hc.-nity of our chui-ches. 

The record o!' individual attainments is no 
less- pleasing than the history of geiun'al prog- 



ress. "Quinc>' has never lacked in men of 
ability," once renuirked a venerable pioneer, 
and the lUfinifestation of that ability has not 
been limited to local affairs. It has been seen in 
the state legislature, the halls of congress, the 
Pnited States Senate; on the State Bench and 
at the State Bar; in ^Medicine and other learned 
l)rofessions ; in education, authorship, the 
drjima, musii- ; in the puli)it and foreign mis- 
sion fields; on inn\unerable hard fought battle- 
fields; in all honorable walks (jf lite may be 
loiuid plain evidences of the notable or dis- 
tinguished aliility of Quincy men or women 
who have thus reflected lustre upon their 
beautiful home city. 

.\ll things considered, it is doubtful if the 
Intnrc for (Quincy has been at any time in its 
jirevious history as encoTU'aging as it now is 
at the end of the eighty years of Quincy's life. 
This exceptionally bright prospect is due to 
various causes, but in the main to one reason 
of pre-eminent importance — the satisfactory 
condition of the city's bonded indebtedness. 
Foi- a generation or more Quincy's bonded 
debt hung as ;i dark cloud over the fair city, 
injuring its credit abroad, deterring imigra- 
tion and imcstment, discouraging our own 
people. What the ])opulation of Quincy might 
\)f today hilt for that tremendous drawback, 
i,s wholly spt^cnlaf ive, but that our population 
\\'oul(l lie much greater is bevond question. 

.\1 t a decade ago, a plan was perfected by 

which the city's indebtedness is being extin- 
Ljiiishcd in a manner not burdensome, and with 
such rapidity that in a little more than a de- 
cade the last vestige of the debt and interest 
will be paid. But in nuiny im])ortant ways the 
I'oming of that great day <if financial tlelivei'- 
ance — an event worthy of a j\d)ilee — has al- 
ready been discounted. One of the restdfs is 
that the credit of Quincy is now second to 
none in tin- Tnited States, while the ett'ects at 
lioiiic lia\c liccii highly stimulating and en- 
c(iiir:igiiiL;\ liriiiuing renewal of coiilidence and 
a line spiiit of progress calculafccl to pi-oduce 
friiit iif L;rcal moment to Quincy. 

With the gi-oiiiid thus fallow,' wif li the cify 
about til enter upon a new ei'.a of local im- 
pi'ovcincnts, with onr manufacf ni'iiiu'. niercan- 
tdc and other interests all in a Ihnu'ishing 
state, all of the conditions now point to a new 

(•| Ii in the life of (Quincy, to a degree of 

pi-ogi-ess that is to place our Iteautiful city 
in flic proud position to which destiny should 
accord if by reason of its magnificent natural 
and acipiired advantages. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



1/9 



CHAPTER XXXVI. 

MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS— SrCCESSIVE LIST OF MAY- 
ORS — ERA OF IMPORTANT LOCAL IMPROVE- 
MENTS— ADOPTION' OF GENERAL LAW — CITY 
HALL BUILDING. ETC. — PARK AND BOULE- 
VARD WORK. 

It i.s the intention in tliis part of the work 
to avoid, as far as may be. repetition of pioneer 
history of Qnincy given by Col. Tillsou. In 
certain instances, as in the successive list of 
mayors, some repetition is atlvisable. Two of 
the most important events in the life of the 
city, namely, the refunding of the city's 
bonded debt, and the iinal settlement of the 
water works question, are dealt with, re- 
spectively, in separate chapters. Following is 
a successive list of the mayors of Quiucy : 

Ebenezer [Moore. 1840-1 : Enoch Conyers, 
1842-3; John Wood, 1844-7: John Abbe, 1848; 
Enoch Conyers, 1849 : Samuel Holmes. 1850-1 ; 
John Wood, 1852-3; James M. Pittman, 1854-5; 
John Wood, 1S56 ; Sylvester Thayer, 1857 ; 
James M. Pittman, 1858 ; Robert S. Benneson, 
1859 ; Thomas Jasper. 1860 ; I. O. Woodniil'. re- 
signed. 1861 : Thomas Redmond, filled vacancy, 
1861. elected till 1864: George F. Waldhaus. 
1865; Maitland Boon, 1866: James M. Pittman. 
1867: Pre.sley W. Lane. 1868: B. F. Berrian. 
1869; J. G. Rowland, 1870-2; Frederick Rear- 
ick. 1873-4: J. M. Smith. 1875; E. H. Turner, 
1876 : L. D. White. 1877 : W. T. Rogers, 1878-9 : 
J. K. Webster, 1880-1 ; D. F. Deadriek, 1882-3 ; 
James Jarrett, 1884: Jonathan Parkhurst, 
1885-6: James M. Bishop. 1887: E. J. Thomp- 
son, 1888; James M. Bishop, 1889; George H. 
Walker. 1890; E. J. Thompson. 1891: John P. 
:\Iikesell. 1892-4: John A. Steinbach. 1895 to 
1905. 

A li.st of the heads of the fire department 
since the Board of Fire Engineers was e.stab- 
li.shed in 1865. is as follows: E. M. Miller, 
1865-6: T. J. Heirs. 1866-8; Henry Meisser. 
1868-70: Henry Lageman. 1870-2: John J. 
:\Ietzeer. 1872-4: J. H. Avers. 1874 (died in 
1875): John A. Steinbach. 1875-84; John J. 
Metzger. 1884: Jos. Esterly. 1885-91: George 
Schlag, 1891-4: John J. Metzger. 1894-5; 
George Schlag. 1895. incumbent 1905. 

Chiefs of Police : Oliver Gerry, 1867 ; John 
C. McGraw. 1868-9: Isaac Abram's. 1870: John 
C. McGraw. 1871-2: Jacob Metz, 1873-4: Gil- 
bert Follausbee, 1875: John A. :\IeDade, 1876; 
•Irihn ('. ]\IcQraw. 1877-81: Dennis Sliney, 
1882-3: Harry Hale, May 6, 1884 to Sept. 5. 
1884: Henry Ording, 1884-7: A. P. O'Connor, 
1888-9: John Ahern. 1890. incumbent 1905. 

Following is the list of city officials selected, 
with the exception of the police magistrate, at 
the election held April 4, 1905, the terms of 
office being two years, excepting for justices of 



the peace and constables, whose terms are 
four years; Mayor, John A, Steinbach; city 
clerk, John A. Berlin : city attorney, Thos. 
A. Scherer: city engineer', Fred L, Hancock; 
city treasurer, Howard J. Wheeler: police 
magistrate, Wm. Scheid. Aldermen : first ward, 
H. B. Coftield and Thad. M. Rogers; second 
ward. George Koehler and W. A. Dickason; 
third ward. G'ottlieb Schantz and Otto J. Berg- 
mann: fourth ward. C. H. Achelpohl and 
Joseph Nauert ; fifth ward. A. C. Bickhaus 
and John J. ]\Ioriarity : sixth ward. John Hor- 
belt and W. H. Collins; seventh ward, W. K. 
Abbott and Chas. C. Crooks. The present ap- 
pointive city officials are : Chief of Police, 
John Ahren : chief of the fire department. 
George Schlag; city corporation counsel. Theo- 
dore B. Pape: special tax collector. Homer D. 
Dines: president of the board of health, John 
Ahern : secretary board of health and police 
clerk. W. P. Hild ; superintendent of the board 
of public works, Thomas Redmond. Board of 
Local Improvements: John A. Steinbach, presi- 
dent; Henry P. Walton, secretary; Fred L. 
Hancock, public engineer; market master, 
Adam Helfrich. These are the town officials 
elected April 4th : Assessor, Henry Steinkamp ; 
supervisor-at-large, A. B. Hitmmert; assistant 
supervisors, Jas. R. Albright, John A. Connery, 
Wm. J. Cnnnane. Henry Geschwindner, Ru- 
dolph B. Kiefer. John Sehauf, Daniel L. Sulli- 
van. F. P. Taylor. Justices of the Peace : John 
A. Allen, P. Wm. Heckenkamp, Ben Heckle, 
Robert A. Lowry. J. P. [McDonnell. Constables : 
W. A. Bradney, Simon J. Fischer. Daniel Mc- 
Iiityre. Herman Tansman, Jacob Wible. 

[Merely the length of time that Mr. Steinbach 
has been retained as mayor would indicate 
.some strong attraction for such popular sup- 
port, and this is found in the good manage- 
ment of the city's fiscal affairs. Without de- 
traction of ei'edit due to others, in the con- 
ceiving, shaping and formulating of these ex- 
cellent fiscal policies, notably with regard to 
the manner in which the city's bonded in- 
debtedness is being paid, and the plan by 
which the city may in the near future become 
the owner of the water works, especial and 
great credit is due to [Mr, Theodore B. Pape, 
the city's corporation counsel for the last de- 
cade. The office of corporation counsel was 
created by ordinance in 1895. on which [Mayor 
Steinbach appointed [Mr. Pape to the position, 
in which be has been retained ever since, with 
highly important benefits to the people. A 
lawyer of the first class, possessing judgment 
of the highest order, Mr. [Pape has not merelj' 
safeguarded the city's legal interests most 
admirably, he has also been the city's general 



i8o 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



adviser and financial genius. ^Ir. Pape for- 
mulated both the plan for refunding the city's 
debt, and that by which the city may finally, 
and with comparative ease, become the owner 
of the water works — services whose great 
value will be recognized by future generations 
even more clearly than they are now. By far 
the greater part of Mr. Pape's services to the 
people have been due solely to his fine public 
spirit and are (juite beyond the legal work for 
which he has been so inadequately compen- 
sated. 

Another city official meriting especial com- 
mendation for public spirit is Mr. Henry P. 
Walton, the city superintendent of streets for 
the last ten years. In his seventy-third year, 
possessing independent means, the services of 
this venerable citizen also have been due to his 
desire to help further the interests of the city. 

LOCAL PUBLIC LMPROVEMENTS. 

Of the state legislation atit'ecting the organic 
life of Quincy, the law in 1883, allowing special 
taxes of three mills each, for lighting, water 
and sewers, had a notably good ett'ect on 
Quincy, whose revenue previously had been so 
inadeiiuate as to lead to very serious results. 
These results had included a debt repudiation 
movement, which was stopped by the courts, 
with the result that the city was compelled to 
pay the costs as well as the indebtedness. 

In 1887, in line with its generally progres- 
sive trend, the city began an era of local im- 
provements, which lasted four years, or till 
1901. and with benefits of great importance 
to the city, in the way of .street paving and 
sewer work, etc. The fir.st brick street paving 
was laid on the east side of Washington park, 
in the spring of 1887. During the four years, 
street paving to the average extent of about 
two miles or at a cost of about $65,000 a, year, 
was laid, although not all of it was brick. The 
cost was met mainly by special taxation of 
contiguous property, the city paying for pav- 
ing street intersections. At the time that the 
improvement era was brought to an abrupt 
close by act of the state legislature, the cost 
of brick paving had been reduced to about 
$2.75 per front foot. The board of local im- 
provements had lieen giving very car.-ful at- 
tention to the permanent improvements, seek- 
ing as far as possible to avoid inflicting hard- 
ships on property owners, and there was uo 
public evidence of dissatisfaction. Yet with- 
out the knowledge of the city, the state legis- 
lature, at the instance of a coterie of private 
citizens passed a law which has effectually 
stopped such extensive improvements up to 
this time, 1905. The obstructing law requires 



consent representing half the property front- 
age before leaving or sewer work may be done 
by special taxation or special assessment. This 
act was obviated by an amendment in 1903, 
but the amendment proved to be unconstitu- 
tional. Among the unfortunate effects of the 
law of 1901, was its stoppage of extensive 
sewer building plans contemplated by the city, 
to which the city proposed to contribute out 
of general taxes, $10,000 a year. The initial 
^vork, was the building of the trunk sewer from 
Thii'd and Oak .streets to Fourth and Cherry, 
shortly before 1901. It was the intention to 
continue this work, by stages, the city and con- 
tiguous property contributing to the cost, till 
the trunk sewer had been extended to Locust 
sti'eet and east, v,'henee laterals would drain 
the northeastern portion of the city. Owing 
to the obstructing law. this great and extreme- 
ly desirable w(U'k has been in abeyance, also 
much private building. There had been com- 
paratively little sewer work done during the 
inijirovement era — not nearly so much as was 
called for by public and private needs. 

In this connection these statistics are given, 
fi'om the report of City Engineer Hancock 
foi' 1904: Area of the city in squai-e miles, 
5.6 : miles of brick street paving, twenty-two 
(fractions omitted here) : Macadam paving, 
eleven; total paving, thirty-four miles; miles 
of streets unimproved, fifty-six ; miles of brick 
sewers, five ; tile sewers, twenty ; total sewers, 
twenty-six miles. 

P.y popular vote in 1895, Quincy abandoned 
its .vpecial '-harter and adopted the general law 
of the state, thus putting the city in line with 
other general law cities. One result of the 
progressive step, in which movement, former 
Comity Judge Carl E. Epler took a leading 
part, was to lengthen the term of elective city 
officials one year to two years. Under the gen- 
eral law, the city was redistricted into seven 
wards, an increase of one ward. 

QUINCY BOULEVARD AND PARK ASSO- 
CIATION WORK. 

In line, also, with what might be termed the 
local improvement renaissance of the city, the 
Quincy Boulevard and Park Association was 
incorporated July 23rd, 1888, the initial work 
having been begun by private citizens. 

The first work of the Association was to con- 
vert narrow country lanes into wide and well 
graded boulevards. 

The first revenues of the Association were 
dei-ived from membei'ship fees ($5.00), private 
subscriptions from citizens generally and own- 
ers of property abutting on the b(udevards. 
As complaints were made about the burden 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



falling iiiKiii a few citizens, the Association in- 
terested itself in framing laws which was after- 
wards passed, permitting citizens whose in- 
debtedness was above the constitutional limita- 
tion, to levy a special tax of from one to three 
mills for park and boulevard purposes. 

The proposition for a one mill tax was sub- 
mitted to the voters of (.^uincy, but was de- 
feated. In 1895 the proposition was submitted 
a second time, and was adopted b.v a slender 
majority. Later, a proposition was submitted 
for an increase in the park tax from one to 
two mills. It was twice defeated, but in 1902 
when submitted for a third time, it was carried 
l)y a small majorit.v. 

The following is a summary of the park 
acreage of Quincy, ac([uired through the 
Quinc.v Boidevaid and Park Association. 

Madison Park, the title to which is in the City 
of Quincy, was formerly an abandoned ceme- 
tery, and upon petition to the Cit.v Council, it 
was turned over to the Association, for its care 
and improvements, in 1888, though improve- 
ments were not commenced until 1892. 

Riverview Park. — In November 1891 the 
City of Quincy at the instance of the As.socia- 
tiou. completed the purchase of this site on the 
River Bluffs — about five acres at a cost of 
•ii7,000. The money was taken out of general 
revenues. In 1895 an additional four acres 
was purchased at a cost of .$3,000, of which 
$800 was raised by i)ublie subscription. 

South Park. — This site was the old Watson 
Springs property, and at the suggestion of the 
Association was purchased in 1895, by the cit.v, 
of Judge B. P. Berrian at a cost of $375 per 
acre for 521^ acres, or $19,500. Afterwards 
an additional two acres was purchased of 
Cyi-us H. Whitne.v at a cost of $700, on which 
was built an imposing stone bridge over Curtis 
Creek, at a cost of $6,000. In 1904, a second 
addition to this park of seventeen acres was 
purchased of W. H. Pui'pus and others for 
$5,400. Later Judge B. F. Berrian donated to 
the cit,v an additional ten acres to South Park. 

Indian Mounds Park. — In 1896. the city de- 
clining to buy what is now Indian ilounds 
Park, the association purchased, the following 
year, ten acres of this property for $3,000. 
later adding four aei-es at a cost of $1,000, 
taking title to the fourteen acres in the Quincy 
Boulevard and Park Association. Afterwards 
the Association leased twelve acres adjoining, 
from the Phoenix JIutual Life Insurance Com- 
pany, of Hartford, Con.n. 

Prinu-ose Park, containing about ten acres, 
was given to the City of Quincy by Judge B. F. 
Berrian. in 1896. 

The Parkway containing about nine acres, 
connecting Indian ^founds witli South Park, 



was purchased with $3,000 given to the Asso- 
ciation by i\Ir. Lorenzo Bull. 

On April 16th, 1900, on the second petition 
of a large luunber of taxpayers, the City Coun- 
cil adopted a resolution placing under the care 
of the Quinc.v Boulevard and Park Association, 
Washington Square, situated in the center of 
the cit.v. and Franklin Square, a few blocks 
south. " .Mr. R. W. Gardner donated $500 for 
the improvement of the fountain in Washing- 
ton Stjuare. 

The total pai'k acreage in Quincy, the title 
to which is in the cit.v or the Association, not 
including the two last named public squares, 
is 151 acres. The value of the city parks and 
s(iuares has been officially estimated at 
$215,000. 

The aniuial revenue of the Association con- 
sists of $10,000 from the two mill tax, about 
$1,000 from the Town of Quincy, and about 
ii^l.SOO from dog license fees. Since its incor- 
poration in 1888, the Association has received 
from these sources, inclviding membership fees 
up to the present time $61,987.27. 

Considering the short time the parks have 
l)een under the care of the Association, and 
the limited revenue, the progress made in de- 
veloping the plans of the landscape gardeners, 
the construction of permanent bridges, roads 
and walks, and planting of hundreds of thou- 
sands of trees and shrubbery, has been re- 
nuu-kable. 

Edward J. Parker is president of the Asso- 
ciation, Edwin A. Clarke, treasurer, and F. W. 
ilunroe, secretary, the latter succeeding Homer 
D. Dines, who succeeded P. L. Dickhut. Mr. 
Dickhut was secretary for many .years and 
rendered services of much value. 

In point of wholesome perpetual enjoyment 
to the people of Quinc.v, in the aft'oi-ding of 
beautiful places for healthful rest and recrea- 
tion, by adding to ground values and in the 
stimidatiou of pi'ivate enterprise, the benefits 
from the work of the Quincy Boulevard and 
Park Association cannot be estimated in money 
— its varied values are beyond computation, 
not merely for the present generation, but also 
f(u- future generations. And while great credit 
is due to the many excellent citizens and to 
the press of the city, for the loyal support and 
aid in the work, the most distinguished credit 
is due to ]\Ir. EdAvard J. Parker. Froiu the 
very inception of the work, Mr. Parker has 
been its official head and its leading spirit. 
Thi-ough all the years, he has given liberally 
of his means and daily of his time and best 
thought to the work. One of the most im- 
])ortant phases of his service has been his care 
in selecting landscape gardeners. Mr. H. W. 
S. Cleveland, of Minneapolis, was employed 



I 82 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



until he w.-is superaiumated, since wliieh time 
Mr. 0. C. Simonds, the eminent landscape 
gardener of Chicago, has been employed. This 
is but a single instance of the wise foresight 
of Mr. Parker, whose tireless energy, constant 
supervision, wise policies, splendid judgment 
and tine i)td)lic spirit have been the leading 
factors in this great park work, whose in- 
calculable heiicHts will lie enjoyed by the ])eo- 
ple of Quiiicy, ;nid niU\ to it prestige for all 
liiiie. 

It might bi> inferred that one possessinu' 
till' strong interest of ^Lr. Parker for park and 
(iiit-(l(Mir art work would not be limited to one 
locality, even his own city, and in fact, Mr. 
Parker has been and is doing valuable work 
of a nation, d cluiractei- in this direction. His 
.•iddress, delivered at Boston, I\lass., August, 
Pini', as retiring president of the American 
Park and Outdoor Art Association, possessed 
exceptional value, both for its historical inter- 
est and for its numerous and important sug- 
gestions and reconnnendations. Of tlie his- 
torical features of llie address, one of the most 
important and extremely interesting was a 
resume of the remarkable interest and pro- 
found foresight and sagacity, considering the 
period, shown by our first president, George 
Washington, in relation to the beautification 
of the X;iti(Uial Capital. President AVashing- 
ton and Alajm- I/Enfant fornmlated a plan for 
that great work, which, notwithstanding the 
lapse of more than a century, has been recently 
decided by eminent authority, to be the best 
basis for the beautification of Washington. 
This research by Mr. Parker led to an inter- 
esting result in St. Louis, Mo., June 11, 1904, 
during the Ijouisiana Purchase Exposition. At 
the annual meetings, held then, by tlie Ameri- 
can Park and Outdoor Art Association and the 
American League of Civic Improvement, the 
two associations were merged into what was 
named the American Civic Association. ]Mr. 
Parker introduced at the joint meeting of the 
associations, the following resolution, which 
was adopted by a luianimous vote: 

"Whereas. The beauty and urandeur of the 
National Capital are matters of National im- 
l)ortance, of deep intei-est to every citizen of 
the Union ; and 

"Whereas, They arc absolutely dependent 
upon the arrangement and foi-m ^^•hich may be 
li'iveu to the increase which must take place 
in the governmental structures and grounds 
and other public works at Washington, as in- 
evital)l>- as the Nation grows in numbers, 
wealth aiul civilization: and 

"Whereas. A broad and noble project for 
the guidance of that increase was fraimnl at 



the foundation of the city undei' the direction 
of our first president, (ieorge Washington; and 

"Whereas. An extension and adaptation of 
that original project, devised with skill and 
painstakiuu' care to meet the changes of a 
century of growth, is now I'ecommended as 
the best guide foi- riilure improvement, by a 
very able co'.nmissioii aiipointed at the instance 
of the American Institute of Architects by the 
Thiited States Senate, and consisting of 

"Daniel U. Hurnham, Architect of Chicago. 

"Charles P\ IMcKini, Architect of New York. 

"Frederick LaAv (Olmsted. Tjandscape Archi- 
tect of Brookline. AI.iss. 

"Augustus Saint (laudens, Sculjjtor of 
AViudsor, Vt. 

"THEKEFOKE. P.E IT KESOLVED, That 
the President of the American ('ivic Associa- 
tion be instructed to appoint a st.-mding com- 
nuttee of five persons, to assist in promoting 
the project set forth in the report of the said 
conunission, and if the committee shall think 
best to do so. to memorialize Congress on be- 
half of this Association." 

The committee, of which Mr. Parker is a 
member, has been appointed, and the judicious 
and zealous w(uls: it is doing will have an ex- 
cellent effect in stinudating the interest of 
Congress in the movement of such importance 
to the peoi)le all over the United States, who 
must feel a natural ])ride in. the carrying out 
of the far-sighted views of the Father of His 
Country in the right adornment of our National 
("apital. Prior to the action at St. Louis. Mr. 
Parker, at the in.stance of friends who realized 
his influence, had written a powerful and 
earnest letter on the subject to the Hon. J. G. 
('aiiiKin, speaker of the U. S. House of Repre- 
sentatives, urging his influence in behalf of the 
good woT'k of the eminent Commission. When 
that work has been done as it doubtless will be 
sooner or later, and the capital of the nation 
has been adorned in a manner such as to cause 
just lu'ide to the people generally, aiuI to 
awaken the admiration of visitors frinu the 
idd world, it will be no little satisfaction to the 
]ieople of Quincy to realize the pal't played 
in that movement by one of its own citizens, 
who has so distinguished himself by his work 
for the beautification of his own city. It is 
too (d'tcn the case that cities, as well as re- 
publics, ar'> unurateful foi- such exhibitions of 
public spirit, at least while recognition could 
lie ]>erceived by the living, and both as a mat- 
ter of justice as well as sound public policy, 
it has been the determination in this resume 
of the valuable work done by Air. Parker for 
the public, to see that some nu>asure of recog- 
nition should be accoi'ded for benefits which 
will be acclaii 1 in the future. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADA.MS COUNTY. 



183 



CHAPTER XXXVII. 

QUINCY'S BONDED INDEBTEDNESS — HISTORY OF 
BONDS FOR PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. FOR 
PUBLIC SERVICE, SPECIAL LOANS, SCRIP 
AND RAILROADS— THE PLAN UNDER WHICH 
THE DEBT IS BEING PAID. 

The history of the bonded indebtedness of 
the city of Quincy is in many respects inter- 
esting and in.struetive although some of its 
phases are far from being creditable to the 
city. In it we behold the city in its process 
of development incurring a heavy indebtedness 
for the grading of its streets and other neces- 
sary public improvements, and that the city 
when it became impossible to sell its bonds to 
advantage, had recom-se to city scrip which 
soon depreciated in value and made it neces- 
sary for the city to pay an unreasonably high 
price for what it obtained. We see a city 
ambitious and enterprising involve itself in 
great financial obligations for the purpose of 
giving aid to new railroads which gave it 
connection with the outside woi'ld. This is 
followed by a period of reaction which was 
probably a necessary consequence of the pre- 
ceding "boom." In this period people seemed 
to lose faith in the city and to despair of its 
ever being able to pay the heavy debts that 
had been ineuiTed. Gradually the city emerges 
from the depression which weighed on the pub- 
lic mind and courageously takes hold of the 
debt and provides for its gradual extinction. 
A plan is adopted and is consistently followed 
under which, with the greatest ease, that, 
which but a few years before seemed impos- 
sible of accomplishment, is achieved and the 
debt is paid off without any increase what- 
ever in taxation. From this history we will 
obtain many illuminating side lights which will 
enable us to form an opinion of the character 
of the people composing the population of the 
city and of the processes and influences con- 
trolling the public mind during the various 
periods of the city's existence. No one thing 
probably, has had so great an influence at 'times 
in developing and at other times in retarding, 
the progress of the city as have had the facts 
which are connected with the history of this 
bonded debt. The vai-ious issues of bonds 
emitted by the city follows: 

PUBLIC i:\iprove:\ient bonds. 

The city bonds, known as public improve- 
ment bonds, were issued for the purpose of 
paying for street improvements and for other 
city purposes, in sundry amounts and at 
various dates, beginning July 81, 1841, and 
ending July 10. 1866. It seems to have been 
the practice of the city during those years to 



issue bonds in i)ayment of such claims as it 
could not meet with ready cash. These bonds 
were issued directly to the persons who held 
the claims and for the exact amount of the 
claims. Their date of maturity varied accord- 
ing to the contract made in each case. Quite 
freiiuently they were made to become due 
within one year from the time issued, although 
some of them were made to mature as long 
as ten years after their date. The extent to 
which these bonds were made to take the place 
of cash payments due which the city had not 
the money to meet, is well illustrated by an 
order found in the council proceedings of 
January 6, 1845. From that order it appears 
that there was due -$300 from the city to nine 
persons in all in vai'ying amounts, the small- 
est being +15 and it Avas oi'dered that city 
bonds be issued to each person for the respec- 
tive amount due him, the smallest bond accord- 
ingly beinu' f(U' ^15. The total amount of 
bonds of this character issued during the years 
mentioned was $412,300. There seems to have 
been some Cjuestion as to the legality of the 
bonds and to remove all doubt the city charter 
of the year 1857 in Sec. 1 of (Chapter 6, ex- 
pressly provided that the bonds theretofore 
issued by the city whether for special loans 
or contracts on public work, should be declared 
to be legal and binding in law. That chapter 
also provided for a sinking fund to meet the 
bonds as they matured and gave authority for 
issuing further bonds for special loans or for 
contracts on public works. 

SPECIAL LOAN BONDS. 

These bonds were i.ssued under the act of 
Feb. 16, 1857, which authorized the city "to 
issue bonds to an amount not exceeding at one 
time in the aggregate the sum of $75,000." 
The proceeds of the sale of these bonds were 
applied to miscellaneous city expenses, and for 
meeting over-due city indebtedness. From the 
records we find that on July 1. 1849, before 
the pa.ssage of the act referred to. $20,000 
ten year 6 per cent bonds were issued for the 
purpose of paying city debts then outstanding 
and due. At the meeting of the city council 
of May 1, 1849, the question concerning the 
power to issue bonds for this jiurpose was 
considered and the committee to which it was 
referred repoi'ted that in their opinion the city 
had such power but added "this is so delicate 
a matter and one that would pei'haps produce 
complaint, that we would not resort to it if 
any other mode can be devised of paying the 
city debt." Evidently no other mode could be 
de\ised. for at the same meeting the issue was 



184 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



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PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



i«5 



autliorizetl. Whatever question existed as to 
the legality of this issue of $'20,000 of July 1, 
1849, was removed bj- the provisions of See. 1 
of Chapter 6, of the City Charter of 1857, 
whieh exi)ressly validated the bonds thereto- 
fore issued by the city for special loans. 

On Feb. 11, 1857, a special meeting- of the 
city council eonsidei-ed the advisability of pro- 
curing a special loan for the purpose of meet- 
ing existing liabilities. As we have seen, on 
Feb. 16, 1857, the city had been authorized to 
issue bonds not exceeding at one time the 
sum of $75,000. On March 2, 1857, under the 
authority of this act, the city council author- 
ized the issue of city bonds in the sum of $75,- 
000, drawing eight per cent interest and be- 
coming due in twenty years. These bonds were 
issued ]\Iay 15, 1857. The city evidently had 
some trouble in floating these bonds for we 
find that at the May 11th, 1857, meeting of 
the city council the bonds were authorized to 
be pledged to Charles A. Savage as security 
for a temporary loan of .$50,000 and ]\Ir. Savage 
was also appointed .special agent of the city 
for the sale of the bonds. By an ordinance 
adopted Dee. 7, 1857, an additional issue of 
$20,000 of special loan bonds was authorized. 
This issue was dated Dee. 1, 1857, and made 
to mature in twenty years and drew eight per 
cent interest. As will be seen the total amount 
of the special loan bonds issued was $115,000 
and they seem to have been used principally 
for paying oft' existing floating and over-due 
bonded debts of the city. Tender the act au- 
thorizing the issue of these bonds the interest 
rate was expressly limited to 8 per cent. That 
the city found difficulty in floating these bonds 
is proven bv the facts appearing in the case 
of the City of Quiucy vs. Warfield. 25 111., 317. 
From that case it appears that the city on 
Aug. 28, 1858, had issued its bond drawing 12 
per cent interest in renewal of an over-due 
bond held by Patrick Shanahan. The city 
council had authorized the finance committee 
to issue bonds in renewal of such city bonds as 
were due upon such terms as the committee 
might deem for the best interest of the city. 
The best terms obtainable evidently were to 
concede 12 per cent interest on the new bonds. 
The courts decided that the bonds were valid 
notwithstanding- the excessive interest rate, 
but that to the extent to which the interest 
rate exceeded 8 per cent as authorized by the 
law. it could not be enforced. 

PUBLIC SERVICE BONDS. 

These bonds were authoi'ized to be issued by 
an ordinance adopted Sept. 19, 1864, which 
expressly made them a good tender in pay- 



ment of taxes due the city. The proceeds of 
the sale thereof were directed to be kept as 
a special fund "'for the following purposes 
and none other, that is to say, any person 
actually drafted into the military service of 
the United States, in virtue of any draft under 
the authority of the United States and required 
to serve as such di-afted person who shall then 
be a resident of the City of Quincy, .shall be 
entitled to receive of said city a fund of $500 
to be paid by said city to any substitute for 
such drafted person duly accepted in his place, 
and in cas'> of the insufficiency of such fund, 
shall be entitled to receive the bonds afore- 
said in lieu thereof sufficient in amount to make 
up said $500 ; and in case any such drafted 
person shall himself enter s\ieh military serv- 
ice said sum of said bonds in lieu thereof, shall 
be paid to him or by his consent shall be held 
and applied for the uses of his family during 
his service and applied accordingly." Of 
these bonds there were issued in all $64,600. 
They all bore date Sept. 30, 1864, and were 
made to mature in five years and drew eight 
per cent interest. 

NEW BIPROVEJIEXT BONDS. 

These bonds aggregated $16,000. Of this 
sum. $12,000 was paid for the purchase of 
river lots fnnn Harris and Beebee. They were 
dated Oct. 1. 1869, matured in five years and 
drew eight i>ei- cent interest. The remaining 
bonds were paid out on account of the survey 
of the Quincy & Carthage railroad and the 
survey of the Quincy & Alton railroad and 
for the purchase of an engine house. The 
bonds which were i.s.sued for the purchase of 
river lots seem also to have been known as 
levee bonds. At any rate we find frequent 
menticni of levee bonds in the council proceed- 
ings, but find no bonds under that description 
in the city's records. 

NORTHERN CROSS R. R. BONDS. 

On Feb. 13, 1851, a petition was presented 
to the city council asking that the necessary 
.steps be taken to procure the vote of the peo- 
ple on the question of subscribing $100,000 
to the capital stock of the Northern Cross rail- 
road owning that portion of that road which 
lies between the Mississippi and the Illinois 
rivers, and the election was by an order of 
the council directed to be held on March 1, 
1851. The vote at this election resulted in 
1,074 for subscription and nineteen votes 
against subscription. Accordingly on the 12th 
of that month the city council authorized the 
mayor to subscribe $100,000 to the capital stock 
of the Northern Cross railroad company and 



i86 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



t(i pay for the subsi'i-iiitimi by executing' Miid 
delivering to the conipany twenty-year six 
per cent city bonds for that amount. Eighty 
thousand doHars of these bonds Avere issued 
bearing date Jan. 1, 1852, and the remaining 
^20,000 were issued bearing date July 1. 1852. 
By resolution of the city coiuK'il of June 21). 
1853, an election was oi'den-d to be held on the 
3()th day of the following month to vote on 
the question of subscribing an additional $100,- 
000 to the capital stock of that company. This 
election resulted in 1,1;I2 votes in favor of the 
additioiud snl)sci'ii>tion ;ind four votes against 
the same. The lionds issued hereunder were 
also twenty-year six yiov cent lionds and were 
dated Jan. 1, 1854. Tlie first issue of the 
bonds was validated by an act approved Jan. 
26, 1853. .iltbongli Ihere seems to have been 
express authority for the subscription in the 
act of Nov. (i. 1S4!I. which authorized cities in 
this stati' to subscribe foi- stock in any rail- 
road company in any sum not exceeding 
•iilOO.OOd. The second issue of bonds was made 
luuler the act of Jan. -26, 1853. which was 
evidently passed in anticipation of the con- 
templated action of the city. Apparently 
without any legislative authority therefor, the 
city council on May 2(t, b^56, ordered that an 
election he held foi- Hie purpose of determin- 
ing whether the ci1\- should make a further 
subscription of $2(1(1,00(1 to the capital stock of 
the Northei-n Cross j'ailroad company, to be 
paid for in 8 per cent city bunds maturing in 
20 years and to be used for the constructi(ui of 
the railroad from Camp I'oint to the Illinois 
rivei'. The election was held on May 24, 1856, 
and again resulted in an overwhelming vote 
in favor of the subscription. The vote was 
1,541 for and seventy-one against the sub- 
scription. On the fourth day of the following- 
August an ordinance was adopted authorizing 
the" issue of this $200,000 of bonds which tlu^ 
ordinance provided should be delivered "ujion 
receiving $200,000 ,,f tlie stock of the Great 
Western railroad company or the company or 
companies with which the Creat Western may 
be consolidated." As staled this subscripticni 
was made without b^gal authority existing for 
the incurring of the debt. This authority was 
given in an act iip])roved .l.-innary 31, 1857, 
which is entitled "An act to Incorporate the 
Quincy & Toledo railroad company: to legalize 
the suliscription of the City of Quincy and the 
county of Brown to the ca])ital stock of the 
Northern Cross railroad com]iany. and the 
bonds issued and to be issui'd by said city and 
county in payment feu- said stock': to amend 
the charter of the (ireat Western railroad 
company of the State of Illinois, and legalize 
and confirm the conti'act of said company with 



James W. Singleton." Section 4 of that act 
provides as folio'\\s: "That the act of John 
Wood, mayor of tlic City of Quincy, dated the 
6th day of August, 1856, whereby the said 
Jolin Wood on behalf of the said city sub- 
si-ribed tt) the cajjital stock of the Northern 
Cross i-iiilroad company pui'snant to an ordi- 
nance of the city ccuuicil of said city, dated the 
4th day of August, 1856, authorizing, em- 
powering and directing the said .John Wood, 
Mayor as aforesaid, to subscribe $200,000 to the 
capital stocj.; (iF said Northern Cross railroad 
conqiany, together with the acts, doings and 
agreements of the city council of said City 
of Quincy, be and tlu^ same are hereby legal- 
ized, ratified ami confirmed. And all bonds of 
said city issued or to be issued in i)ayment of 
said sukscription of $200,000 shall iii all re- 
s])ects be and are hereby made a debt of said 
City of Quincy due to the holder or holders of 
such bonds. Provided that said bonds .shall be 
;nul remain in the hands of Isaac O. Woodruff 
of said city imtil said road is graded, from 
('ami) Point, in the county of Adams, to Mt. 
Sterling, in Brown countv. Thereupon the 
said Isaac 0. Woodruff shall deliver $100,000 
of said bonds and retain the remainder thereof 
in his hands until said iviad is uraded to the 
Illinois ia\'(M': provided tliat nothing in this act 
shall lie so construed as to prevent the city 
council of said city from authorizing an earlier 
delivery of said bonds, if. in their judgment, 
the interest of the city reipiires it: and the said 
city council are hereliy authorized and em- 
jKiwcred to le\y and collect a special tax 
for the payment of the interest on said 
bonds." Following the adoption of this 
act ^[ay 6, 1857, an ordinance was adopted 
authorizing the delivery of the .$200,000 
of boiuls issued liy file city to aid in the 
consfi'ucfion of the Northern Cross railroad, 
\\'liich the ordinance states was then <'alled the 
Quincy (.<: Toledo railroad. The snbscrii)tion 
\\as to be used for the construction of a road 
fi-oni <'am|i Point to the Illinois river and the 
lionds wci-c to be delivered upon receipt of 
.$200,000 (,f the capital .stock of the Toledo, 
Wabash & Westei'n Railroad Company in lieu 
of the stock of the (ireat Western Railroad 
Company mentioned in the ordinance of 
August 4, 1856. From these records it appears 
that although the first $200,000 was voted for 
the construction of the railroad between the 
.Alississipjii and the Illinois rivers, they evi- 
dently were exhausted before the road had 
been constructed any further than Camp Point. 
This iioi'fion of the old Noi'thern Cross railroad 
was absorbed by the C, B. & Q. railroad and 
now foi-ms the portion of its tracks running 
from (i»uini'y to Camii Point. The second $200.- 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



187 



000 of subsoi'iption as shown was expressly 
given for the iiurpose of aiding in the con- 
struction of the road from Camp Point to the 
Illinois river. Evidently the Northern Cross 
during the period embraced in the transactions 
which we have shown entered into this sub- 
scription was in a process of disintegration, for 
in the ordinance of August 4, 1856, the bonds 
were directed to be delivered upon receiving 
stock of the Great AVestern Kailroad Company 
or the company or companies with which the 
Creat Western might be consolidated. The act 
of January 81. 1857. incorporated the Quincy 
& Toledo Railroad Company, which absorbed 
this portion of the Northern Cross, and by May 
6, 1857, had assumed the name of the Toledo. 
Wabash & Western Railroad Company, and it 
is now known as the Wabash railroad. This 
second .>f;20().000 of bonds have been commonly 
called Quincy & Toledo R. R. bonds in con- 
tradistinction to the tirst .^200.000 which have 
always been kuoMni as Northern Cross lionds. 
The last issue of !t;200.0n0 was dated January 
1. 1857. and was made to draw 8 per i-ent in- 
terest and to mature in 20 years. 

QT'INCY .t PALMYRA R. R. BONDS. 

By the act of Januar,y 30, 1857, the city of 
Quincy was given authority to subscribe for 
the capital stock of the Quincy (Jc Palmyi'a 
Railroad Company organized under the laws 
of the state of ilissouri. for the iiui'iiose of 
building a railroad from a point on the west 
bank of the ilissis.sippi river opposite the city 
of Quincy, extending to the city of Palmyra in 
the state of ]Missouri. in any sum not exceed- 
ing .1*100,000. The act provided for the sub- 
mission of the question as to such subscription 
to the people of the city at an election to be 
held for that purpose and authorized the issue 
of bonds to pay for the subscription and the 
collection of a special tax for the payment of 
the interest on the bonds. On ilarch 21, 1857, 
an election was called for April 4th foUoAving 
for the purpose of a vote on the cjuestion of 
subscribing .$100,000 to the capital stock of the 
company to be paid for in 20-year 8 per cent 
bonds of the city of Quincy. The election re- 
sulted in 942 votes being cast in favor of the 
subscription and eleven votes against the sub- 
scription. On the 15th day of the following 
month the ordinance authorizing the issuing 
and delivering of these bonds was adopted. 
The bonds were dated July 1. 1S57. and made 
to mature in 20 years. 

MISSISSIPPI & MISSOURI RIVER AIR 
LINE R. R. BONDS. 

By a resolution of the city council adopted 
June 9, 18fiS. an election was called for the 



27th day of the same month to vote on the 
question of subscribing ,$100,000 to aid in the 
construction of a railroad from West Quincy 
northwesterly, connecting Quincy with the 
^Missouri Air Line railroad. At this election 
651 votes were cast for the subscription and 
198 votes against the subscription. On the pre- 
ceding 6th day of April a committee from a 
citizens' meeting appeared before the city 
council and presented a resolution in favor of 
this action which had been adopted at a citi- 
zens' meeting, and on Jiine 1st following a 
connnittee of citizens from Canton and La 
Grange appeared before the council for the 
purpose of urging the city to make the pro- 
posed subscription. The ordinance authoriz- 
ing the issuing of the bonds was adopted Aug. 
7, 1868. By its terms it directed the mayor to 
subscribe .$100,000 to the capital st(,ck of the 
Mississippi & Jlissouri River Air Line railroad 
to be paid for in 30-year 6 per cent bonds of 
the city. It was made a condition of the sub- 
scription that there should be expended 
$50. 001) in gr-iding. bridging and tieing the 
road, commencing at West Quincy to a dis- 
tance not exceeding twenty-tive miles and that 
the l)onds be issued to aid in constructing a 
railroad from West Quincy noi-thwesterly 
connecting Quincy with the M. & M. Air Line 
R. R. These boTids were evidently not issued 
immediately, for on Feb. 15. 1869, we find that 
Mr. Davis, the president of the road, appeared 
befoi'e the city council and requested that the 
bonds be prepared for the amount of subscrip- 
tion, and that on the 27th day of the follow- 
ing month he again appeared before the coun- 
cil and reported the progress that had been 
made in the work and again asked that the 
bonds be issiied. At this time a resolution was 
adopted dii-ecting the mayor to have the bonds 
prepared and that they be held by him to be 
delivei'ed to the road on its complying with 
the conditions of the subscription. These con- 
ditions had not been complied with, and on 
Oct. 4. 1869, Mr. Bland, the vice-president of 
the road, made a statement to the city coun- 
cil in reference to the |)rogress of the work 
and asked that at least a portion of the bonds 
be issued to enable them to complete the road 
from Canton to Quincy during the winter, and 
promised that if this were done, the road 
would be completed to Canton by the first of 
the following January. A special committee 
of the city council, who had examined into the 
matter, reported at this meeting that owing 
to the almost unprecedented high water dur- 
ing the entire season the work of grading the 
road from Quincy to Canton had been un- 
avoidably retarded, but that, nevertheless, 
about one-half of the work had been done. A 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



resolution was adopted authorizinji' an issue 
of $25,000 of the bonds, when in the opinion 
of the special committee it would be for the 
best interest of the city. These bonds were 
delivered during the winter. A resolution was 
adopted ]\Iay 18, 1870, authorizing the deliv- 
ery of an additional .$.S7,500 of the bonds. The 
remaining $87.r)00 of the subscription was 
paid in bonds that were delivered under a 
resolution of the city council adopted Aug. 
It). 1870. being more than two years after the 
adojjtion of the ordinance authorizing the 
issuing of the bonds. At the meeting of the 
city council of Dec. 5, 1870, an agreement was 
read, signed by the officers of the road, pledg- 
ing the com])any, in consideration of the sub- 
scription, to make Quincy the southern termi- 
nus of the road during the existence of its 
charter. All of these bonds were 30-year 6 
per cent bonds and bore date July 1, 1870. 
The Mississippi & Missouri River Air Ijine 
railroad was never built and consequently the 
money subscribed liy Quincy foi- that road was 
a total loss. 

QUINCY, MISSOURI & PACIFIC R. R. 
BONDS. 

The Quincy, Missouri & l^icitic Railroad 
company was organized on the 24th day of 
June. 1869, for the purjiose of constructing a 
railroad from a point on the Mississi|i|ii River 
opposite Quincy to a point on the ^Missouri 
River o|)po.sitc Brownsville, Nebraska, the 
length of the pro|)ose(l I'oad being about 230 
miles. The citizens of Quincy manifested a 
deep interest in the success of the enterprise. 
They were large stockholders in the comiiany. 
and when it was organized a majority of its 
directors and officers were residents of Quincy. 
To an exceptional extent the whole enterprise 
was a Quincy enterprise. This fact largely ac- 
counts for the generous treatment that the 
road received from the city. The first mention 
we find in the records of the city of the pro- 
posed new road is found in the council pro- 
ceedings of June 21, 186l(, which was three 
days before the road itself was organized. At 
that meeting a resolution was unanimouisly 
adopted, reciting that in the opinion of the 
city council the proposed railroad running 
from West Quincy nm-thwesterly to the Mis- 
souri Rivei', known as the (Quincy, ilissouri & 
Nebraska or the Quincy, ^Missoiu'i Pacific rail- 
road, was essential to the future prosperity of 
the city. In the resolution an issue of $250.- 
000 of city bonds as a .subscription to the pro- 
posed railroad was approved, and the mayor 
and clerk were authorized to issue $75,000 of 
the same when that amount should be required 
for that purpose. On July 12, 1869, Messrs. O. 



A. Savage, John Wood, Tlunnas Jasper, C. H. 
Bull. (!e()i-ge Adams and (J. S. King, a commit- 
tee api)ointed by the board of directors of the 
I'oad. appeared bef(n-e the city council and 
asked it to submit a proposition to the voters 
of Quincy to subscribe $500,000 to the .stock of 
the company and to petition the legislature to 
legalize such i.ssue. A resolution granting the 
recpiest was adopted and the calling of the 
election was post]3oned to a future meeting. 
The election was called at the meeting of the 
city council held July 17, 186!). It provided 
that the subscription "of .$.500,()0() to the stock 
of the company should be made suliject to the 
following conditions: Payment of the sub- 
scription was to be made in city bonds, due in 
twenty years, drawing 6 per cent interest. 
When the company (Jjtained along the line of 
the road in Mi.ssouri or Nebraska valid, re- 
sponsible subscriptions to the capital stock of 
the company to the amount of $800,000, then 
the city council should issue $250,000 of the 
l)onds at jiar in payment of an e(iual amount 
of the city's subscription. When the conqiany 
shoukl have ol)tained along the line of its road 
valid, responsible subscriptions to its stock 
to the amount of $1,600,000, then the city to 
issue to the company the remaining .$250,000 
of the hdiKJs in payment of the balance of the 
subscription. The resolution further provided 
that tile city undei'took to ap])Iy to the next 
session of the legislature for legislation legal- 
izing the subscription. The special election on 
the question was held August 7, 1869, and the 
residt was 1,9-19 votes for and 185 votes 
against the proposed bond issue. As will ap- 
|ieai' fr(un the foregoing, there was at that 
time no law in force authorizing the city to 
become a stockholder in the company or au- 
thorizing a vote of the people on the question. 
Issue of the bonds was therefore deferred un- 
til |)roper legislation could be had ujion the 
siibjci't. In the meantime, however, before 
such legislation could be had. the constitu- 
tional convention, which formulated the state 
constitution of 1S70, convened in December of 
1869. It adopted a section in the neAV consti- 
tution forl)id(ling any city to become a sub- 
scriber to the ca[iital stoi'k of any railroad or 
private corporation, or to make donations to 
01' loan its credit in aid of such corpoi'ation. 
The i)romoters of the Q.. M. & P. R. R.. how- 
ever, were on the alert and closely watched 
the proceedings of the convention. Through 
strong influences brought to bear from the city 
of Quincy. which were both official and pri- 
vate in character, the convention was induced 
to adojit Section 24 of the schedule of the con- 
stitution, which was in these words: "Noth- 
ing contained in this constitution shall be so 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADA]MS COUNTY. 



construed as to dei)rive the general assembly 
of power to authorize the city of Quiuey to 
create any indel)tedness for raih'oad or muni- 
cipal purposes for whieli tlie people of said 
city have voted, and to wliich they shall have 
u-iven. bv such vote, their assent, prior to the 
13th day of December, A. D. 1869 : Provided, 
that no such indebtedness, so created, .shall in 
any part thereof be paid by the .state or from 
any state revenue, tax or fund ; but the same 
shall be paid, if at all, by the said city of 
(^uincy alone, and by taxes to be levied upon 
the taxable property thereof: And provided 
further, that the general assembly shall have 
no power in the premises that it could not ex- 
ercise under the present con.stitution of the 
state." On January 6. 1871, a resolution was 
adopted by the city council recjuesting- the gen- 
eral assembly to authorize the subscription 
made and the is.sue of the bonds in payment of 
the .same, and a special committee, eonssisting 
of the mayor and two aldermen, was appointed 
to go to Springfield to urge the adoption of an 
act to that effect. As a result, the act of July 
1, 1871, was passed by the legislature, author- 
izing the suliscription to be made and the 
bonds to be issued. A sworn communication 
was presented to the city council on July 17, 
1871, from Charles A. Savage, president of the 
Q., ^r. & P. R. R., showing that the company 
had obtained valid, responsible subscriptions 
to the capital stock of the company in the 
states of ^Missouri and Nebraska along the line 
of the road amounting to .$1.118, 900. being 
$318,900 more than the sum requisite for the 
company to obtain $250,000 in the bonds of 
the city according to the provisions of the 
original subscription. The communication 
furthei showed that thii'ty miles of the road 
extending from West Quiney westward had 
been graded and bridged at that time. At 
this meeting of the city council a resolution 
was passed that authorized the mayor to sub- 
scribe $.500,000 to the stock of the company 
and to issue -t'i.iO.OOO in city bonds in part pay- 
ment, as a condition entitling the company to 
that amount had been complied with. These 
bonds were accordinulv issued and dated Julv 
1. 1871. 

A considerable interval intervened before 
the second .^'J.IO.OOO of bonds were delivered 
to the company. The construction of the 
work of Iniilding the road progressed very 
slowly, and as the citizens began to fully 
realize the heavy burden which they had al- 
ready assumed, public sentiment for the time 
being was against delivering any further 
bonds on the subscription. It was contended 
that the company had not complied with the 
conditions that would entitle them to the re- 



ceipt of the remaining bonds, and the legality 
of the whole contract was quite generally as- 
sailed. One ground of objection that was con- 
stantly urged was that the company had not 
obtained along the line of its road in ^lissoiu'i 
and Nebraska valid, responsible subscriptions 
to the amount of $1,600,000 which, as we have 
seen, had been expressly made a condition 
precedent to the delivery of the remaining 
(^uincy bonds. Isaac N. Morris, who was at 
that time a prominent resident and property 
owner of the city, obtained an injunction in 
the circuit court of Adams county restraining 
the mayor and aldermen of the city from is- 
suing this second $250,000 of bonds. In the 
council proceedings of May 15, 1876. we find a 
resolution which recites the preceding steps 
that had been taken in the matter and re- 
ferred to the injunction obtained by Isaac N. 
Morris, and stated that an effort was being- 
made to have the injunction dissolved, and to 
compel the delivery of the remaining bonds 
claimed under the subscription and that the 
subscription was believed to have been illegal. 
By the resolution a committee consisting of 
the mayor and three aldermen was appointed 
to protect the rights of the city. On behalf of 
the company at the council meeting of June 
2, 1876, C. H. Bull and Henry Root, directors 
of the company addressed the city council and 
requested that the bonds be issued. The com- 
mittee which had been appointed, reported on 
Jiily 3, 1876. that they had employed counsel 
in the pending suit that had been brcnight by 
Isaac N. Jlorris to resist on behalf of the 
city the dissolution of the injunction to take 
pi'oceedings to annul the bonds already issued 
and recommended that nothing be done by the 
city till the matter could be determined by the 
supreme court of the state. The company ap- 
jK'aled the suit which had been brought by 
Mr. Morris, and the supreme court rendered 
its deci.sion in the matter at the January term 
(1877) of that court, in the case of Q.' M. & 
P. R. R. Co. vs. Morris. 8-t 111.. -tlO. From 
the opinion in that case it appears that the 
reasons urged against the issue of the bonds 
were based on the contention that the consti- 
tution of 1870 and the enabling act of July 1, 
1871, did not authorize these subscriptions 
and that the indebtedness was not one in- 
curred for a corporate purpose, since the rail- 
road was wholly in another .state. The su- 
preme court held both of these objections not 
tenable and reversed the decree of the lower 
court and directed that the injunction l)e dis- 
solved. No particular point seems to have 
been made on the question as to whether the 
condition requiring the company to obtain 
valid, responsible subscriptions in the states 



I go 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



of iMissdiU'i ami Xel)i'aska to the amount of 
$1,600,000 had been complied with. :Mr. King, 
the secretary of the company, appeared before 
the city council July 2, 1877, and read a cer- 
tifietl copy of a re.solntion adopted by the 
board of tlireetors instructing the president to 
submit to the city ccmncil a statement of the 
subscriptions that the company had obtained 
and to call upon the city for the payineut of 
the $250,000 remaining due on the subscrip- 
tion, and to deliver to the city in exchange 
the stock in that sum. The city council ap- 
pointed a. connnittee consisting of the mayor, 
three aldermen and thi'cc pi'ivate citizens, 
none to be interested in \hv construction of 
the railroad, which was to incpiire into and re- 
port the full amount of such subscriptions. 
The committee appointeil consisted of Alder- 
men Smith, Deaderick and 11. Fischer and 
Messrs. John Dick, Daniel Harris and Tim- 
othy* Rogi'i-s. This comiiiittec made an elab- 
orate rc|ioi-t to the city coum-il -July W. 1S77, 
in which they gave a full statement of all 
the subscriptions which the company had re- 
ceived in ^Missouri. Th<'sc suliscriptious on 
their face amounted to ;i considerably larger 
sum than ^I.IJOO.OOO. The rcfiort 'showed, 
however, that bonds had up to 1h<it time been 
obtained on the sanu' for only the amount of 
$286,000, aiul that grave doubt existed as to 
the legality of all of these Missouri subscrip- 
tions which made it imcertain whether they 
could ever be collected. Decisions of the su- 
preme court of the United States were recited 
under wliieli mH of these subscriptions woubl 
l)e invalid. The committee stated, however, 
that the company claimed that under a deci- 
sion of the supreme court if Missouri, which 
was not given in the rep(u-t, the subscrip- 
tions would be valid. From the whole re])ort 
it is perfectl.v clear that the conunittee felt 
that the conditions entitling the eompan.\- to 
the renuiining issue of the eity Ixmds as a 
matter of right had not been complied with. 
Still the report recommended that the addi- 
tional l)onds be delivered to the company, 
saying in justitication of the recommendation 
that "the spirit and intent of the said con- 
tract is the completion of the road." Up to 
this time, as appears from the council proceed- 
ings, there had been a tlecided sentinu'iit in 
the city council against the delivery of tbe 
bonds. A change in the public feeling, \\-liicli 
was retiected in the council, now look |ilaee. 
A very large amount of Quiiicy capital bad 
been engaged in the undertalving, and the 
failui-e of the project meant financial ruin to 
many of the city"s enter|)rising and progres- 
sive citizens. These men, to some extent at 
least, had been led to invest their moni>v in 



the road and to be active in promoting its 
construction by motives of local patriotism. 
There can be no question but that this fact 
was controllinu' in inducing the city to waive 
all legal objeelions and to act on the rec- 
onunendation oF tin' committee according to 
the spirit and intent of the contract, and not 
according to its legal effects. As a conse- 
(luence a resolution was presented to the city 
council August 1, 1877, which authorized the 
delivery of the additional $250,000 of bonds 
ui)on new conditions specified in the resolu- 
tion. These were that $75,000 was to be de- 
livered to grade, bridge and tie the first fif- 
teen miles of the road west of Kirksville, 
and when this had been done, $50,000 was to 
be delivered for the purpose of grading, bridg- 
ing and tieing the next fifteen miles west, and 
on completion thereof $50,000 to grade, etc., 
the next fifteen miles west, and on completion 
thereof, $50,00(1 to grade, etc.. the next fifteen 
miles west, and on completion thereof, $25,000 
to grade, etc., the next eight miles west, being 
.sixty-eight miles in all. The company and its 
officers were re(piired to give bond that the 
money woukl be used for the purposes speci- 
fied. Tbe consideration of the resolution was 
postponed to the meeting of the city council 
of August S, 1877. at which time the resolu- 
tion was adopted. Many amendments were 
offered and a strong fight was made against 
the adoption, l)ut the final vote was practically 
unanimous. Ten aldermen voted for the res- 
olntiini. and only one against it. These bonds 
were delivered to the compaux' .-is it complied 
with the conditions. $75.(100 in the year 1877. 
$125,000 in the year 1878, and $50,000 in the 
year 1S7II. Thci'e exists a general impression 
that the ilelivery of these b(uuls was rushed 
through in one night for fear that legal action 
would be taken to prevent their delivery. The 
records, however, as we have seen. slu)W that 
the greatest deliberation was exercised and 
that the last of the bonds were not delivered 
until three years after the adoption of the 
Hnal resolution of the city council in the mat- 
ter. The Quiucy. ^Missouri & Pacific railroad 
is now called the Quincy, Omaha. Kansas City 
& Eastei'u and is commonh- known as the 
••(). K." 

DKIST KUXDIXd 1!(»XI)S. 

These bonds vvere issueil foi' the puri)ose of 
paying off' over-due indebtedness of the city, 
consisting to a great extent of city scrip. For 
many years tbe city had indnlucd in the prac- 
tice of issuing in iiaymcnt I'oi- public work 
done interest-bearing city scrip. As the 
means for meeting these floating obligations 
were rarelv at hand when thev matured, they 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



191 



invariably were talieu at a diseount. This 
discount was figured on when eontractors bid 
for city work, and as a consequence the city 
paid a much larger price in scrip than it would 
have been obliged to paj' in cash. In a report 
of the mayor found in the council proceedings 
of January 18, 1869, he states that he had 
taken up under a resolution which had been 
adopted in the previous month ^23,080 of city 
scrip, and had issued $26,000 in bonds there- 
for. In this rep(u-t he said: "Knowing the 
disadvantages under which we labor on ac- 
count of the depreciated value of our city 
scrip, it was the intention to have taken up all 
our floating indebtedness with a view to bring- 
ing the market value of future issues up to 
par, or as nearly i)ar as possible, and thus save 
the city from thirty to forty per cent on most 
of our appropriations, but a decline in the 
value of bonds led me to forego that inten- 
tion." This i'ei)()rt also shows that the city 
was living at that tinu' beyond its income, 
and that the plans then in hand contemplated 
public improvements which would make it 
neee.s.sary to issue large additional amounts of 
city scrip and that these facts had a tendency 
to further depreciate its value. The city 
seems not to have kept au accurate record of 
this fioating indebtedness, and old citizens tell 
of the practice which existed under which the 
mayor signed in blank warrants of this char- 
acter and left them in the various city offices 
to be filled in when they were used in paj'uient 
of work done for or for material furnished 
to the city. The finance committee, which 
made an attempt to investigate the amoiuit 
of this outstanding scrip, reported on April .5. 
1869, that on accoiuit of the condition of the 
city records it was practically impossible to 
determine accurately the amount outstand- 
ing, but that from a thorough examination 
they arrived at the conclusion that there was 
then outstanding $66,842 of this scrip, ilr. 
H. Swimmer, who was for many years an 
alderman of the city, .states that he bought 
some $30,000 of this scrip for Mr. II. F. .1. 
Ricker at thirty-three cents on the dollar. As 
the eontractors who did city work knew that 
they woi;ld be paid in depreciated cvirrency 
of this character, they naturally in their bids 
made allowance fin- this fact and bid corre- 
spondingly high. So much of this scrip as was 
not paid out of current receipts was from time 
to time taken up by the issue of bonds. Be- 
tween the years 1870 and 1873. $140,500 of 
debt-funding bonds were issued. 

REGISTERED BONDS. 

These bonds have all been issued under the 
act of February 13, 1865, and under that act 



as amended by the act of June 4. 1879. These 
acts provide for the issuing of new bonds in 
place of maturing bonds or other evidences 
of the indebtedness of a city and for their 
registration at the office of the auditor of 
public accounts of the state, and require that 
officer to certify the ta.x rate necessary in or- 
der to meet the ])rincipal and interest of the 
bonds as they become due. After these bonds 
ai-e registered no action on the part of the 
city is required to raise the tax necessary to 
be levied for payment of the principal and in- 
terest. By the act of Feb. 14. 1863, the city's 
power to tax was expressly limited to a rate 
of one dollar and three cents on the a.ssessed 
valuation, of which twenty-eight cents was 
authorized to be raised for lighting the 
city, twenty-five cents for maintenance of the 
schools, and fifty cents for the purpose of 
paying its debts and meeting its general ex- 
penses. This rate was foiuid tn be wholly in- 
adequate. The city jirior to that time lunl 
not been well managed financially and had in 
many in.stances defaulted on its interest. In 
a fiscal .statement dated April 15. 1869. pre- 
pared by Tom J. Heirs, city clerk, we find the 
following: "In previous fiscal statements the 
accrued interest on outstanding bonds, which 
in many eases had not been paid for ten years, 
has not been included in the amount of out- 
standing indebtedness. During the past year 
a large number of bonds of various kinds have 
been funded on which there was due from 
two to twelve years' interest, and on some 
whe-.-e suit had been brought and judgment 
rendered against the city for the payment of 
interest conpons past due. the costs and court 
expenses of such suits have been added to the 
principal in funding such bonds, which will 
account for the apparent increase in the bond- 
ed debt of the city." On June 9. 1866, the 
finance committee was authorized by the city 
council to proceed in the adjustment and com- 
promise of any [tortion of the city debt by 
procuring the surrender and satisfaction of 
the same by the i.ssue of new I'egistei'cd city 
bonds. In a cdnuiiuniciition to the city council 
from O. ('. Skinner, |)resented ilay 6. 1867. 
he- says: "I'nder my arrangements with the 
council, one hundred and fifty-six $1,000 bonds 
with due coupons attached, and all coupons 
for future interest and sixty-four separate 
past-due coupons amounting on July 1. 1866, 
in all to $233,235, have been surrendered to 
the finance committee. For this debt new 
twenty and thirty-year six i)er cent aiunial 
interest bonds have been issued amoiuitiug. 
including fractions paid in clerk's checks, to 
$153,036, which sum dediieted from aforemeji- 
tioned sum of $233,235 leaves as saved of the 



ig2 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



debt, $80,1!)!). Tlu- bonds siin-eiidered include 
every variety of city bouds. " It appears, 
therefore, that the city was able by issuing 
registered bonds to refund a portion of its 
city debt at a substantial discount. The city 
council on January 6. l>S(i8, adopted a resolu- 
tion that an advertisement lie inserted in the 
Quincy Herald and in the (^uincy Whig and 

Republican and in a ne\vspa])er printed in 
New York and in one j)rinted in Boston, that 
the city stood ready to issue new registered 
six per cent twenty-yeai' Ixiuds for all out- 
standing bonds of the city at the rate of 
seventy-five cents per dollar, principal and in- 
terest included. Much opposition developed 
to this act of the city council, as its necessary 
result would be to impair the credit of the 
city. In conse(|uence the resolution was re- 
scinded at the mectint;' of Feb. 3, 1868. and the 
resolution of Jutu' !), 18t)6, aliove referred to 
was reaffirmed. 

In a communication from the mayor that 
was read at the council meeting of January 
22, 1868, he stated that he had refunded dur- 
ing the year bonds to the amount of $106,l-iO 
liy issuing in their [dace $81,201) of registered 
bonds, and that he had thereby made a sav- 
ing to the city of $45,000 in debt and interest. 
'I'he ability of the city in the two instances 
above mentioned to refund its debt at a dis- 
count was undoubtedly due to the fact that it 
had defaulted in uuxny instances in payment 
of tlie pi'incii)al and interest of its bonds, prob- 
ably from necessity, as it was simply impossi- 
ble to meet the.se demands under the tax rate 
of one dollar and three cents fixed by the 
act of February 14, 1863. IMany suits were 
brought again.st the city for over-due bonds 
and interest. One of these eases went to the 
supreme court of the rnited States, where it 
was decided Februaiy 4. 18(i7. 'I'his is the 
case of r. S., ex rel. \'on Hoffman, vs. (Quincy, 
4 Wall., rv.]'). The city's defense to the suit 
Avas that under the limit of its taxing power 
fixed in the act of Feb. 14, 1863, it was im- 
possible for it to meet its matured obligations, 
as all of the moiu\vs it was possitile for it to 
I'aise were needed for its ordiriiirv expenses. 
The bonds involved in the litiuation were the 
Northern Cross bonds and tbi' act ;iathorizing 
their issue had also authoi'ized the city to levy 
a tax for the payment of the interest on the 
same. The court held that the legislature of 
Illinois coidd luit dei)i'ive the city of this power 
as it had become part of the contract and that 
insofar as that act affected the bonds, it was 
a nullity. It said: "It is the duty of the city 
to impose and collect the taxes in all respects 
as if the act had not been pa.ssed. A different 
I'esult would leave nothing of the contract but 



an abstract right — of no practical value-— and 
render the protection of the constitution a 
shadow and delu.sion. " After this decision be- 
came generally known it was no longer pos- 
sible to fund the debt at a discount. Accord- 
ingly on Aug. 3, 1868, the nuiyor was au- 
thorized to fund all outstanding railroad and 
improvement bonds at par but some doubts 
seems to have still existed as to the legality of 
the outstanding public service bonds, for we 
find that on Oct. 5th of the same year the 
finance committee was authorized to fund these 
at seventy-five cents on the dollar. In the 
mayor's communication of January 22, 1868, 
he stated that there were then unsatisfied 
judgments against the city in the United 
States <'()urt amounting to $145,000 and that 
the city was liable for other .iudgments which 
w(udd increase the amount to not less than 
$200,000. Between July 1, 1866, aiul July 1, 
1872, $1,390,500 of registered bonds were 
issued all of which represented the funding of 
old indebtedness of the city. Such of these 
bonds as were not paid on their maturity were 
from time to time again refundetl and new 
i-egistered bonds were issued in place of them, 
so that at the present time all the outstanding 
bonded indebtedness of the city is represented 
by registered bonds. 

PAYMKNT OF THE BONDED DEBT. 

The bonded debt of the city reached its high- 
est point after the second $250,000 of bonds 
had been issued to the Q. M. & P. railroad. In 
the comptroller's report of the year 1881 we 
find that the total bonded debt including the 
accrued interest on the unregistered bonds 
which remained unpaid, amounted in all to 
$1, 1^)22, ()31, and that judgments had been ren- 
dered against the city in the U. S. courts that 
ano'rcgated $88,807. The heavy burden of the 
city's indebtedness had again led our citizens 
til favoi' if possible a repudiation of that por- 
tion of the same for which the city had re- 
ceived no value at all or but inade(|uate value. 
This was i-epresented by the M. & M. bonds, 
which, as the road for the construction of 
which the bonds had been issued had not been 
built, represented a total loss. It also included 
the debt funding bonds Avhich represented, as 
we have seen to a considerable extent city 
scrip, for which the city had received but a 
fraction of the value represented by the bonds. 
Uiuler the leadership of ilayor J. K. Webster 
the payment of this unregistered debt was 
resisted and the interest on the same as it be- 
came due remained unpaid. It would have been 
possible to have refunded this debt at a very 
considerable discount as the holders of the 
bonds evideutlv entertained a doubt as to their 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



193 



validity. J\Iayor Webster, however, opposed 
any compromise and the result was that iu the 
ensuing litigation the city was defeated and 
during the first year of Mr. Webster's term 
as mayor judgments were rendered against the 
city as stated, in the sum of .$88,807, and at 
the end of his second year, ending April 1, 
1882, there was outstanding past due indebted- 
ness represented by judgments and outstanding 
warrants exceeding $145,000. ]Mr. Webster 
also resisted the payment of $53,500 due the 
Water Company and the Gas Company for 
services rendered under contract, but iu this 
litigation he was successful as the court held 
that this debt had been created in contraven- 
tion of the provisions of the constitution of 
1870, limiting the power of the city to incur in- 
debtedness. It was during this time and in 
the following year that the affairs of the city 
were at their darkest. As the Gas and Water 
companies found that they could not collect 
their past due debts the fire hydrants were 
dismantled and the city was left without light. 
In the message of Mayor Deaderick of March 
31, 1883, he states that unless the Gas company 
would make a considerable reduction in the 
price asked, he was unable to see how any 
arrangements could be made for lighting the 
city by gas and he also refers to the lack of 
fire protection. The citizens had successfully 
resisted the collection of any tax above the 
one dollar and three cents for city and school 
purposes and as a result the revenues of the 
citj' were wholly inadequate for its needs. The 
legislature, however, passed an act which gave 
the city the power to levy an additional tax of 
ninety cents on the $100 of assessed valuation 
and Avith the added revenues thus obtained the 
aft'aii-s of the city soon took on a brighter 
view. After a short interruption it again 
secured light and water for public purposes. 
The interest charges were promptly met and 
the city again entered upon a period of prog- 
ress. By the act of July 1, 1883, the dram 
shop licenses in this state were increased to 
$500 a year, and this also added a very con- 
siderable sum (about $35,000) to the revenues 
of the city. The city at this time entered the 
period of debt payment. Prior to that time 
such payments as were made were the result 
of judgments that were collected by mandamus. 
The following table will show the reduction 
of the city's indebtedness for each vear from 
May 1, 1881, to May 1, 1905: 

TABLE SHOWING THE REDUCTION OF 
THE BONDED DEBT SINCE. MAY 1, 1881. 



1881, Mav 1, total debt. 

1882 

1883 



.$1,922,631 
. 1,905,453 
. 1.901.812 



1884 " " 1,888,571 

1885 " ■• 1,828,519 

1886 •' ■■ 1,817,728 

1887 " •' 1,741,900 

1888 " " 1,728,000 

1889 " " 1,702,300 

1890 " " 1,668,400 

1891 " " 1,640,700 

1892 " " 1,615,000 

1893 " " 1,580,400 

1894 " " 1,532,200 

1895 " " 1,467,300 

1896 " " 1,405,700 

1897 " " 1,344,200 

1898 " " 1,285,400 

1899 " " 1,234,400 

1900 " " 1.136,900 

1901 " " 1,099,400 

1902 " " 1,071,300 

1903 " " 1,016.100 

1904 " " 984,800 

1905 " " 928,800 

Cash in bond sinking fund 50,000 

Net debt May 1, 1905 878,800 

This debt reduction was brought about by 
the creation of sinking funds, the tax to raise 
which is certified by the auditor of the state 
for the payment of the debt. The method pur- 
sued is for the city council to adopt a resolution 
recjuesting the levy of the sinking fund tax 
which is certified to the auditor who thereupon 
takes the steps necessary for the levy. It 
was the practice to pass such a resolution an- 
nually until Alderman Van Frank at the meet- 
ing of the city council on Dec. 21, 1892, was in- 
strumental in having a resolution adopted pro- 
viding for the levying of an annual .sinking 
fund of .$50,000 to meet the payment of the 
bonds which would become due up to July 1, 
1899. 

PRESENT PLAN FOR PAYMENT OF DEBT. 

Under the administration of Mayor John 
A. Steinbach, $614,000 of the registered bonded 
was refunded in the years 1897 and 1898. The 
dates at which the new bonds were made to 
mature were so arranged as to enable the city 
to pay oft' each year the bonds that would ma- 
ture that year. An ordinance was adopted on 
April 10, 1899, which provided for a sinking 
fund for each respective year equal to the 
amounts that had been made to mature that 
year. This plan for the payment of the debt 
is shown by the following table : 

The first column of the above table shows 
the date when the bonds will mature, the sec- 
ond column shows the amount of the maturing 
bonds, the column the interest rate, the fourth 
column the amount necessarv to be raised 



194 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



aunuHlly foi' interest, the fifth (•(iliiiiiu shows by 
wlioni the tax levy is to he inacle. whether by 
the city eouiieil or the auditor of state, the sixth 
eohuim shows the year in whicli the tax will 
have to be levied, tlie seventh column the 
amount of the boiul sinkinii' fund to be raised 
for each respeotive ycai-, the eiuhth column 
shows the amount of the interest to be raised 
each year and the ninth coluirui the total tax 
required to be raised on aeeoiuit of the bond 
sinking fund and the bond interest fund for 
each respective year. From tiiis table it will 
appear that the total boiuled indebtedness of 
the city will be paid oft' l)y -July 1, 1918, and 
that the last tax levy to be nuule for that pur- 
pose will be made in the yeai- 1917. Under 
Mayor Steinbach's administration this plan has 
been consistently followetl without any increase 
in taxation and with tlie result that the bonded 
indebtedness as shown at the )iresent time only 
amounts to .^^iSTS.iSOO. xVs there have not been 
sutlicient maturini;- biuuls to take ujt the sink- 
ing fund, the city since the year 1901 has gone 
into the market and bought up its early matur- 
ing issues, ))aying the re(|uisite premium for 
tlu' sanu>. It is gi'atifying to be able to state, 
in conchiding this tinaueial history of the city 
of Quincy, that it is now and since the year 
1901 has been, paying oft' its debt in advance. 

As stated elsewhere in this history, the 
author of the admirable jilan under which the 
indebtedness of Quiucy is being paid oft' so 
easily <ind rapidly, is Mi-. Theodore B. Pape. 
the city's very able and |)ublic-spirited cor- 
jioration coiuisel. 



ClIAPTEH XXXVI II. 



QUINCY WATKR WORKS — THK ORIGIN — PRIVATE 
OWNERSHIP PERICU)— THE PRESENT PL.VN 
FOR CITY OWNERSHIP. 

At a meeting of tlu^ city council (tf (.^uincy 
held May 15, 1871, (ieneral James D. ilorgau 
appeared before the council and lead a resolu- 
tion which had been adopted by a Citizens' 
Association and sulimitted a report of a com- 
mittee of that association on water works, 
looking to construction thereof for tire pi'o- 
teetion and urged that innnediate action be 
taken for construction of the same. The coun- 
cil adopted a resolution appointing a commit- 
tee of three consisting of ]\Iayor J. (i. R(»wland 
and Aldermen Henry ]\Ieisser and T. H. Miller 
to have in charge the matter of water works 
and to confer with p;irties desiring to make 
pi-opositions in reference to the consti'ucliou 
and o|)erMtion of the same and to invite such 



propositions, 'i'lu' com.niittee was anthori/.ed 
to erect temporary water works at an expense 
not exceeding .$5,000. This committee reported 
at a meeting of the city council held March 
8, 1873, stating that they had put up a boiler 
and steam pinnp with the necessary appendages 
at the foot of ilaine .street, and had enclosed 
Ihc same in a suitable liuilding and constructetl 
a pumping well and conduit with the required 
suction attachment; that the machinery ful- 
tilled the exjiectation of the committee, it being 
but tempoi-ary to Kll I'isterns in the dift'erent 
pai-ts of tlie city and that by means of hose 
attachment this could be done at any time; 
that sufficient pipe had been purchased to 
reach Front street, together with two double 
hydrants ; that it was the original intention 
of the committee to get sufficient pipe to reach 
fifty feet where a tank was to be \)u\ up and 
to purchase one or two more hytlr;rnts: that 
the total outlay to the date of the report was 
less tiian >f;2,50(). Accompanying the rej)ort was 
one from Edward Prince, who was thanked 
for liis services to the committee. This was 
the beginning of water works in Quincy, city 
ownership characterizing the origin. 

About live months later or August 7, 1873, 
I hi- cit\- I'oiincil adopted an ordinance by which 
thi' city transferred and conveyed to Edward 
Prince "all its right, title and interest in the 
Ixiib'r, pump, steam connections, pump house, 
piimi)-we]l, inlet-pipe, and valves at foot of 
.Maine street. Also Ihe iron pijies, extra cast- 
ings, valves, h\'drants, and all other things pur- 
chased by .said city for tein])orary pumping 
work. And said city, at such time and on such 
terms as said Prince and said city may agree 
upon, is to receive actual cost for its invest- 
ment in said temporary pumping works up to 
the time said Prince signifies his acceptance 

of this ordinance . ' " The same ordinance, 

which was duly acceiited. granted to Prince 
'"the exclusive right to construct, operate and 
maintain, and ojierate water works in the city 
of (Quincy, Illinois, for a period of thirty years 
from the date of this ordinance, upon the 
terms, conditions and stipulations hereinafter 
mentioned." Among the conditions. Prince 
was to make certain extensions and inqirove- 
nients. The rate fixed for hydrant rental was 
>t;20() ])er annum per hydrant for the first 100 
hydrants. .'|;150 per aiiiiuni jici' hydrant for the 
next fifty hydrants, and for all other hydrants 
at the rate of $100 per annum per hydrant. 
Section P! of the ordinance read as follows: 
"At the exiiii'ation of thirty years fi-om date of 
this ordiiiMiicc, if no agreement can be made 
for renewal or continuance of contract, said 
i-ity sli.-ill pa>' for said works tht»ii' then actual 
cash value." 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



195 



ilr. Prince sold the water works to Messrs. 
L. and ('. H. Bull, who coudueted the same 
until the expiration of the contract, which 
expired An^;-. 7. 1903. and eoiitiiiued to conduct 
the W()rks peiidinu' further ue^'otiations, re- 
sults of which are stated hereinafter. To give 
anything like a detailed account of the many 
and often serious disagreements between the 
city and ttie company during the long period 
would re(|uiie a volume. There were ditfer- 
ences involving hydrant rental, private rates 
and extension of the works, accomi)anied at 
times by litigation and much feeling and no 
little public inconveuienre. For a long period 
the company declined to make extensions, 
but for about the last decade, the company has 
made extensive and valuable improvements and 
extensions and has given notable attention to 
the filtration of the water which has acquired 
a high standard of excellence. 

As early as the year 1890, the city council 
declared that the only solution of the existing 
ditferences was for the city to build its own 
water works. This declaration was under the 
administration of ]\[ayor George II. Walker. 
In the year 1M94:. under the administration of 
]Mayor John P. ilikesell, a similar declaration 
was made. Immediately before retiring from 
office in the spring- of 1895, Mayor ilikesell 
recommended to the city council the establish- 
ment of a water works sinking fund. The rec- 
ommendation was concurred in and the fund 
was started with $12,000. From that time on 
the fund has been, continually increased until 
it now amounts to over $250,000. Mayor John 
A. Steinbacli, who was first elected mayor in 
the spring of 1895,, and has been mayor since 
that time, has been- an earnest advocate of in- 
creasing the fund as rapidly as pnssiljle and has 
at all times had the hearty support of the alder- 
men. 

When the thirty year contract with the own- 
ers of the Avater works was about to expire, 
the city had the works appraised by three ex- 
Iierts. namely. Jlessrs. John W. Alvord. Daniel 
W. ]\Iead and Hiram Phillips, who estimated 
the valueof the plant at the expiration of the 
franchise at $(349,159. On receiving this esti- 
mate the city opened negotiations with the own- 
ers of the works for renewal of the contract on 
nnitually acceptable terms, unmediate" city 
ownership of the •\vorks being impossible, as 
the city was still in debt beyond the constitu- 
tional limit. The city proposed to the owners 
a new contract by which the city would bind 
itself to take water for public purposes during 
the contract, the' owners to agree to accept a 
reasonable return on their investment, as it 
Avas appraised, and to allow the city the benefit 
of the earnings of the plant in excess of such 



rettu'us which die city was willing should be 
as much as seven per cent. The company de- 
clined the proposal, holding the appraisement 
of the plant to be too low and that the owners 
were i-eceiving no more on their property than 
what was a reasonable return thereon, and 
that they could make as much with the money 
if they sold the property at the appraised value 
as they were then making out of the plant. 
However, the company said that they would 
not stand in the Avay of the city carrying out 
its declared plan for ultimate city ownership 
and the company said that if the city could 
find the necessary capital from other sources, 
the company would sell the plant at the ap- 
praised value, although holding this valuation 
to be too low. The company gave the city and 
its assigns a written option to purchase the 
water works at any time ju'ior to October 1. 
190-1. at the a|ii)raised valuation. 

THE PLAN ADOPTED FOR (TTY WATER 
WOKKS. 

With this option from the owners of the 
works, the city opened negotiations with other 
local capitalists, and as a result The Citizens' 
Water Works company was organized by citi- 
zens of Quincy. The capital stock was $100,- 
000. and the balance of the money neeessarj' 
Avas raised by the company issuing five per cent 
first mortgage bonds for $300,000. and six and 
one per cent second mortgage bonds for $250,- 
000. The city transfer read its option to this 
company which bought the water Avorks there- 
under. The new company Avas giA^eu a fran- 
chise for thirty years, the ordinance being 
adopted Sept. 19, 1904, and accepted by the 
company on the 24th day of that month. On 
the 30th of the same month, the city council 
passed an ordinance ratifying the franchise 
ordinance and the company's acceptance of the 
same. The franchise ordinance sets forth the 
conditions of the contract between the city and 
the ncAV company. Under the contract the city 
has a continuous option to purchase the water 
Avorks at any time and all extensions and im- 
proA'ements that may be made for the sum 
necessary to enable the company to pay back 
to the stockholders the $100,000 Avhich they 
haAe invest-jd in the enterprise, and to pay the 
indebtedness of the company then outstanding. 
This sum would at present be substantially 
$649,159, but it Avill probably be less hereafter. 
The city gets the benefit of the net earnings of 
the Avater Avorks remaining after the payment 
of the agreed annual dividend of six per cent 
on the capital stocii. The city is given express 
authority to fix the Avater rates, and shares in 
the management of the company, the city hav- 



igS 



PAST AND PKESENT OP ADAMS COUxNTY. 



iiig reserved the riglit to appoint one of the 
three directors. By an arrangement with the 
banks taking care of the mortgages, namelv, 
Tlie Ricker National Bank. The Qnincy Na- 
tional Bank and the State Street Bank, tlie city 
receives five per cent coniponnd interest on its 
$250,000 sinking fund, Avhich had previonsly 
yielded but three per cent. This sinking fund 
will at all times be substantially equal to the 
second mortgage bonds of the company from 
time to time outstanding. Even if all of the 
net earnings of the works ,n-e used in making 
extensions and improvements, the first mort- 
gage bonds will all be paid off by October 1, 
1920, at which time the second mortgage bonds 
will amount to .^550.000, and the city will have 
in its sinking fiuid on deposit in" the banks 
!f;55{),()00. which will then be an amount equal to 
to the total bonded debt of the Citizens' Water 
Works company. This would leave the .$100,- 
000 of stock un]n-ovided for, but the eit.y would 
still be getting five per cent compound inter- 
est on its sinking fund, which would retire tbe 
stock in about three and one-half years. Thus 
on the most unfavorable assumption, the city 
would become tlie owner of the water works 
in about nineteen years from the present time 
with all improvements and extensions of the 
same. The city may, however, if it desires to 
do so, own the works not later than eleven and 
one-half years from this time or shortly after 
the year 1916. On Oct. 1, 1917, the total 
bonded debt of the city will he but .$80,000, and 
at that time the city will lack but $177,500 
with which to complete the amount necessary 
to purchase the water works. With its debt 
thus within the constitutional limit, they could 
borrow the required .$177,500 and take over the 
water works at that time. If any of the com- 
pany's net earnings are used to pay on its 
bonded debt, or if the city .should add to its 
water works sinking fund, of course this would 
ha.sten the period at whicji the city could be- 
come the owner of the water works. The fol- 
lowing tabulated statement shows the earnings 
of the water works for the five years im- 
mediately preceding the year 190-4:* 

1899 $69,256 $22,577 .$46,679 

1900 7:^,382 25,899 47,78.3 

1901 79,416 27,884 51,532 

1902 81,868 29,357 52,511 

1903 87,252 31,658 55,594 

Mr. Theodore B. Pape, the city's corporation 
counsel, is the author of this plan for city water 
works and it is in every way worthy of its 
cai)able and public-spirited author. lii its in- 
numerable safeguards for the public interests, 
in the magnitude of its continu(uis benefits to 
the i)eople while the plant is in the hands of 



the company — benefits practically e(|ual to city 
ownership — and in the ease and shoitness of 
time by which the i)lan is destined to settle for- 
ever and in the be.st interest of the people, one 
of the most jiei'i^lexing problems of Quincy, this 
plan probabl.v has no eqiuil in the history of 
municipalities. "The Quincy Way of Securing 
City Ownership of Water Works" is uni(iue. 

The present officers of the Citizens' Water 
Works compan.v are as follows : President, 
John P. :Mikescll : secretary, .]. M. Winters: 
treasui'er, Henry C. Sprick. The directors are, 
John P. Mikesell. Theodore B. Pape and Henry 
C. Sprick. This is the list of stockholders: H. 
C. Sprick, P. B. Williams, H. Heidbreder, H. P. 
J. Ricker, Jr., J. L. Duker, P. P. Whitley, Ger. 
6. Arends, E. J. Luegering, Joseph Jacoby, B. 
Awerkamp, Chas. IT. Lauter, A. H. Wehmeyer, 
John A. Sohm. J. ;\I. Winters, Thomas B. Ryan. 
Tjouis Wolf, A. A. Schuering, Wm. Sigsbee, 
Prank (iiefing. TI. II. Merten, P. W. Brinkoet- 
ter. Simon Duker, C. P. Uhlmann, E. Cottnam. 
Wm. H. Govert, Henry Bornnumn, Edward 
Sohm, P. W. Menke, P". J. Brinkoetter. 



CHAPTER XXXIX. 

R.AILWAY AND WATER TRANSPORTATION FACIL- 
ITIES — QUINCY'S PART IN RIVER IMPROVE- 
MENT WORK — INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL 
.STATISTICS AND ORGANIZATIONS. 

The earlier historv of Quincy 's transporta- 
tion facilities is given elsewhere in this work. 
The railroad bridge over the ^Mississippi River, 
cost $1,750,000 and was built in 1868. The 
iu'idue was remodeled by the ('. B. & Q., in 
JIarch, 1898, at a cost of $157,000. The wagon 
bridge attachment was opened Sept. 10, 1899, 
aiul cost $50,000. During the year 1904, 16,880 
engines, 43.473 passenger ears and 134,426 
freight cai-s crossed the railroad bridge, while 
during the same year, 1,210 steamboats passed 
through the main river draw. 

These are Quincy 's present railroads: The 
C. B. & Q. to Chicago and to the north and 
northwest, via. Rock Island. The Quincy, 
Onudia & Kansas City to Kansas City. The 
Hannibal & St. Joseph, to Kansas Cit.y, Atchi- 
son, Leavenworth and St. Joseph. The St. 
Louis, Keokuk & Northwestern to Burlington 
on the north and to St. Louis on the south. 
The Carthage Branch of the C. B. & Q., to 
Burlington, la. The Quincy, Alton & St. Louis 
to East Louisiana, Mo. The Wabash, to Chi- 
cago, Buffalo and Pittsburgh on the east, Kan- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAilS COUNTY. 



197 



sas City on the west and Des iloiue.s on the 
north. 

At this writint;' — February. VM)'> — the indica- 
tions seem to be rather favorable t'<(r the build- 
ing of an eleetrie iuterurban railway between 
Quincy and Hannibal. The name of the com- 
pany is The Illinois & ilissouri Railroad, whose 
franchise ordinance, granted in Qiiincy, was 
approved Dec. 2, 1904. A condition of this 
road is that citizens of Quincy donate $10,000 
in cash, when the road is completed and in 
operation. 

THE UPPER MISSISSII'IM RIVER IM- 
PROVE.MENT ASSOCIATION. 

The Mississippi River. Quincy "s western 
boundary, is the great water highway between 
St. Paul and New Orleans and is an adjunct 
to the Panama Canal. The Diamond Joe Line 
packets ply regularly each season along this 
river, in the needed improvement of which 
magnificent waterway much public interest is 
now being manifested, thanks to a most useful 
and eft'ective organization which had its origin 
in Quincy. This is the Upper Mississippi River 
Improvement Association, which is composed of 
the variou.s commercial and civic organizations 
located on the Uitper ^Mississippi River from 
St. Louis to St. Paul. The purpose is to secure 
pi'oper recognition from the government of the 
commercial value of the river, and to improve 
its navigable capabilities by increasing the 
depth of the channel from 4i 2 t<?et to 6 feet, at 
low water, between the mouth of the I\Iiss- 
ouri River and St. Paul, ]\Iinn. The govern- 
ment engineers have declared this to be fea- 
.sible, as the river is quite tractable. 

The association is the outcome of a move- 
ment on the part of Quincy men, one of whom. 
Mr. Lewis B. Boswell, is referred to in the ad- 
dress of Jlr. Thomas Wilkinson of Biirlington, 
la., the President of the Association, at its 
last convention in Dubuque, Nov. 12. 1904, as 
follows : 

"In the year 1902 a committee of citizens 
representing the city of Quincy, waited upon 
^lajor Townsend, then in charge of the govern- 
ment work on the river, north of St. Louis, with 
a view to securing certain im])rovements of the 
river near Quincy. During the intei'view ila.jor 
Townsend asked one of the connnittee — "Do you 
know of any attempt having been made on the 
part of any of the congressmen, to secure an 
appropriation for the improvement of the 
upper river.'' The gentleman replied. 'No! but 
it will be done and that at once.' This was 
the beginning from which grew the Upper 
Mississippi River Association. 



"The gentleman interrogated was the 
founder, you might say, of this movement. lie 
was born on the banks of the old river in the 
city of New Orleans, and all his life has been 
spent where he could look out over its placid 
waters. He grieved to see its usefulness im- 
paired through neglect and forthwith deter- 
mined whatever of ability and inllueuce he 
possessed .should be given towards securing 
proper attention for this neglected highway. 
He conceived the idea of organizing an asso- 
ciation to work for the improvement of the 
navigation of this river, which was carried out 
in the convention held in Quincy, Nov 12-13, 
1902. For whatever of success may result from 
the work of this association, the laurel wreath 
must be placed upon his brow, — Mr. Lewis B. 
Boswell. of Quincy. 111." 

This association has held three conventions, 
one at Quincy. Davenport and Dubuque. Its 
work is wholly in the interest of the commerce 
of the five states contiguous to the upper river. 
It recognizes no local scheme or proposition. 
The permanent improvement of the upi)er river 
is its theme and thus far it has met with most 
excellent i-esults. and the foi'ce of its labors 
and intluence bids fair to securing from the 
national government needed appropriations 
which will establish a depth of six feet at low 
water in the channel. 

With the river improved and in suitable 
condition for the steady operation of boats 
and barges, it will not be many years before 
the people of this great middle we.st wnll be 
enabled to float cargoes down the river to New 
Orleans and outward through the Panama 
Canal, to the markets of the world. Such a 
valuable artery of commerce should be fully 
appreciated by our people and its influence 
upon the increase in the manufacturing and 
conunercial, also agricultural development of 
this country will be beyond our present con- 
ception. 

That the people of this city .should feel great 
pride in the fact of Quincy being the birth- 
place of an organization having such highly 
important purposes in view, is natural, and 
that a citizen of Quincy should be the officially 
recognized foiuider of such an association, is 
a distinction of the highest order, although 
the founding of the association was but the 
beginning of Mr. Boswell's admirable work in 
its behalf. As seci-etary of the association 
since its organization, his discharge of the 
duties of that position has been marked by dis- 
tinguished abilities, while the eloquence and 
tact displayed by ilr. Boswell in presenting 
the claims of the organization to the federal 
government, from time to time, have been of 
invaluable service to the cause. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



THE (^>riNCY CUA-MBER OF CO.M.MEHCE. 

The Young Men's Business Association was 
organized in 1887. Thomas Austin was presi- 
dent and James Handly, secretary. \V. P. 
Upham was elected president January 20, 1897. 
June 18, following-, the name of the organiza- 
tion was legally changed to The C^uincy Cham- 
ber of Connnerce. Charles 11. Williamson was 
elected president July !), 1900. The president 
appointed Miss Lina Linehan secretary to suc- 
ceed James Handly. January 15, 180'2. the 
president appointed :JIiss Bertha L. Maher sec- 
retary to succeed Miss Linehan. Joseph W. 
Emery was elected jji'esident ;\lay 12, 1903. 
John S. Cruttenden was elected president Jlay 
9, 1901, and Frank W. Osborn was elected to 
fill that office May 8, 1905. 

Tlie Chamber of Commerce has been a sort 
of open parliament for the discussion of mat- 
ters pertaining to the commercial and tlie gen- 
eral welfare of the city, and the organization 
has rendered exi-ellent service, particularly in 
taking the initiative. Certainly no organiza- 
tion could desire better men than have been 
at the head of this body. Its successive presi- 
dents have, always at a great sacrifice to their 
own private affairs, manifested a degree of 
zeal, application and excellent judgment which 
has been of very great value to the pnblic 
while the fine public .spirit shown by these busy 
men is worthy of the highest praise. 
QUINCY FREIGHT BUREAU. 

The Quincy Freight Bureau, the most useful 
and important organization that our shippers 
have ever had, was incorporated May 20, 1897. 
Channcey 11. Castle was the first president, 
Charles H. Williamson the second, and 
Dickerson .McAfee, is the third. Elmer E. 
Scger in secretary, and Edward Sohm, treas- 
urer. The other members of tlie board of gov- 
ernment are C. 11. (!astle, John J. B''ischer, 
Louis Wolf, Rudolph Tenk and Fred Kupp. 
Lewis B. Boswell, the Commissioner of the 
Bureau, has held that highly responsible posi- 
tion since the fall of 1897, or about eight years, 
and it is a record of notable ability, the closest 
application and unquestioned fidelity. While, 
in the vei-y nature of the case, very much of 
the work of this Bureau is not seen by the 
public, the Quincy Freight Bureau is known all 
over the country and has the resi)ect nf the 
railroads, as well as of the various kindred (U-- 
ganizations of the country. 

In a general way, the Freight Bureau stands 
in the relation of a freight traffic manager to 
its members. Its functions are to conserve 
their interests, keeping them informed of the 
actions of transportation companies in chang- 
ing tariffs, as well as the classification of ar- 



ticles. ^\'llilc I hi' liiii'caii has done and is doing 
this work and tloiiig it well, it has also in many 
ways greatly conserved the public interests. 
For instance, its members took the lead in the 
movement resulting in the C. B. & Q.'s new 
passenger station and in the wagon bi'icige over 
the river, and the Bureau has in several in- 
stances been of invaluable benefit with respect 
to tram service. 

THE QUINCY RETAIL :MEI;CII.\.\TS- .\SS0- 
CIATIOX. 

The Quincy Retail ^leivliMnts' Association 
was organized March 26, 1902, and its record 
has been characterized by a progressive spirit 
and good work such as to merit commendation 
and clcarlv ]>rove its usefulness to our retail 
luercliauts. The important pi-actical results in- 
clude valuable municipal legislation and coiii- 
mercial steps tending to enlarge the retail 
trade. The first president of the association 
was W. T. Duker, who was succeeded by N. 
Ileintz, and the latter by Jesse O. Fisher. L. B. 
Boswell was the first secretary, his successors 
being J. C Heiuzman and II. H. Brinck. (ieorge 
H. Lyford is vice jircsideiit and Daniel Speyer 
treasurer. 

BUSINESS STATISTICS. 

While (Quincy has widely extended fame for 
its lieanty, and is also noted for its financial 
solidity, and is winning enviable credit for its 
excellent cducatioiud advantages and for other 
I'easdiis, this city is best known to the world 
outside for its manufacturing interests. As 
the great center for the mannfacture of stoves, 
of wheat fiake foods, incubators, show cases, 
hay presses, etc., the name of Quincy has been 
made familiar in all parts of the world, and this 
well deserved reputation is constantly being 
strengthened. In this connection, the follow- 
ing tabulated estimates of indnstrial Quincy 
will be of interest : 

Xumber of jiroductive indiistriMl est.ililish- 
meiits, about 500. 

Capitalization of the estalilishiueiifs. iibout 
$S,(l(l().(l()(). 

Nuiiiher of wage earners, lietweeii ."i.tlllO and 
6.000. 

Total wages paid annually, about :i<2.()()0.()00. 

Value of the annual productions of the 
establishments, about i);12,000,000. 

The above figures do not include Quincy 's 
mercantile establishments, which are very 
numerous and excellent, but conceiniug which, 
no figures have been obtainable. 

Tin: STREET RAILWAY SYSTEM. 

The (^)nincy Horse Railway & Cairying Com- 
])au\- was created by an act of the state legis- 
lature, ajiitroved February 11, 1865. Tlie 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



199 



ehang'e frmii horse-power to electricity w;is 
made January 1, 1891 The present owners, 
familiarly known as the "JIcKinley Syndi- 
cate," .secured control of the system in the fall 
of 1898 and have transformed and extended 
the system. The total length of streets on 
which cars are run is thirteen miles or a total 
length of track of seventeen miles. There are 
sixteen cars in regular operation and in addi- 
tion, eight motor and ten trail cars. The ears 
are heated and lighted by electricity. The 
generating plant consists of one 425 k\v. direct 
connected iTuit and five 62 kw. belted ma- 
chines, all furnishing 550 volts direct current, 
also the proper engine and boiler capacity to 
operate the machines. When the work laid 
out for the present year is completed, the entire 
system of track will have been relaid by the 
present owners. The car rails are 60 lb. "T." 
The improvements by the present owners in- 
clude extension on South Foui-th street, on 
Broadway, and to the Soldiers' Home grounds; 
als(; a new ear barn at Twentieth and Hamp- 
shire streets, with steam heating plant which 
also supplies the office and waiting room, at 
Twentieth and JMaine streets. The present 
owners also installed the Corli.ss engine and 
direct connected generator at the power house, 
and have added eight large closed cars, and 
fourteen large summer cars. The present offi- 
cers of the company are : G. P. Duncan, of 
Portland, ile., president : H. P. Cox. of Port- 
land, treasurer: William B. McKinley, of 
Champaign, secretary: Edward I\I. Woodman, 
of Portland, general counsel : H. E. Chubbuck. 
of Ottawa and La Salle, 111., manager: W. A. 
IMartin. nf Qnincy. superintendent. 

LKiirriXG T'TILITIES. 

The Quincy Gas Light & Coke Company was 
organized in 1853 with a capital of $80,000. It 
commenced business December 1. 1856. with 
sixty-four street lamps and 139 private con- 
sumers. Governor John Wood was the first 
president, and Thomas Pratt, superintendent 
and manager, but he was soon succeeded by 
Wm. H. Corley who held the office till his 
death in 1875. He was followed as manager by 
A. W. Littleton till 1898. and he in turn by 
H. E. Chubbuck. AY. A. Bixby is the present 
general manager of the consolidated companies. 
The Thompson-Houston Electric Light & Power 
Co. was organized in 1882 with Col. W. W. 
Berry as president, and continued in business 
till consolidated with the other lighting plants 
by the McKinley interests in 1898. The Empire 
Light & Power Company was instituted in 
1895, "W. H. Channon being the president, and 
Harry Channon. superintendent and manager 
of this company w'hich continued till 1898, 



when with the (ias Comiiany and the Thompson- 
Houston Electric Light & Power Co., it was 
merged into the present Quincy Gas & Electric 
Co.. which was purchased by J. T. Lynn and 
associates of Detroit, ^lich.. in 1903, Mr. Lynn 
being the president. It is interesting to note 
the growth and the great change in prices, 
since the organization of the parent company. 
In '56 the Cias Company had one bench of three 
retorts and only one holder room to store 55.000 
feet. It hiiis now eight benches of six retorts 
each and storage capacity for hundreds of thou- 
sands of cnbic feet of gas. The price in '56 
was $4 per 1,000, and is now only $1 per 1,000 ; 
the reductions being as follows: to $3.50 in 
1876: .$3.00 in 1878 ,• .$2.25 and $2.00 in 1882, 
and $1.00. 1904. In the electric department 
the plant started with a few small machines in 
'82. and is now one of the largest in Illinois. 

The Inde])endent Light & Power Co. was in- 
corporated :\Iareh 26, 1903. J. W. Cassidy tak- 
ing the leading part and being the principal 
owner and the president. The company erected 
a large, modern jdant. Mr. Cas.sidy also or- 
ganized the Independent Gas Co.. but the city 
council declined to make certain alteration in 
the franchise ordinance, held by Mr. Cassidy 
to be essential to the financing of the enter- 
prise, and the proposed plant was not erected. 
January 7. 1905. Mr. Cassidy sold his interest 
in the Independent Light & Power Co. to W. 
J. Ferris, of Chicago. 111. 



CHAPTER XL. 

QI'IXCY'.S EDUCATIONAL PROGRESf: AXD FACILI- 
TIES— Pl'BLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOL.S, COL- 
LEGE.'?, ETC. — THE FCBLIC LIBRARY — MU- 
.SICAL INSTITUTIONS, ETC. 

Giving due i-onsidei'ation to .-ill forces mak- 
ing for education in C^uincy and the public and 
private cost thereof, the educational progress 
of the city has kept apace with its general 
progress. In recent years interest in educa- 
tional matters has intensified with correspond- 
ing improvement in facilities. At this period — 
1905 — the schools of Quincy would undoubtedly 
compare very favorably with those of the best 
class of cities of Quincy 's size throughout the 
country, while our excellent and practical 
collegiate institutions have won wide-spread 
and deserved recognition. 

Our public schools have been under the man- 
agement of The Qnincy Board of Education 
since the creation of that corporate body by 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



the legislature in 18(31. Down to the spring of 
1!)04, the meniliers of the board were appointed 
by the city eonncil, each ward having one mem- 
ber of the board. Last spring for the first 
lime, a school board was elected directly by 
the people, who took advantage of a recent act 
of the legislature. The city council raised a 
question as to the constitutionality of the law, 
but to this writing — January, 1905 — no con- 
test has been made in the courts. Meanwhile, 
the new system is working smoothly, the new 
board of education having used good judgment. 
Under the new law, the school board appoints 
the superintendent of schools, who had been 
previously appointed by the city council. An- 
other etfect of the new law is to reciuire an 
affirmative vote of the people before the board 
can erect a school building or buy ground. The 
school tax levy is still under the control of the 
city council, to which the board submits rec- 
ommendations. The following statistics are 
taken from the re])ort of Superintendent David 
B. Rawlins to the school board, for the scliool 
year ending June 80, 1904: 

Total population of Quincy. censtis of 1900. 
;?6,25'2 : total population of Quincy. estimated 
at the time of the report, 40,800. Total num- 
ber of pupils enrolled in the Quincy ])ublic 
schools. 5,451; estimated enrollment in priv;tte 
and church schools, 2,775. Total number of 
teachers in the public schools. 115. The total 
cost per pupil in the public schools for tuition 
and incidentials was $14.85. Value of pidilic 
school grounds and sites, $90,000; of buildings. 
$:UO,000 ; value of all public school projjerty. 
.$418,000. The amount appro])i'iated foi' the 
schools by the city council for the year 1904. 
was $95,000. The schools also receive aniuiidly 
a proportion of the state school fund, usuMJiy 
amounting to about $7,000 a year. The report 
estimates the total cash value of all the ta.xable 
property in Quiiu-y at $27,4(35.900. The assessed 
valuation was $5,493,180. 

Following are the present locations of the 
several public school buildings in Quincy, with 
the year in which they were built and the 
cost : Jeft'erson, Fourth and Spring streets, 
ground and building bought by the boai'd of 
education from the Quincy PlnL'lish and (!er- 
man College. Nov. 16, 1875,' for $:30.000 ; release 
of same bought March 6, 1877. for .$:^8(;.40. 
Irving, Payson avenue between Eighth and 
Ninth streets, old building erected in 1864, cost 
$5,400; addition. 1873, $4,000; new hnildinu'. 
1895, $7,670. Berrian, Eighth and Van P.uren 
streets, 1867, $7,200. Washington, Sixth avenue 
North and C!herry street, first building. 1868, 
$7,619; new buikling, 1898, $9,750. Fraiddin. 
Fifth street between York and Kentucky, 1870, 
$33,000. Jackson. Eighth and Vine "streets. 



projierty bought of Wilhii'd Keyes, Sept. 29, 
1866, for $12,000; building destroyed by tor- 
nado in 1875, immediately rebuilt at a cost of 
$6,000. Lincoln (colored). Tenth street be- 
tween Spring and Oak, 1872, .$6,150. Dewey 
(first named Highland). Twenty-first and 
Cherry .streets, tirs't buildinu'. 1889, $4,150; ad- 
ditional building, 1898, $4,332. The change in 
name of this Iniilding w;is in honor of Admiral 
(Jeorge Dewev. ^ladison. Twenty-fifth and 
Maine streets," first building, 1890. "$9.100 ; ad- 
ditional building-, 1898, $9,683. High School, 
Twelfth and Maine streets. 1891, $30,800. The 
High Sciiool was first established in the Cen- 
ter school building, in the old Unitarian church 
building at Sixth and Jersey stieets, Septem- 
ber, 1864. In 1866. the High School was trans- 
feri'ed to the Jackson building, and from there 
to the Franklin. The Adams school building, 
Twentieth and Jeft'erson streets, was erected in 
1891. cost, $7,790. Emei'son, Thirteenth and 
Washington streets, in 1900, cost, .$20,150. The 
Webster, in 1904, cost. $63,000, this being the 
third Webster building. The second build- 
ing was torn down because of question as to 
its safety, owing to vibration at times, but 
examination ])roved it to be stronger than was 
thought foi-. Ill erecting the new structure, 
the school lioaril spai'ed no thought tn- cost to 
make it a model school building. 

Early on the morning of February 16. 1905. 
the Franklin school building was destroyed by 
tire. The insurance, which has been fully paid, 
was $15,500. At a special election held March 
21. following, if was voted to re-build Franklin 
school in Franklin Park, near Fourth between 
State and .Maiden Lane sti'eets. and to issue 
bonds to the amount of $120,000 to rebuild this 
school, to iM( el a new building in place of the 
Berrian school, and an addition to the High 
School building. Plans for these new buildings 
and the addition to the High School have al- 
I'eady been acceiitcd by the Hoard of Education 
and the buildings are exi)ected to l)e ready for 
use the ensiling year. 

In addition to the usual course of studies, 
the public schools of (Quincy include reg\dar 
in.structions in manual training, domestic 
science, nnisic, drawing and nature study. 

The first ]iresident of the (Quincy Hoard of 
Education was Thomas Jasper, who served 
from March 1, 1861, to August 1, 1861, the 
succeeding ])residents and years of service be- 
ing as follows; I. O. Woodruft', 1861-2; Wm. 
.Marsh, 18(52-4; I. O. Woodruff. 1864-6; A. J. 
Lubbe, 1866-7; P. A. (ioodwin, 1867-1872; R. S. 
Benneson, 1872-1886; A. W. Wells. 1886-1893; 
Dr. Joseph Robbins, 1893-7; Cieorge W. Ear- 
hart. 1897-1901; Dickerson McAfee. 1901-3; 
AVilliam H. Collins, 1903. incumbent 1905. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



The first sinxTinteiuleiit iif the city schools 
was Isaac M. Grover, who served from 1847 to 
1850, his successors lieing: C. J. Swartwout, 
1S50-1 : John :Murphy, 1851-1! : Warren A. Reed, 
l.sr)i2-4: John Murphy. 1854-6: Hope S. Davis, 
1S56-8: N. T. Lane, 1858-9: B. B. Wentworth, 
1859-60; Hope S. Davis, 1860-4; A. W. Blakes- 
ley, 1864-5; J. W. Brown, 1865-6; W. G. Ewing, 
1866-7 ; James Lowe, 1867-9 ; J. W. Browni, 
1869-71; T. W. Macfall, 1871-1897; A. A. See- 
horn, 1897-1901 ; F. G. Ertel, 1901-8 ; David B. 
Ivawlins, 1903, incum])ent 1905. 

The first principal of tlie Quincy High School 
was A. W. Starkev, the sueeeedinsi' principals 
heing: H. A. Farwell, C. C. Robbins, Rev. 
Wni. B. Corbyn, D. D., W. F. (Jeiger, David B 
Rawlins. J. E. Pearson, and V. K. Froida. the 
latter being the principal at this time, 1905. 
The position of assistant principal, created 
by the .school board last year, is filled by A. 
M. Simons. The growing popularity and in- 
creased patronage of the High School has 
crowded the present building so as to make 
additional I'oom an imperative necessity, and 
steps to that end are now being planned. 

These are the present members of the Quincy 
Board of Education: William II. Collins, presi- 
dent : F'rank A. Lubbe. clerk ; Homer M. Swope, 
Otto Linz, J. W. Gardner, John T. Inghi'am, 
Henry L. Whipple. 

The numei'ous church and pi'ivate schools 
thi'oughout the city are of excellent standard 
and aggregate 2,700 pupils. 

The following very carefully prepared ar- 
ticle shows the excellent status of Quincy 's 
schools at this period — 1905. 

THE RELATIVE STANDING OF QULXCYS 
PUBLIC SCIK^OLS. 

By David B. Rawlins. City Su]ierintt'iident of 
Schools. 

So many different elements enter into the 
composition of a school system that cannot be 
gauged except by long and close observation, 
that any statement of the relative merits of 
two or more systems is subject to much quali- 
fication. Then too, the judgment of one person 
MS to what constitutes a good school system 
may differ widely from that of another. Hence 
it is imi)ossible foi' me to make final statement 
as to the relative merits of our schools and I 
must content myself by comparing as best I 
can some of the more important features of 
our school system with those of others. 

In making this comparison a few cities, some 
larger and some smaller than Quincy. have 
been selected. These cities are for the most 
part in or near Illinois and all of them are said 
to have good schools. Prom these statistics 



and other data have been collected showing 
the condition of their schools and the progress 
they are making along the line of modern edu- 
cation. A tabulated statement of this material 
is given herewith and the reader can in a meas- 
ure draw his own conclusion as to the rela- 
tive standing of our schools. 

Without exception in all these cities the 
branches required for a second grade certificate 
— reading, writing, spelling, arithmetic, geog- 
raphy, V. S. history, grammar and physiology — 
form the basis for the elementary course of 
study. In most of them there is work in music, 
drawing and nature study, and in .some of 
them is foiuul a full course in manual training 
and domestic science. These special subjects, 
with the exception of manual training and 
domestic science, are taught in nearly evei'y 
school by the regular teachers under the direc- 
tion of a supervisor. Special teachers are em- 
ployed to teach manual training and domestic 
science. Our own course of study does not 
suffer when eonqiared with that of the school 
systems under consideration, but on the coii- 
trary stands near the top of the list. 

.\'o other element in a school system is of 
such great importance as the teaching force. 
The teacher makes or mars the school as she 
(or he) is efficient or inefficient. However a 
just comparison of the teaching forces of dif- 
fei-ent cities cannot be made because one can 
only judge by seeing a teacher at work. 

The tendency at the present time is toward 
normal trained teachers and while this is a 
decidedly wise and rational tendency, it does 
not follow that all normal trained teachers 
ai-e successful, nor that teachers who have not 
had such training are not good. As a matter 
of fact some of the best teachers here and else- 
where have never had normal training and 
some of the completest failures I have ever 
known have been normal trained. The table 
shows the percentage of normal trained teach- 
ei-s in the schools compared, the number of 
l)upils per teacher, the salaiy ])air teachers and 
the requirements as to professional study. Our 
rank as to specially ti'ained teachers is below 
the average. A comparison of salaries cannot 
be made without taking into consideration the 
cost of living expenses in the different cities. 
This is not possible. 

Another element which has much to do with 
the efficiency of a school system is the manner 
of its administration. The most approved plan, 
and the one most in vogue, places the school 
under control of a board of education. This 
board elects a sujierintendent who is made re- 
sponsible for the management of the schools 
and is given authority commensurate with this 
responsibility. The superintendent recommends 



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PAST AND PRESENT OF ADA:\IS COUNTY. 



203 



or nominates tor ap])ointiiient all teachers and 
is held resi)onsihle for their work. This plan 
centralizes authority and makes elBcieut work 
l)ossihle. [n plai-inu' the responsibility for the 
apjiointmeiit of teachers upon the superintend- 
ent oui' board of edueatioii has taken a long 
step toward making the schools efficient. The 
table shows the responsibility of the superin- 
tendent in this respect in other cities. 

The rank and standing- of Qnincy boys and 
girls who have become students in higher in- 
stitutions of learning is suflficient to prove the 
efficiency of the work done in our High School 
as well as in our elementary schools. 

In concluding I Mish to say that in my .judg- 
ment the schools of Qnincy may be classed 
with the best in the state. They are not ideal, 
but on the contiai'y have many shortcomings. 
Time and hard work will remove some of the 
defects. In the work of administering and im- 
proving the efficiency of a school system there 
is no end. Constantly changes and improve- 
ments must be made to meet ever changing 
conditions and new needs of the people. Hence 
we must not be satisfied, but must be con- 
stantly at woi'k managing onr schools better. 

FolliiAving is the table of compai'ismis : 

THE COLLEGES. ETC. 

The collegiate and academical institutions of 
the city are such as to reflect notable credit. 

The Gem City Business College was founded 
in 1870. in the old Benneson building. The pres- 
ent college building, on the southwest corner 
of Seventh and Hampshire streets, was erected 
in 1S92, the cost being $100,000. The enroll- 
ment in the college is 1,460. of whom 1.100 
are boys. There are twenty teachers. The in- 
stitution was incorporated in 1893, the capital 
stock being $75,000. Professor I). L. ]\Inssel- 
man. the founder, is president, and D. L. ]\Ius- 
selman. Jr., secretary and treasurer. 

The National Business College and School of 
Correspondence, located at Fourth and Maine 
streets, in the Newcomb block, was established 
in 1896. It is incorporated, the capital stock 
being $75,000. Professor L. B. ilcKenna is 
president : J. W, ( "assidy. ti-easurer : F. E. 
Chaffee, secretary, and J. R. Hutchinson, man- 
auer. There are eighteen teachers. The en- 
rollment in tlie day school is 300. of whom 
three-tifths ai-e Ixiys. The enrollment in the 
night school is I'io, and in the School of Cor- 
respondence, 3.500. 

St. Francis Solamis College, at Eighteentli 
and Vine streets, was established in 1860. The 
institution is under the direction of the 
Franciscan Fathers of the Province of the 
Sacred Heart of Jesus. It was chartered in 
1873. The building cost $150,000. The lastest 



addition to the building was in 1898. There 
are seventeen instructors and 200 students. 
The very Rev. P. Hugoline is president of the 
board of trustees, the very Rev. P. Anselm 
^lueller, treasurer, and the Rev, P. Fortunatus 
Hausser, secretary. 

St. I\Iary's Institute, conducted by the School 
Sisters of Notre Dame is located at 301 to 317 
North Eighth street. It was established in 
1867 and chartered in 1873. The institution 
is nnder the spii'itual direction of the Francis- 
can Fathers. Its curriculum covers useful and 
ornamental branches of ai-t and sciences suit- 
able for young ladies. 

Chaddock Boys' School, conducted by the 
ilethodist Episcopal Deaconesses, Miss Eleanor 
Tobie, principal, at Xo. 1121 State street, 
in the Governor Wood mansion, was estab- 
lished September 1. 1900. There are sixteen 
instructors. The enroilment of pupils is 125. 
The property is now free fnnn debt, the pres- 
ent management having raised sufficient funds 
with which to pay $25,000 indebtedness. The 
property belongs to the Illinois conference 
district. The Wood mansion was bought and 
occupied in 1875 by Johnson College, previous- 
ly the Quincy English and German College, 
which was organized in 1853. The name was 
changed to Johnson College in 1874. the 
Quincy English and German College and the 
Johnson College, the latter of Macon, .Mo., be- 
ing merged. The college paid $40,000 for the 
Wood mansion. In 1876. Charles Chaddock 
irave the in.stitution $24,000, on which the col- 
lege was given his name. In later years the 
institiition became financially eml)arrassed. the 
educational feature lapsed and the property 
finally passed to its present admirable use. 

QFINCY'S LIBRARY RECORD. 
Q\iincy"s library history began when the 
city was but sixteen years old. The tirst steps 
toward forming a library were taken in March. 
1841. in one of the offices in the old court- 
house, which stood on the east side of Wash- 
ington park. Of the officers and committees 
elected at that meeting, "Sir. Lorenzo Bull is the 
f)nly surviving person yet living in Quincy. 
The period when the movement was begun, was 
one of great general depression in Illinois, 
owing to the peculiar financial difficulties then 
existing, and the movement necessarily had 
much discouragement to overcome, for. meas- 
ured by the standards of today, all engaged in 
it were poor. They began by contributing 
five dollars worth of stock each, and all the 
books each could collect, which aggregated 
some 700 volumes at the end of the first year. 
From some years, the only source of income 
for the library was from lectures by citizens. 



204 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



One lecture on magnetism and telegraphy, was 
tlelivered soon after 18-1:4 by the Rev. George 
P. Giddings, then rector of the Episcopalian 
church. At the close of the lecture, by previous 
announcement, ilr. Lorenzo Bull and -Mr. An- 
drew Johnson, the latter a law partner of Hon. 
Archibald Williams, gave a practical demon- 
stration of the telegraph, using apparatus 
which had been left by a stranded lecturer. 
This was tlic liegiiuiing of telegraphy in 
(^uincy. 

iVboul this time Mrs. Sarah Denman en- 
tlowed the library with $5,000, which the man- 
agement increased to $15,000. The institu- 
tion continued to enjoy the income from this 
fund till the change leading to the present 
free iiublic library and reading room. That 
change grew out of a proposal by the Quincy 
Lil)rary definitely decided on at a meeting of 
the stockholders', JIarch 14, 1887. At that 
meeting the report of the executive committee, 
consisting of Joseph Lyman, Mrs. J. R. Dayton, 
Lorenzo Bull, F. W. Meyer, J. N. Sprigg, 
Charles H. Bull and C. F. Perry, was presented 
and adopted. The jiroposal was that the li- 
brary use its funds to buy ground, and build 
and ecpiip a suitable permanent building for a 
Free Public Library and Reading Room, if the 
city would agree by ordinance to appropriate 
not le.ss than $5,000 annually toward the main- 
tenance of the institution. The city promptly 
accepted the ])roposition, which was set forth 
in oi'dinance .\o. 60, which was approved June 
22, 1887, by J. M. Bishop, mayor. At the time 
of the transfer the Quiuey Library was owned 
by about 100 persons and its benefits limited to 
about 'M)ii persons out of a population of about 
35.(1(10. It was estimated that the property 
to be turned over t(^ the city, including the 
lot to be bought, would amount to about $25.- 
000. But through the unexpected generosity 
of citizens who approved the movement, the 
lot at tiic southwest corner of Fourth and 
.Maine sti'eets, on which th? library now stands, 
was bought and donated to the institution at a 
cost of over $12,000, and other citizens con- 
tributed to the building fund, so that the value 
of the property transferred was over $40,000. 
The private library had about 5.000 volumes at 
that time, which were turned over to the new 
library. The corner stone of the Free Public 
Librai-y and T\eading Room was laid with im- 
])osing ceremonies, the afternoon of May 31, 
1888. Mr. Lorenzo Bull was the chief speaker, 
and from his historical revie^v most of the fore- 
going facts are taken. The building was opened 
as a Free Public Library and Reading Room, 
June 24, 1889. The Historical Societv Room, 
second floor, was founded July 28, 1896. The 
Ti-aveling School Librai-v, a gift of the 



Women's Clubs, was donated Feb. 13, 1899. The 
total number of volumes in the library May 
31, 1904, was 29,709. The average daily at- 
tendance in the Reading Room for that year 
was 165. The total number of readers for that 
year, was 57,569. The receipts for the year 
ending June 9, 1904. were $6,971, the disburse- 
ments being about $200 less. Such has been the 
management of the institution that its growth, 
popularity and usefulness have been rapid and 
highly gratifying. During the recent years, the 
increase in jiatronage has been so large as to 
elicit much comment. Additional room will 
soon be a necessity. Mr. Charles Henry Bull 
has been president of the board of directors 
from the beginning. Following are the terms 
of the successive librai-ians: Arthur W. Tyler, 
1889-1892: James Gallaher, 1S92-4; Miss 
Martha Pilger, acting librarian. .March 1894 to 
August 1894: John (J. Moulton, 1894-8: Miss 
Elizabeth B. Wales, 1898-1902: Miss Margaret 
Ringier, 1902, incumbent 1905. 

Following are the present officers and direc- 
toi's of the Free Public Library and Reading 
Room: Charles Henry Bull, president: Dr. 
J. B. Shawgo, vice president : Louisa !M. Rob- 
l)ins, secretary: Herman lleidbreder, treasui'er. 
The officers togethei- with ]\Irs. Anna S. Woods, 
.Mrs. Constance E. Ellis, Rev. John P. Brennan, 
Wni. (t. Peigenspau and Homer M. Swope c(un- 
prise the directors. 

MrSlC.VL INSTITUTIONS. 

(^luiucy has alw.iys had an excellent supply 
of musical talent, for the purpose of developing 
which many organizations and institutions have 
existed at various times. The Qiuney Conserva- 
tory of Music, now located at the southwest 
corner of P^ourth and Jersey streets, was 
fou.ndetl as a private school. Nov. 25, 1885, by 
II. Bretherick, whose interests were bought by 
a stoid\ company, which was incorporated in 
1S91. Carl A. Heinzen was the first director, 
the succeeding directors being H. H. Hunt, 
Waltei- Spry, (i. W. Chadwick and H. D. Jack- 
son, the latter having owned and conducted 
the Conservatory since 1902. The Felt-Turner 
Studio of .Music, located at No. •)17 1-3 Hamp- 
shire street, in the Schott building, was estalD- 
lished in June, 1903, by the :\Iisses Lulu M. 
Felt and Sally E. Turner. There are also a 
number of excellent private music teachers in 
the city. 

SOCIAL (»K(iANlZATI()NS. 

(^)uincy is M^ell supplied with oi-ganizations 
c(|uipiH'd and founded for social purposes. 
Among the most prominent of these, which 
have their own club rooms or rooms for club 
purposes and social gatherings, may be men- 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



205 



tioiieil the (.^iiiia-y Country Clul). the Elks, the 
Osaukees, the Social Club of St. Bouiface 
( 'hureh, and the Masons. 

The Quiufj' Countiy Club was organized in 
tlie spring of 181)!). and is located on Twenty- 
foui'th street a shoi't distance south of State 
street. The urdiiiids are several acres in ex- 
tent, on which are located the club house, 
golf links, tenuis courts and bowling alleys. 
The golf liidvs have nine holes and are of the 
tinest in the- whole country. The club house 
was luiilt by the Coinitry Club House Com- 
pany, caijitalized at $6,000, and is perfect in all 
its appointments, which include card rooms, a 
kitchen, parlors and a large ball room. South 
of the club house is a large well shaded porch 
overlooking the golf links and the surrounding 
ccuuitry, from which point members and their 
IViends who do not like to play golf, may watch 
the others. The present officers of the club are : 
Diekerson jMcAfee, president ; Thomas Burrows, 
treasurer, and L. E. Emmons, Jr., secretai-y. 

Quiney Lodge 100, Benevolent and Protect- 
ive Order of Elks, was organized June 2H. 
1901, the leaders in the movement including 
Dr. R. A. Gardner. A. M. Suhler. Geo. H. Dash- 
wood and others. The lodge now has 230 
members. The present principal officers are : 
Dr. J. H. Rice, exalted ruler; W. E. Kendall, 
esteemed leading knight ; J. H. Connelly, es- 
teemed loyal knight : J. ]\[. Hymen, esteemed 
lecturing knight ; Dr. F. E. Tull, secretary ; B. 
F. Porter, treasurer. The Elks recently leased 
new rooms in the building on the southwest 
corner of Sixth avenue and Maine sti'eet, which 
they will occupy about September 1st. These 
rooms are to be fitted up as billiard room, 
reading room, lounging room and ample lodge 
rooms. 

The Osaukees are a local organization, in its 
fifth year. They have a membership limited to 
thirty, which number comprises many of the 
young business and professional men of the 
city. Their club rooms are centrally located 
in the Schott building on Hampshire street 
between Si.xth and Seventh streets. This or- 
ganization, which was founded for social pur- 
poses, chiefly, have given entertainments that 
have been among the most succe.ssfid ever 
undertaken in the city. Their parlors are 
well furnished and arranged for club purposes. 
Their officers are : Fred Reed, president : D. 
L. Musselman, Jr., secretary, and Joseph C. 
Ivins, treasurer. 

St. Boniface Social Club was organized Jan- 
uary, 1905, among the young men members of 
St. Boniface Church. They occupy their own 
building on Eighth .street between Maine and 
Hampshire streets, and it has the distinction 
of being the only Quiney club which occupies 



exclusively its own building in the down town 
district. This club is well equipped with every- 
thing needed for the recreation and social ad- 
vantage of its members, being one of the finest 
in the city. Its officers are: President, Ed- 
ward Sohm; secretary, Frank Weisenhorn : 
treasurer. Joseph J. Fisher. 

The several orders of the Masons in Quiney 
occupy large beautiful parlors and lodge rooms 
on ]\Iaine street, just west of those to be oc- 
cupied by the Elks. On the second floor are the 
ladies" parlors, billiard and reading rooms; on 
the third floor are the lodge rooms, which upon 
nights of social meetings may be turned into 
large card rooms, ball rooms or parlors. The 
dining room and kitchen are located on the 
fourth floor, and here the refreshments are 
served to members and their invited guests. 
These rooms were first built in 1899 and have 
since been refitted and improvements made 
until they are a source of pride to the mem- 
bers. The Board of Control of the i\Iasonic 
Parlors are: John T. Inghram, Robert A. 
Kiefer, S. A. Lee. E. G. Homer. Dr. J. H. Rice, 
Wilton C. White and Charles Oehlmann. 



CHAPTER XLI. 



QUINCY'S CHI'RCHES — GKNER.4I> IXF( )RM,\TION 
.\BOUT THE V.\RIOl'.'-; DEXOMIN.AT ll )X.S IN 
THE CITY — WHEX THEY ORKUXAT 10 1 1— COST 
OF BUILDINGS— .SrCCE.S.SIVE I'ASTdRS, ETC. 

THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. 

In 1828 Rev. Jabez Porter, of Massachusetts, 
came to Quiney in search of health. He taught 
a small school in the log courthouse at the 
southeast corner of the public square. Here 
he organized a Sunday School and called the 
people together for Sunday services. His 
health rapidly declined, and towards the close 
of the year 1829 he died, and his body was 
buried in Jefferson Square. November, 1830, 
Rev. Asa Turner, Jr., of Templeton, Mass., 
came to Quiney, as a missionary of the Amei'i- 
ean Home Missionary Society. Under his 
agency the first church of any name organized 
in Quiney. was formed, consisting of the fol- 
lowing members, viz : Amos Bancroft, Adelia 
Bancroft, Rufus Brown, Nancy Brown, Peter 
Felt. Mary Felt. Henry IT. Snow, Lucy K. 
Snow, Levi Wells, Anna Wells, Maria Robbins, 
^Margaret Rose, Martha Turner, Daniel Hender- 
son, and Hans Patten. This band of fifteen 
took the covenant of an organized Christian 
fellowship on Saturday afternoon, December 
4, 1830, in the log house of Peter Felt at the 



2o6 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



•southwest coi-iii r ot ^Maine and Fourth streets. 
At first they called the ehurch Presbyterian. 
becau.se, as llr. Turner .said: "We knew no 
better," but Oetober ID, 1833, they changed 
the name, by a iiiianiiiious vote, in harmony 
with their actual polily, and were afterwards 
known as The First Congregational Church. 

Worshipping by turns in the private resi- 
dence of Rufu.s Hi'own, and in the log court- 
house, they rejoicetl at the end of the first year 
to lind themselves in iiossession of a room twen- 
ty feet square. (i\-i'r the residence of hevi 
Wells, at till' southwest corner of i\Iaiiie and 
Fifth .streets. Soon finding them.selves too 
closely confined within these narrow walls, 
they built a chapel '.'•Jxl'li feet on Fourth 
street, betwen Maine and -lersey. The I'ccoi-ds 
call it a "Meeting Ilonse." but it was c(nn- 
mouly knov,-n as "The Lord's Barn." The 
seats and pulpit Avere of planed boards. The 
bell, earned and paid for by the needle work 
and enterprise of the women, was suspended in 
the rear of the church on two poles, and the 
bell rope entered the house through a hole in 
the wall. Here, until some time in 1838. a 
little more than seven years, ^[r. Tui-nei' 
, labored, gathering into the chuieh two hundred 
and forty-four [)ei'sons. This large increase was 
partly due to the frec(uent protracted meetings, 
held on the eam]i gi'cnnid of ten acres, oAvned 
liy the ehnrcli. 

In April, 1S4(), Uev. Iloi'atio Foote entered 
here on his pastoi-al A\-oi'k. Sixty-nine persons 
were added to the eliurcli dui'ing the year 
1840, and during the se\-en and one-half years 
of Mr. Foote's ministi-y. one hundred and sev- 
enty-three Avere received to the church. 

ileanwhile the church had outgi'own its fii-st 
"fleeting House." and on the tir.st day of 
March. 18-12. a second house, at the corner 
of Fifth and .lersey streets, was dedicated. 

June 8, 1847. canu- a separation. A part 
of the church with the pastcir withdrew, or- 
ganized a society known as the Center Con- 
gregational Clinreh. and built a house of wor- 
ship at the coi'ncr of Jersey and Foui-fh sti'eets.. 
After a seiiaration of tAventy-tAVo A-ears. the 
church Avas I'ennited ^March ti, ISIil), under the 
name of The First Union Congregation;d 
Church. It was decided to sell both of the 
old church liuildings, and to erect a more 
commodious house of Avorshii) in another ]mrt 
of the city. A lot Avas ])in'chased at the corner 
of Maine and TAvelfth sti'eets. and the present 
church building Avas erected at a total cost 
(for lot and edifice) of s{;l)3,l)()(). The chapel Avas 
first occupied January IDth. 1873. and the main 
edifice October 18th," 1874. 

The successive pastors have lieen as folloAvs: 
Rev. Asa Turner, 1830-1838; Rev. Horatio 



Foote, 1840-1847. ( tf the Fii'st ('(Uigregational 
Churcdi— Revs. Hollni .Mears. lS47-18ry2: S. 
Hopkins Emery, 1855-18(5!). Of the Centeil 
Congregational Church — Revs. Horatio Foote, 
1847-1861; Norman A. Millard, 1862-1864; Levi 
F. Waldo, 1866-1868; Samuel R. Dimmoek, 
1868-1869. Of the First Union Congregational 
Church — Revs. Samuel R. Dimmoek, 1869-1871; 
jjysandei- Di(d\ernuni, 1872-1874; EdAvard An- 
dei-son, 1874-1881; Frederick A. Thayer, 1882- 
1883; S. H. Dana, 1883-1903. Rev. James Rob- 
ert Smith, the present pastor, took (dnirge in 
19(13. 

The facts contained in the I'oreuding sketch 
Wfvi' obtained from the chui.di's in;iinnd. which 
was obtained from ('apt. \V. II. (lay, who was 
clerk <if thi' I'hni'cb for twelve years. 

THE VERMONT STREET M. K. CHURCH. 

The first Methodist class was organized in 
Quiney in 1831, and cojitinued to hold meet- 
ings till the spring of 1833. Aviien the (diolera 
pravailed in Quincy and nearly broke up the 
(dass. There Avas no class-meeting oi-ganization 
until June. 1835. Avhen the (dass was I'eorgan- 
ized. The tirst class was organized by Rev. 
Spencer W. lluntei-. who had been appointed 
in the fall of 1830 to the Atlas Cireiiit. which 
included everything from the niniitli of the 
Illinois River to Cant(.)n in Fulton County. 
In the fall of 1832 Quiney was made a cii-cuit. 
and supplied by Rev. David !>. Carter. In 
1834 Rev. James Hadley Avas sent to the (.^nincy 
circuit, and Contiiuied to preacdi in toAvn once 
in tAvo oi- thi'ee Aveeks during the yeai'. The 
old log courthouse. Avhi(di stood on the east 
side of the public sipuire. Avas generally used 
as a meeting-house. At the (.'onference of 
1835, Quiney Avas made a mission statiini, and 
Rev. Peter R. Borin Avas appointed to the 
charge, the class then consisting of fifteen mem- 
bers. 

'fhe cotu'thouse Avas burned December 9, 
1835, and services Avere then held in a log cabin 
on Jersey street, near Fifth. The society hoav 
began the erection of the (diiirch biiihling. 
afterwards known as the "Old Fort." located 
on \'erniont street, (ii)posite the present court- 
house, wliei'e the engine house noAv staiuls, and 
the s<uith half of the basement, being a bi'ick 
struct\ire fifty feet square, Avas finished and 
dedicated December 25, 1836. The •■(31d 
Fort"" having ])ecouu^ too small, it Mas sold in 
the sunimer of lS(i5. and the old Kendall Hall, 
on the southwest c(n-ner of .Maine and Si.xth, 
was used as a place of Avorship until destroyed 
by fire in June, 1867. Services were then held 
at the old college, noAV Jefferson School. The 
society bought the present churidi lot in 1865, 
and moved the old M. P. Church, Avhich stood 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



207 



on Broadway near Sixth, oii it. enlai-iiinjj- and 
tixinu' it up se'iei'^iHy- 'i'"! on Novendjer 17, 
18(i7, it Avas formally dedicated. 

This huildinu' was sold in 187;") and the pres- 
ent strnetnre hettun, AYhile it was huilding. 
the society worshipped in the old Westminster 
Presbyterian Church on Hampshire street, be- 
tween ninth and tenth, where the Tnrner Hall 
now stands. The lower room was dedicated 
on the first Sunday in 1877, and the upper 
story finished and the church re-dedicated on 
November 25, 1888. The whole cost of the 
church was a little over $65,000. 

The society first appears in the Conference 
minutes as Vermont Street in 1855. The fol- 
lowing is a list of its pastors: 

ATLAS AND QUINCY CIRCUITS. 

1830-31— Spencer W. Hunter. 
1832-33— David B. Carter. 
1834 — Tames I lad ley. 

CiiriNCY STATION. 

1835-36— Peter R, Borin, 

1837 — Richard Hanev. 

1838— William II. Window. 

1839-40— Chauncev Ilobart. 

1841-42— Richard Haney. 

1843-44 — Jonathan Stamper, li/o years. 

1845 — Wm. J. Rutledge, lo year. 

1845 — George Rutledge. 

1846 — John P. Richmond. 

1847-48 — John Van Cleve. 

1849 — James Leaton. 

1850— William J. Rutledge. 

1851— Jlilo Butler. 

1852-53— Levi C. Pitner. 

1854— Asa S. McCoy. 

VER]\IONT STREET. 

1855 — AVilliam S. Prentice. 
1856-57 — Reuben Andrus. 
1858— Vincent Ridgely. 
1859— Timothy B. Taylor. 
1860-61 — James Leaton. 
1862 — Alexander Semple. 
1863-64 — William Stevenson. 
1865 — Reuben Andrus. 
1866— William H. Webster. 
1867-68— William J. Rutledge. 
1869— Richard N. Davies. 
1870-72— William R. Goodwin. 
1873-75— Henry 0. Hoffman. 
1876-78 — Horace Reed. 
1879-81--J. Prank Stout. 
1882-83— William D. Best. 
1884-85— David Gay. 
1886-89— Alexander C. Byerly. 
1890-92— Chris Galeener," 21.^ vears. 
1893— Theodore B. Hilton, 1 vear. 



1894— Charles 15. Taylor. 

1895-97— (ieorge A. Scott. 

1898-99— John B. Wolfe. 

1900 — Parker Shields, the present pastor. 

THE PRESBYTERIAN (TH'RCll. 

Pollowing a preliminary meeting held De- 
cember 17. 1839, tlie Pirst Presbyterian Church 
of (,)iiini-y was formally organized Sunday, 
January 19. 1840. Vv'ith twenty-two nu^mbers, 
services being held in the old court house. 
Levi Wells, A. il. Hoffman and Philip Skinner 
were the first elders. Rev. Nichols, then of 
Columbus, delivered the first sermon. On Feb- 
ruary 17, 1840, the following trustees were 
elected: Samue! 1'. ('hurch, William A. Wood 
and J. D. Robinsdu. The last named is still 
living and is an officer in the church. A Sun- 
day school was organized at the same time 
that trustees were elected. On ^larch 4. 184(1. 
the congregation called Rev. J. J. ilai-ks of 
Marion county, [Missouri as its first jjastor. 
The ministers and terms of service follow : 
Revs. James J. .Marks, 1840-1865: George I. 
King, 1865-1867 : J. Addison Priest, 1868-1875 : 
Newman Smvthe, 1875-1882; Jolm S. Haves, 
1883-1885: R.' V. Atkiss(m, 1885-1890: John K. 
Black, 1891-1894: John :\I. Linn. 1894-1895: 
Ilenrv T. ^Millei-. 1895-1897; H. R. Marquis, 
1897-1899: Wm, Wylie, 1899-1900; Edwin M. 
Clingan, December 1, 1900, the present pastor. 
The first building was located on the siuith 
side of ]\Iaine, between Sixth and Seventh. 
The present structure was ready for dedica- 
tion when burned in January, 1878. It was 
rebuilt and dedicated November 30, 1879, both 
buildings costing $100,000. The present 
membership is 400, w-ith a total enrollment in 
65 years of 1,625. The Sunday school mem- 
bership is 200. 

The Westminstei- church was organized in 
1853, with about twenty members. The suc- 
cessive pastors were Revs. Wm. ilcCandish, 
Dr. Warre)). Jas. .\. Piper and S. B. Holmes. 
In 1875 the chnrrli was reunited with the Pirst 
Presbyterian chMrch, to which the church 
])roiiei'ty rm-erted. 

THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. 

The Pii'st Christian Church (Disciples of 
Christ) was organized in Quincy in October, 
1850, with twentv-eight charter members, only 
one of whom. A." O. Leavell, 1222 North Pifth 
sti'eet, survives. Por thirteen years the church 
had no resident pastor. In 1863 Rev. A. H. 
Sims entered the pastorate and continiu'd his 
ministry for three years or shortly prior to his 
decease. He has been followed by the Revs, 
li.'lshea. I). R. Howe, J. H. JlcCulhumh. H. D. 
Clarke, J. T. Toof, J. B. Mayfield, P. N. Cal- 



2o8 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



vin, C. B. Edgar, .]. ^\. (ioodwin. J. II. Rudy, 
L. H. Stine, W. W. Burks and W. Jordan, the 
latter being the present pastor. The pastorate 
of Rev. J. T. Toof was the longest, covering a 
period of nine years. The present membership 
is slightly in excess of (500. 

The present honse of worship at Ninth and 
Broadway was built during the pastorate of 
Rev. D. R. Howe and has a valuation of prob- 
ably $15,000. In addition the society owns the 
Christian Union Chapel, at 25th and High 
streets, built at a cost of $1,300. exclusive of 
the lot, which was donated by M. W. McMas- 
ters. Another donation of two lots on the 
southwest corner of 4th and Locust has re- 
cently been iiiiidc l>y !Mi-s. Emily Bootli Tur- 
ner. 

THE VERMONT STREET BAPTIST 
CHURCH. 

The Vermont Street Baptist church was 
formally organized April 27, 1856, at a meet- 
ing of the Ecclesiastical Council held for that 
purpose in the First Baptist church. The Rev. 
B. B. Carpenter was moderator and the Rev. 
J. A. Smith clerk of the Council, to which 
body some forty-two jiersons presented their 
names for membership in the new church. The 
iirst preliminary meeting by members of the 
First Baptist church, with a view to organiz- 
ing a new church, was held in March, 1855, at 
the residence of the late John Seaman. The 
new church was nameil The Vernnjnt Street 
Baptist Church at a meeting held at the same 
place September 11, 1855. May 27, 1856, the 
church elected its first board of permanent 
officers, namely, the Rev. Horace Wordeii. 
moderator ; J. B. Bernard, clerk, and Elijah 
Gove, treasurer; trustees, Elijah Gove. John 
Seaman, A. C. fjightfiidt and J. C. Bernard. 
The Sunday school \\'as organized September 
29, 1856. The first minister of the church was 
the Rev. Joseph R. Manton, of Clarksville, 
Tenn. The succeeding ministers have been the 
Revs. A. M. Hopper, H. M. Galleher, Frank 
Remington, Thomas Goodspeed, F. D. Rieker- 
son. J. D. Englisli, Leo. :M. Woodruff. W. A. 
Stanton, R. M. Harrison, W. S. Peace, E. A. 
Ince, Rans<im Harvey and the present pastor, 
the Rev. J. W. Kramer, who took charge in 
November, 1904. The church building, lo- 
cated at Seventh and Vermont streets, was 
dedicated Wednesday evening, October 7, 
1857. It cost about .$35.(10(1. The parsonage, 
built in 1868, cost about $4,400, The present 
membership of the chui-ch is aliout 400. This 
church has established two chapels. Spruce 
Street Chapel, at Fifth and Spruce streets, 
was establishd in the spring of 1869. The 
building cost about $1,000. Emanuel Chapel, 



at Twenty-second and Cedar streets, was 
established June 7, 1896. 'i'he building cost 
about $1,5(X). 

THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 

July 4, 1835, a meeting was held, of which 
Ebenezer Turner was chairman and J. T. Os- 
good secretary. The meeting was adjourned 
to August 29th, for the purpose of constitut- 
ing a church, which became the First Baptist 
Church. The ministers present at that meet- 
ing were Revs. John Clark, Alvin Baily and C. 
(ireenleaf. The church consisted of eight 
members. For a time meetings were held in 
the old Saft'ord school house at Fifth and Jer- 
sey streets. August 13, 1836, the church ap- 
plied for admission to the Salem Association. 
April 12, 1837, the church bought a lot on 
Fourth street, between Hampshire and Ver- 
mont, on which a small frame Iniilding was 
erected. March 10, 1838, the Rev. Ezra Fisher 
became pastor. The successive pastors of the 
church have been Revs. E. C. Brown. S. S. 
Parr, Aaron Jackson. W. W. Keep. D. M. 
Whitman, J. V. Schofield, C. E. Bristol. John 
KeJlv, S. A. Taft. A. B. JliUer, W. D. Clark, 
Chas. Whiting, William Waller, W. D. Clark, 
W. P. Everett, C. T. Chaffee, H. H. Branch, J. 
A. Shaw, George Gnirey, R. V. Meigs. April 
14, 1856, thirty-eight members of this church 
withdrew and formed the Vermont Street 
Ba])tist Church. The present building of the 
First Ha])tist church, at the southwest corner 
of Fourth and Jersey streets, was bought in 
the spring of 1869 of the Congregationalists 
for $26,500. Between 900 and 1,000 souls are 
administered to through this church. 

THE UNITARIAN CHURCH. 

Unitarianism first appeared iu tlic I'nited 
States in 1825 — the year in which (^uincy was 
founded — and fifteen years later, or Decem- 
ber 29, 1840, the first Unitarian church was or- 
ganized in Quincy. The church was organ- 
ized within the Second Congregational Society 
of Quincy, which was formed May 31, 1839, 
as a result of meetings held by ilr. Hunting- 
ton, who was jireceded here a few weeks by 
Rev. Wm. G. Elliot of St. Louis, who came here 
early in April and preached in the court house 
Friday evening and Sunday morning. Octo- 
ber. 1840. the first church building was dedi- 
cated. It stood on leased groinid on Maine 
strcM't, between Third and Fourth streets. The 
building and appurtenances cost $1,135. The 
first minister was Rev. George L. Moore, whose 
first sermon was preached the first Sunday in 
December, 1840. Mr. Moore died March 11. 
1847. In 1851 a new church building was 
ci'ccted, at a cost of $2,343. on the south side 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



209 



of Jersey, above Sixth, the ifround costing 
i^lOO. The present chiireh on ]\Iaine street, be- 
tween Sixtli anil Seventh, was erected in 1858. 
and cost about .$18,500. The Sunday school 
room in the rear was built ten years later and 
cost $4,000. Following are the names of the 
successive mini.sters of the church : Revs. 
George L. iloore, Mordecai De Lange, William 
A. Fuller. Liberty Billings. Martin W. Willis. 
Sylvan S. Huntington. Frederick L. Hosmer. 
James Vilas Blake. Francis S. Thatcher, John 
Timis, Charles F. Bradley. Samuel Horner, 
Samuel L. Elberfeld and the present minister. 
Rev. W. Pearson. The present church mem- 
bership is about 150. 

ST. JOHN'S CATHEDRAL. 

St. John's Parish was organized on Easter 
Dav, March 26, 1837, by the Rt. Rev. Philander 
Chase, D. D., Bishop of Illinois. The first 
church building was occupied on Sunday. De- 
cember 31, of the same year. It was a frame 
24x35 feet, and .stood upon Sixth street on the 
corner of the alley between Hampshire and 
Vermont streets. An edifice of stone, on the 
corner of Seventh and Hampshire streets, was 
erected and occupied in 1853. This was en- 
larged in 1868 by the addition of transepts 
and chancel. The chapel in the rear was built 
about the year 1880. The Rev. John Sellwood 
was the first rector in October, 1837. After a 
year he was succeeded by the Rev. James 
Lauug, who remained for eighteen months. 
The Rev. George P. Giddings took charge in 
April. 1841. and served until October. 1856. 
He died in 1861 and is buried in the church lot 
in Woodland Cemetery. The parish was suc- 
cessively served for short tiTues by the Revs. 
Wm. Rudder, Alex. Capron. John H. Egar and 
Henry N. Strong. In 1865 the Rev. Sidney 
Corbett became rector and administered the 
parish for ten years. He was succeeded by 
the Rev. Wm. A. Fiske. and he by the Rev. 
Edward A. Larrabee. 

In 1877, that portion of the Diocese of Illi- 
nois west of the Illinois River and south of 
the counties of Whiteside and Ijee. was set off 
to form the New Diocese of Quiney and the 
Rev. Alexander Burgess was consecrated as 
its first Bishop in 1878. St. John's church 
was then deeded to the Bishop as the Cathe- 
dral Church of the Diocese. The parish or- 
ganization was changed accordingly and the 
pastor of the congregation was made the Dean 
of the Cathedral the Revs. Robert Ritchie 
and C. C. Leman served as such. Bishop Bur- 
gess died October 8, 1901. and was succeeded 
by the Rt. Rev. Frederick W. Taylor. D. D.. 
who died April 26, 1903. The present Bishop 
is the Rt. Rev. M. Edward Faweett, Ph. D., 



who was consecrated January 20, 1904. The 
present Dean is the Very Rev. Walter H. 
Moore, who was appointed by Bishop Burgess 
in August, 1892. The church building has a 
seating capacity of 800; there are about 425 
communicants and the parish ministers to 
about a thousand souls. 

THE FIRST GERMAN M. E. CHURCH. 

The First German ^I. E. Church in Quiney 
was founded in October, 1844, by Rev. Philip 
Barth. who was sent here from St. Louis by 
Rev. Jacobi, presiding elder. The church was 
oi'ganized in March, 1845, with twenty-eight 
members. In July, 1846. the first church 
building was erected at 514 Jersey street. In 
1854 a new church was built on the same site, 
which building is now the uatatorium. In 
1873 the Bethel :\I. E. Church, a branch of the 
First German Church, w-as established at 
Twelfth and Jefferson streets. In 1901, the 
parent church erected the present building at 
p]ighth and Kentucky streets, the cost being 
about $20,000. The 'last of the indebtedne.ss 
of this church was paid oft' in 1905. and Jan- 
uary 22 the fact was made the occasion for a 
jubilee service. Following are the names of 
the successive pastors of the First German M. 
E. Church: Revs. Philip Barth, William 
Schreck, William Herminghauf, Sebastian 
Barth, Philip Barth, Casper Yost, II. F. Hoen- 
ecke. Charles Holtmann. George Boeshenz. 
John Walter. David Hitene. Dr. John Schmidt. 
George L. Jlulfinger, Henry Ellerbeek, David 
riuene. Henry Fiegenbaum, David Heune, 
Henry Ellerbeek, E. C. ^Margaret. George Beuh- 
uer, John Schlagenhauf. ]\I. Roeder. William 
Wilkenning. C. A. C. Areliard. Henry Schutz, 
J. F. Froeschle. Franz Piehler, George Heidel, 
the latter being the present pastor. 

THE GER:\IAN BAPTIST CHURCH. 

ilarch 14, 1853, the First Bapti.st church, by 
H. M. Lewis, clerk, isstied a certificate to 
"Brother and Si-ster F. W. Gladfelt, Brother 
Charles i\Iaertz, Brother Charles West, Brother 
Gotlieb Stengel, and Sister Louisa D. Loos," 
stating that they were members in good stand- 
ing in the First Baptist church, and that, at 
their request, they were dismissed from the 
church, "to unite in organizing a German Bap- 
tist church in Quiney, Illinois." The church 
thus organized is located at Tenth and Wash- 
ington streets, where the building was erected 
in 1873. The names of the various ministers 
of the church are. the Rev. C. Rohs. F. 6. Pet- 
reit. Wm. Liphoerdt. John Kohrs, F. G. Wol- 
ter, G. Transchel and the present pastor, the 
Rev. H. Schroeder. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



SALEM EVANGELICAL CHURCH. 

la April. 1S4S, Kev. Christoph Jung eom- 
Hieuced to hokl tliviiie services at No. 725 
Maine street, Quincy, 111. Soon a number of 
his hearers were willing to form a congrega- 
tion, which they called "The Salem German 
Evangelical Congregation of Quincy, Adams 
County, Illinois." They considered themselves 
as a part of the Evangelical Church, as the 
same is represented by the (Jerman Evangelical 
Synod of North America. 

The members of the young Salem congrega- 
tion were soon allowed to hold their religious 
meetings in the old Congregational Church, 
northwest corner of Fifth and Jersey streets. 
The late Governor Wood donated the north- 
east corner lot of Ninth and State streets for 
the purpose of building thereon the necessary 
house of worship. During the summer of 1848 
a brick building, 36 feet wide and 48 feet long, 
was erected on this lot ; also a small parsonage. 
The total cost of the material for these build- 
ings was about $3,000; the labor was done 
gratuitously by members of the congregation. 
The dedication of the new church occurred 
Thanksgiving Day, 1848. 

The records of the Salem church show that 
the first baptismal took place on the ninth of 
April, 1848, the candidate being John Henry 
Proett. The first marriage occurred on April 
24, 1848, when John Henry Meyer and Miss 
Johanna Burgdorf were joined in the holy 
bonds of matrimony. The first funeral was 
held on May 2, 1848, over the body of Mrs. 
Caroline F. Sehnelle, nee Reitemeyer, deceased, 
wife of Gottlieb D. Sehnelle. 

The first officers of the Salem church were 
Charles Jliehel, president; George Gutaphels, 
secretary: John Schoenemann, treasurer: Wil- 
liam Sciioettger, Frank Kehlenbrink, George 
Ludwig, trustees. 

In the spring of 18.'>2 the first school build- 
ing was erected. In June, 1852, Rev. Chris- 
toph Jung was obliged to resign on account of 
sickness contracted during the cholera epi- 
demic. His successor in the ministry was Rev. 
S. Liese. Mr. A. Heinekamp became teacher 
of the parochial school in September, 1852. 
Four years later the lot adjoining the east line 
of the chui'ch property was bought. In Octo- 
ber. 1857, gas instead of coal oil was used for 
illuminating purposes. On the 16th of June, 
1858, a Sunday school was organized. In May. 
1860, Rev. S. Liese left the congregation and 
took with him all but forty-seven of the vot- 
ing members of the cougregaticui. when Rev. 
Simon Kuhlenhoelter commenced his pastoral 
work, which he pursued for nearly twenty-two 
years up to his death. In May. 1861, the con- 



gregation joined the Evangelical Synod of 
North America. In 1862 a new parsonage was 
built. An addition to the church became nec- 
essary in 1863 for the accommodation of the 
church goers. In 1875 Greenmount Cemetery 
opened its gates for burial of deceased mem- 
bers. During the years 1876 and 1877 the 
present commodious church building, with a 
seating capacity of more than 1,200, was 
erected for the "sum of $50,000. 

On New Year's day, 1882, after a short sick- 
ness. Rev. S. Kidilenhoelter died. Four months 
later Rev. Louis Von Rague became pastor of 
Salem church. In 1885 the pai'sonage was en- 
larged and a steam heating plant was put in 
the school house. 

Early in 1893 Rev. L. Von Rague resigned 
aiul in April Rev. Julius C. Kramer, the present 
pastor, was elected. During this year the par- 
sonage was renovated and State street was 
graded and paved. In May, 1894, a member 
donated the beautiful tower clock with illum- 
inated dials at a cost of over $1,500. During 
the same year the church building and the 
school house were repaired and painted and 
the interior of the church was frescoed and 
beautified at the expense of the Young Ladies' 
Society. In the year 1895 occurred the sewer- 
ing of the whole property, and the separation 
of the stable and outhouses. In July, 1896, the 
new organ, costing $6,000, gift of the good la- 
dies, was dedicated. Over 4,000 souls are min- 
istered to from Salem church. 

ST. JAe'OBI EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN 
CHURCH. 

August 10, 1851, in the old school building 
on Fifth street, between York and Kentucky, 
was the date and place of the beginning of St. 
Jacobi church, whose formal organization fol- 
lowed soon afterward, and in the same year 
was the beginning of the parochial school. The 
first church building, whicli still stands, was 
erected at Seventh and Jersey streets. In 1866 
the present church at Eighth and Washington 
streets was erected at a co.st of ab(nit $15,000. 
The various buildings and realty of the chTirch 
now represent a value of about $50,000. St. 
■lacobi church is notable for the few changes 
in pastors. The Rev. Aiigu.st Schmieding, the 
first pastor, served from 1851 till 1875, when 
he resigned and was succeeded by the Rev. 
Wm. Hallerberg. In 1904 Mr. Hallerberg, 
owing to advanced age and infirmity, resigned 
the first pastorate, on which the congregation 
elected his sou. Rev. Wm. Hallerberg, Jr.. to 
the position, retaining the father as the as- 
sistant. The church now ministers to 2,200 
souls and has 1,300 communicants and 275 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAJMS COUNTY. 



voting male members. The Simday School 
Teachers' Society has thirty-five members — 
there are 400 Sunday school scholars; the Im- 
manuel Young People's Society has seventy- 
two members and the Ladies' Aid Society 140 
members. 

THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH 
OF ST. JOHN. 

This is by far the oldest German Protestant 
church in Quincy, reaching back as far as 
1837. It is located at No. 325 South Seventh 
street. The first pastor was the Rev. Mr. Hun- 
holz, who appears to have been here prior to 
1837, gathering people to form a congregation 
that was to be German and Protestant. The 
second pastor was the Rev. Johann (xumbuU, 
who organized the congregation in 1837 and 
erected the first" church building in 1838. The 
first roll of contributing members in 1838 com- 
prised 102 genuinely (ierman names. About 
January, 1840, the Rev. Carl Ludwig Daubert 
became pastor, but served only till the fall of 
1841. The succeeding pastors have been the 
Revs. Conrad Drude, 1841-42 ; Wilhelm Bauer- 
meister, 1843-45 ; Christoph Jung, 1845-48 ; 
Friederieh Rei.ss. some months; Conral Kuhl, 
1848-50; I. N. Geitz, 18.50-52: James M. Har- 
key. till August. 1855: Christian Popp, 1855- 
6l": Wilhelnr Baumstark, 1861-63 : Jakob Sei- 
del, 1864-74: Louis Hoelter, 1874-78; Albert 
Willner, 1878-92 : Louis Zahn. 1892-1901. May 
26, 1901. ilr. Zahn died of apoplexy while de- 
livering an address at the laying of the corner 
stone of St. Jacobi's school building, at P^ighth 
and Washington .streets. The Rev. Wni. Schal- 
ler, the seventeenth pastor of St. John's church, 
and who is the present pastor, took charge 
November 23. 1901. The church has about 400 
communicants, and ministers to about 800 souls. 

FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST SCIENTIST, 
OF QUINCY, ILL. 

A little band known as Quincy Society of 
Christian Scientists, which was organized June 
30, 1889. and held weekly meetings in a pri- 
vate house, met by appointment, September 
28, 1891, for the purpose of organizing a 
church. The church was duly organized Sep- 
tember 28, 1891. and incorporated under the 
State Law of Illinois as "Quincy Church of 
Christ Scientist," and is a branch of the 
Mother Church, the First Church of Christ, 
Scientist, in Boston, Mass. Mai'tha I. Lambert. 
Georgia Bugbee and John Wood. Jr., were 
elected trustees, eighteen persons signing their 
names as charter members. Janiiary 4, 1896, 
by vote of its members, this name was changed 
to "First Chui-ch of Christ Scientist" of Quin- 



cy, 111. In the beginning of its liistory this 
church organized and has maintained a Sunday 
school. In March, 1900, the church opened a 
Reading Room, in compliance with a by-law of 
the manual of the Mother church, where au- 
tlioi-ized Christian Science literature may be 
read or purchased if desired. This room is 
open daily to the public, except Sunday. 

October 16, 1891, Mrs. Mary B. Hinckley was 
elected pastor and served in "this capacity until 
October, 1892, when she resigned, and Mrs. 
Martha I. Lambert was appointed to conduct 
the services. In 1895 Rev. ilary Baker G. 
Eddy ordained the Bible and "Science and 
Health with Key to the Scriptures," pastor of 
the denomination. Hereafter the services were 
to be conducted by two persons known as 
First and Second Readers. The Christian Sci- 
ence Quarterly contains the Lesson-Sermons, 
which are read at the Sunday services in all 
the Christian Science churches. These lessons 
present citations from the Bible and "Science 
and Health with Key to the Scriptures." The 
First Reader conducts the principal part of the 
Sunday services, and the Wednesday evening 
meetings and reads the correlative texts in 
"Science and Health with Key to the Scrip- 
tures. " ' The Second Reader reads the Bible 
texts. The readings from the Scripture pre- 
cede the reading from Science and Health. 
^Martha I. Lambert was elected as First Reader, 
and John Wood, Jr., as Second Reader for one 
year, and were re-elected for seven consecutive 
years. Then Mr. Wood declined re-election, 
and Cicero Ho.skins was elected Second Reader. 
The latter served two years in this capacity. 
In August, 1901, a call came from Mrs. Eddy 
to all Christian Science churches to elect new 
Readers every three years. At this time both 
Readers resigned, and Mr. Hopkins was ap- 
pointed to fill the unexpired term of the First 
Reader, and Miss Carrie Somerville as Second 
Reader. At the annual meeting in October 
both were elected for three years and are the 
present Readers. The services of this church 
Mere fir.st held in a pi'ivate house, then in Sons 
of Veterans' Hall on Maine street: from here 
they moved to the Newcomb building, corner 
of 4th and IMaine .streets, thence to the south- 
ea.st corner of Eighth and Hampshire streets. 
In October. 1904, they moved to the Hebrew 
Temple, the present place of worship. 

THE LUTHER MEMORIAL CHURCH. 

The Luther ilemorial Church of Quincy, 
111., was organized on July 19, 1891, in a build- 
ing near the corner of Eighth and Maine 
.streets, known as "the old police station." 
There were fifty charter members. The so- 
ciety was organized to supply what many felt 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



to be a much needed addition to the religions 
forces of the city of Quincy, namely, a Luth- 
eran Church, using the English lang-uage. 

Within two years the congregation pur- 
chased the lot at the corner of Twelfth and 
Jersey streets and began the erection of its 
present beautiful edifice, a large, stone church, 
admirably equipped and costing, with the lot, 
about $28,000. The church was completed and 
fully occupied in the spring of 1895, though the 
congregation began to use the chapel, which 
was tii'st completed, about a year earlier. 

During the fourteen .vears of its histoiy the 
church has had but thiee pastors — Rev. D. A. 
Shettler (1891-189(i ), Rev. II. A. Ott (ISOfi- 
1900), and Rev. Edward P. Schueler, present 
incumbent, 1905. The communicant member- 
ship of the church has grown until it now num- 
bers 350. 

The present church ofticcrs are: Elders, 
George M. Lemley, E. M. Thomason, Joseph 
Harvey : Deacons, C. W. Breitweiser, J. L. Pipe, 
Val. J. Kiem, W. H. Purpus. Edward Ilopke 
and John Schmiedeskamp. 

The church maintains an interesting and 
prosperous Sunday school, with an enrollment 
of 280 scholars. The pastor is the superinten- 
dent, and the other ofiicers are: II. II. Crimm, 
secretary; Albert Huseman. assistant secre- 
tary; Miss Agnes Cormeny, treasure)'; and 
IMiss Bertha Ileidbreder, pianist. 

The school is organized into twenty-two 
classes, and is manned b.v a capable corps of 
teachers, the primarv department being in 
charge of Mrs. C. W. Breitweiser. 

Other organizations are The Ladies' Social 
Union, the Luther League, the Forget-me-not 
Society and the Woman's Home and Foreign 
Missionary Societ.v. 

A little monthly parish papei-. the "]\Ioni- 
tor," is published by the pastor, and supplies 
a medium for keeping the members and friends 
of the church informed with regard to the life 
and work of the congregation. 

Though one of the youngest religious (n-gan- 
izations of Quincy, the Luther IMemorial Church 
shows results which full.v .justify the wisdom 
of its institution and the expectation of a fu- 
ture career of great usefulness ami success. 

ST. PETER'S EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN 
CHURCH. 

St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church, 
corner of Ninth and York sti-eets, was built in 
1875. It is early English (Jothic architecture, 
50x100 feet, built of brick and stone and hav- 
ing a slate roof. St. Peter's, with Herman 
Ileidbreder, Herman Breute, Loranz Lepper, 
George Goodapple, Peter ]\Ieyer, Jacob Her- 
man, Bernard Meyer, Henry Beibigheuser. 



George Keller, Nick Herlemaun, Cha:?. Rasche, 
Wm. Korte, Henry Korte, Caspar Voth, and 
others as earnest suppoi-ters, commenced hold- 
ing services in 1860. 

It seems that these men were all members of 
the Salem Evangelical Church, at Ninth and 
State streets, with liev. Simon Liese as their 
pastor. In the spring of 1860, because of dif- 
ferences which arose in the church between the 
congregation and the pastor, about sixty fami- 
lies, with Rev. Liese, separated from the Salem 
Church. They bought the little frame church 
at Eleventh and Vermont streets, and removed 
it to the corner of Ninth and York. It was 
torn down in 1875 to make room for the build- 
ing now there. This latter building cost about 
$14,000. In 1866 the two-story brick school 
house was built for $4,000. In 1889 the present 
parsonage was erected at a cost of $1,600. 
Rev. Simon Liese served twenty-five years as 
pastor of this clnii'ch, and it is owing to him 
chiefly that the chui'cli was able to rise out of 
its difficulties and become the prosperous so- 
ciety it now is. Rev. Liese is .still living in 
this city and his home is on Chestnut and 
Twenty-second streets. 

He was succeeded by George Eisele, who 
served for one and one-half years. W. ]\I. 
Schlinkman took charge in 1837 and has been 
the pastor since that time. There are about 
one hundred and twenty voting members of 
the church — that is, men oidy, over twenty-one 
years of age, but about two hundred families 
are connected with it. 

The St. Peter's Evangelical Church, pa.stors 
;ind congregation, belong to the German Evan- 
gelical Synod of America and now only the 
German lauguaue is used in the services. 

ST. PAUL'S EVANGELICAL CHURCH. 

The St. Paul's Evangelical Congregation was 
organized in April, 1874, by earnest religious 
people of South Qiiincy. Shortly after the or- 
ganization they decided to have their own 
chui'ch projierty, and a house of worship, in 
which to hold their religious meetings. Three 
lots for a building site were obtained from 
^Ir. Berrian. In a meeting of the congrega- 
tion it was decided to build a ehiirch, a par- 
sonage, and a school thereon. The work was 
taken up so cheerfully that the newly organ- 
ized congregation completed its undertaking 
in so short a time that their Innise of worship 
was dedicated that same .vear, September 20, 
1874, the church being 40x60, the school house 
26x32, and the parsonage 32x36, with an addi- 
tion 16x26, containing eight rooms. 

On December 8, 1874, a constitution was 
adopted by the congregation, and was signed 
bv forty members — the families of W. Tie- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



213 



mann. F. AY. Biunger. II. Wulfmeyer. C. Iloe- 
ner, H. Holtman, li. Tenhausen, II. Muegge, 
J. H. Fleer. J. Fleer, Sr., II. Fleer. J. H. Siek- 
mann, H. H. Niekamp, II. II. Goessling, II. 
Jaeobmeyer, H. Iloener. Frank ]\Iueg'ge. Ernest 
Woruing, G. Goetsche, W. "Wittland, Wm. 
Ric-hniiller, G. Hoener, Job Fleer, J. II. Hoener. 
Caspar Vorndann. II. II. Fleer, Peter II. Dau- 
haiis, J. PI. Schumacher. Peter Waechter. H. 
Stockkuke. Henry Paehmoeler. Ilerinau EUer- 
brock, P. H. ]\Iuegge. Edward Oschman. John 
II. Iln.seman. Albert II. Kichtcr. John 11. Tie- 
manu. John D. Brinkmann. C. II. Xiederbrink- 
manu, F. W. Waechter and J. II. Hartling. 

The congregation elected Rev. P. Munzel as 
their first minister. On ai-cunnt of poor health 
he took a trip to (iermany, from whence he 
never returned. 

From 1876 to 1879 the congregation had no 
miui.ster, but was served by the kindness of 
Rev. Konrad and other ministers of the city. 
The Rev. L. G. Nollan was elected in 1879, 
and in 1885 was called to St. Louis to take 
charge of a congregation there. 

The Rev. Nobus was elected by the congre- 
gation and had charge of the congregation fif- 
teen years. 

In 1881 the congregation decided to join the 
Evangelical Synod of North America. The ap- 
plication was accepted and the membership 
sanctioned. In 1901 Rev. Nobns accepted the 
call of a congregation in Washington, ilis- 
souri. The St. PauKs Church then elected the 
Rev. A. Grabowski. Ilis stay was only of a 
short duration, for after ten months' duty he 
accepted a call to the Eden College of St. 
Louis, Mo. 

In 1902 Rev. F. AY. Schnathoi-st of Lincoln. 
111., accepted their call, and he now has charge 
of the congregation. 

In 1902 the congregation raised over .$1,000 
to pay oft' debts, and since then has been pay- 
ing $300 or $400 annually on the indebted- 
ness. In 1904 an addition to the school was 
built, which cost -$1,000. This was raised by 
the Youn.'j- Ladies" and the Ladies" Sewing Cir- 
cles. 

A number of new members have been taken 
into the church, the member.ship at the pres- 
ent tim.e numbering about eighty families. The 
Frauen Verein has over one hundred members. 
the Ladies' Sewing Circle foi-ty-five. and the 
Young Ladies' Society forty members. The 
Sunday school has about two hundred children, 
with twentj'-four teachers in chai'ge. Besides 
the church the congregation maintains a pa- 
rochial school, which is attended by about fifty 
children, and is taught by a competent teacher. 
The names of the successive teaehei's are : 
^Messrs. Wortmann. 1874: Aug. Charle, 1875: 



M. Tasche. 1876; Baltmaii. 1879: Chr. Meier, 
1883; Schenuieh, 1876; L. B. Kopp, 1897; 
Sperber, 1903, and H. C. Pehsenfeld, the 
present teacher. The valuations of the build- 
ings are about .$4,800 for the church. $1,800 
for the school. $2,000 for the parsonage and 
$1,400 for the teacher's house. This does not 
include the furniture in cliurch or school. In 
school and church, Knglish and (Jerman are 
both used. 

THE JEWISH CHURCPI. 

The first church organized by the Jewish 
people of Quincy was formed December 14, 
1856, there being, at that time, twenty-three 
members, ileetings were held for a time on 
Hampshire street, between Fifth and Sixth 
streets. The frame synagogue on Sixth street, 
between Vermont and Broadway, was built in 
1866 and cost, with the lot, $12,700. It was 
dedicated August 3 bv the Rev. Dr. Vivader, 
of New York City, jidy 29, 1872, this society 
united with the congregation of B'nai Shalom. 

This congregation, B'nai Shalom, was fii'st 
organized October 20, 1864, with about twentj-- 
f)ne members. Some of the prominent men of 
that time were Isaac Lesem, Maukerine Jack- 
son, iloses Jacobs, Wolf Joseph, Moses Kings- 
backer, S. Kingsbacker and M. Berger. 

The Rev. ]\Ir. Rauh was the first pastor, and 
for three years services were held in Fisher's 
Hall on Fourth street, near the corner of 
Hampshire. In 1869 the society held services 
for a time in the Old First Baptist Church. 
The ladies held a fair in the fall of 1868. by 
which a considerable amount, to assist in build- 
ing a new church, was realized. In February. 
1869. the lot where the present temple stands 
on Ninth, between Broadway and Spring 
streets, was secured and the work on the build- 
ing was soon afterwards connnenced. On July 
30 the corner stone was laid with Masonic cere- 
monies, the Grand Master of the State, being 
present. The address was delivered by the 
Rev. Dr. I. M. Wise of Cincinnati. The build- 
ing was dedicated September 8. 1870. by the 
Rev. Dr. M. Fluegel, who was the rabbi at that 
time. 

The temple is of brick and stone, after the 
Moorish style of architecture. It is seventy 
feet deep by forty feet wide, and eighty-four 
feet in height. It is estimated that it cost be- 
ween fifteen and sixteen thousand dollars. 

The Rev. Isaac Moses succeeded the first 
rabbi, M. Fluegel. and his successors have been 
V. Caro and E. Eppstein. the pi-esent rabbi, 
who has been here since 1890. 

The Jewish temple is the house of worship 
at the present time of about twenty-eight 
families or about one hundi-ed and twenty 



214 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



souls. The eongregatiiin beldiius to the union 
of American Hebrew congregations, and the 
services are conducted strictly in accordance 
with reform principles. 

THE UNITED BKETIIRKX CHURCH. 

The First Church of the United Brethren in 
Christ was organized about sixteen years ago 
by the following earnest church workers : Rev. 
j'. W. WilLstead, Rev. J. B. King, Rev. Miss 
Nettie Moore, Mrs. N. C. Stone. Mrs. Young, 
H. A. Love and wife, Joshua Bottorf and Avife, 
Chas. Slocum, H. E. Jleyer and wife, Mrs. Lil- 
lie Harner and others. 

These people held their first meetings in a 
little chapel in the east part of the city. This 
little chapel is either torn down or removed. 
As the membership in the little church in- 
creased they felt the need of a larger and more 
modern edifice. It was decided to build on the 
site of their present location. Sixth and Cedar. 

The church was completed and dedicated in 
1895, and is valued at $-1,700. The first pastor 
of the United Brethren C'hureh was Rev. H. T. 
Kline. He was succeeded by the Revs. D. E. 
Baer, L. I. ]\Iorey, P. Merrithew, J. W. Hunter 
and Chas. E. Velauder, the present pastor. 

The church is entirely out of debt, and is in 
a flourishing condition, for it has about one 
hundred members, and is maiinged in such a, 
way as to keep it in good I'lmniug order. 

THE BETHEL CERMAX :\I. E. CLIURCH. 

The Bethel German M. E. Church, formerly 
known as the Bethel Mission Chapel, held its 
first meeting November 1, 1873. 

The organization began with al)out thirty- 
nine members and three probationers that 
came from the first German M. E. Church. 
Among the prominent men in the eai-ly history 
of the church wei'e J. H. Fisher, C. Prante, 
George Hoefling, Carl Mester, J. L. Schrage, 
S. Ryniker and Adam Pick. 

The church, which is situated on Twelfth 
and Jefferson streets, when first put up, cost 
about $3,500. Later an addition, worth $1,500, 
and a parsonage, costing $1,400, were added. 
In 1901 improvements were made to the amount 
of about $1,200, so now the Bethel Church is 
one of the most modci'ii and beautiful in 
Quiney. 

The first minister was J. 11. Thonuis, and the 
siicceeding pastoi-s were Revs. Jacob Feisel, 
Dr. John Schmidt, C. Thalenhort, Philip Nau- 
man, G. Buhner. Wm. Piegenbaum, John Rit- 
ler, H. Ross, 11. Schutz, P. Piehler, G. Enze- 
roth, E. Henke. John C. Rapp, G. Boellner and 
P. Carwell, the present pastor. 

The Bethel :\I. E. Church has a large Sunday 



school and has II. Kampe for superintendent 
and II. Weirather as assistant superintendent. 
Louis Specht is treasurer ; the class leaders 
are the Rev. Phil. Nauman, H. Fischer and 
Louis Specht ; secretary, Oscar Brosi, and the 
librarian is Walter Ryniker. The trustees of 
the church are A. Schroeder, E. Prante, H. 
Bauer, A. Peters, H. Kampe, F. Hoffman, Theo. 
Specht, Heinrieh Schmidt and Adolph Specht. 

GRACE M. E. CHURCH. 

The (Jrace ^1. K. Cliurch. a branch of the 
^'ermont St. ;\f. E. Church, is on the north- 
west corner of Fourth and Innd streets, in the 
building formerly known as Merrick Plall. 

It was formally opened January 1, 1905. It 
has seventy members and a Sunday school of 
about one hinidred and twenty-five scholars. 
Rev. M. D. Tremaine is the pastor of this prom- 
ising little church and entered upon his duties 
soon after the organization. 

The trustees of this church are j\I. S. Orr, 
S. J. Dapper, J. L. Straub, W. T. Dwire and 
F. W. Osborn. The stewards are : S. J. Dap- 
per, W. P. Dellaven, P. S. Beagle, Andrew 
-Maertz, IMrs. Lillie Jacobs and Mrs. P. S. Bea- 
gle ilrs. Lillie Taylor is president of the La- 
dies' Aid Society. John McGinnis is Sunday 
school superintendent and Edith Scultz presi- 
dent of p]p\vorth League. 

BETHEL A. M. E. CHURCH. 

The Bethel A. M. E. Church, on Oak, between 
Ninth and Tenth streets, was organized in 1858 
by Rev. Henry Brown, Messrs. Carr, Foot, 
Bei'ryman, Dickson, Rev. Newson and others. 
It was admitted into the Indiana A. M. E. con- 
ference in 1863. 

The fir.st pastor was Rev. Newson, and he 
was succeeded by the following: Revs. Black, 
(ieo. C. Booth, E. C. Joiner. Mcintosh, J. W. 
Malone. J. W. Eads, J. M. Derrick, W. C. Tra- 
vail. J. B. Dawson. T. W. Henderson, D. D., 
J. ]\r. Turner. N. J. McCracken, A. J. Bui'ton, 
D. D., C. II. Sheen, A. A. Burleiah. IT. I^ackey, 
B. P. Watson, D. D., P. C. Cooper, 11. Simons 
and Wm. H. Giles, D. D. 

This was the first church organized by the 
colored people in Quiney and was formed un- 
der the name of African ilethodisf Episcopal 
( 'liurch. 

^Meetings were first held in a small frame 
building on the corner of Fifth and Jersey 
.streets, but the society Avas small and not very 
prosperous. In 1853 the chui'ch was reorgan- 
ized : soon after the lot where the present 
church is located, was purchased, and a small, 
frame building put up at a cost of aboiit $1,000. 
In 1863, during the pastorate of Rev. Henry 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



215 



Brown of Springfield, au addition was built, 
and the society received a large number of new 
members. A day school was carried on in 
connection with the work of the church. In 
1866 the building was destroyed by fire and 
services were held for a time in the old First 
Baptist Church until the completion of their 
new building. 

The present clmrch is valued at .$16,000, and 
the member,ship numbers about 238. The stew- 
ards of the church are: Robert Payne, Charles 
Anderson, Wm. Haines, Wm. Tate, Albert 
Smith, James Gillun, George JIoss. The trust- 
ees are: J. W. Walker, J. W. I\Ionroe, R. G. 
Monroe, Wesley Perkins, John IMosby, Sam- 
uel Adams and George Webb. 

WEYMAN CHAPEL. 

Weyman Chapel, on Ninth, between Cherry 
and Cedar streets, was organized about twelve 
years ago as a mission of Bethel A. M. E. 
Clmrch. It held its first meetings in the old 
Merrick Hall, now Grace M. E. Church, at the 
corner of Fourth and Lind streets. The min- 
isters, in their order, are : Revs. Jenkins, Tay- 
lor, Thurman, Holmes, Tif¥. Beamon, Edwards, 
P. C. Cheatham, Grey, Thomas and Speese, the 
latter being the present inciimbent, 1905. 

EIGHTH AND ELM STREET BAPTIST 
CHURCH. 

The Eighth and Elm Street Baptist Church 
was first formed by the colored people of 
Quincy in 1865 with fifty-five members. The 
Rev. Henry Closely was their first minister and 
services wei'e held in a building on the corner 
of Maine and Sixth streets, which was also 
used during the war by the Needle Pickets. 
This building was aftei-wards removed. In 
1866 the congregation bought the little church 
on the corner of Jersey and Eighth streets for 
$1,500. This was improved soon after to the 
amount of $800. 

Later, in 1881, the church was removed to 
the present location. The cost of this building 
was about .$5,000. and the present membership 
is about 200. 

The Rev. T. L. Smith is the pastor now, and 
before him, succeeding Henry Mosely, were 
R. M. Dulin, J. W. Hall, Robinson, Davis, Wil- 
lard, R. M. Dulin. J. W. Muse. Carter. J. Cha- 
vis, T. J. DeClelland, J. W. Washington, F. T. 
Walker and W. C. Bowman. 

TENTH STREET BAPTIST CHURCH. 

Tenth Street Baptist Church was organized 
by a pai-t of the members of Eighth and Elm 
Street Church, because of some difficulties in 
the church in 1887, and, like the Weyman Mis- 
sion, held its meetings for some years in ]\Ier- 



rick Hall. The minister, under whom the 
Eighth Street Church was built, was Rev. 
Muse. Later James Thomas took charge, and 
the church was moved to Tenth street, and the 
name is now formally called Tenth Street 
Union Baptist Church. After the Rev. Thomas 
came Revs. J. J. Ijyons, Ed. Wilson, Nichols, 
E. Green, Thompson, Nichols, Bowman, Ward, 
Brown and the present minister, Rev. Miller. 
The church has now a membership of about 
forty, and a prosperous Sabbath School, having • 
about fifty pupils. 



CH.^TER XLII. 
THE CATHOLIC CHURCHES. 

INFLUENCES ON GERMAN IMMIGRATION — THE 
FIRST MISSION — ST. BONIFACE, THE MOTHER 
CHURCH — SKETCH OF OTHER CONGREGATIONS. 

In giving the history of the Catholic churches 
of Quincj^ reliance for guidance will be mainly 
on "The Catholic Church History of Quincy, 
Illinois."' wi'itten by Rev. Theodore Bruener in 
1887, on the occasion of the golden jubilee of 
St. Boniface Church. This history was pub- 
lished in German and is probably the most 
painstaking, accurate and complete treatise on 
any topic of local history ever published. 

The first German settler in Quincy was 
iliehael ilast, an uncle of the well-known 
brothers, Joseph, Casper and John IMast. He 
arrived in America in 1816, then went to Mex- 
ico and came to Quincy in 1829, where he lived 
until his death in 1852. As we have seen else- 
where, when Quincy was incorporated in 1834, 
he became one of the first trustees of the town. 
He served in the Black Hawk war. It was 
largely due to IMr. Mast that the stream of 
German immigration was first directed to 
Quincy. 

Both the English and the (jcrman speaking 
Catholics of Quincy were from 1833 to 1837 
visited periodically by Rev. P. Lefevre, a Bel- 
gian priest, who in late years became Bishop 
of Detroit, Michigan. This missionary had for 
his field of labor the uorthem part of Missouri, 
the western part of Illinois and the southern 
part of Iowa, and as a consequence his visits 
to Quincy were necessarily infrequent. In a 
letter dated July 3, 1834. written by him to 
the Bishop of St. Louis, to which diocese 
Quincy at that time belonged, he stated that 
the Catholic population of Quincy was increas- 
ing rapidly and that it desired very much to 
build a church and to have a resident priest, 
and added that in all western Illinois there was 



2l6 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



uo mission so inipoi'tant and so promising as 
the one at Quincy. In a lettei' of October 6th. 
1836, he again spoke of Quincy, saying that 
the Catholic congregation then consisted of 
from forty to fifty families and that they very 
much desired to build a church and to have a 
resident pastor. lie speaks of a ineeting at 
which five trustees were elected for the rhureli 
to take subscriptions and to supervise the 
building. More than half of this congregation, 
he says, consisted of Germans, and that these 
desired a priest who could preach in German. 
Father Lefevre on his visits to Quincy held 
church services in a carpenter shop, which was 
located on the east side of Fourth street, be- 
tween Maine and Jersey, and which belonged 
to Adam Schmitt. On account of the scarcity 
of priests it was not until 1837 that the Bishoj) 
of St. Louis was able to send a priest to the 
Quincy mission. In .lune of that year Rev. J. 
I. St. Cyr. who was Uic first priest in Chicago, 
was api>oin1cd to the Quincy mission by the 
Bishop of St. Louis. Before he left St. Louis, 
however, to come to Quincy, a Catholic priest. 
Rev. A. F. Brickwedde, arrived unexpectedh* 
directly from (iermany. In consequence of 
this, the Rev. Bi'ickwedde, who could not speak 
English, was sent to serve the German Catho- 
lics of Quincy, and Kev. St. Cyr was sent to 
St. Augustine, which was then in Fulton Coun- 
ty, and was given charge of the English speak- 
ing Catholics of the Quincy mission. It was 
d\ie to this unforseen incident that the Cath- 
olic ehui'ches of Quincy were at the very out- 
set divided into English and German churches. 
Father Bruenei', in his history, says that as a 
result of the arrival of Rev. Brickwedde in 
1837 and of the establishment of the St. Boni- 
face German Catholic church liy him, that 
church became the first German Catholic 
chin*eh on the whole ^lississippi River. The 
eifect of this was, he says, that the existence 
of this church acte(l as a strong magnet to at- 
tract German immiuration to Quincy. Old 
German settlers say thai upon lauding at New- 
Orleans in those early da\s tiiey learned that 
in Quincy thei'c was a (ici-nian Catholic priest 
with a (Ternian ('alholic congregation, and that 
this induced Ihcni to come to this city. To 
this circumstance Fallici- liruemu- attributes 
to a great extent the rapid development of the 
German Catholic element in the city. As we 
have seen in another part of this history, the 
German Lutherans built a clnu'ch and had a 
German-speaking pastoi- in this city as early 
as 1837. and it is oidy reasonable to suppose 
that this fact, likewise, had a strong tendency 
to attract to this city the immigration of these 
German co-religionists. It is thus seen that in 



the hi.story of the city the building and estab- 
lishment of German churches played a very 
important part, and to a very large extent in- 
fluenced and shaped the future of the city. 

ST. BONIFACE CHI'RCII. 

As we have seen, the present St. Boniface 
Church was the first Catholic chnrch that had 
a resident priest. Rev. A. F. Brickwedde, who 
arrived in Quincy in August, 1837. He first 
held church in the second story of a frame 
building, which was then located on the north- 
west corner of Eleventh and Broadway. John 
Wood had diuiated to the congregation a lot 
for a clini'ch. This was situated on Seventh 
sli-ccl. bcU\een York and Kentucky. In 1838 
l^'atlicr iW'ickwedde built on an adjoining lot a 
frame house which served as church and also 
as his residence and as a school. The part of 
this building which served as a church was 
twenty-eight feet long and eighteen feet Avide, 
and in the rear of it were built two small 
rooms that served as school and as priest "s res- 
idence. The priest was the teacher in the 
school. This church almost immediately proved 
too small. As the location was found not to 
be very desirable, the congregation bought, for 
the purpose of erecting a new church, the lot 
im the northwest corner of Seventh and Maine 
streets, on which the St. Boniface chiu'cli now 
stands. 

Upon this lot a new brick church was 
erected in the years 1839 and 1810, having a 
dimension of sixty feet in length by thirty-two 
in width. As the (ierman immigration to 
Quitu'V inci'eased, this church also soon proved 
to lie 1o(i small. As a consequence the present 
St. Pxiiiiface chnrch, which is one hiuidred feet 
in length anil sixty-four feet in width, was 
built in the years 1816 and 1817, The buildiug 
of this' church was a large one f(u- the financial 
ability of tfie eongi'egation, esiiecially in view 
of the gi-eat scarcity of cash money which ex- 
isted tliriin'..;liont the country at that time. We 
liiid that the donations made for the construe- 

ti f the church consisted for the greater 

pai-i in donations of days' laboi' and of ma- 
terial, and that the cash contributed only 
amounted to $1,240. When the clini-cli was fin- 
ished there remained on it only a deht of 
^L.'idO. which demonstrates that the contribu- 
tions in material and labor must have been 
\ery large. In fact, the members of the con- 
gregation not having cash money practically 
constructed the church with their own labor 
and with m;itei'ial furnished by themselves. 
How well the work was done and how excel- 
lent the material <l(iiuited was. is demonstrated 
by the fact that notwithstanding fifty-seven 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



217 



years have past siiu-e the coiiipletion of the 
church, it still stands apparently as strong 
and as durable as it ever was. 

The second pastor of St. Boniface church 
was Rev. Joseph Knenster, who arrived in 
Qnincy in 1850. He built the steeple of the 
church and purchased the melodious chime of 
church bells, which are still in use. He also 
had a church organ built which at that time 
was the largest and best organ in any of the 
surrounding .states and was visited and tested 
by many niTisicians, and, although recon- 
structed, it is still in use. In the year 1856 a 
new school was erected immediately west of 
the church. Father Kuenster died in Quincy, 
September 15, 1857, and was buried in St. 
Boniface cemetery. The next ]>astor.of the 
church was Rev. John Reis, who. however, was 
obliged on account of ill-health to resign in 
1858. He was succeeded by Rev. Herman 
Sehaefermeyer, who was especially active in 
beautifying the interior of the church. Under 
him the two large mural paintings, one on 
each side of the altar, were executed. The 
artist who did this work was William Lam- 
precht, who at the time was the best painter of 
church pictures in America. These paintings 
are real works of art and thei'e is at this time 
nothing in the city that can compare with 
them. Father .Sehaefermeyer spent .$20,000 in 
renovating and embellishing the interior of the 
church. Under his administration the present 
St. Boniface cemetery was established in I860. 
He was a man of much ability and Avas greatly 
beloved by his congregation. In 1860 he be- 
came the vicar general of the diocese. He re- 
mained pastor of the chui'ch till 1872, at which 
time he left for the purpose of joining the 
Franciscan order. He died Jlay 10, 1887, in 
the convent of that order in this city. His 
successor as pastor of the church was Rev. F. 
A. Ostrop. His administration was especially 
notable for the purchase of the half block of 
ground fronting on Hampshire street, between 
Seventh and Eighth streets, and the erection 
of the splendid new school buildings on the 
same. The ground cost $65,000 in 1873. The 
school cost .$51,275. The congregation in the 
meantime had increased so that it then em- 
braced about six hundred families, and the 
number of children attending the school was 
four hundred and sixty. The school was fin- 
ished in 1876. The next pastor of the church 
was Rev. John Jaussen, who served from Sep- 
tember 1, 1877, to December 31, 1879. He was 
the vicar geneial of the diocese and a man of 
considerable ability. He is now the Bishop of 
the diocese at Belleville. 111. His successor was 
the Rev. Theodore Bruener. on whose histor- 
ical work concerning the Catholic churches in 



Quincy we have drawn liberally as already 
stated. Father Bruener was a man of very 
great ability and immediately prior to the call 
to Quincy had been president of a Catholic 
Normal school at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He 
administered the affairs of the congregation 
with great success from December, 1879, until 
Xovend)er, 1887, when he resigned for the 
ptirpose of joining the Franciscan order. He 
died as a member of that order in San Fran- 
cisco, California, a number of years ago. He 
was followed by Rev. IMichael Weis, the pres- 
ent pastor, imder whom the ehiirch has been 
strengthened and develojted in every direction. 
He built the fine new parsonage now in use. 
St. Boniface is the mother church of all the 
Catholic churches in Quincy. As the German 
Catholic population increased, St. Francis con- 
gregation in the eastern part of the city. St. 
Mary's church in the southern part of the city 
and St. John's church in the northwestern part 
of the city, grew out of St. Boniface congrega- 
tion. At the present time the congregation of 
St. Boniface numbers aboixt four hundred fam- 
ilies and one thou.sand four hundred members. 
It conducts its own church school, which has 
three hundred and fifty pupils and seven 
teachers. 

ST. PETER'S CHURCH. 

As we have seen. Rev. J. I. St. Cyr was ap- 
pointed to have charge of the English speak- 
ing Catholics of the Quincy mission in 1837, 
but did not come here to reside, going instead 
to St. Augustine, from which place he visited 
Quincy periodically. His health soon failed, 
however, and on that account he was trans- 
ferred to Kaskaskia. He was succeeded by 
Rev. Hilarius Tucker, who came directly to 
Quincy and resided here. This was in the year 
1839, at which time accordingly the English 
speaking Catholics for the first time had a 
pastor who made his residence in Quincy. The 
Northern Cross railroad was built in 1838 and 
1839. This enterprise brought a large number 
of Irish Catholics who were employed in the 
work to Quincy, and hence the congregation 
received a large increase in a short time. A 
'Sir. Widney, who was a member of the church, 
donated the lot on the southwest corner of 
Eighth and Maine streets, on which the church 
stands. On account of the building of the 
Northern Cross railroad, in which many of the 
niendsers were employed, it became possible for 
Father Tucker to at once begin the building 
of a new brick church in 1839. For this pur- 
pose, before beginning, he had collected .$2,000. 
Before the church was completed, however, 
the Northern Cross railroad became bankrupt 
and all work on that enterprise was tempo- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



rarily abandoned. A.s ;i re.sult of this, many of 
the Irish Catholic men who had been engaged 
in the construction of that railroad left the 
city, and the congregation dwindled down to 
very small dimensions. In 1838 Father Brick- 
wedde states, in an account that he sent to the 
Bishop, that there were about fifty English 
speaking Catholics in Quincy. Consequently, 
when the new arrivals who had been brought 
here by the building of the railroad, left, the 
English speaking church again 1)ecanie numer- 
ically very weak. ]\Iany of those who had sub- 
scribed toward the building could not pay by 
reason of losing their work. The result was 
that the new church was sold. Arrangements 
were made, however, under which the congre- 
gation remained in possession of the same, and 
as the membership gradually increased, the 
church Avas repurchased by the congregation. 
Father Tucker stayed here till November, 1846. 
From this point he supplied many neighboring 
places, such as Versailles, Mt. Sterling, Pitts- 
field and Gilead. lie was succeeded by Rev. 
F. Derwin, who remained until December, 
1848. Rev. Derwin was followed by Rev. Pat- 
rick T. McElhearn. who stayed until October. 
1852. Father ifcElliearn was followed by Rev. 
James Dempsey. who remained pastor of the 
church until Octoljer. 1857, and was succeeded 
by Rev. McElhearn. wlio stayed until January, 
1862. Rev. M. ^McLoughlin served from Jan- 
uary, 1862, until October of that year. The 
next pastor of the church was Rev. Peter I\Ic- 
Girr. He came to Quincy in the fall of 1862, 
and at once began the ener'getic and success- 
ful management of the affairs of the congrega- 
tion, which he continued until his death. Dur- 
ing his lengthy pastoi'ate Father McGirr 
strengthened and developed the church in 
every direction. At the very outset he .started 
a pai'ish school. For this purpose he rented 
the house on the southeast corner of Ninth and 
Maine streets, where he began the school. He 
immediately began the erectioTi of a temporary 
fi'ame school building back of the church in 
1863; the following ycai- ho built the brick 
school building, which is still in use. In 1866 
he purchased a parsonaiii' for $4,000, imme- 
diately west of the cliniTJi. It was situated 
on part of the lot now (iccupicd by the present 
fine parsonage. With tireless energy he pre- 
pared for the building of a new, large and 
beautiful church. This was built in the vear 
1868-69 at a cost of .$70,000. It is the present 
St. Peter's Roman Catliolic church. This 
church is one hundred and fifty feet long, six- 
ty-five feet Avide and has a steeple two hun- 
dred and twelve feet in height, and is an im- 
posing, massive building that promises to stand 
for ages to come. Tlie new church was opened 



January 1, 1870, and at that time more than 
two-thirds of the cost had been raised. In 
1870 Father McGirr purchased the present St. 
Peter's cemetery, located on east Broadway. 
In 1875 he bought for the new church a large 
oi-gan, costing $2,500, and in 1887 he had the 
interior of the church thoroughly renovated 
and decorated. Father McGirr also built the 
fine new parsonage, which is at present used 
by the pastor. His long and successful pas- 
torate of St. Peter's church was only ter- 
minated by liis death, which occurred in 
Quincy, on" March 10, 1893. Father McGirr 
was followed by Rev. John P. Kerr, the pres- 
ent pastor of the church, who arrived in Quin- 
cy May 16, 1893, and has since that time suc- 
cessfully administered the affairs of the con- 
gregation. By him three fine new altars were 
erected and the interior of the chnri'h has been 
in many ways greatly beautified. The chni-ch 
is now lighted by electricity. The congrega- 
tion at present consists of 170 families and 750 
members. The school has 125 pupils and two 
teachers. 

ST. P'RANCIS CHURCH. 

St. Francis congregation was established in 
the year 1859 by the Fathers of the Order of 
St. Francis. Rev. Herman Schaefermeyer, who 
was then pastor of St. Boniface church, found 
that his congregation was becoming too large 
and as he Avas a great admirer of the Francis- 
can Order, it was through his efforts that the 
fathers of that order were induced to come to 
Quincy to take charge of the neAV German con- 
gregation, which was located in the noi'theast- 
ern part of the city. On December 2, 1859, 
Rev. Servatius Altmicks and Brother Honor- 
ions Dopp. members of that order, came to 
Quincy to start the new congregation. At first 
they resided Avith Father Schaefermeyer. As 
it Avas intended that a ncAV high school should 
be established by the order, the building sit- 
uated on the southeast corner of Eighth and 
jMaine streets Avas at first leased for that pui'- 
pose and the school Avas begun in the month 
of December, 1859. In the spring of the fol- 
loAving year the new church, Avhich Avas located 
on the north side of Vine street, betAveen 18th 
and 20th streets, was begun, and by December 
of the same year it Avas completed. During 
the same summer a convent Avas built adjoin- 
ing the ueAV chui'ch. Father Servatitis Altmicks 
Avas the first pastor. He Avas folJoAved, Octo- 
1ier 20, 1862, by Rca'. Ferdinandus Bergemeyer. 
In the A'ear 1864 a school Avas built adjoining 
the convent. On March 10, 1870. Rev. P. Na- 
zarius Kommerscheid Avas appointed as the 
successor of ReA^ Bergemeyer. On September 
4th of the same A'ear the corner stone for a 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



219 



new college, to be under the eliarsi'e of the 
Fathers of the order, was laid. This also ad- 
joined the church. The growth of the congre- 
gation was hindered materially by the fact 
that the land covered by the present Alstyne's 
addition to the city was for many years out 
of the market, which made it impossible for 
any one to purchase lots in the districts lying 
north of Broadway betw^een Twelfth and 
Eighteenth streets, which was known as the 
"Prairie" and was maintained as an open 
common. After this land was subdivided and 
offered for sale, the congregation grew rapidly. 
This made it necessary to build a new church. 
As a consequence, the large substantial new 
church now situated on the northeast corner 
of 18th and Vine streets was begun in the year 
188-t and completed in the year 1886. It is 182 
feet long, the Jiave of the church is 70 feet 
wide, and the transept is 120 feet wide. The 
chui'ch i.s built in the pure Gothic style, and 
its interior decorations are verj- fine. The 
building itself cost $62,000. which price seems 
incredibly .small for the magnificent structiire. 
This is probably accounted for in part by the 
fact that the plans for the structure were made 
by Brother Adrianus "Wewer. a member of the 
order, who also was superintendent of con- 
struction. Brother Adrianus is oue of the very 
best church architects in the country, and to 
him are due the plans under which St. Mary's 
church in this city, and the St. Francis College 
were built. Adjoining this new church the 
Order of St. Francis built a new convent. Rev. 
Xazarius Konnuerscheid remained pastor of 
the congregation until his death, which took 
place in October, 1883. His successor was 
Rev. Andrew Butzkueben. As will be seen, it 
was under his administration that the new 
church and the new convent were built. 
Father Andrew also built the large three-story 
new school building, which is situated on the 
southeast corner of 16th and Vine streets. The 
old school, church and convent were torn down 
and on the place occupied by them the large 
addition to St. Francis Solanus College was 
built, which trebled the capacity of that col- 
lege. Father Andrew still remains the beloved 
pastor of the church. The congregation at this 
time is composed of 550 families and has a 
membership of 2.000. The school has seven 
teachers and 525 pupils. 

ST. :\rARY'S CHITRCH. 

St. ilary's congregation was established in 
the year 1867. when a lot was bought on the 
northeast corner of Seventh and Adams streets 
for the purpose of erecting the new church. 
The corner stone was laid June 7. 1867, and 
the buildiui:' was completed by December. 



Father F. Reinhart. who at that time was the 
assistant prie.st at St. Boniface, had charge of 
the congregation at the time the new church 
was constructed. He made all the preliminary 
collections and supervised the building, and it 
had been the intention that he should become 
the first pastor of the church. His health, 
however, failed, and for that reason he was un- 
able to assume the charge. In December, 1867, 
Rev. Theodore Bruener, to whom we have re- 
peatedly referred above, came to America di- 
rect from Germany and joined the diocese of 
Alton in which Quincy is located. The bishop 
sent him to Quincy to assume the pastorate of 
the new church. Althoiigh the building itself 
was complete and under roof, none of the in- 
terior work had been done at that time. As 
wages during that period were veiy high, the 
building had been very expensive. Interest 
rates were correspondingly high, and the in- 
debtedness of $20,000. which then still rested 
on the congregation, was a serious bui'den. 
Father Bruener, however, with characteristic 
energy, entered upon the new duties he had as- 
sumed, and his efforts were soon crowned 
with success. In the year 1868 he built a two- 
story brick school, which is still in use. In 
the following year he remodeled the entire in- 
terior of the church iu the pure Gothic style 
and had the same decoi-ated in a most artis- 
tic manner. Two new side altars were added 
in 1872. and in 1874 a very beautiful main 
altar was constructed. As a result of all these 
changes the interior of the church became 
probably the most bea^itiful of any church in 
Quincy. During the time that all of these im- 
provements Avere made Father Bruener mate- 
rially reduced the debt of the congregation. 
To the gi-eat regret of the congregation, Father 
Bruener received a call to become the presi- 
dent of the Catholic Normal school of St. 
Francis, Milwaukee county, Wisconsin, which 
was of such a character that he felt it to be 
his duty to accept the same. He left Quincy 
in the spring of 1875 and did not return till 
December 31, 1879. at which time, as we have 
seen. he. by the command of the bishop, as- 
sumed charge of St. Boniface. His successor 
as pastor of St. Mary's was Rev. G. Mirbaeh. 
During his pastorate a new church steeple was 
added to the church and a chime of bells 
l)laced therein. He also built the neat par- 
sonage of the congregation, which is still in 
use. It was finished on June 24. 1884. and cost 
.$4,783. On February 3, 1891, the splendid St. 
Mary's church, which had been built up and 
beautified, as we have seen, in the course of 
many years, was completely destroyed by fire. 
The congregation, however, did not lose cour- 
age, but immediatelv set about building a new 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



ehiireh, which avjis i-imi|)lcte(l in the toUowini;' 
summer at a cost of al)i)iit $40,000. It also was 
of brick. A new or^aii has been added at a 
cost of .$2,500. The new church remains, as 
the old one was, a structure of great interior 
beauty. Father Jlii'liach remained pastor of 
the church until his dcatli, which occurred in 
Quiucy, April -2. ISI).'). His successor was Rev. 
Joseph Locher, who administered to the con- 
gregation until his death, December 10, lli()-t. 
He was followed liy Rev. .loNopli JIaurer, the 
present pastor of the church. The congrega- 
tion now has iTid I'aiiiilics and a membership of 
900. The school has 2r.() pupils and live teach- 
ers. 

ST. .lOil.X'S CHURCH. 

The congregation of St. -John's church was 
established in the year 1880. In that year Rev. 
Joseph Still, who had come from (iermany 
shortly before that time, was called to Quincy 
to assume charuc of the new congregation. 
The tirst building erected was a brick school 
and church, the school rooms being in the fir.st 
story, and the church in the second .story. It 
is situated (ui the cast side of Tenth street be- 
tween Cedar and Spi-uce. The congregation 
has nourished from the very beginning. On 
the 1st of January. 1881, it com|)rised 190 fam- 
ilies, and had ;> debt of only .$3,000. In that 
year the comnioilious parsonage, still in use. 
was built. The first clmrch soon proved to be 
too small to accomniodatc the constantly in- 
creasing congregation. As it, however, was 
evident that St. .lolin's was destined to l)ec<nne 
one of the stroimi'sl (Ici'man congregations in 
the city, it was deemed dcsii-able that the new 
church to be built should in size and beauty be 
commensurate with the future demands. 
Father Still is extrenud\- I'onsei-vative and was 
not willing to begin the con.structicm of such 
a church as the situaticni rc(|uired until he had 
on hand substantially all of the money neces- 
sary for the building, Tliis delayed the be- 
ginning of the new sti'uctnre. The coi'iuM' 
stone was laid in ISII."). ;ind the new clinn-h 
was dedicated Fi>hrnary 14, 181)9. The clini'di 
is built in the pni-e Koniaii style, entirely of 
stone. It is 17(1 fei'l hum, and 7(i feet wide, 
and is one of the most imposing structures in 
the city. It was iihinned by P"'ather Still him- 
self, and is estimated to have cost about 
$75,000. It has a Itiic niai-lile altar, and it is 
the intention soon to I'rcscoc the intei'ior of the 
church. While ihf church was building thei-e 
was also built a three-st<n'y lu'ick ad<lition to 
the former comliined scho<il and church, the 
whole being used now as a school and as a 
residence for the sisters who have charge of 
the same. All this great work has been done 



under tlie pastiu'ate of Father Still, who still 
renuiins in charge of the church. He is now 
ably assisted by the yoimg and energetic as- 
sistant pastor. Rev. A. J. Stengel. The congre- 
gation comprises 350 families and has a mem- 
hership of 1,:20(). The school is attended by 
"2(111 pnpils, who are taught by seven teachers. 

ST. HOSK OF LIMA CHURCH. 

In the year ISDii the congregation of St. 
Peter's church was divided, the northern por- 
tion of the city being formed into the new St. 
Rose of l>inia congregation. Rev. John P. 
Brennan, who for several years prior to that 
time had been the able assistant pastor of St. 
Peter's, was a])pointed the first ])astor of tlu- 
new chui'ch. He at once set aljout raising the 
necessary funds, and in the same year com- 
pleted the present building, situated on the 
mu'thwest corner of Eighth and Cherry streets, 
which is used as a church and school. This 
building is a handsome brick structure, the 
first floor of which is divided into school rooms, 
and the whole of the second story being used 
as a church. Its cost was about $11,000. 
About 1897 Father Brennan erected a new 
jiarsonage immediately north of the church, 
which is oiu^ of the handsomest parsonages in 
th(> city. This cost between $7,0(.X) and ,$8,000. 
The congi-egation has expended in the erec- 
ti<in an<l furnishing of buildings ami the pur- 
chasing of griMituI about $25,000. It is now 
practically out of debt, for it owes only $700. 
This is a reuuirkable financial record for a con- 
gregation having the su.uill numerical strength 
this one has. There now belong to the con- 
gregation eighty families and it comprises 450 
members. St. Rose's school has 100 pupils and 
two teachi-rs. Father Brennan is still the pas- 
tor of the church. 



Cil.VPTKR XLIII. 



BANKING HISTORY— ILLINOIS' PIR.ST BANK— THK 
.SPECULATIVE ERA — IMPROVEMENT IN .SYS- 
TEMS — QUINCY B.^NKS. 

At the ainuial meeting of the Illinois Bank- 
ers' Association, held in Quiucy, October 29-30, 
l!l()l, ,Mr. Lorenzo Bull of this city delivered 
an atldress descriptive of the early banking 
methods of this state, from which valuable 
historical resume the following excerpts are 
taken : 

"The first liaid. in the State of Illinois was 
chartered in 1821 by a legislature composed 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



largely of this pioneer class. It was t'ouiided 
without money, wholly on the credit of the 
state. It was authorized to issue bank notes 
bearing' two per cent annual interest and pay- 
able by the state in ten years. The legislature 
elected all the directors and officers. These 
were largely chosen from the members of the 
legislature and all of them were professional 
politicians. The bank was required by law 
to lend its bills to the jieople to the amount of 
$100 on personal security, and larger sums 
upon the security of mortgages. The bills 
were receivable in payment of all State and 
County taxes, all costs and fees and salaries. 
If any judgment creditor refused to endorse 
upon his execution his willingness to receive 
such bank notes in payment of his debt, the 
debtor could stay its collection for three years. 
The members of this legislature firmly believed 
that the notes of this bank would remain at 
par with gold and silver and would buy any- 
thing which was for sale. * * * 

"About .$300,000 of the paper of this bank 
was issued and was soon loaned without much 
attention to secui'ity or care for future pay- 
ment. It was soon at a di.seount of twenty- 
five, fifty, then seventy-five per cent : but it 
continued to circulate until it had driven all 
good money out of the state, and until the 
finances of the state government were involved 
in such confusion and loss that the legislature 
was compelled to take the matter in hand and 
borrow money and settle up the affairs of the 
bank upon the best terms they could get. 

"When I came to Illinois in 1833 there was 
no bank in the state, and no bank paper in cir- 
culation except a few of the notes of the 
Fnited States Bank, which is still in existence, 
although its charter had been vetoed by Pres- 
ident Jackson, and it was then winding up its 
affairs. There was very little money of any 
kind in the counti'V, and what there was con- 
.sisted mainly of foreign silver coins. * * * 
"During the Black Hawk war there was no 
development in Illinois, and population did 
not increase. The war closed in 1832, and from 
that period Illinois began to develop rapidly. 
Progress was impeded during the next year 
by the prevalence of Asiatic cholera through- 
out the West, especially following the lines of 
the great rivers. Quincy suffered severely fi'om 
its ravages, and out of a population of about 
three hundred, when I came here, thirty-three 
or more than one in every ten, died in about a 
month. 

"It was in Jlay, 1833, that I came to Quincy 
and I have made this my home ever .since. In 
1834 poiHilation was pouring into the state 
from many directions, and substantial prosper- 
ity, as well as speculation in lands and town 



lots was rapidly developing. Indeed, a wild 
spirit of speculation was abroad throughout 
the whole United States, which finally culmi- 
nated as to the whole country in the great panic 
of 1837, which brought ruin in its train to mul- 
titudes. It was during this period of pi-osper- 
ity, which commenced in 1834, that the legis- 
lature entered upon the project of establish- 
ing a new State bank in Illinois, and of re- 
viving some old bank charters. * * * 

"But the establishment of these banks un- 
der most unfavorable conditions was not the 
crowning piece of folly of the Illinois legisla- 
ture of that period. Illinois was then almost 
wholly undeveloped. There were no cities, 
and but few large towns; no trade, no manu- 
facture, and there was only a very sparse pop- 
ulation. There was nothing to export, no large 
business of any kind, and yet under these con- 
ditions the legislature of Illinois undertook to 
establish the most extravagant system of in- 
ternal improvement that has ever been under- 
taken under like conditions anywhere in the 
world. At one sweep the legislature provided 
for the building of railroads from Galena to 
the mouth of the Ohio ; from Alton to Shaw- 
neetown ; from Alton to JIt. Carmel ; from Al- 
ton to the eastern boundai-y of the state in the 
direction of Terre Haute ; from Quincy on the 
^Mississippi, through Springfield, to the Wa- 
bash : from Bloomington to Pekin. and from 
Peoria to Warsaw ; including in the whole 
about 1,300 miles of road. It also provided for 
the improvement of the navigation of the Kas- 
kaskia, Illinois, Wabash and Rock Rivers. And 
besides this, in order to secure the votes of 
the members from counties for which no rail- 
road had been provided, $200,000 was appro- 
priated to .such counties to be expended for 
wagon roads and bridges. * * * The work 
progressed under a system of infatuation 
which can now hardly be explained and ac- 
counted for, until in 1838 the whole system 
utterly collapsed without any completed rail- 
road, if we except the poorly built piece from 
Springfield to the Illinois River, and with the 
State fourteen million dollars in debt, nearly 
all of which had been wasted. 

"Then it was that the financial credit of the 
State of Illinois sank to the very lowest point 
of dishonor and disgrace. Its bonds could not 
be sold for fifteen cents on the dollar, and its 
auditors' warrants on the State treasury issued 
in payment of salaries and state expenses, 
were freely offered at fifty cents on the dollar, 
and at the same time almost universal indi- 
vidual bankruptcy prevailed. All emigration 
to the State was stopped, and all settlers were 
anxious to sell out and leave the State for fear 
of the excessive taxation expected to follow if 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADA.AIS ( OUNTY. 



the State ever undertook the pa.yment vi its 
obligations. Then followed the failure of all 
the banks in the State. * * * 

"During a considerable period after the col- 
lapse of the internal improvement system the 
repudiation of the whole State debt was 
strongly urged in many intluential quarters. 
By many it was deemed so large that it was 
impossible to pay it, but intelligent and honest 
influences finally prevailed, and legislation was 
determined upon to acknowledge, reduce and 
finally pay the debt, and from, and even be- 
fore, the time when the provision for levying a 
two-mill tax to be applied to the payment of 
all indebtedness was incorporated in the State 
Constitution of 18-48, the credit and prosperity 
of Illinois have steadily advanced until it oc- 
cupies its present place of entire freedom from 
debt and the highest financial credit. 

"After this, until 1851, there were no l)anks 
established by law in Illinois. Then what was 
known as the Free Banking system was 
adopted, luider which one huiulred and ten 
banks were established. *' " * Although 
this system had many weal^ points, it was far 
in advance of what had gone before it ; yet 
none of the bankers who passed through that 
period would like to see such banking revived 
at the present da.v. "" 

QUINC'Y'S BANKING RECORD. 

The earliest banking institution of C-^uincy 
was a branch of the State Bank of Illinois, 
established in 1836. with J. T. Holmes as pres- 
ident, E. J. Phillii)s, cashier, and, successivel.v, 
John M. Holmes, C. B. Church and J. K. Wel)- 
.ster. It suspended specie payments in ]\Iay, 
1837, but contiinied to do business until 1842, 
when, with the failure of the parent bank, in 
1842, it went into liquidation in 1843. 

Soon after a small private bank was opened, 
but it discontinued business in a short time. 

As far back as 1845. Messrs. L. & C. II. Bull, 
then hardware merchants, bought and sold 
Exchange, made loans and transacted, in the 
counting room of their mercantile establish- 
ment, all the banking business which was 
transacted in Quincy. A year or two later, 
upon the organization of the banking firm of 
Flagg & Savage, the.v gladly transferred to 
them the banking department, finding that the 
other branches of their business were increas- 
ing so rapidly as to require all their time and 
attention. The firm of Flagg & Savage com- 
menced bu.siness in 1850 : later, Mr. I. 0. Wood- 
ruff was admitted a special partner. They 
failed in 1857. 

In 1852, Moore, Hollowbush & Co. com- 
menced business. Thev failed in 1857. After- 



wards they were succeeded by Moore. Sherman 
& Co. (Ebenezer & F. C. Moore and S. C. Sher- 
man). Their business was discontinued about 
the time of the failure of Flagg & Savage. 

In 1856 Governor Matteson, his son-in-law, 
John McGinnis and Maitland Boone opened a 
private bank in the old (Quincy House. This 
bank suspended business in 1860. 

In 1857 the (iJuincy Savings & Insurance Co. 
(afterwards the Quincy Savings Bank) was in- 
corporated. In August, 1878, it made a gen- 
eral assignment to Charles W. Keyes, assignee. 

Gov. John Wood and son commenced a bank- 
ing business about 1862. Their business was 
transferred in 1864 to Flachs. Jansen & Co. 

In 1861 L. & C. H. Bull sold out their mer- 
cantile ])usiness and continued the name of 
the old firm in entering upon the banking 
business, exclusively as private bankers. In 
1864 they discontinued their business as pri- 
vate bankers and organized under the provi- 
sions of the National Banking Ijaw, The ]\Ier- 
chants' & Farmers" NatioiuU Bank of Quincy, 
with a paid up capital of !);150,000. The di- 
rectors were Lorenzo B\dl, Charles H. Bull, 0. 
H. Browning, N. Bushnell, E. J. Parker. In 
1869 the firm of L. & C. H. Bull opened a Sav- 
ings Department, the growth of which was 
very rapid. Finding that the limitations of 
the National Banking Law were unsuited to 
the business which they as private bankers had 
established, they wound up the National Bank 
in 1872, transacting their business as L. & C. 
II. Bull, private bankers. In 1874 they dis- 
continued their Commercial Department, which 
was taken up by E. J. Parker & Co. E. J. 
Parker & Co. continued successfully in bvisi- 
ness nntil May. 1879, when their business was 
consolidated with that of L. & C. H. Bull, and 
E. J. Parker was admitted to the firm. Illinois 
having passed a good banking law. the firm 
organized under the state banking law. trans- 
ferring their business to a State Bank, under 
the name of State Savings, Loan & Trust Com- 
l)any. wliirh was incorporated in 1891, with a 
casli capital of $300,000. The directors were: 
Lorenzo Bull. Charles H. Bull, E. J. Parker, 
:JIrs. E. G. Parker and Mrs. Fanny B. Dutcher. 
The capital of the State Savings Loan & 
Ti'ust Coniiianv is now $500,000, deposits $4,- 
540.000, undivided profits $121,000. Follow- 
ing are the present officers and dii-ectors: 
W. S. Warfield, President: Cluirles H. Bull, 
Vice-President: S. B. M(uitgomery. Vice- 
President: Edward J. Parker, Cashier: Edwin 
A. Clarke. Assistant Cashiei': Thomas Bur- 
rows, Assistant Cashier: W. P. I'pham. C, II. 
(Castle, Rudolph Tenk, R. AV. (iardner, J. W. 
Emerv. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



223 



The Kicker N;itional Bank was fouiuled by 
the late Henry F. Joseph TJicker, who was 
born in Lotten, Hanover. (Jennany. August 31, 
1822. and died in Quiney, Illinois, ]\Iarch 4, 
1904. About 1859-60. when immigration was 
at its height, ilr. Rieker began selling steam- 
ship passage tickets, involving domestic and 
foreign exchange transactions. The funds en- 
trusted to him wei'e carried in a market basket 
to and from his office and residence, the for- 
mer being then near Seventh and Hampshire 
streets. The business continuing to grow and 
jirosper. Mr. Rieker removed it to his 508 
Hampshire street building. In 1864, Mr. 
Kicker bought the banking business known as 
John Wood's Bank, which he removed to his 
508 Hampshire street building, the lower 
story of which he remodeled. By 1875 the 
business had reached such growth that Mr. 
Rieker bought the ground and built the pres- 
ent modern bank building on Hampshire 
street between Fourth and Fifth, the home of 
the bank since 1876. The institution was a 
private bank until 1881. in which year. 
April 4th. is was changed to a national bank, 
the name being The Kicker National Bank of 
Quiney. Illinois. The latest statement of the 
bank shows deposits aggregating $4,400,000 : 
cash capital, .$400,000, and\surphis $200,000. 
The present officers and directors are as fol- 
lows: Edward Sohm, President: George 
Fischer, Vice-President : H. F. J. Rieker, Jr., 
Cashier: Bernard Awerkamp, Assistant 
Cashier: ^lartin F. Surmeyer, Jackson R. 
Pearce, J. H. Teuk. John S. Cruttenden, 
George Fischer, J. H. VandenBoom. 

The First National Bank was organized in 
1863. Owing to the robbery of the bank in 
1874 and losses incurred at various times, it 
was compelled to make two assessments ecpial 
to its capital stock. In August, 1878, it sus- 
pended business for several weeks, resuming 
business September 19, 1878. In 1898 the 
business of the Fir.st National Bank was con- 
solidated with that of the State Savings Loan 
& Trust Co. 

T. T, "Woodruff, for some two years, aboiTt 
1869-70, transacted a banking business on the 
west side of the Pi^blic Square. 

In 1869 the T'nion Bank was chartered. In 
September, 1884, it made an as-signment to 
John P. Mikesell, assignee. 

In 1875 Gustave Levi & Co. opened the 
German-American Bank, which was in opera- 
tion two years, when it became embarrassed. 

In 1876 Henry Geise & Son opened a pri- 
vate bank, which closed in 1879. 

The Quiney National Bank, located at the 
northwest corner of Fourth and Hampshire 
streets, was founded in 1887, by J. H. Dnker, 



Juliiis Kespohl. Louis Wolf and G. G. Arends. 
The bank was incorporated the same year. 
The present capital stock of the bank is $100,- 
UOO, and the surplus .$20,000. The present 
officers are: Louis Wolf, President: Simon 
Duker. Vice-President: J. M. Winters, Cashier; 
G. G. Arends, A.ssistant Cashier. The directors 
consist of the officers and Messrs. Wm. T. 
Duker, John A. Duker and J. F. Tellebuesher. 

The State Street Bank, located at Eighth 
and State streets, was founded in 1890 by 
Herman Heidbreder, Wm. H. Govert, Wm. 11. 
Collins and Charles Becker. It is a private 
bank. The present owners are Herman Heid- 
breder, Wm. H. Govert and H. C. Sprick. Mr. 
Heidbreder is cashier, and Jlr. Sprick assist- 
ant ca.shier. The capital is $150,000, and the 
deposits about $1,300,000. 

The strength of Quiney banks in modern 
times was well illustrated during the general 
panic of 1893. While banks in many parts 
of the country were failing and others were 
badly shaken, the safety of Quiney banks re- 
mained imquestioned. It is said "that one of 
the principal reasons for such strength lies in 
the fact that so much of our manufacturing 
business is done with the manufacturers' own 
capital. While this is probably true, the 
strength that has been shown by the banks in 
modern times is but in keeping with the 
financial and commercial stability and 
strength of Quiney generally. 



CHAPTER XLIV. 



PIONEER REMINISCENCES. INTERESTING ADDRESSES 

BY MR. LORENZO BULL AND COL. C. H. CASTLE 

AT HISTORICAL ANNIVERSARY. 

ilention is made elsewhere in this work of the 
celebration IMay 1, 1903, under the auspices of 
the Historical "Society of Quiney, in honor of 
the sc.'venty-eighth vear of Quiney 's existence, the 
founding date being May 1, 1825. Of the ad- 
dresses delivered on the occasion of that anniver- 
sary banquet two were exceptionally notable for 
the valuable pioneer reminiscences therein. One 
of these addresses was by Mr. Lorenzo Bull, the 
other by Col. Chamicey H. Castle. Following is 
the address delivered by Mr. Bull: 

I observe that it has been announced by the 
newspapers that I would speak to you to-night on 
"Per.sonal Recollections of Quiney and the Early 
Settlers as I Knew Them in 1833." Although 
I did not suggest this title, yet I can accept it as 
covering the ground I intend to occupy. 



H 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAilS COUNTY. 



It is not my intention to bring before you the 
important historical events relating to the early 
history of Quiney, or to give you the biographies 
of its early settlers; but if I can talk to you for 
a little while in a familiar and rambling way of 
some of the peo])le who were up on the ground 
here and some of the incidents which have oc- 
curred under my notice, and with which I was 
more or less associated at an early period of my 
life and at an early period in the history of 
Quiney, and so aiford you amusement or enter- 
taiinnent, I shall be satisfied even if you regard 
iiiucli that I say as unimportant or even trivial. 

Quiney began its existence as a town or as a 
location foi- a town, 78 years ago on this first 
day of May and John Wood, Willard Keyes and 
Jeremiah Rose are said to have been the first set- 
tlers, and so they were in a proper sense, and yet 
it does not seem to be known or recollected that 
neither John Wood nor Jeremiah Rose ever lived 
within the limits of the original town of Quiney. 
Willard Keyes did live for a time in a cabin he 
built at the southeast corner of Vermont and 
Front streets, but at the time I came to Quiney, 
he was living on the half section of land lying 
north of Broadway and extending from Twelfth 
street to the river, containing 320 acres, which he 
bought for about eleven dollars at a sale for 
taxes held at Vandalia, Illinois. Under this tax 
title he took possession of the half section, fenced 
it with a rail fence, and built a house for himself 
at the large spring near the foot of Spring street, 
which spring gave the name to that street. Mr. 
Keyes' house was built up over this sprin-g, which 
bubbled up through the cellar or lower story of 
the house and ran freely over the surface to the 
bay. It noAv i-uns underground and has been 
forgotten by most citizens not in the immediate 
vicinity. 

John Wood built his first cabin on the quarter- 
section south of the original town at the corner of 
Delaware and Front streets, which was after- 
wards embraced in one of John Wood's additions 
to Quiney. Ma.ior Rose with his wife and 
daughter lived with Gov. Wood in this cabin for 
some time, until he bought a quarter-section 
fronting ea.st on Twelfth street, inunediately 
south of the Soldiers' Home tract and built his 
house at what is now the corner of Twelfth and 
Chestnut sti-eets, where he lived when I first saw 
him. 

On my arrival in Quiney on the 11th day of 
I\Tay, 1833, I found myself entirely out of money, 
my traveling expenses having consumed all the 
money with which I left home and a little more, 
so that it was quite necessary that I should find 
work immediately. With this view, on the 
second day after my arrival, I went with the Rev. 
Asa Turner, who had married my cousin and in 
whose company I had come to Quiney, out to Ma.j. 



Rose's home to apply for a situation as a farm- 
hand. The ma.jor looked me over pretty carefully 
and saw that I was a slender boy, and after ask- 
ing a few questions and learning that I was city 
raised, had never been on a farm and never 
ploughed a furrow, he was not long in deciding 
that he did not need a boy at that time. This is 
as near as I ever came to becoming a farmer, 
and T have never regretted ^Maj. Rose's decision. 

When John Wood removed from his first log 
cabin at the foot of Delaware street, it was to a 
second log cabin w^hich he built near the corner of 
State and Twelfth streets, right in front of where 
the large house he last built now stands. Later 
he built a frame house with colunnis in front on 
the ground where the large house now stands, 
and when he built the large stone hovise, he moved 
the house with the columns across Twelfth street, 
where it now stands. So you will see that Mr. 
Keyes was the only one of these first settlers who 
ever lived in the original town of Quiney. 

The John Wood whom I am thinking of as I 
am talking to you, is not the grave, dignified old 
gentleman whose statute stands in the public 
square, but a very energetic, active young man 
about 30 yeai's old, always on the move and who 
seemed to be everywhere, all over the town, all 
over his large fai-m, driving and pushing every- 
thing and everybody abovit him, through his own 
natural force and activity; always i-eady to lead 
and direct in any active work and to do his part 
in any undertaking in which he was engaged. He 
had a loud, strong voice and a very hearty laugh, 
and was generally known by these whenever he 
came in town. I once inquired of a man, "Have 
you seen John Wood in town this morning?" 
"Xo," he said. "I have not seen him, bi;t he mast 
be in town, for I heard him whisper." He came 
here without any means, and yet within less than 
ten years he managed to purchase all that large 
body of land extending from the river to Twenty- 
fourth street, and from half a mile to more than a 
mile in width. ITncJoubtedly he bought most of 
it for even less than the government price of 
•1*1.25 per acre, but it was his energy and fore- 
sight which led hiiii to secure these valuable 
tracts, which ])laced him as a land ownei- far 
beyond any other citizen of that date. 

At the time T came here, he had laid out his 
first addition to Quiney, extending on the bluff 
from a line between Kentucky and York streets 
to State street and from Sixth street on the east 
to the river including also some blocks on the 
river south of State street. Although he offered 
the lots at very low prices, he had sold but few 
of them, as there had been no influx of population 
to create a demand for them. He offered to 
sell me a full lot on the north side of Franklin 
Square for .$25, payable five dollars a year for 
five years: but I was earning but $6 per month 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADA]\rS COUNTY. 



225 



and did not dare assume at that time so large a 
debt, neither did I like to give my poverty as a 
reason for not accepting his really generous offer. 
So I said to him : "Supposing you should die in 
five years." to which he promptly replied in his 
joking way, "Why, boy, I don't intend to die in 
five years." A few days later he sold the lot 
to Dr. Richard EelLs for a new saddle, which the 
governor needed at the time, and which Dr. Eells 
bought of Levi B. Allen, the first saddler in 
Quincy. I doubt if he paid Allen as much as $25 
for the saddle, ilr. Wood was not rich in money 
at that time. 

He was alwaj^s temperate himself and an ad- 
vocate of temperance. Wlien he built his large 
barn which stood on the south side of State street 
opposite his dwelling house and which for some 
yeara was the largest barn in the country, as the 
framing approached completion his head carpen- 
ter told him that the frame would be ready to 
raise within a few days, but, he added, "You can 
never get that frame up without whiskey. ' ' Then 
said Mr. Wood promptly, "It will never go up." 
But I have heard him say that when the time 
came for the raising, he invited everybody in the 
neighborhood and the.y all came. He provided 
as good a dinner as could be got up, with plenty 
of hot coffee, and they had a jolly day and a suc- 
cessful raising and everybody went home satisfied 
and sober. 

I recall a little incident of the early period 
after his settlement in Quincy which he used to 
recount with amusement and satisfaction. He 
said that one day soon after he had built his 
cabin at the foot of Delaware .street and at a time 
when they rarely saw Avhite people, there being 
few settlers and few travelers, there came along 
the bottom road from Atlas, a company of United 
States soldiers who camped just below his cabin, 
about where the paper mill now stands. After 
they had established their camp and had their 
supper, the captain came iip to his cabin and said 
he wanted to hire a guide to Fort Edwards. Mr. 
Wood in telling it said, "Now I knew that he no 
more needed a guide to Fort Edwards than he did 
to get back to his camp : but I wanted the frolic 
of a day's march with the soldiers and more than 
that I wanted the little money I was to get for 
the job, so I agreed to go with him a,s guide at 
sunrise the next morning. We had a jolly day 
and I enjoyed the march very much : along in the 
afternoon the captain asked me, 'Wood, how far 
are we from Fort Edwards?' to which I replied. 
' I don "t know. I never was there in my life. ' 
The captain began to complain that I should have 
undertaken to guide him to a place where I had 
never been. But I said 'Don't be impatient, 
captain. I'll find Fort Edwards for you.' and a 
little later we came in sight of the fort, a log 
building which stood on a bluff adjacent to where 



Warsaw now stands. I think the site of the fort 
is now included in that towTi." 

I recall these little incidents a.s characteristic 
of the man and the times, but I do not intend 
to dwell upon the personal history of John Wood, 
^lany of you knew Jolm Wood as well as I did, 
and know how thoroughly he was identified with 
every step of the progress of this city and how 
much he did to promote it, how he became town 
trustee, alderman, mayor, state senator and 
finally governor, filling all these positions with 
credit to himself and with unswerving fidelity to 
the interests of the people who trusted and 
honored him. 

The two associates of Mr. Wood in the early 
settlement of Quincy were men of excellent 
character, but they had not the activity or energy 
or foresight of Mr. Wood, and did not exert the 
influence nor did they improve their opportiuii- 
ties as he did to secure such large tracts of land 
while it was cheap. 

The day after my return from my unsuccessful 
application for work on Maj. Rose's farm. I was 
introduced to Judge Henry H. Snow, who at that 
time held almost all the county offices. He was 
clerk of the circuit court, clerk of the county 
court, recorder, judge of probate, notary public, 
and besides these offices he taught singing school, 
and led the music in the Congregational Church 
with a bass viol. But with all these offices, liis 
income had been limited and scarcely sufficient 
for his support ; but about this time the business 
began to increase, particularly in the recorder's 
office and he felt the need of some assistance. He 
questioned me as to my competency and found 
that I could write a fair school boy's hand with 
some facility, that I could spell correctly, and 
that I wanted work. He offered to take me into 
his office and give me emplo\inent and pay me at 
the rate of $6 per month and my board, which 
offer I very gladly accepted. I remained with 
him about two j^ears and a half, receiving $10 per 
month after the first year. The judge was per- 
haps the most competent man in the community 
for holding and faithfully discharging the duties 
of his various offices. He wrote a very plain, 
legiblt' hand, but he could only write slowly and 
laboriously, and that part of his duties was quite 
irksome to him. He soon learned to avail himself 
of my more rapid penmanship, and whei'e I did 
not understand the legal forms, he would dictate 
to me. He was usually careless in his dress and 
would \\-A\k the office by the hour without his 
coat, his vest open, his shoes untied, and taking 
snuff, which he usually carried loose in his vest 
pockets. There were times during the session of 
the circuit court when it was necessary in order 
to keep up the records from day to day, that he 
walked the office and I wrote at his dictation dur- 
ing the whole night : but as a rule the work of the 



226 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



office, except iu the recorder's department, was 
not pressing. 

My experience in his office has been of great 
service to me through life. It gave me some 
superficial knowledge of the principals and prac- 
tice of law and a familiarity with legal forms. 
It made me acquainted with the judges and other 
officials of the county and also gave me a wide 
acquaintance with the people of the town and 
country. 

The business of the office increased rapidly 
after 183-4. As the offices grew valuable they were 
made elective, and there began to be a scramble 
for them, and one by one the judge lost them 
until he had no further need for my services. 

^niile I was deliberating what emplojauent I 
should find, I received an offer from the mercan- 
tile firm of Holmes, Brown & Co. of a clerkship 
in their business, which I accepted and remained 
with that firm and its successors for about ten 
years, when my brother and myself formed a 
partnership and entered into business for our- 
selves. This partnership continued for about fifty 
years and has not yet been formally dissolved. 
When I came here, the public buildings consisted 
of the old log courthouse which stood on the 
corner where the Dodd building now stands, and 
the jail which stood on the rear of the adjoining 
lot on the north. The courthoiise was two stories 
high and of the simplest possible construction. 
The floors and benches were made of puncheons 
and there was very little sawed lumber in it ex- 
cept the jitdge's desk and the clerk's table. The 
other furniture consisted of a few split-bottom 
chairs for the officers and lawyers. The second 
story was sometimes occupied as a lawj-er's of- 
fice, sometimes for public exhibitions, of which 
there were very few, and finally as a carpenter's 
shop. It was an occasion for rejoicing when it 
was biirned in 1836. The people gathered and 
watched the fire with great interest with no at- 
tempt to extinguish it. Wlien the roof fell in 
and the fire seemed to be getting low, one of the 
ci'owd, Alvin T. Smith, said, "Boys, if we don't 
help this thing along, it will go out. Come with 
me." A number followed him and soon came 
back with pike poles, which were then iised for 
the raising of buildings, and with these they 
pushed off the logs from the top one by one into 
the fire, making a log heap which burned until 
there was nothing but ashes left. 

The jail was a wonderfully inconvenient and 
insecure building. It stood but a short distance 
from a travelled road and the prisoners could 
call and talk with any passer-by. I was passing 
along the road one day and a prisoner called to 
me. I went to him in answer to his call and 
found what he had to say. I asked him what lie 
was in for. He said, ' ' Didn 't you hear ? " " No, 
I did not," I said. "Well," said he, "I will 



tell you. I stole a sawmill up here on Bear Creek 
and got away with it all right, but like a dui-n 
fool I went back for the dam and they caught 
me." When there were prisoners confined there 
for any serious crime, a special guard was ap- 
pointed. Any enterprising prisoner could have 
got out of it in a night even with very simple 
tools and these could have been easily furnished 
him by any friend from the outside. 

In 1833 there were two hotels on the iniblic 
square, one standing where the Newcomb now 
stands, owned and kept by Rufus Brown, and 
one on the north side of the square, known as the 
Land Office Hotel. Besides these, there were 
sometimes one and sometimes two hotels on the 
I'iver front between Hampshire and Vermont 
streets. One of these hotels, now a wreck, is 
still standing two or three doors north from 
Tlanipshire street. But with Brown's Hotel, or 
BroM'n's Tavern, as it was more frequently called, 
I am better acquainted as I boarded there at 
times after I left Judge Snow's employ. There 
was nothing to recommend either of these hotels, 
except that they afforded shelter and sustenance 
such as it was to the traveller and the citizen who 
found it convenient or necessary to avail himself 
of their accommodations. One traveller who 
]iassed the night at Brown's Tavern, just befoi-e 
he left in the morning was observed to be writing 
at some length upon the register, and after he had 
gone it was found that he had written there in 
bold characters: "He that stops here may do 
well ; but he that carries his own bread and butter 
and keeps on, does a durn sight better." 

I recall an incident which befell a Mendon 
farmer who came to market with his hogs and 
stayed over night at Brown's Tavern. The 
store in A\hich I was then employed stood on the 
south side of the square next west of the present 
Gas Company's office. One morning I was open- 
ing the store when the IMendon gentleman came 
along, evidently under some excitement, and 
shuflling his feet in an endeavor to keep his shoes 
on. I said to him, ' ' What is the matter, squire ? ' ' 
"Look at that," he said, holding up one foot, 
"and look at that," holding up the other. I 
looked and saw that the upper part of his shoes 
were gone and that he was having much difficulty 
to walk. "What did that, squire," I asked. 
"Rats," said he, "hotel rats. I heard them at 
wcivk all night, but I never thought they were 
eating \\p my slioes. Why don't Brown feed 
his rats ? It wouldn 't cost him miich if he didn 't 
feed them any better than he does his boarders. ' ' 
He was soon fitted with a pair of shoes, and went 
liack to the hotel for breakfast in a more com- 
fortable frame of mind. 

It must be remembered, however, that it was 
a very difficult matter in those days to keep a 
hotel table comfortably supplied. There were 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



227 



no markets, there \\-ere no gardeners, there were 
no milkmen, and althoiigh a good cow could be 
bought for from eight to ten dollars and eould be 
pastured free, there were many times when there 
was no milk for the coffee of the guests at the 
hotel. On one occasion when I was boarding 
there, one of the other boarders, as he left the 
dining I'oom after supper, said: "Boys, look 
out, we are going to have some milk in our coffee 
to-morrow morning. ' ' But the morning came and 
we had as usual coffee without milk, but aboiit 
the time we finished breakfast, this man put his 
head in the door and called out to the landlord, 
"I've got her. Bring me a bucket," and when 
we went out upon the front porch, we found he 
had a cow and brought her in and had her fas- 
tened with a trace chain to one of the posts of the 
porch, and was getting the milk he wanted for his 
coft'ee. After that we usually had milk. 

But it should be stated here that none of the 
hotels commanded all the best class of boarders. 
As many people as could be accommodated 
boarded at a private boarding house, which fur- 
nished a table nuich superior to that of either of 
the hotels. It was kept by the widow Sallie 
"Wlieat. She was not related to any of the 
Wlieats who came here a few years later and who 
still live among us. She lived in a double log 
cabin which stood on the corner of the square on 
the ground now occupied by the Quincy National 
bank. She was the best female perfonner on a 
tin horn that I ever heard. Every day precisely 
at 12 o'clock, she came to hei" front door with her 
tin horn nearly as long as herself and discoursed 
up(m it excellent mu.sic to call her boarders to 
dinner, and this was the noon mark of the town at 
the time, as the steam whistles are now. She 
afterwards removed to the river from near the 
foot of Broadway, and mo.st of her boarders fol- 
lowed her there and climbed up and down the 
bluff for their meals rather than change to the 
hotels. 

I am reminded of a trivial incident which oc- 
curred about this time. We had residing here 
a young man with a great fund of wit. drollery, 
mimicry and stories, by name John ilartin 
Holmes. He had many attractive personal and 
social qualities and he was very fond of a hai-m- 
less practical .joke. He boarded at the Widow 
AVheat's as did also a young ilr. Walsh, who was 
a clerk for ^Ir. ^McFaddon. ^vho then kept a store 
in a small frame building on the north side of the 
piiblic square. At the time I am speaking of I 
had not made the aeciuaintance of either Mr. 
Holmes or Mr. Walsh, who had but recently come 
here. One hot summer afternoon as I was writing 
alone in Judge Snow's otifiee. these two young 
men appeared at the door and inquired if Judge 
Snow was in. I said that he was in the house, 
and they asked to see him immediately. I went 



at once to call him as their business appeai'ed to 
be urgent, and he came in promptly from his af- 
ternoon nap, without stopping to put on his coat 
or to tie his brogans. I noticed a very blank ex- 
pression of his face when he saw who was there, 
but he said nothing. Holmes broke the silence 
with. "Judge Snow. I want to introduce to you 
my friend ilr. Walsh. I broi^ght him around here 
to you to get his legs sworn in to keep the peace. 
They nearly ran him into the river going down to 
the Widow Wheat 's to dinner to-day. ' ' The .judge 
made no -word of reply, but taking a pinch of 
snuft" he turned ai'ound and went back to finish 
his nap. Holmes turned to Walsh and said : " If 
we can 't get our business done here, we will have 
to try some other office, ' ' and went away. Wlien 
I next met the judge, he said to me, "Lorenzo, 
when Mr. Holmes comes here again, you need not 
call me." This was a very unnecessary caution 
after I became acquainted with ]\Ir. Holmes. 

The first charivai'i that I ever heard or saw oc- 
curred under the direction of this 3Ir. Holmes, 
and it was one of the most notable that ever took 
place in Quincy. Charivaris were eonunon in 
those days in case of the remarriage of a widow 
or ■H'idower and in case there was any great dis- 
parity of age or other peculiar circumstances. 
In this ease, a shoemaker by the name of Henry 
Wood, a man about fifty years old, was married 
to a young girl under lawful age. He applied to 
Judge Snow for a license, but was refused by 
him, as the judge knew the girl's age. Plis resort 
was to take her to ^Missouri where no license was 
required, and where 'Squire iMerrill, who lived 
aboiit six miles west of the river, married those 
who eould not be legally married under the laws 
of Illinois. So one morning Wood borrowed a 
horse and buggy and crossing on a flat-boat which 
was then run as a ferry by Ebenezer Harkness, 
went over to 'Squire Merrill's to be married. In 
the meantime. Holmes was organizing his party 
for the charivari to be given in the evening. 
About the time Wood was expected to return to 
this side of the river and must of necessity come 
up Vermont street, which was the only passable 
road ixp the bluff' at that end of the toi^Ti, Holmes 
gathered a few of his ])arty together and rolled 
a large stump in the middle of the road .so that 
Wood could not pass with his buggy. He was 
obliged to get out. tie his horse, take his wife up 
to the house- and get help to i-emove the stump be- 
fore he could get up with the horse and buggy. 
This was the first tribulation which had come to 
him in his married life. He lived on ]\Iaine 
street in a log cal)in which stood on what was 
then the high bluff between Second and Third 
streets. Maine street not being graded at that 
time. I\leautime Holmes had fully oi-ganized and 
equipped his party for the charivari. He was 
clerk for I\Ir. Robert Tillson and he had emptied 



228 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



his store of tin horns and cowbells, of which he 
carried a good stock. lie liad taken the tavern 
bell down from the roof of lirown's Tavern, and 
the bell was carried on the shoulders of two men 
while he walked liehind with a string to the 
tongue and when the procession started, he rang 
it inee.ssantly. It happened that I was attending 
a meeting in the Congregational church on 
Fourth street that evening. 

"When the procession started for Wood's house 
from Brown 's Tavern with a great noise of voices 
and instruments, it broke up the meeting in the 
church and everybody ran out to learn the cause 
of the alarm. Wlien the company got to Wood's 
house, they sunnnoned him to appear and he came 
out when he found that he must, barefoot and 
somewhat scantily clad. It was a cool November 
night and Wood soon began to shiver, but he was 
kept standing there while a long and very serious 
admonition was given to him on the enormity of 
his conduct in marrying a girl so much younger 
than himself, and after discoursing about the 
matter in all its phases until even those who were 
comfortably dressed were pretty well chilled, 
they told him that they had reached the con- 
clusion that his ofil'ense deserved pv;nishment and 
that they were going to take him down to the 
public .square and switch him home with black- 
berry switches. "()h, jilease don't do that,'' he 
said, "I'll do anything that's honorable, only 
don't do that. I'll give you an order on Jake 
Gruell 's for all the liquor you want, ' ' and begged 
piteously to be released. After they had suf- 
ficiently en.joyed his unhappiness, they took his 
oi'der on Jake Gruell, the only saloon keeper in 
the town, assuring him tliat if Jake Gruell didn't 
honor his order they would soon return. They 
finished up the evening at Gruell's. 

Brown's hotel was pulled down in 1837, and 
on its site the Quincy House was built. This was 
in all respects a tirst-class hotel. Indeed, there 
was no city in the West of the size of Quinc.A' 
that could boa.st of so complete and well kept a 
hotel as that -svas for years under the manage- 
ment of Mr. and Mrs. William ilonroe There 
was at that time no hotel in St. Louis which was 
as comfortable and pleasant and afforded so at- 
tractive a home to travellers and residents as 
did the Quincy House of that period. Mrs. 
Monroe was a pattern landlady and personally 
looked after the comfort of the guests, especially 
of the ladies. Her parlors were the social head- 
quarters of the town, and every evening were 
filled with a lively company of young and middle 
aged persons, over which she and her three hand- 
some daughters presided in a graceful way which 
made every body feel at home. It was my good 
fortune to be a boarder at this hotel for several 
years during its most prosperoi;s period and to 
enjoy its excellent fare and social privileges. 



About the year 1841 or '43 a company of 
young men of whom I was one, formed a Thes- 
pian society, which afforded considerable enter- 
tainment not only to those who took part in the 
jila.ys which were presented upon its stage, but 
also to those in attendance i;pon the perform- 
ances, and I refer to it here not so much on ac- 
count of the society itself, but because the cora- 
jiany included in its membership a man who af- 
terwards became distinguished as an officer in 
the United States ai'my, where he achieved con- 
siderable distinction while he was in command of 
the soldiers stationed on the Pacific coast at a 
time when the boundary questions between Great 
Britain and this country seemed likely to involve 
the two countries in serioiis dispute if not in 
actual war. Later, when the War of the Rebel- 
lion broke out, being a native of Virginia, he 
joined the Confederate forces and achieved great 
distinction as a commanding general, and was 
one of the principal southern leaders in the great 
])attle at Gettysburg, and who was known at that 
period as General George E. Pickett. George 
Pickett, then a boy, was a member of our Thes- 
pian club, and as we had no young ladies in our 
company, he and Lloyd Milner, another young, 
handsome, smooth-faced boy, were relied upon to 
perform the female characters in the plays, and 
they were most sueces.sful in their parts. Mrs. 
McFaddon, senior, in recent years would fre- 
quently talk to me of the times when she used to 
dress George Pickett and Lloyd Milner in ladies' 
apparel for their ])arts in the performances of 
the Thes])ian clul). Pickett's residence in 
Quincy at that time came about in this way. He 
was very desirous to entering West Point from 
his native state, but in Virginia at that time 
there were so many applicants that he could not 
secure an appointment, and he came here to gain 
a residence in Illinois, from which state there 
were but few applications, and where he hoped 
to secui'e his appointment to West Point. He 
had an luicle residing here, Mr. Andrew Johnson, 
a very jirominent lawyer in this state at that 
period, and under his guidance and direction, he 
pursued his studies until he had gained a resi- 
dence. c(ini|)lctcd his preparations and got his 
appoiiitiiiciil to West Point, from which school 
he graduated with credit to himself and became 
distinguished both in the United States army and 
later in the Confederate army, as I have shown. 
The fact that Gen. Pickett resided in Quincy has 
not been generally known here or remembered. 

In this connection, I cannot well forbear some 
further reference to Mr. Andrew Johnson, to 
whom I have just alluded as the uncle of Gen. 
Pick'ctt. lie was for some years a practicing 
lawyer in this state and was associated with the 
Hon. Archibald Williams, another distinguished 
lawver, and this firm ranked with the best law- 



PAST AND PKESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



229 



yers in the state. I consider my association with 
Mr. Johnson as one of the happiest incidents of 
my life. He was a man highly educated not only 
in the law, but in all departments of literature. 
He was about ten years older than myself and in 
all my intercourse with him, which was very in- 
timate and confidential, he treated me more as a 
younger brother than as a mere friend. His advice 
and suggestions to me as to my reading and 
study and as to the conduct of my life were of the 
greatest service to me at a period when I greatly 
needed the .sugge.stions and advice of an older 
friend of larger experience than myself. I .shall 
never cease to be grateful to him for the kindness 
shown me at a time when I was just coming into 
manhood. 

You are familiar witli Leonard Springs, but 
not many in these days can recall the nuin who 
gave his name to that beautiful locality. Capt. 
Luther Ijeonard was an ofificer in the United 
States army during the War of 1812. He was 
here before I came, and lived in a house stand- 
ing on the west side of the bottom road near 
what is now known as Homan's Falls. He owned 
quite a large body of superior land partly in the 
bottom and partly on the bluff. How he came 
posses.sed of this land, I do not know. He built 
a flouring mill on the site whei'e the foundation 
of a mill still stands, which mill was driven bj' 
water from Leonard's Springs. He had a family 
of two daughters living with him. He was a 
man of fine appearance and somewhat striking- 
military carriage. He was hospitable at his home 
and somewhat inclined to be convivial in his 
habits. When he came to town, as he did fre- 
quently, it was usually upon horseback, and as he 
always rode a fine horse with militaiy equipments, 
he presented a most notable figure which would 
attract attention anywhere. He usually stopped 
at Brown's Tavern when he came to town, which 
was then Icept by ilr. Root, and though he com- 
plained much of the fare, he could find no better 
accommodations in Quincy for himself and horse. 
On one occasion he was surprised by an un- 
usually good dinner. As he took his seat at the 
dining table. Mr. Root, who usually did the carv- 
ing at a side table, called out to him, "Capt. 
Leonard, .shall I send you a piece of the turkey ?" 
' ' Turkey, did you say turkey, Mr. Root ? " " Yes, 
sir," said Jlr, Root, "what part shall I send 
you?" "Oh, never mind about the part. Mr. 
Root, send me a big piece anywhere." 

Capt. Leonard was not a good business man- 
ager. His army life had not given him business 
experience and his affaii-s fell into more or less 
disorder and he was obliged to part, with his land 
piece after piece, until he had little or no prop- 
erty of any sort left, and in his later life might 
have lacked the means of support, had he not re- 
ceived an appointment from the government as 



keeper of the L'uited States arsenal at Water- 
town, near Boston, JIassachusetts. Here he had 
a comfortable home until he died some time I 
think in the 50 's. 

One of the con.spicuous and eccentric charac- 
ters of the early days here was old ilike Dodd. 
He was a farmer living seven or eight miles in the 
country, a man of some excellent qualities, a 
shrewd observer, an emotional man subject to 
religious excitement especially in campmeeting 
time, but withal, a slave to whiskey. When he 
came to town he always rode a large horse, which 
he called Boleaway, an intelligent animal who 
.seemed to be careful of the old man especially 
when he had drunk too much and fallen off, as 
he fref|uently did. He was sometimes very noisy, 
but he never did any other harm so far as I 
know. The Rev. Jlr. Turner made an effoi-t to 
reform him. He met him one day soon after he 
had arrived in town in the forenoon and before 
he had drunk nuich if any, invited him to go 
home with him to dinner. Dodd accepted the 
invitation and went with him. Mr. Turner did 
not open the subject of temperance until after 
dinner, when he commenced a kindly, serious 
talk with liim, endeavoring to induce him to fore- 
go the use of whiskey and to change his habits 
of life altogether. He listened to Mr. Turner 
attentively and patiently for .some time, until 
during a slight pause in the conversation, he 
drew from his pocket a pint bottle of whiskey, 
saying to Mr. Turner, ' ' Parson, talking is pretty 
dry work. Suppose you take something." Mr. 
Turner made no further effort to reform him. 

ITpon one occasion Air. Archibald Williams, 
who was then a candidate for the legislature, 
made a political speech which was literall}^ a 
stump speech, for it was made from a stiunp 
which stood in front of the old log court house. 
Mr. Williams was not a very handsome man, and 
his large mouth was a noticeable feature. He 
was an impressive speaker and his arguments 
upon this occasion commanded the closest at- 
tention of his listener.s. When he had finished 
and stepi)ed down from the stump, old ^Mike 
Dodd, who had been lying on the gra.ss in the 
outside circle, raised himself up and called out 
at the top of his voice, "Archie, Archie, I want 
to borrow your mouth next spring to eat lettuce 
with." 

I went into the old log court house one morning 
to take there for Judge Snow's use the record 
l)ooks and other papers required for the day, and 
when I had dejjosited them upon the clerk's table, 
T observed three men sitting by the fire-place 
before an o])en fire and I went over and joined 
them. They were .ludge Richard M. Young, then 
judge of this circuit, a farmer named Weaver 
Potter, who was the largest man in the county, 
and old ]Mike Dodd. Mike Dodd was talking as 



230 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



I came up and saying to the judge: "Judge, I 
reckon that we three fellows are about the big- 
gest fellows in our way in this county." "How 
do you make that out, Mr. Dodd?" inquired the 
judge. "Well," said he, "You are the biggest 
judge, for there ain't nary other, and Potter's 
the biggest man, and if you don't believe it, you 
can weigh him, and Mike Dodd's the biggest 
fool." 

I live in that part of the city known as Nevin 's 
addition to Quincy. The original piece of ground 
now covered by that addition contained 120 
acres, bounded by Twelfth street, Broadway, 
Eighteenth street and what was then kno^\^l as 
New Jersey street. Wlien I came here, this was 
Robert Tillson's farm. About three-quarters 
of it was originally prairie land, and about one- 
quarter of it lying along Twelfth street was 
heavily timltered. A few of the original trees 
still remain, one tree standing upon my ground 
is an original forest tree, and several upon the 
McFaddon place are original trees, and thei'e are 
perhaps t^^•o or three of the old trees standing 
wpoTi the public school ground near Twelfth 
street. 

Mr. John Tillson, Sr., a brother of Mr. Robert 
Tillsou, the owner of this property, holding in- 
timate relations with the New York & Illinois 
Laud Co., a New York organization formed for 
the purpose of dealing in Illinois lands, or act- 
ing for his brother, Robert, sold to that company 
this 120 acres for .$30,000. This was at a time 
when speculation was rife and when great antici- 
pations were indulged in as to the future of 
Quincy, but this was a most extravagant price 
for the times ; instead of advancing in value it 
declined in price, and the land company was 
never able to sell it at near the price w'hicli 
they paid for it. Sometime about the year 1850, 
the New York company, having sold most of their 
lands through the state, were about to dissolve 
their organization : but they had this, their most 
valuable tract, upon their hands and could not 
dispose of it in bulk, so they dealt with it in 
this way. They had a surveyor draw a plat of it 
in New York, dividing it into lots of two acres 
each as nearly as possible, and opening only two 
streets through it, Maine and Hampshire. Ver- 
mont street and the cross streets were opened 
later by the city authority. They then put the 
niTmbers on the lots in a hat and distributed them 
by lot to the individual stockholders of the com- 
pany, and then wound up the corporation. The 
individiial stockholders to whom the lots fell de- 
sired to sell them at once and placed them in the 
hands of different land agents here for sale upon 
the best terms which could be obtained. The lots 
were large and desirable and as a rule were of- 
fered at very reasonable ])rices and soon found 
purchasers. 



I have thought it might interest you to know 
how Nevin 's addition came to be subdivided and 
sold in such large lots. Some of the lots along 
Twelfth street and Broadway were sub-divided 
by the purchasers and sold in smaller lots. 

The address delivered by Col. Chauncey H. 
Ca.stle was as follows : 

Upon searching, I find in the "History of 
Adams County," published in 1879, much con- 
cerning it, and from which I quote largely; and 
there is to be found a great deal more upon the 
subject that is veiy interesting. 

By act of the legislature of the state of Illinois, 
appi'oved January 13, 1825, the county of Adams 
Vtus formed by taking a part each out of Pike and 
Pulton counties. By the same act, commission- 
ers were appointed to "locate the seat of justice 
for the future accommodation and convenience 
of the people. ' ' 

On April 30th, two of the three commissioners 
came to the "town site," as Quincy was then 
called, prepared to locate the county seat. They 
came determined to place it at the geographical 
center of the county, and procured Willard 
Keyes, who was known to be a skillful land 
hunter, as guide. 

Mr. Keyes, from some cause not fully ex- 
plained, led them into the bogs and (|uagmires 
of Alill Creek, where they tloundered about for 
a whole day and at nightfall were obliged to 
return to the town site for shelter. 

By the following morning the commissioners 
had changed their minds and forming a proces- 
sion composed of three-fourths of the male popu- 
lation of the town site, proceeded to the spot now 
known as Washington Square, and halting near 
where the statue of Governor John Wood now 
stands, drove their stake into the ground and 
officially announced that the Northwest Quarter 
of Section 2, Town 2 South, Range 9 West, of 
the Fourth Principal Meridian, was the county 
seat of Adams county, and placing their hands 
upon the stake, named the place Quincy — seven- 
ty-eight years ago to-day. 

At the time of the establishment of the county 
seat at Qxiincy, there were present, of the people 
composing the town, Willard Keyes, Jeremiah 
Rose and John DrouUard; John Wood, the other 
one-fourth of the population, being absent on a 
business trip to St. Louis. 

During the spring of 1839, the towns of Colum- 
bus and Payson were incorporated and Columbus 
being situated near the geographical center of 
the county upon the so\;theastern borders of a 
large, fertile prairie, and numbering among its 
inhabitants many men of skill, ability and en- 
terprise, promptly began an agitation for re- 
moval of the county seat from Quincy to that 
to-^vn. upon the ground that the location at 
Quincy, as made, was not for "the accommoda- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



231 



tioii and convenience of tlie jieople, " as contem- 
})lated )\v the law nnder which the commissioners 
authorized to locate were appointed. 

The principal argument used in favor of 
Columbus, in the bitter contest that was waged, 
was the geographical one. 

Abram Jonas, E. H. Buckley, Wesley D. Mc- 
Cann, Willard Gi'aves, (who was my uncle, and 
my father's business partner), and James A. 
Bell, ^vere among the active men of the time, resi- 
dents of Coh^mbia, who took leading parts in the 
interests of the town, all of whom I afterward 
knew well, and most of whom many of joii know. 

The "Columbus Advocate" was printed in 
Columbus at that time in aid of its contest. 
Abram Jonas was supposed to be the chief power 
liehind it. although another was the editor. 

Against a combination of conditions and such 
a group of men as I have named, backed by al- 
most the entire population of three-fourths of 
the area of the county, covering all lying east 
of Mill Creek, the good people of Quincy soon 
discerned that they were engaged in a contest 
that would require their most skillful and ener- 
getic efforts. 

A district campaign was inaugitrated and 
many speeches were made by the representatives 
of both parties in every school house and other 
available meeting place in the county. 

The election upon the question of removal of 
the cotmty seat was held on August 2, 1841, and 
Columbus triumphed, as shown by the following 
official certificate of two justices of the peace, one 
representing each contestant: 

' ' Abstract of the poll books of an election held 
in the county of Adams and state of Illinois, on 
Ifonday, the 2nd day of August, in the year of 
our Lord, 1841. Columbus had 16,036 votes for 
county seat. Quincy had 1,545 votes for county 
seat. (Signed) Henrv Asburv. (Seal) W. 
D. McGann." (Seal)" 

This, however, by no means settled the contro- 
versy: a cry of fraud in the vote was raised by 
the Quincy people. The matter was taken to the 
courts and ultimately into the legislature of the 
state, where it remained in one form or another 
for nearly six years; (see "History of Adams 
county," pages 285 to 295), during which time 
the Eastern portion of the county was separated 
from Adams county under the name of IMarqitet 
and, later on, the name was changed to Highland, 
of which in each case, Columbus was the county 
seat. 

From the new county, E. H. Buckley was sent 
as representative to the state legislature, where 
he did valiant and efficient service in behalf of 
his constituents : while the Hon. Nehemiah Bush- 
nell was the chief counsel of the new county in 
the courts. 



The new county never became thoroughly or- 
ganized under either name and in consequence 
of the unsettled conditions, the inhabitants for 
several years, between 1841 and 1847, escaped 
general taxation. 

The "Camp Point Journal" of March 7, 1900, 
published a communication from my brother, 
Henry A. Castle, giving an account of two news- 
papers recently found that were printed in 
Columbus in 1842. 

The same issue of the Camp Point Journal 
publishes a communication from the Hon. 
Thomas Bailey upon the "County Seat War" 
of 1841, wherein it is stated, that the fact that 
Quincy fenced Washington Park, which had been 
in common use as a camping ground for the 
people of the county for so many years, was a 
prime factor in favor of Columbits in the contest, 
and that 200 votes were lost by Quincy because 
of it. Also that two of the three county com- 
missioners favored contesting the election, while 
the other, Col. George Smith, of Columbus, op- 
posed it. 

An appeal was taken to Judge Douglas of the 
circuit court, who decided that the act being a 
special act, and there no provision for contesting, 
it could not be done. It looked for a time as if 
Columbus might win. 

I have asked Dr. J. F. Durant, who, at the time 
of the contest, was ten or twelve years of age, 
and living in Columbus, as to his recollection, 
and his reply is that he does not clearly remem- 
ber the many incidents of the time. He says, ' ' I 
remember that Mr. Graves made all of us boys 
vote. ' ' 

In 1847 the contest terminated and the coun- 
ties became reunited with Quincy as the county 
seat, to which place many of the leading partici- 
pants of the controversy soon removed, to af- 
filiate with their enemies. 

The "Columbus Advocate" was removed to 
Xauvoo and became the "Nauvoo Expositor," 
where its first issue brought down upon it the 
wrath of Joseph Smith & Co., who condemned it 
as a nuisance and promptly proceeded to abate 
the same by dumping it into the Mississippi. For 
that act. Joe and Hiram Smith were arrested 
and lodged in the ,jail at Carthage, where shortly 
afterward, they ^yere shot and killed. 

Regarding the editor of the Cohimbus Advo- 
cate. I remember as a boy, hearing my father tell 
an amusing story: The editor was rather im- 
pecunious at times, but was always fond of ar- 
dent drink. 

Old Capt. Black kept a .store where such mer- 
chandise was sold in quantities of not less than 
one qitart. 

The editor was the owner of two one-quart 
bottles of a browTiish tinted glass. At such times 



232 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



as he possessed silver he would carry one empty 
bottle to the store, have it filled, pay for it, return 
to his office and proceed to consume it. When 
without silver he would fill one bottle with water, 
carry the two to the store, hand out the empty 
one to be filled, replace it in his pocket when 
filled, and then say to the Captain : "I have no 
small change today : please charge it. ' ' 

To such suggestion the Captain would reply: 
" My dear sir, my whisl^y costs money, and 
money I must have when I let it go. ' ' 

The editor liaviug stai-ted toward the door, 
would ivluetantly return, with an expression of 
much distress upon his countenance, handing the 
bottle of water to the Captain, who would pour 
the contents into the barrel through the bunghole 
and return the empty bottle to the editor, who 
would depart, apparently very much downcast. 

This tontine jirocess was worked upon the bar- 
rel by the editor and the Captain for some months 
during the fall without discovery, but with the 
advent of severe winter weather a climax was 
reached, as what fli;id remained in the barrel 
froze solid. 

The captain and many of his jiatrons were very 
wrathy, but upon deliberation concluded not to 
prosecute, inasiimch as the Ca]itain sutt'eivd no 
loss, as he had sold the water at the price of 
whisky, and the tontine process had inured to 
both the moral and physical advantao-e of many 
of the inhabitants. 

Whether the editor remained with the ' ' Advo- 
cate " when it was removed to Nauvoo or not I 
am not sure, but many years afterward I found 
him installed in charge of the Quincy postoffice 
(not sixty years after, Mr. Wilcox) in the early 
sixties, as chief deputy or assistant postmaster, 
with the Hon. Abram Jonas as his chief. 



CHAPTER XLV. 



PUBLIC AND SEMI-PUBLIC BUILDINGS — PHILAN- 
THROPIC AND KINDRED INSTITUTIONS AND 
ORGANIZATIONS. 

For a good many years the expenditures for 
buildings of various kinds have averaged well 
on to $150,000 a year, and there are many busi- 
ness structures and manj' notable private resi- 
dences which have contributed to the architec- 
tural effects of the city, but specific mention must 
be limited to public or semi-public buildings. 
Concerning these, the years when erected and 
the cost, are as follows : The present courthouse, 
bounded by Fifth and Sixth streets and Broad- 
way and Vermont, erected in 1876, cost .$260,000. 



The federal building, at Eighth and Hampshire 
streets, was erected in 1887, the cost being $175,- 
000. The building is absolutely fireproof. The 
present city hall, at Third and Hampshire streets, 
erected in' 1890, cost $39,000. The Hotel New- 
comb, at Fourth and ]\laine streets (the site of 
the old Quincy House), erected in 1888, at a 
cost of $124,000. The Empire Theatre, on Eighth 
street, between ilaine and Hampshire streets, 
erected in 1893, cost $47,000. The C. B. & Q. 
passenger station, at Second and Oak streets, 
])uilt in 1899, cost $100,000; the freight house, 
at Second and Broadway, cost $50,000. The 
Wabash railway passenger station at Sixth and 
York streets, erected in 1902, cost .$40,000: the 
freight house, $30,000. Turner Hall, 926 Hamp- 
shire street, erected in 1885 and cost $18,000. 
The German Y^oung Men's Christian Association 
building, at Eighth and State streets, was built 
ill 1S93 and cost .$32,000. The City Central 
ilarket building, at Ninth and Hampshire streets, 
built in 1897, cost $2,500. The city paid $18,000 
for all of the market place ground. The estab- 
lishment of the market place has been amply 
.justified by the usefulness and popularity of the 
convenience. The present cell house of the 
Quincy House of Correction, at Front and Jack- 
son streets, was built in 1888 and cost $25,000. 

BLESSING HOSPITAL. 

Blessing Hospital, at Tenth and Spring streets, 
grew out of the work of the Charitable Aid and 
H<ispital Association, which was founded in 1869 
as a society for relief of the poor. True to its 
original intention, the hospital has always cared 
for a large number of free patients. In 1873 
the association was incorporated, these being the 
names of the incorporators: John Wood, 0. H. 
Browning, F. S. Giddings, M. B. Finley, U. S. 
Penfield, H. S. Osborn, H. A. Williamson, Gus- 
tave Levi, E. K. Stone, R. W. Gardner, R. W. 
:\Ie.AIahan, William B. Bull. Mr. H. S. Osborn 
was elected president and Mr. E. J. Parker treas- 
urer. The hospital was built at a cost of $12,000, 
including land and furnishings, and opened ilay, 
1875. The site, valued at $3,000, was given by 
]\Ir. ]\1. B. Denman. In 1895 it became necessary 
to enlarge the hospital, and a new three-story 
building was ei'ected, joining the original build- 
iiiS' on the west. The cost of the addition was 
iihout $14,500. Further enlargement became 
necessary in 1903, and a suitable home for the 
nurses had become an imperative necessity. To 
make i-oom for these buildings, and to make the 
improvements comprehensive and final, it was 
found desirable to purchase additional land on 
the east. It was also thought best to pull down 
the first two-story building, which no longer 
seemed adequate to its use, and to build upon the 
same foundations a modern three-story building 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



233 



complete in every resijeet, being fully equipped 
(as well as the nurses' home) with electricity, 
steam heat, a system of house telephones, electric 
elevator and the best plumbing. The steam laun- 
dry and steam heating plant were installed in a 
new brick building detached from the hospital 
and connected with it by a tunnel for the steam 
pipes. These buildings have been completed at 
a total cost of over .$30,000, making Blessing Hos- 
pital the most modern and be.st arranged hospital 
in the state outside of Chicago. The Training 
School for Nurses, established in 1891, is now 
iinder the efficient management of ]\liss Mary C. 
"Wheeler, who has also been superintendent of the 
hospital for the last six yeai-s. It is most suc- 
cessful, not only providing the best class of 
nurses for the hospital, but .supplying families 
of our own and neighboring cities, and in ad- 
jacent states. There are now fourteen nurses 
in the school, and the number is constantly in- 
creasing. The number of patients last year was 
between 600 and 700, of which a large proportion 
were charity cases. Blessing Hospital has a 
small endowment, not exceeding .$19,000, which 
was begun bv 'Sirs. Denman's bequest of $4,000 
in March. 1883. 

So many good women and men have devoted 
such time, thought and labor, as well as means 
toward the well doing of this institution as to 
make individual credit impracticable, but men- 
tion must be made of the leading and invaluable 
part taken in the good work by ^Mrs. Elizabeth G. 
Parker. 

ST. MARVS HOSPITAL. 

Through the efforts of the late Rev. Father 
Ferdinand. O. S. F.. and the Rev. Father Schae- 
fei'mej-er. a few sisters of the congregation of the 
Sisters of the Poor of St. Francis — whose Mother 
House is in Aehen, Germany, the home of the 
American province being at Hartwell, Ohio — un- 
der the direction of Sister Eusebia, came to 
Quincy, May 19, 1866, for the purpose of estab- 
lishing a hospital in this city. After persistenl 
effort they finally .succeeded in receiving suffi- 
cient encouragement to begin the building of St. 
IMary's Hospital, ilarch 22, 1867. The corner- 
stone was laid the following da.y, in the presence 
of the mayor, the aldermen, the county officials 
and an immense coneour.se of citizens. This 
building, which cost about $16,000. and had ac- 
commodations for about fifty patients, was ready 
for occupancy October 25 of that year. The first 
patients were seven persons whom the Sistere 
had been caring for temporarily in a room of St. 
Boniface school building. Such was the demand 
on the hospital that within the next decade en- 
largement became imperative, and an addition 
costing about $20,000 was completed October 18, 
1877, by which accommodations were provided 



for about one hundred patients. As the years 
passed and the population increased, and the ex- 
cellent management of the hospital continued, 
further enlargement became necessary. In 1900 
an addition was erected, at a cost of about $40,- 
000. The new structure is four .stories, occupies 
a ground area of 86 by 68 feet, and in point of 
convenience, comfort, lighting, ventilation and 
general modern equipment and beauty of design 
and finish, is one of the very best hospitals in the 
west. The value of its buildings and ground is 
not less than $100,000. The entire building area 
is now about 212 feet long by 68 feet deep. The 
especial pride of the hospital is the wonderful 
new chapel, which is situated at the west end of 
the old building. The hospital can now accom- 
modate 175 patients, and it contained 137 at the 
beginning of the present year, 1905. The fact 
that 1.326 patients were eared for during the 
year 1904 indicates the great extent of the noble 
work being done by the faithful twenty-two sis- 
ters, with the help of a few outsiders. Sister 
Raymunda, Superior, is in charge of the hos- 
pital. The institution has no endowment, being 
dependent sol el j- iipon the benevolence of those 
who a])preciate the good work done and which 
has won fame tliat is widespi-ead. No condition 
of creed, color, race or otherwise is requii'ed for 
a patient to get the benefit of the devoted service. 
So many of our people actively interest them- 
selves in behalf of this worthy institution as to 
make individual mention impossible, but the 
practical zeal manifested for many years by Mr. 
Frederick AVolf has been so conspicuous as to 
properly require recognition. 

In 1898 an auxiliary organization named St. 
^Mary's Ambulance Societ.v was formed, as a 
result of whose good work the hospital has a 
first-class ambulance and excellent .service. 

WOODLAND HOME. 

On January 4, 1853, a number of ladies met 
at the First Congregational Church in Quincy 
and organized a .society called the '' Ladies' 
Union Benevolent Society." the object being to 
alleviate the present wants of the worthy poor 
in Quincy, and ultimately to ei-ect a building for 
destitute widows and orphans. This was the 
initiative of the charitj' known today as the 
Woodland Home for Orphans and Friendless. 
The board of managers was to consist of one 
member chosen from each church in the city that 
contributed to the caiise. Two years later fifteen 
gentlemen — Frederic Collins, Joel Rice, Samuel 
Holmes, 0. H. Bro-«Tiing, Newton Flagg, Charles 
A. Savage, William Caldwell, John Wheeler, 
Hiram Rodgers. Nathaniel Pease, John Blatch- 
ford, Elijah Gove, John W. McFadon. John 
Wood. Willard Keyes — contributed one hundred 
dollars each ($1,500) and five acres south of the 



234 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



city was purchased for a building site. On Feb- 
ruary 14, 1855, Woodland Home for Orphans and 
Friendless was incorporated by a special act of 
the legislature of the state of Illinois. The fifteen 
gentlemen named were appointed trustees for 
life, with the power of filling all vacancies, there- 
by making the board self-perpetuating. The 
board of trustees has each year appointed an 
executive committee of ladies, who have looked 
after the domestic affairs of the institution. The 
first executive committee consisted of Alesdames 
J. T. Holmes, first directress; F. Collins, second 
directress; C. H. (,'hurch, secretary; Littlefield, 
sub-treasurer, and the following as managers : 
Mesdames llolton. Rice, Rogers, Leibrie, Brown- 
ing, Tillson, C. M. Wood, Baldwin, P. Smith, 
Hays, Jones, Dickhut, Dunn, Price, Gove. Nance, 
Pittman, Richardson, Keyes, M. Turner, Leasy, 
Kingman, Kreinhop, S. Hoffman, Ralston. A. 
Smith and Miss Smeading. 

For a few years the children cared for by this 
charity were boarded in families. Then a house 
was rented on Tenth street, between j\laine and 
Jersey. In 1867 the property on the northwest 
corner of Fifth and Washington streets was pur- 
chased, .$13,500 being the price paid, and used 
for the home of this institution until ]\Iay 9, 
1893, when the Woodland Home family moved 
into its present commodious quarters at Twenty- 
seventh and ]\Iaine streets. The funds to pay 
for the land and also the building of the present 
home were mostly solicited from the citizens of 
Quincy. The land and buildings cost $17,000. 

The institution has received from time to time 
gifts and bequests, so that now the income from 
the endowment fund is about one-third of the 
current expense accoi;nt, the balance being made 
up by voluntary donations and other ways and 
means devised by the ladies of the executive 
committee. 

The work of this institution, as its charter 
recites, " is to care for the virtuous indigent 
women and children." 

Since its organization approximately 2,125 in- 
dividuals have been eared for by the Woodland 
Home. Homeless children are received and cared 
for till a suita,ble home in some worthy family 
is found for each child. Children of worthy 
working mothers are also received as boarders, 
and often fathers place their motherless ones to 
board in Woodland Home. The working force 
of the institution consists of five, viz., Miss M. E. 
Ellis, matron; a cook, housemaid, nurse and 
.janitor. 

The present board of trustees is : 0. B. Gor- 
don, president; W. A. Richardson, vice presi- 
dent; George Wells, treasurer; E. C. Wells, sec- 
retary; John Wlieeler, Nathaniel Pease, J. N. 
Sprigg, R. W. Gardner, C. H. Williamson. L. E. 



Ennnons, Sr., E. K. Stone, G. J. Cottrell, J. W. 
Gardner, George H. Stahl, D. F. Wilcox. 

The Ladies' Executive Committee is as fol- 
lows : Mrs. J. W. Gardner, president ; Mrs. A. H. 
Sclunidt, first vice president; Mrs. J. M. Irwin, 
second vice president ; Mrs. J. N. Sprigg, record- 
ing secretary; Mrs. F. M. Bolles, corresponding 
secretary ; ilrs. E. K. Stone, treasurer ; ]\Irs. D. F. 
Wilcox,'Mrs. J. P. Burt, ]\Irs. George Wells, ilrs. 
M. Kirtley, Mrs. E. A. Rogers, Mrs. J. Best, Mrs. 
F. H. Weems, Mrs. W. A. Richardson, Mrs. 0. B. 
Gordon, ]\Irs. F. T. Hill, ]Mrs. Bessie Block, Mrs. 
Leda Toof, Mrs. J. W. Sinnock, Mrs. P. B. Wil- 
liams, Mrs. H. Hart, Mrs. J. W. Cassidy, Mrs. D. 
McAfee, Mrs. E. L. Finley, Mrs. E. E. Stewart. 

THE OLD PEOPLE'S PIOME. 

Das Alteuheim, or the Old People's Home, at 
No. 418 Washington street, was founded May 15, 
1890, by the St. Louis Conference of the German 
M. E. Church. The original building was do- 
nated by Mr. Charles Pfeiffer, of Quincy, 111. 
Three extensions have been made to the build- 
ing. The present valuation is $25,000. There 
are thirty-one members in the home at this 
writing. The successive superintendents have 
been : Charles Pfeiffer, Mrs. Charles Pfeiffer, 
William F. Hagen and the Rev. William Balcke, 
the latter being the present incumbent. 

ANNA BROWN HOME FOR THE AGED. 

Mrs. Anna E. Brown, widow of Charles Brown, 
was born in Connecticut, in 1830, and died in 
Quincy October 22, 1893. Mrs. Brown provided 
in her will for the establishment of a home for 
the aged, to which she devised her residence, at 
the northwest corner of Fifth and ilaple streets, 
and which home she endowed with interest-bear- 
ing securities worth $55,000. Thus was foiinded 
what was named the Anna Brown Home for the 
Aged, in arranging for which the management 
spent about $18,000 for a new building and other 
improvements in 1897. The home was opened 
in January, 1898. Acceptable applicants only 
are admitted, and there is an admission fee of 
$300. The management has been such that the 
institution is in excellent condition every way. 
Hon. W. H. Collins is president, Osman B. Gor- 
don, vice president; T. C. Poling, treasurer, and 
George H. Wilson, secretary, of the corporation. 
Miss Elizabeth Carelton is matron. At this 
writing there are twelve women and four men in 
the home. 

ST. VINCENT'S HOJIE. 

St. Vincent's Home, at 1340 North Tenth 
street, was foimded in 1884, by the Sisters' Poor 
Handmaids of .lesus Christ, of Fort Wayne, Ind. 
Four blocks of ground were bought in Cox's ad- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



235 



(.Utiou for .$7,U(A). The first buildiug addition 
to the old Cox house was dedicated September 8, 
1885, the cost of the addition being $10,000. The 
sisters opened the home April 4, 1885, with three 
inmates. There are now ninety inmates. The 
present building, which cost about $-45,000, was 
dedicated Xovember 14, 1897. Sister Superior. 
Venerable Sister ^laria Romana is manager of 
the home. 

ST. ALOYSIUS ORPHAN SOCIETY. 

St. Aloysius Orphan Society, whose asylum is 
located at Twentieth and Vine streets, was 
founded in 1852 by Joseph Kuenster, at the 
suggestion of ilission Father, the Rev. F. W. 
Wenninger. The suggestion grew out of effects 
of the cholera epidemic. The present building 
was dedicated April 18, 1865. It contains about 
thirty children at this time. Chris "Wand is 
president of the society and the Rev. Dean 
]\Iiehael Weis. pastor of St. Boniface Catholic 
Church, is president of the board of trustees. 

THE CHEERFUL HOilE. 

The Cheerful Home Association was founded 
in 1887 by the late Miss Cornelia A. Collins, a 
j'oung woman whose noble character was illu- 
mined by a rarel.y beautiful spirit of unselfish- 
ness. The primary object of the movement was 
to provide a pleasant evening resort for a class 
of boys who might otherwise be on the streets. 
While this ob.ject has been never lost sight of, the 
scope of the Cheerful Plome work has been 
greatly extended and with increasing value to 
boys and girls, to whom regular class instructions 
in domestic science, sewing, manual training, 
kindergarten, etc., are given daily. The first 
meeting place of the association was at No. 215 
North Fourth street. In the spring of 1901 ]\Ir. 
Lorenzo Bull bought the Wells residence jiroji- 
ert.y. No. 241 Jerse.v street, and donated the same 
to the Cheerful Home Association, whose occu- 
pation of the well adapted building marked a new 
and wider era in the life of the home. IMr. Bull 
had secured the property for $5,000 for the pur- 
pose. In the spring of 1903 ]\Ir. Bull added and 
equipped a fine g^niniasium, at a cost of about 
$6,000, thus still further enhancing the whole- 
some attractiveness and usefulness of the insti- 
tution. The Cheerful Home now benefits be- 
tween 400 and 500 boys and girls, and at this 
writing plans are being made for still further 
enlargement of the good work. So many good 
people have given of their best thought, time 
and labor in the furtherance of the welfare of 
this worthy institution that individual mention 
is not practicable, but it is certain that only for 
^Ir. Bull 's benefactions the home could not have 
thus enlarged its scope of usefulness, while the 
services of Miss !Mar>- Bull, the president of the 



board of lady managers, has been so invaluable as 
to call for exceptional recognition. ]\Iiss Mary 
L. Adams, the present efficient chief resident 
worker at the home, has occupied that position 
for about two years. 

GERMAN YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN AS- 
SOCIATION. 

The Young Men's Christian Association was 
organized in 1893. Its biiilding, located at 
Eighth and State streets, cost $32,000. The 
jiresent iiiciiibership of the association is in the 
npiuliliiirli'iid of 250. W. T. Dwire is president 
of the association, H. C. Sprick, secretary and 
acting treasurer. The present directors are Her- 
man Ileidbreder, A. J. Niemeyer, Dr. Henrj- C. 
^Mueller, J. F. Pieper, J. "SI. Brown, Henry E, 
Sehmiedeskamp and Walter H. Bennett. 

YOUNG WO:\IEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIA- 
TION. 

Through the efforts of iliss Harriet Broad, 
state secretary of the Young Women's Christian 
Association, a local association was organized in 
Quincy, at the Vermont Street M. E. Church 
Friday evening, Febi'uary 10, 1905, the charter 
member.ship being 433. The first officers are 
5Irs. Nelson Funk, president : Mi.ss Ida Stewart, 
vice president ; ]\Irs. Charles A. O.sborn, secre- 
tary, and Mrs. Ella S. Lewis, treasurer. 

THE QUINCY HUMANE SOCIETY. 

This society was incorporated under the name 
of " Quincv Society for the Prevention of 
Craelty to Animals,'"' July 20, 1880. July 22, 
1880, the first officers were elected, T. ]\I. Rogers 
being president : J. R. Stewart, secretary ; Henry 
Root, ti'easurer, and Dr. H. W. Hale, superin- 
tendent. June 20, 1882, the name of the society 
was changed to " The Quincy H;unane Society." 
October 28, 1893, Anna E. Bro^vn died, leaving a 
will in which she had bequeathed to the society 
a large amount, amounting to between $14,000 
and $15,000. Some two years later the society 
came into possession of this fund, the income 
from which has enabled the society to greatly 
enlarge and do more efficient work. The present 
officers of the society are Henry P. Walton, presi- 
dent : J. W. ]\Iarkus. firet vice president : Henry 
Meisser. second vice president; Dr. R. Woods, 
tz-easurer: Ljinan McCarl. secretaiy. and John 
Fowley, humane officer. I\Ir. Walton is serving 
his eleventh year as president of the society, in 
the furtherance of whose useful and commend- 
able work this venerable citizen has manifested 
the same public spirited activity that has char- 
acterized his course in so many other directions. 



236 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY. 

Chiefly through the efforts of the late Rev. 
Samuel H. Emery, the Historical Society of 
Quincy, Illinois, was organized Tuesday evening, 
October 6, 1896, at a meeting held for that pur- 
pose in the present rooms of the Chamber of 
Commerce, on the west side of Washington 
Park. The society was incorporated the same 
year. " The object of the society is to gather 
up all that relates to tlie history of Quincy and 
vicinity, and to provide a safe place to deposit 
for all pictures, books, portraits, manuscripts, 
relics and dociunents of every sort which illus- 
trate this history. ' ' The archives are kept in the 
tower room of the public library building, where 
donations are placed as received. Among the 
prominent events in the life of the society was 
its celebration of the seventy-eighth anniversary 
of the founding of Quincy and Adams County. 
The event took place on the evening of May 1, 

1903, in the parlors of the Presbyterian Church. 
Mr. Lorenzo Bull delivered the principal ad- 
dress. The present year, 1905, the society, by 
a committee consisting of Dr. J. B. Shawgo, Dr. 
Joseph Roljbins and Mr. George 1\I. Janes, erected 
a tablet in Washington Park commemorative of 
the place of the debate between Lincoln and 
Douglas, October 13, 1858. In deciding on the 
location, the committee was guided mainly by 
an opinion from Mr. Lorenzo Bull, in reply to a 
recj[uest from a previous eonunittee for his recol- 
lection. Mr. Bull, who was then temporarily in 
Camden, Maine, wrote to the committee July 26, 

1904, as follows: " In reply to yours of the 
18th instant, asking for my recollection as to 
the location of the grand stand occupied by the 
.speakers of the Lincoln-Douglas debate, October 
13, 1858, I have to sa.y as follows : If Washing- 
ton Pai'k were divided into four equal square 
parts, the location of the speakers' stand upon 
that occasion could ])e certainly and definitely 
given as within the southeast quarter of such 
division. Any attempt at this late date to fix a 
more precise location by feet and inches must 
be attended by more or less uncertainty ; but as 
an approximation I should say that a point about 
one hundred feet west from Fifth street and 
about forty or fifty feet north from Maine street, 
would be very nearly correct. The stand faced 
tlie east and I listened to the speakers, standing 
on the south side at a point neai-ly in front of 
the present bank building of the State Savings 
Loan and Trust Company." 

^Ir. Bull has been president of the Historical 
Society since its organization and by unanimous 
choice. The late Timothy M. Rogers was the 
first recording secretary. The next secretary was 
the Hon. W. A. Richardson, who was succeeded 
by Miss Louise Maertz, wlm is now in Cuba, 



and who was temporarily succeeded as secretary 
l)y Henry Bornmaini. iliss Louisa 'SI. Robbins 
has been i-ecently selected as permanent secre- 
tary. The late Gen. E. B. Hamilton was the first 
vice j)resident at the time of his death. He was 
succeeded by Cicero F. Perry. The late James 
Woodruff' was second vice president at the time 
of liis death. Sanniel H. Emery, Jr., is the cor- 
I'esponding secretary; George ^1. Janes, treas- 
urer; Hon. William H. Collins, historiographer; 
Col. Chauncey II. Castle, auditor, and .Mrs. Con- 
stance E. Ellis, librarian. 

THE LINDSAY CHURCH IIO.ME. 

The late 'Sirs. Elizabeth Lindsay, by her will, 
dated Nov. 4, 1863, left all of her property to 
Dr. Edward G. Castle, Seth C. Sherman and 
Peter Grant, in trust, for the purpose of found- 
ing and supporting in the city of Quincy, what 
was to be styled The Lindsay Church Home, the 
same tt) be exclusively held and used for the 
benefit of poor persons belonging to the Pro- 
testant Ei>iscopal Church of Quincy. The value 
of tlie real estate bequeathed was about !f;15,000, 
and the rest of the property was valued at about 
■$3,000. In accordance with the will of Mrs. 
Lindsay, the Home M'as established in the resi- 
dence of the founder, namely, on the southeast 
corner of Fovirth and Vermont streets. The in- 
stitution was incorporated Nov. 6. 1874, the 
incorporators being Edward G. Ca.stle, Peter 
Grant, Seth C. Shernian. Henry Asbury, Henry 
A. Williamson and Edward J. Parker. The 
matron of the institution is Mrs. M. E. Powell. 
While its means have been limited, the Home has 
served its purpose well. 

FRATERNAL AND BENEVOLE.XT SO- 
CIETIES. 

Fraternal and benevolent societies have found 
a congenial atmosphere in Quincy in which they 
have thriven apace, the city being extensively 
represented in that direction. A history of these 
various sdcicties would take so nmch time and 
s|)Mcc iis to i-i'iider it impracticable in this work. 

The i»i'esent various clivisions of the Masonic 
order are as follows: Bodley Lodge No. 1, Her- 
man Lodge No. 39, Quincy Lodge No. 296, Lam- 
bert Lodge No. 695, Quincy Chapter No. 5 R. A. 
JI., and Quincy Council No. 15 R. & S. M. There 
are two Commanderies, the Beauseant Command- 
ery No. 11 K. T. and the El A.ska Commandery 
No. 55 K. T. The consistories are four in num- 
ber and are, the Quincy Lodge of Perfection 14 
Deg., Quincy Council of Princes of Jerusalem 
16 Deg.. Quincy Chapter of Rose Croix 18 Deg. 
R. D. M., and the Quincy Consistory 32 Deg. S. 
P. R. S. There are also three orders of the East- 
ern Star, the Alpha Chapter No. 109, 0. E. S., 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



237 



the Grat-e Whipple Chapter No. 312 0. E. S., and 
the White Shrine of Jerusalem. 

There are eight lodges of the Ancient Order 
of United Workmen, consisting of the following : 
Fern Lodge No. 25, Degree of Honor, Gem 
City Lodge No. 10, Germania Lodge No. 37 De- 
gree of Honor, Humboldt Lodge No. 61, Joint 
Team, Park Lodge No. 56, Pride of the West 
Lodge No. 94, and Quiney Lodge No. 45. 

The Degree of Ruth has three lodges, the Beth- 
lehem Lodge No. 11, Esther Lodge No. 10, and 
Eunice Lodge No. 13. 

The Grand Army of the Republic have six 
societies, Jolm Wood Post No. 96, Col. Charles 
H. IMorton Post No. 707, Col. L. W. Shepherd 
Post No. 628, Woman's Relief Corps No. 47 
(Aiixiliary to John Wood Post), Woman's Relief 
Corps No. 170 (Auxiliary to Col. Chas. H. Mor- 
ton Post), and Col. W. W. Berry Ladies' Circle 
No. 30. 

The Union Veterans have two unions, the Fort 
Donaldson Regiment No. 9, and the McKinley 
Regiment No. 30. 

The two Hebrew lodges are : the Quiney Lodge 
No. 161 I. 0. B. B., and the Zuleika Lodse No. 
99 I. 0. B. B. 

The Independent Order of Mutual Aid has 
three lodges, the Peerless Lodge No. 11, the Re- 
union Lodge No. 15, and the Star Lodge No. 13. 

In the Independent Order of Odd Fellows 
there are eight divisions. Golden Rule Lodge No. 
27, Daughters of Rebakah, Quiney Lodge No. 
12, Adams Lodge No. 365, Allen Encampment 
No. 4, Gem City Lodge No. 357, Irma Lodge 
No. 208 Daughters of Rebekah, Marquette Lodge 
No. 36, and Teutonia Lodge No. 226 (German) 
Daughters of Rebekah. 

The Knights of Pythias have five societies, 
the Amity Lodge No. 552, Endowment Rank 
Section No. 42. Evergreen Temple No. 1 (Rath- 
bone Sisters), Preux Chevalier Lodge No. 18, 
and the Red Cross Lodge No. 44. 

The three branches of the Knights of the 
Maccabees are the Colgan Hive No. 120, Globe 
Tent No. 97, and the Quiney Tent No. 97. 

El Capitau Degree Staff of Gem City Camp 
No. 219, Gem_City Camp No. 219. North Star 
Camp No. 44 r 4, Oak Camp No. 543, and the 
Queen of the West Camp No. 51 (Royal Neigh- 
bors), make up the ^Modern Woodmen of Amer- 
ica. 

The two Councils of the J.Iutual Protective 
League are the Fraternity Council No. 261 and 
the Quiney Council No. 369. 

The Roval Circle is composed of the Elite 
Circle No.' 45 and the Gem City Circle No. 468. 

The SiT]ireme Court of Honor is in two sec- 
tions, the New Century District Court No. 1052, 
and the Progressive District Court No. 74. 

Other Lodges represented are : Ancient Order 



of Hibernians (Division No. 1 of Adams Coun- 
ty), Quiney Lodge No. 100 of the Benevolent 
and Protective Order of Elks, Quiney Aerie 
No. 535 of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, Craft 
Lodge No. 98 of the Fraternal Reserve Life 
Association, South Quiney Lodge No. 558 of the 
Harugari, ^^linnewawa Tribe No. 160 of the Im- 
proved Order of Red ilen, Quiney Council No. 
538 of the Knights of Columbus, Quiney Lodge 
No. 222 of the ]Mystic Workei-s of the World, 
Quiney Council No. 175 of the National Union, 
Quiney Council No. 75 of the North American 
I^nion, Quiney Council No. 195 of the Royal 
Arcanum, Quiney Legion No. 9 Select Knights 
of America, Caesar Tribunal No. 72 of the Fra- 
ternal Tribunes, Quiney Chapter No. 7 of the 
Washington League, Quiney Court No. 20 of 
the Triije of Ben Ilur, and the Quiney Council 
No. 93 of the United Connnercial Travelers. 

The colored population of Quiney are organ- 
ized into the following secret societies : Athenian 
Chapter No. 11 R. A. M., Crystal Chapter No. 
8 E. S., Red Cross Comnumdery No. 11 K. T., 
LTnity Lodge No. 16 of the ^lasonic Oi'der, Grand 
United Order of Odd Fellows composed of the 
two branches of the Household of Ruth No. 213, 
and the Star of the Morning Lodge No. 1818, 
the Knights of Tabor composed of the Golden 
Wing Temple No. 3, Maids and Pages Tent No. 
2. and the Princess of Quiney Tabernacle No. 
15, the Sisters of the :\Iy.sterious Ten divided 
into Queen of Sheha Temple No. 20, and Star 
of Bethlehem Temple No. 4, Union Veterans' 
Union, consisting of John Smothers' Regiment 
No. 38, and John Smothers' Union No. 12 
(ladies). United Brethren of Friendship consist- 
ing of Charles Sumner Camp No. 5, and William 
Shepherd Lodge No. 6. 



CHAPTER XLVI. 

quincy's business enterprises, the wide range 

of inorstries and vocations at the end of 

eighty y'ears op growth. 

]\Iay 1, 1825, eighty years ago to the veiy 
day on which this chapter is written — ilay 1, 
1905 — Quiney was born. Not even a volume 
would suffice to trace the growth of the individ- 
ual enterprises and industries in this city dur- 
ing those eighty years. Some of these industries 
are of such importance that their individual de- 
velopment, their magnitude, their importance, 
would make a most fascinating history, but this 
is not practicable here. The best that can be 
done in this connection is to give a list of 
Quincy's enterprises at this time, showing by 
the character and extent of the various kinds 



238 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



of business, the general situation at the time the 
city has reached its eightieth birthday anniver- 
sary. The list is as follows : 

Abstracts of Title: Adams County Abstract 
& Guarantee Co. 

Accountants : Robert C. Allen. 

Advertising Specialties: John II. Niehoff. 
Quincy Advertising Novelty C". 

Aeronauts: Baldwin Bros. Thomas W. 
Greenleaf. 

Agriculture Implements : Collins Plow Co. 
C. S. Cordsiemon Implement Co. Grand Detour 
Plow Co. International Harvester Co. of Amer- 
ica. George Keller & Son. Quinev Corn Planter 
Co. 

Altar Builders : Henrv Dreisoeruer. Schenk 
Altar Co. 

Anti-Rust : Frost Anti-Rust Co. 

Apiarists : Henry Venvertloh. 

Apples : David Long. 

Architects and Superintendents : John 
Batschy. George P. Behrensmeyer. Harvey Chat- 
ten. Fred C. Ledebriuk. Edward E. Orr. Frank 
R. Tubbesing. Ernest M. Wood. 

Architectural Iron Works : Bush-Clement Iron 
& Brass Foundry & ]\Ietal Wlieel Works. Cen- 
tr/al Iron Works. Reliable Foundry Co. 

Architectural Sheet l\letal Works: Berg- 
hofer & Ohnemus. Schnlliai: Bn.is. William C. 
Wilson. 

Art Dealers: G. H. Lvford & Co. Young 
Bros. 

Art Embroidery Materials : ]\Iiss Katliryn A. 
Murphy. 

Art Needle Work : Bon Ton. 

Artists: Miss Annie M. Dodd. Miss Bessie 
C. Durant. Miss Dorothy C. Enlow. William 
Knobloek. Miss Kathryn E. Mackoy. Miss 
Mabel S. Massie. FlorisRensis. Miss Nellie A. 
Worden. 

Assayers: John Ilolirecker. 

Auctioneers: Jxilius Armour. Benjamin L. 
Avers. William V. Orr. C. W. Whittemore & 
Co. 

Automobiles : The Quincy Automobile Co. J. 
& W. Kurz. Massie & Sons. Qixincy Automobile 
Works. 

Awnings, Tents, etc. : Peter Emrich. Quincy 
Aw-ning & Tent Co. Yoi^ng Bros. 

Axle Grease and Oils: Richardson Lubricat- 
ing Co. Henry A. Williamson. 

Baggage Lines : Thomas J. Kane. Quincy 
Transfer Co. 

Bakers : Roma Boekenhoff. Boekenhoff Sis- 
ters. Tobias J. Bueter. Clark & Jlorgan. Wil- 
liam F. Davis Candy & Catering Co. Eberhardt 
& Ryan. John IT. Hellhake. Mrs. Ida M. Hen- 
derson. Jacob F. Hermann. Holleuder & Son. 
Peter H. Meyer. The Model Bakery. Cornelius 
'J. Mueller. " Albert E. Nelsch. Miss Marv C. 



Sheer. Stahlhut & Bachmann. F. George Stroth- 
mann. Taylor's Bakery. Mrs. Maggie H. Warn- 
ing. 

Baled Hay and Straw : David Long. 

Baling Presses : Collins Plow Co. George 
Ertel Co. 

Bands, Music: Empire Band and Orchestra. 
Freeman's Band, ilarkee Family Band. Welt- 
er's IMilitary Band and Orchestra. 

Bank, Druggists', Bar and Store Fixtui'es: 
Globe Fixture & Furniture Co. Huck Mnfg. 
Co. Joseph Knittel Show Case Co. Peter H. 
Meyer. Quincy Show Case Works. 

Bank and Bankers : The Cassidy Commission 
Co. Clearing House Assn. The Quincy Na- 
tional Bank. ^The Rieker National Bank. ' State 
Savings, Loan & Trust Co. State Street Bank. 

Bar Fixtures and Sundries: J. J. Flvnn & 
Co. 

Barbers: James R. Bass. William J. Baum. 
Clarence 0. Bliven. J. Henry Bowling. Wil- 
liam Bowling. Francis ]\1. Bradshaw. William 
0. Cobb. John Daul & Co. Frank W. Dean. 
DeKrieger, Purcell & Cramer. Frank J. Dietz. 
G. Frederick Ehrgott, Jr. Frank Giefing. Jay 
J. Gould. Guulock Hair Remedy Co. Haddeu- 
horst & Sehmitt. Walter C. Harness. Peter 
Hartman. Edward L. Henrichs. Hild, Daul & 
Co. Emanuel AV. Hoffman. Frederick G. Hoff- 
man. Hotel Newcomb Barber Shop. Charles 
C. Huffmann. Walter H. Husemann. August 
Ketterer. Kinser & Mellor. John Koch. George 
Koehler. ]\Iever Bros. Alonzo Miller. Herman 
stiller, :\lyers & Steele, William T. O'Brien, 
Charles B. Reynolds. Lansing N. Richardson. 
Charles H. Roi-ick. Edward C. Schaefer. Aug- 
ust H. Sclumidt. J. Adam Sehmitt. John L. 
Talkin. George H. Timmerwilke. Tremont 
Plouse Barber Shop. Andrew Volm. Pliilip A. 
Volm, Adam Weisenberger, Edward L. Wheeler, 
William C. Wheeler, Hiram B. Whitney. Philip 
Wolf, William A. Zinnnernum. 

Barbers' Supplies: Quincy Barber Supply. 
Henr^' Turner. 

Basket IMakers : Jacob Futtei'er. 

Bath Cabinets and Rubber Specialties : Cab- 
inet ]\Ifg. Co. 

Bath Rooms : Natatoriiim. 

Bible Repositories : American Bible Society. 

Bicvcles, Supplies and Repairers: William 
Lubbert & Co. Phelphs & Brenner. Arthur K. 
Stewart. 

Bill Posters: E. Bowman Bill Posting & Dis- 
tributing Co. 

Billiard Halls: Giesing & Siepker. George 
S. Iloit. Hotel Newcomb Billiard Hall. Alonzo 
Jliller. 

Billiard and Pool Tables: George S. Hoit. 
Albert Magnusson. 

Bird Fanciers : Luther Garthwait. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY 



239 



Blacksmiths : George W. Boliue. William F. 
P. Bormeyer. Henry Deege. Theodore J. Dis- 
seler. William Dunker. Henry Harte. Jausen 
& Triebel. Adam Kraft. Joseph J. Jlehaffy. 
Alfred S. ]Moon. Henry C. Otten. John Reagan. 
Thomas J. Reardon. Walter H. Reeksieck. 
Henry W. Rupp & Co. J. Adam Schaef er. Stiir- 
hahn & Meyer. Tushans Bros. The Wenzel 
Wagon Co. A. L. Zimmerman & Co. 

Blank Books: Cadogan-Hateher Mnfg. Co. 
J. W. Franks & Sons. ^Ic^Mein Printing Co. 
James M. Irwiu. 

Blueing : Bernard Derhake. 

Boat Builders: Robert G. Bro\\Ti. William 
D. Henry. William JMoritz. 

Boat Lively : Robert G. Brown. William D. 
Henry. North Side Boat Club. Soiith Side 
Boat Club. 

Boats, Steam : Quincy [Marine Ways. 

Boiler Cleanei-s : Standard Boiler Cleaner Co. 

Boiler Makers: Grimm Boiler Co. Michel- 
mann Boiler Co. 

Boiler and Engine Room Supplies: Oscar E. 
Grimm. 

Boilers and Engines : The E. E. HoUister Co. 

Book Binders: Cadogan-Hateher ]\Ifg. Co. 
Charles F. Clinton. J. W. Franks & Sons. HufP- 
mau Printing Co. Stefit'en-ilesher Co. ]\rcilein 
Printing Co. 

Books, Publishers (Poultry, etc.) : Reliable 
Poultry Joui-nal Publishing Co. 

Booksellers and Stationers: Chicago Book 
Exchange. Henrv G. Garrelts. Plinv S. Janes. 
G. H. Lyford & Co. Oenning Glass & Book Co. 
Edward Renter. Spindler News Co. E. J. Tay- 
lor & Co. :\rrs. Anna White. 

Boots and Shoes: Freiburg Boot and Shoe 
Mnfg. Co. Upham, Gordon & Co. 

Boots and Shoes (Retail) : A skin & 3Iarine. 
Charles F. A. Behrensmeyer. William Berter. 
Alois W. Duker. W. L. Ellis & Co. Freiburg 
Boot & Shoe ]\Infg. Co. Greiburg & Schultheis. 
Gette Shoe Co. Heintz «& Sons. Alois Her- 
meling. Alois B. Hiuimiert. Bernard Kattler. 
Miller Shoe Co. Niekamp & Heidbreder. Henry 
L. Paul. William H. Pieper, Jr. J. Sterns & 
Sons. Gustav Stoeekle. Sturhan & Thenhausen. 
Wismann Bros. 

Boot and Shoemakers : Ernest Adam. Val- 
entine Balzer. Henry F. Bodige. John Coans. 
Frederick W. Dauielmeyer. Constantine Dela- 
bar. John R. DeVinev. Gerhard B. Erner. 
Freiburg Boot & Shoe ifnfg. Co. John G. Guck. 
C. Heni-y Hagerbaumer, Jr. Henry Haupt. An- 
ton F. Hellhake. F. William Iltner. Albert 
Jansen. Matthias Jonsen. John B. Loenker. 
Edward Lubbriug. Frederick Liitzius. Clemens 
Monning. C. Harry Norton. Charles Prieskorn. 
J. Bernard Rakers. Jacob Reiter. George Reith. 
John J. Roberts. Peter Roemer. George Schell. 



Alois Schmitt. Joseph Steiubrecher. Joseph 
Wewerink. 

Bowling Alleys: Gredell & Wahl. Walker & 
Vanden Boom. 

Box JIanufacturers : ]\[euke & Grinun Plan- 
ing ]Mill Co. The ]\rulliner Box and Planing Co. 

Brass Foundries: Clement-Bush Iron & Brass 
Foundry & Metal Wheel Works. Central Iron 
Works. Modern Iron AVorks. William J. Reese. 
Reliable Foundry Co. 

Breakfast Food: The Egg-0-See Co.. 

Brewers : Anheuser-Busch Brewing Assn. 
Bluff Brewery. Dick Bros. Quincy Brewing Co. 
W. J. Lemp Brewing Co. Ruff' Brewing Co. 
Joseph Schlitz Brewing Co. Wahl Brewing Co. 
Washington Brewery. 

Brick JIakers : John Braekensick & Bros. 
Damhorst Bros. Gem City Paving Brick Co. 
Ilummert & Abbott. Gerhard H. Sander. Adolph 
Spilker. Herman II. Stockhecker. John II. 
Stroot. 

Brokers: Josiah Brown. Robertson & Stor- 
rar. Frank Tripp. Thomas J. Clark. Cassidy 
Commission Co. Christie-Ogden Commission Co. 

Brooms and Brushes: Steward E. Carson. 
Jacob J. Hughes. Charles H. Klemme. Fred- 
erick Sehrage. 

Buclnvheat and Rve Flour: Acme Roller 
Mills. 

Buggies, Carriages and Wagons: Collins 
Plow Co. C. S. Cordsiemon Implement Co. 
Hynes Buggy Co. E. :M. ililler & Co. John 
H. Rump. 

Buggy Tops: Charles ileves & Co. 

Building Associations : Adams County Build- 
ing Society. Building Assn. League of Illinois. 
Gem City Building & Loan Assn. People's Sav- 
ing, Loan and Building Assn. Quincy Building 
& Homestead Assn. 

Building Material : William D. ]\Ieyer. JMol- 
ler & Vanden Boom Lumber Co. Quincy Lum- 
ber Co. Quincy Wliite Lime & Cement Co. 

Biisiness Colleges : Armor Business Institute. 
Gem City Business College. National Business 
College and School of Correspondence. St. Fran- 
cis Solanus College. St. Mary's Institute. 

Butter, Eggs, etc. : Miss Katherine Oenning. 

Butter, Eggs, and Poultry : Armour & Co. 

Buttons : Valley Button Co. 

Cabinet Makers: Albert Magnusson. Peter 
H. [Merer. Quincy Contracting and Cabinet Co. 

Candy (j\Ianufaeturers) : Clark & Morgan. 
William F. Davis Candy & Catering Co. Qiiiney 
Confectionery Co. 

Canopies : IMurray 's Carpet Cleaning Works. 

Carpet Cleaning Works : Peter Emrich. Peter 
H. Muegge. IMurray 's Carpet Cleaning Works. 
Quincy Rug Works. 

Carpet Weavers: George Balzer. Henry 
Broekhans. Adam L. Dill. John J. Osterhold. 



240 



PAST AND PRESExNT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



Qiiiuey Rug Works. Reliable Rug Works. 
Frank A. Riee. ]\lrs. Mary A. Siek. Leonard 
Weber. 

Carpets, Oil Cloths, etc. : John L. Bert. W. T. 
Duker Co. llalbacli-Schroeder Co. Frederick 
T. Hill. Henry Ruff. Ware-Wayland Co. 

Carriage Builders: Hyues Buggy Co. E. M. 
Miller & Co. Henry W. Rupp & Co. The Wen- 
zel Wagon Co. A. L. Zimmerman & Co. 

Carriage Trimmers : Chai'les C. Eberhardt. 
Charles Meves & Co. 

Cartoonists : Newspaper Picture Exchange. 

Caterers: Mrs. Su.sau Golden. 

Cash Registers : National Cash Register Co. 

Caskets : Menke & Griimn Planing Mill Co. 

Ceilings: Berghofer & Ohnemus. Meyer & 
Sehell. Schullian Bros. William C. Wilson. 
C. H. Wurst Co. 

Cheese : Quincy Creamery. 

Chemists: Lee C. Williams. 

China, Glass and Queensware (Wholesale) : 
Sohm, Ricker & Weisenhorn. (Retail) H. B. 
Hoelscher & Sous. Pinkelmann-Barry Co. Sohm, 
Rieker & W^eisenhorn. 

Cider: J. J. Flynu & Co. Rahu & Tofall. 

Cigar Box Manufacturers : Joseph A. Entrap. 
Quincy Contracting & Cabinet Co. 

Cigars and Tobacco : Henry Aldag. William 
F. Bader. Aldo Blunck. Henry Bh;nck. Anton 
F. Boehme. William Brinkmeyer. Henry Fred- 
ericks. Graves Olive Branch. Herman A. Hage- 
mann. William A. Hagenbrnch. Anton Heine. 
Ednumd Heinz. John B. Hering. Albert C. 
Hoffman. Hotel Newcomb Cigar and News 
Stand. Joseph Jacoby. Ferdinand Klene. Koe- 
nig & W^emhoener. Adolph Koetters. Charles 
F. Lambrechts. George D. Liggett. Henry H. 
Metzger. Henry T. Muehlenfeld. H. William 
Niemeyer. Emil Pfaffe. Edward Renter. J. 
W^. Sehantz & Son. Valentine Schilling. Her- 
man Sibbing. C. Henry Siebra.sse. John Stege- 
man. August II. Stipp. Timothy Bros. Wa- 
bash News Stand. August G. Westenfeld. An- 
ton Wichmanu. 

Civil Engincrrs: Enoch R. Chatten. Fred- 
erick L. Hancock. (_'ol. Edward Prince. 

Cloaks: Askin & Marine. W. T. Duker Co. 
Fisher-Macken Dry Goods Co. Halbach-Schroed- 
er Co. Kespohl-Mohrenstecher Co. 

Clocks : L. Young Clock Co. 

Clothing ( Wliolesale) : Jonas Meyer & Co. 
J. Sterns & Sons. (Retail) Askin & ^larine. 
Goldner's Loan Bank. John G. Jansen. Bern- 
ard Kattler. Jonas Meyer & Co. Eugene G. 
I\Iorehead. Harry Olin. Parkhurst Clothing 
Co. Jacob Schwartz. Seeberger & Harmon. 
Alexander Seidler. J. Sterns & Sons. The Hub. 

Club Houses: The Quincy Club House. 

Coal : Edwin E. Albright. Alonzo G. Ames. 
Henry Bauer. Cober & Sprague. Ebert & 



Shauahan. Anton T. Einhaus. George Ein- 
haus. Fick Coal Co. Grewe Street Sprinkler 
Co. John H. Heidloff. James Jarrett. Ileniy 
Leitch. Liebig & Son. William D. Meyer. 
August (t. iloshage. Pennsylvania Coal Co. 
James P. Penny. People's Coal & Mining Co. 
Pure lee Co. Quincy Coal Co. Joseph F. Turn- 
er. Wabash Coal Co. Frederick Wenneker. 

Coffees : Robert F. Sellers. 

Coffins: Quincy Casket Co. 

Coke: People's Coal & ^Mining Co. Quinev 
Gas & Electric Co. 

Cold Storage : Pure Ice Co. D. N. Wisherd 
& Sons. 

Collection Agencies: The Allen Collection 
Co. Gem City Collection Agency. Mercantile 
Union Collection Agency. Peacock's Detective 
& Collective Agency. 

Commercial Paper: The Quincy Agency Co. 

Commission Merchants : Behrens & Ohl- 
schlager. David j\I. Belt. Cassidy Commission 
Co. William Eber & Son. Evers Produce Co. 
David Long. 'John MeAdams. Robertson & 
Stori-ar. The Williamson Produce Co. 

Confectioners: ('\^^lolesale) Clark & ]\Iorgan. 
William F. Davis Candy & Catering Co. Quincy 
Coufcctionei-y Co. Riedinger & Oertle. (Re- 
tail) John T. Adams. Roma Boekenhoff. Syl- 
vanus I. Bragg. Miss Amelia L. Brinkman. 
Clark & jNIorgan. William F. Davis Candy & 
Catering Co. Mrs. Elizabeth Emmerich. Mrs. 
Tlieresa Giefing. Miss Louisa J. Holder. Wil- 
liam Kamp. Mrs. Jeannette H. Kraft. George 
D. Liggett. William D. Miller. Theodore H. 
Moshage. William E. Smith. Spero & Andros. 
Alfred Threlkeld. Miss Sophia Thuer. Mrs. 
iNIaggie H. Warning. Mrs. Charlotte Widmaier. 

Conservatories of Music : Felt-Turner Music 
Studio. Quincy Conservatory of ]\Iusic. 

Constables: Weston A. Bradney. George 
Schaffner. 

Consulting Engineers: The E. E. Hollister 
Co. 

Contractors: (Brick) George J. Ford. Frank 
A. Freund. Joseph H. Freund. Henry 0. Glatt- 
feld. J. II. Konefes & Sons. Henry B. Prante 
& Co. Steinbaeh Bros. George Vonder Haar. 
(Cement and Concrete) Cloi;gh Bros. Gem City 
Cement Walk Co. (Cistern) Simon P. Parrish. 
Joseph Richardson. (Electrical) William V. 
Hickman. J. L. Niswander & Co. Tenk Hard- 
ware Co. John P. Weeks. (Grading and Ex- 
cavating) Dudley Alexander. Ebert & Shaua- 
han. Henry B. Hummert. William F. Hum- 
mert. James .Jarrett. Frederick A. Kordsie- 
mon. .John E. ]\Iehaffy. Henry J. Rees. (Gran- 
itoid) Clough Bros. " Gem C'ity Cement Walk 
Co, (Paving. Sewer, etc.) Ebert & Shanahan. 
J. Conrad Eikolmann. Simons & Mikesell. 
(Plastering) Daniel G. Brown. W^illiam A. J. 



PAST AND PEESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



241 



Canady. D(K-k Childers. Joseph G. Eiff. Hill 
& Sohl. John Janseii. Heury Koesyan. Jr. 
Isaiah W. Perry. Perry, Tenk & Co. Emanuel 
Sehniitz. Bernard H. Tempelman. (River; 
Charles II. Appleton. Horace ]\I. Brown. (Sew- 
er) Ebert & Shanahan. (Sidewalk) Cloiigh Bros. 
Gem City Cement Walk Co. Herman H. Kauip- 
ling. William ilenke. Joseph P. Terstegge. 
Herman "^'onder Ilaar. Theodore H. Vt)nder 
Haar. (Stone) Budde & Co. Campbell Bros. 
George Geneubacher. F. W. Meuke Stone & 
Lime Co. Roeder & Greemann. Henry Rose. 
Henry J. Vorndam. William E. Waller. Zengel 
Bros. (Street Paving) Ebert & Shanahan. F. 
W. Menke Stone & Lime Co. (Street Sprinkling) 
Grewe Street Sprinkler Co. 

Contractors and Biiilders: John L. Austin. 
John B. Bimsou. Henry Brinks & Sons. Bruen- 
ing & Kroner. Buerkin & Kaempen. Bernard 
Coens. Dicker & Son. Peter Dietz & Son. John 
H. Duesterhaus. Joseph H. Dunker. Edwin J. 
Durfee. Adam Fick. E. Harrison Hamilton. 
Frank Hoeekehnann. Charles O. Kewney. Fred- 
erick Knoblock. Bernard Knuf. A. II. Joseph 
Laaeke. II. William Laaker. Lange & Lux. 
W. E. Lape & Sons. George S. ]\Iarbles. F. W. 
Jlenke Stone & Lime Co. Peter H. Meyer. J. 
Adam ]\Ioeller. Charles W. ^lusick. Quincy 
Contracting & Cabinet Co. Bernard H. Recker. 
V. George Ried. Anthony M Roehl. William 
M. Rooney. Schatsiek-Baecker Building Co. 
Gerhard J. Schmits. John Schmits. Baltas 
Schullian. Shutte & Co. James J. Shanahan. 
Bernard Terbille. August G. Thesen. Anton 
Toben. Henrv F. Venvertloh. Herman Yocker. 
Albert Waterkotte. Godfrey Wolf. 

Coopers: Frederick H. Kellogg. Gottlieb 
Koch. Quincy Barrel Co. 

Coojier Workers : Schullian Bros. 

Corn Drills and Planters : Quincy Corn Plant- 
er Co. 

Cornice Works : Berghofer & Chnemus. 
Mever & Schell. Schullian Bros. William C. 
Wilson. C. H. Wurst Co. 

Costumers: Quincy Regalia Co. Theopilus 
Stengel. 

Crackers: Clark & ^Morgan. National Biscuit 
Co. Riedinger & Oertle. 

Cream Separators: Automatic Cream Sep- 
arator Co. 

Creameries : Otto Keck & Bro. Quincy Cream- 
ery. 

Crushed Stone : Roeder & Greemann. 

Cultivators: Collins Plow Co. 

Cutlers and Grinders: Quincy Bai-ber Sup- 
ply. Henry C. Turner. 

Dairies: Herman Bockenfeld. Breitbarth & 
Son. Frederick Burgtorf. Simon Burgtorf. 
Samuel Car.son. George H. Dollman. John C. 
Dwyer. Frank M. Fairchild. Frederick Gans. 



Robert il. (ioerlich. Clemens A. Grawe. C. 
August Ilagenah. Henry H. Hagerbaumer. 
Henry II. Hagerbaumer. Jr. William F. Hager- 
baumer. Eh Harwood. August C. HiLsemann. 
Philip Husemaun. Edward J. Knoblock. George 
Knoblock. Frank J. Kroner. George Lincoln. 
Anton Lohaus. E. David jMartin. Herbert E. 
Parsons. John J. Poppe. Andrew Rush. Rush 
Bros. John Schildt. Leonard Schmitt. J. 
Henry Schuetz. Edwin S. Sinnock. Ferdinand 
Sohn. C. Frederick Stratman. Thien & Voss. 
John C. I'pschulte. J. Jacob Wagner. Chris- 
topher Weisenborn. Christopher Wessel. Ralph 
II. Whitmore. Henry Wiehmann. Charles W. 
Williams. Edward Wiskirchen. 

Decorators : F. W. Resch & Co. 

Delicatessen: IMrs. William Hasse. William 
Kamp. ilrs. Charlotte Widmaier. 

Dental Depots: Quincy Dental Depot. 

Dental Laboratories: Quincy Dental Labora- 
tory. 

Dentists: Hester J. Baker. R. Oscar Beadles. 
J. Roy Brown. Robert F. Buchanan. John B. 
Buehner. Rt)bert Byers. James M. Gardner. 
Robert A. Gardner. Thomas D. Gardner. Charles 
T. Hewes. Albert F. Hug. Charles S. Irwin. 
Warren L. King. Christine M. Konantz. Thos. 
W. ;McAfee. Henry C. JIueller. Victor W. 
;\Iunson. Henry F. Naumann. Joseph J. Ont- 
hank. Samuel T. Rice. Walter F. Richards. 
Timothy Rogers. Charles J. Tibbets. Trotter 
& Nations. Henry L. Whipple. William H. 
Winget. 

Department Stores : Andrew Doerr. B. B. 
Dow Co. Pinkelmann-Barry Co. Seibert, Good 
& Co. William L. Sien. 

Designers : Quincy Photo Engraving Co. 

Detective Agencies: Peacock's Detective & 
Collective Agency. 

Diamonds: August Jacobs. Trask & Plain. 

Directory Publishers: H. N. Stone & Co. 

Di.stilled Waters : J. J. Flynn & Co. 

Drayage : Gem City Transfer Line. Liebig 
& Son. 

Dredging and Towing Companies: Quincy 
Dredging and Towing Co. 

Dressmaking Colleges : Penrose Dressmaking 
College. The Weidel Ladies' Tailoring & Dress- 
making College. 

Druggists: (Wholesale) Charles H. Achel- 
pohl. Christie Drug Co. H. Germann & Co. 
Heidbreder Bros. & Co. ]Miller & Arthur Drug 
Co. Aldo Sonuner's Drug Co. (Retail) Charles 
H. Aehelpohl. Bernbroek's Pharmacy. Charles 
Carley. Christie Di-ug Co. Court House Phar- 
macy. Dash wood's Pharmacy. H. Germann & 
Co. Heidbreder Bros. & Co. W. II. Heidbreder 
& Co. Heidbreder & Drallmeier. Holt's Drug 
Store. Dale (i. Kilburn. Miller & Arthur Drug 
Co. Newcomb Pharmacy. Red Cross Drua: Store. 



242 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



Reed Bros.' Hampshire Street Drug Store. Wil- 
liam Sehlinkmanu. Leonard J\L Sehmitt. Pier- 
man Schroeder. Byron Whitfield. 

Druggists' Sundries and Notions: J\liller & 
Arthur Drug Co. 

Dry Docks: Quiucy Marine Ways. 

Dry Goods and Notions: (Wholesale) Farha, 
^lansour & Co. Kespdhl-Mdhreustecher Co. 
Menke Dry Goods Co. Rashid Uros. (Retail) 
Mrs. Mary M. Altmi.x. .Mi.ss Laura L. Arnold. 
The Bee Hive. C. D. Behrensmeyer & Sons. 
Boston Store Co. William H. Braekensick. An- 
drew Doerr. B. B. Dow Co. W. T. Duker Co. 
Fisher-ilacken Dry Goods Co. T. L. Fo.x Co. 
Halbaeh-Schroeder Co. William F. Henderson. 
Hillebrenner & Ellerbrake. H. B. Hoelscher & 
Son.s. Hoffmann & Riehmuller. Kespohl-Mohren- 
steeher Co. Koch & Heidhreder. Herman Kurk. 
Pinkelinann-Bai-iy Co. John A. C. Sathotf. 
Henry Schatt'er & Son. The Ilirsh Store. Henry 
Voi'ndam. Ziener & Witte. 

Dyers and Scourers : French Steam Dye 
Works. Joseph J. Stei'u. Weems Dye Works. 

Dynamite and Other Explosives: Tenk Hard- 
ware Co. 

Egg Carriers : (juincy Egg Carrier Co. Re- 
liable Incx;bator & Brooder Co. 

Egg Cases: North Star Egg Case Co. 

Eggs, Butter, Poultry, (iame, etc, : Edmond 
H. Boquet. Quiiicy Creamery. The Selby Poul- 
try Co. 

Electric Belts and Batteries: Joseph T. Long. 

Electric Pixt, i-es : Tenk Hardware Co. 

Electric Light and Power Stations: The In- 
dependent Light & Power Co. Quincy Gas & 
Electric Co. 

Electric Motor Builders: JtJni P. Weeks. 

Electrical Supplies: The E. Best Plumbing 
& Steam Heating Co. Robert C. Gunther. Wil- 
liam Ijubbert & Co. J. L. Niswander & Co. 
Tenk Hardware Co. John \\ Weeks. 

Elevator Builders : The E. E. Ilollister Co. 

Elevator Gates: Quincy Elevator Gate Co. 

Elevators: Wavering Bros. Milling Co. 

Embalming Fluids ,-ind Specialties: Joseph 
Freiburg & Son. 

Enamelers : (juiney En;uni'ling Works. 

Engines: J. & W. Kurz. Quincy Engine 
Works. Wieber-Becker Machine Ct). (Gas and 
Gasoline) Central Iron Works. Reliable Foun- 
dry Co. ' (Gasoline) The E. E. Hollister Co. 

p]ngravers : Chase Engraving Co. Henry Ott- 
man. Quincy Photo p]ngraving Co. 

Envelopes: Stationers' Mnfg. Co. 

Express Companies: Adams Express Co. Pa- 
cific Express Co. Southern Express Co. United 
States Express Co. Wells, Fargo & Co. Expi-ess. 

Expressmen : Edwin E. Albright. J. H. 
Brown & Son. Nathan Browai. Charles H. 
Clark. East End Transfer Line. Thomas A. 



Eistertz. (iem City Transfer Line. Dennis E. 
Hanks. Leonard Keck. Frederick II. Kellogg. 
David Keiuiy. Newton B. Locke. Charles Mc- 
Cai-ty. John 6. Meyer, ilidland Transfer. Al- 
bert "ll. .Miller. Jlil'ler Bros. Andrew Muehlich. 
.Xesbitt tit King, i^dward Nolan. Quincy Parcel 
Delivery Co. Edward :\I. Ryan. William Slater. 
George Stai'man. Henry Thesen. John J. Trus- 
low. Union Transfer Co. C. W. Whittemore & 
Co. 

Extracts: George Dingeldein. J, J. Flyun 
& Co. 

Fancy [)yy (ioods and Notions: Bon Ton. II. 
(Jcrmann & Co. Mrs. ^Magdalena Kiefer. [Mrs. 
Katie Lubbe. 

Fai'ni Specialties: William 1. Short. 

Fast Freight Lines: Star Union Line. 

Feather Renovators : Peter Emrieh. Peter 
II. Muegge. 

Feathei-s: J. S. ( jeiger & Co. II. Swinniier & 
Sons. 

Feed Stores: Henry Bauer. Cober & Sprague. 
Ebert & Shauahan. J. Leonard Grieser. David 
Long. David N. ]\Iark\villie. Lewis C. Meek. 
.Mi.ss Kathei'ine Oenning. Waller Bros. Fred- 
erick C. Westermann. 

Fence Manufacturers: Gem City Fence 'Shiu- 
ufactory. The iluUiner Box and Planing Co. 

Fence Machines : Gem City Fence Manufac- 
tory. 

Ferries: People's Ferry. 

Fertilizers: Messick Tree Fertilizer Co. 
Quincy Rendering Co. 

Fifth Wheels: Empire Roller Fifth Wheel 
Works. 

Files: (Account, D(jcument, etc.) Automatic 
Account File Co. 

Files and Rasps: Gem City Pile AVorks. 

Fire Extinguishers : The Anti-Fluid Fire Ex- 
tinguisher Co. 

Fish : .\z;ii'iah Blown. Joseph D. Ferguson. 
Thomas J. Hicks. Muri)le Hodges. John Keek. 
Anuis N. Ranney. 

Pish, Oysters and Game: 0. Moriell & Co, 

Fixtures: The E. Best Plumbing & Steam 
Heating Co. The Gardner Plumbing & Heating 
Co. William Lubbert& Co. 

Floi'ists anil NurserjTiien : William F. Davis 
Candy & Catering Co. August Fischer. Gente- 
numn Bros. Gottfried Gross. F. William Heck- 
enkamii, Jr. John A. Heller. Joseph F. Kroner. 
.\nton Oelreicli. 

Flour :\Iills: Acme Roller :\lills. Citv Roller 
:\Iills. Pai-mei-s" Roller :\Iills. Waverintr Bros. 
Milling Co. 

Ploiu-: David Long. Otto :\I. Weltin. 

Flour and Feed Stores: William F. Adam. 
Bergmann & Landwehr. Hillebrenner & Eller- 
brake. 11. 15. Hoelscher & Sons. Hoffmann & 
Riehmuller. Herman Hokamp. Henry L. Kel- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



243 



ker. David Loii^. Frank E. ]\IiilligaD. Joseph 
Naucrt. Nesbitt & King. Stephen J. Perry. 
Pinkelniann-Barry Co. George J. Sander. Henry 
Schaffer & Sou. 

Flue Extiuguisher.s : The Anti-Fhiid Fii'e Ex- 
tinguisher Co. 

Foundries : Clement-Bush Iron & Brass Foun- 
dry & .Aletal Wheel Works. Central Iron Works, 
^lodern Iron Works. Reliable Foundry Co. 

Frames and ^louldings: Henry G. Garrelts. 
G. II. Lyford & Co. Young- Bros. 

Freight Bureaus : Quiney Freight Bureau. 

Fruit Evaporators : William Stahl Evapora- 
tor Co. 

Fi'uit Growers: John Hart. David A. Belt. 
Conrad B. Blaesing. Gottliel) Blessing. P. Wil- 
liam Bunte. Edgar S. Butterworth. George C. 
Diekhut. Seldon G. Earel. Edward Ilapke. 
W. Gustav Hutmacher. William A. Kidney. 
Valentine Kiem. Frederick Klusmeyer. John 
H. Kollmeyer, Jr. August F. Laaker. F. W. 
Mally Orchard Co. Frederick iloellring. James 
E. Parsons. William H. Perkins. William F. 
Sonnensehein. Frederick W. Spilkci-. William 
Stewart. Robert Von Gorres. 

FrTiits, Nuts, etc. : (Wholesale) Clark & Mor- 
gan. Quiney Confectionery Co. (Retail) John 
Anders. Saverio Anerino. Joseph Badanio. Vin- 
cent Cento. Joseph Farha. Samuel Lento. Wil- 
liam ilalambri. William Martin. Philip L. 
Moore. John ]\Iusolino. Louis Musolino. ]\Ius- 
olino & Rao. Philip Perroni. George Scheidid. 

Fruits, Vegetables and Produce : Ehreus & 
Ohlschlager. William Eber & Son. Evers Pro- 
duce Co. David Long. Quiney Fruit and Pro- 
duce Co. The Williamson Produce Co. 

Furnaces, Ranges and Repairers : Berghofer 
& Ohnemus. Gem City Stove JMnfg. Co. Grant 
Hardware Co. Clever & Schell. Schullian Bros. 
William C. Wilson.' C. H. Wurst Co. 

Furnishing Goods, Notions, etc. : C. S. Nichols 
Co. James W^. Sinnock. 

Furniture: (Wholesale Dealers) Globe Fix- 
ture & Furniture Co. Quiney Show Case Works. 
Henry Sehutte. (Retail Dealers) Daniel W. 
Cherry. C. J. Cottrell Furniture Co. Frank 
Duker's Sons. Peter Emrich. The Home Out- 
fitters. F. W. Jansen Furniture Co. Potter & 
Vaughn's Installment House. Slusher Credit 
Co. Ware-Wayland Co. 

Furniture Packers: Ware-Wayland Co. 

Furs and Furriers: John Heine. John G. 
Soebbing. Jacob Wander. 

Galvauizers : Fred T. Brosi Co. 

Gas Light Companies: Quincv Gas & Electric 
Co. 

Gas Stoves and Ranges: Quiney Gas & Elec- 
tric Co. 

Gasoline Engines : ]Ma.ssie & Sons. Quiney 
Automobile Works. 



Gents' Furnishing Goods: John G. Jansen. 
Bernard Kattler. Jonas Meyer & Co. Eugene 
G. ilorehead. Parkhurst Clothing Co. Pinkel- 
mann-Barry Co. Seeberger & Harmon. John 
G. Soebbing. J. Stern & Sons. The Hub. 

Glass: Oenning Glass & Book Co. Young 
Bros. 

Glassware: J. J. Flynn & Co. Sohm, Ricker 
& Weisenhorn. 

(ilue ^Manufaetui-ers : Western Padding (41ue 
Co. 

Governors, Steam : The Gardner Governor Co. 

Grain : David Long. John McAdams. 

Gravel Roofers: Albright Bros. 

Grocers: (Wholesale) N. Kohl Grocer Co. 
Pinkelmann-Barrv Co. Quiney (Jrocery Co. Se- 
ger (ri'ocery ('(i. 

Grocers:" (Retail) William F. Adam, Clat L. 
Adam, jMi.ss Kate C. Adams, Mrs. JIary M. Alt- 
mix, Herman Arends, Charles W. Ascheubren- 
ner, "Sirs. Calot E. Baker, Frank C. Ball, Mrs. 
ilary Bangert, Frank C. Bastert, Behrens & 
(Ohlschlager. C. D. Behrensmeyer & Sons, John 
R. Belt, Bergman & Landwehr.'william F. Bern- 
brock & Son, Victor A. Bernhardt, Bernhard H. 
Berter, Thomas Binkei-t & Son, William H. 
Bi-ackensick, Brady Bros., John G. Bratz, Ed- 
ward G. Bredeweg, Jlrs. Annie E. Brickey, J. H. 
Brown & Son. :\Irs. Ellen M. Carville, :\Irs. Ellen 
Costigan, Mrs. Sophia H. Currier, Joseph G. 
Damhorst, Joseph B. Deters, Mrs. Lena Emmel, 
William Evers. II. Pechtler & Co., Charles 
Fisher, Mrs. Mary A. Fisher, John P. Fitzgerald, 
Flaiz Bros., Flaiz Bros., Jr., August Prey, John 
H. Geers. Giesing & THibing, P. Gleichmann, Ar- 
thur Grair, William II. Gray, James L. Griffith, 
Frederick A. Ilauskoetter, ^Mrs. Carrie Hauter, 
N. ;M. Heaney & Son, Samuel Heaney, George 
Ileidemann, Ililebrenner & Ellerbrake, John E. 
IT. Hillmann. Frank C. Ilinkamper, George L. 
Hobson, II. B. Hoelscher & Sous, Hoffmann & 
Richmuller, Herman Ilokamp, Frank J. Holt- 
mann, Anton J. Jansen, Richard M. Josen, 
Henry Koelber, William Kamp, ]Mrs. Elizabeth 
Keck, Joseph G. Kenning, Alfred G. Koch, John 
Koch, Koch & Ileidbreder, William Kolker, 
Henry G. Kroner, Herman Kurk, Lemley & Son, 
LeVan & Braxmeier, Charles Liebmann, Fred- 
erick H. Liebmann, Jacob W. Long, George E. 
Lowe. :\Ieiners & Jochem, Alois P. C. IMenke, 
Bernard II. ileuke, Charles J. Menu, George H. 
Jlerssman, August S. ]\Ieyer, C. Miller & Son, 
Theodore II. ^Moshage. ^luldoon Bros., Frank E. 
^Mulligan, Joseph isiauert, Mrs. Marie Nelseh, 
Nesbitt & King, ]Mrs. Katheriue Niehaus, Philip 
J. O'Brien, Landolin Ohnenni.s, John W. Parker, 
Thomas A. Peabody, James Pickard, Pinkel- 
mann-Barry Company, John Putman, ilrs. Anna 
Reuther, G. & M. Richardson, Henry A. Ridder, 
RoV)b Bros., Louis Rotmann, Lewis P. Rouse, Jr., 



244 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



George J. Siiiuler. John A. C. Sathoff, Seluiepers 
& Co.. Henry Schaffer & Son, John Sehroeder, 
Jacob Scholz & Son, Edward P. Schnllian. Shaf- 
fer & Long, John Sheridan, Henry J. Sibbing, 
William C. F. Siek, William L. Sien, Simons 
Bros.. Star Grocery Company, Sturhan & Then- 
liausen, Thompson Bros. J. II. Thompson & Bro., 
Henry J. Tilbe, Timmerwilke & Schwindeler, 
Henry Vornda?ji, John Vosse, James E. Ward, 
J. William Westermann, Mrs. Charlotte ilid- 
maier, John F. Wolf & Son, John H. Wollett. 
George Zoller, Prank Zwick. 

Guns. Pistols, Annnunition, Etc: Comstock- 
Castle Stove Co. August C. Stroot. Tenk Hard- 
ware Co. Henry C. Turner. 

Gunsmiths: Leonard A. Craft. Peter Fortier. 

Hack Lines: William Albricht. Thomas J. 
Kane. Ben.ianiin F. .McCrellias. Asa H. Todd. 
Albert Turner. 

Hair Goods: iNIiss Mary E. Buckley. Miss Ida 
SanttlebiMi. .Mrs. Annie E. Stern. 

Hair Lotions: ({unlock Hair Remedy Co. 

Hair Restorative and Tonics: Mi's. ^laiy C. 
Hancock. 

Hardware (Heavy) : Fischer Iron & Steel Co. 

Hardware Store Fixtures: J. D. Warren 
ainfg. Co. 

Hardware and Cutlery (Wholesale) : Cottrell 
Hardware Co. Robert C. Gunther. Lagemann 
Hardware Co. Tenk Hardware Co. (Retail), 
James R. Albright. Frank P. Bickhaus. Com- 
stoek-Castle Stove Co. Cottrell Hardware Co. 
Grant Hardware Co. Robert C. Gunther. Lage- 
mann Hardware Co. Pinkelmann-Barry Co. A. 
W. Scheipering & Bro. August C. Stroot. Tenk 
Hardware Co. Henrv C. Turner. Wendioener 
& Schild. C. IT. Wunst Co. Ziener & Hoffmann. 

Harness and Saddlery (Wholesale) : William 
II. Konantz. Quincy Harness and Saddlery Co. 
J. B. Schott Saddlery Co. Western Harness 
Mnfg. Co. Mrs. JIary C. Hancock. (Retail) 
Phil B. Koch. William H. Konantz. (Jeorge H. 
Jloyer. Quincy Saddlery & Harness Co. Henry 
Steinkami). B. Thiemann & Son. Tliolen & 
Stratman. 

Hats, Caps. Etc. : John G. Janscii. Jonas 
Jleyer & Co. Eugene G. Morehead. Parkhurst 
Mnfg. Co. Mrs. jMary C. Hancock. (Retail), 
Clothing Co. Seeberger & ITarmoii. John G. 
Soebbing. J. Stern & Sons. The Hub. Wis- 
mann Bros. 

Hay Presses: Collins Plow Co. George Ertel 
Co. Grinnn Boiler Co. 

Hides. Pelts, Tallow. Wool and Furs: J. S. 
Geiger & Co. M. Hirsch. Martin Schrieber. The 
Selby Poultry Co. Silberman & Wise Co. H. 
Swimmer & Sons. 

Hog Cholera Cure : Clyde N. W^are. 

Hollow Building Blocks: Clough Bros. 

Ilorsi- Colhii's: J. B. Schott Saddlery Co. 



Henry Steink;im|). Western Harness ^Mnfg. Co. 

Ilorseshoers : W^illiam Arning. Samuel Cook. 
Theodore Disseler. William Dixnker. Ernst 
Bros. Curtis H. Freeman. Gem City Shoeing 
Co. George Hurter. George E. Koch. RoUa E. 
Linn. Jesse L. Longress. Henry C. Often. John 
Reagan. Walter H. Reeksieck. " 

Hotels: Bushnell House. Farmers Home. 
The Hickman Hotel and Restaurant. Hotel 
Franklin. Hotel Lamar. Hotel Newcomb. jMoeek- 
er Hotel. New Central Hotel. Occidental Hotel. 
Pacific Hotel. Planters" Hotel. St. James Hotel. 
St. Joe House. Wood Hotel. 

House Furnishing Goods: Potter & Vaughn's 
Installment House. 

House Movers: Edwin J. Durfee. Asa T. 
Edwards. 

Ice: Alvin B. Hancock. Ilutmacher Ice Co. 
James Jarrett. James Kavanangh. Liebig & 
Son. George ]Moore. Pure Ice Company. Shan- 
ton Bros. William H. Vaughn. Wiliam D. 
Walker. Frederick Wenneker. 

Ice Cream : Edward Cooney. William P. Da- 
vis Candy and Catering Co. Otto Keck & Bro. 
William Mast. Theodcn-e H. Moshage. Quincy 
Creamery. Rob]) Bros. Slocum & Sons. Spcro 
& Andros. Alfred Threlkeld. 

Incidiator Supplies: H. M. Sheer Co. 

Incubators and Brooders: Channon. Snow & 
Co. George Ertel Co. Reliable Incubator and 
Brooder Co. Simplex .Mnfg. Co. Geoi-ge H. 
Stahl. 

Installment Houses: John H. Gallagher. 
Slusher Credit Co. L. Wesley Windsor. 

Installment Specialties: Emmett Howard. 

Interior Finish : Buerkin & Kaempen. Globe 
Fixtui-e & Furniture Co. Peter H. ]\Ieyer. The 
^lulliner Box & Planing Co. 

Iron and Steel: Fischer Iron & Steel Co. 

Japanners: Fred T. Brosi Co. 

Jewelry: Farha. Mansour & Co. Bernard 
Kattler. " 

Junk Dealers: George Rupj) & Bros. Co. Mav- 
tin Schreiber. 

Justices of the Peace: John A. Allen. P. 
William Heckenkamp. James L. Mays. Ira ^I. 
jMoore. Thomas M. Morehead. 

Kalsominers: Royal C. Clark. 

Ladies' Garments: Defiance (Tarment IMnfg. 
Co. Ebert-Keal Mnfg. Co. 

Ivadies' Tailoring: Valentine Schmitt. 

Laundries: Crescent Steam Laundry Co. New 
;\Iethod Lamidry. Star Laundry. Union Steam 
Laundry. W^eems Laundry Co. 

Laundries: (Chinese") C. B. Joe. Joe J. Kee. 
John W. Tai. 

Lawyers: Charles L. Bartlett. John P. 
Beckman. Walter II. Bennett. Louis II. Berger. 
Benjamin P. Berrian. John C. Bi-oady. Alfi-ed 
J. Brockschmidt. John Q. Brown. ^Matthew P. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAilS COUNTY. 



245 



Carrott. Joseph N. Carter. Harry B. Coffield. 
Walter H. Coon. Hope S. Davis. Homer D. 
Dines. Emmons & Emmons. Carl E. Epler. 
Joseph I. Foreman. Frank J. Garner. John T. 
Gilmer. Govert. Pape & Govert. Joseph H. 
Hanly. Wilmot J. Henry. Inghram & Crewd- 
son. Ivins & Lancaster. George ]\I. James. Merle 
W. James. Henry H. Jansen. Uriah H. Keath. 
Franklin W. McCann. JleCarl & Feigenspan. 
Charles B. ]McCrory. Martindale & Scherer. 
Edward J. Mitchell. S. B. ^Montgomery. Ira M. 
Moore. Penick & Hubbard. Elmer C. Peter. 
Thomas R. Petri. Theodore C. Poling. Col. Ed- 
ward Prince. Roy & Roy. PMlip J. Sehlagenhanf. 
Hon. Wm. Sehlagenhanf. Henry E. Sehmiede.s- 
kamp. Edward Shannon. William B. Sheets. 
James N. Sprigg. David B. Strickler. Homer ]\I. 
Swope. Vaudeventer & Woods. Aliiieron Wheat. 
:\Iar2aret C. Wieh. John H. Williams. Wil- 
son & Wall. 

Leather and Findings: N. Heintz & Sons. 

Leather Belting : Central Iron Works. 

Lime, Cement. Etc. : Campbell Bros. F. W. 
^lenke Stone & Lime Co. William D. Meyer. 
]\Iiddeudorf Bros. IMoller & VandenBoom Lum- 
ber Co. Quincy Lumber Co. Qniney Wliite Lime 
& Cement Co. 

Liquors: (Wholesale) J. H. Duker & Bro. 
William Figgen. ;MilIer & Ai-thur Drug Co. Aldo 
Sommer's Drug Co. Urban & Son. 

Lithographers : Cadogan-Hateher ]\Inf g. Co. 
J. W. Franks & Sons. 

Livery, Feed, Sale and Boai-ding Stables: 
Ernest Cook. Fred E. Harnest. Joseph J. Lusk. 
Daniel A. McKenzie. McKenzie's Livery and 
Sales Stable, iletropolitan Liverv. Occidental 
Hotel Stables. Palace Stables. Le.slie G. Pottle. 
Quincy Transfer Co. S. Douglas Simpson. 
Arthur E. Sweet. The Newconib Livery. 

Loans: J. H. Bastert & Co. A. Biukert & 
Son. Thomas J. Clark. Cruttenden & Baumau. 
Cruttenden & Heckenkamp. Philip L. Dickhut. 
Dines & Orr. John Fuelbier. Joseph H. Hanly. 
F. William Heckenkamp. Anton A. Heim. ]\Ic- 
Kinnay & Potter. Thomas L. ilorris. National 
Investment Co. Osborn & Henrv'. Quincv Sav- 
ings, Loan & Trust Office. S. E". Seehorn"& Co. 
State Savings, Loan & Trust Co. George R. 
Stewart & Co. The Federal Co. B. G. Vasen. 
Wells & Adams. John H. Wlieeloek. 

Locksmiths: Leonard A. Craft. Henry C. 
Turner. 

Lodge Supplies : Quiucy Regalia Co. 

Lubricants: Richardson Lubricating Co. 
Henry A. Williamson. 

Lumber: ^McKee-Flack Lumber Co. Cober 
& Sprague. John W. Heidemann. IMenke & 
Grimm Planing ^lill Co. ^lidendorf Bros. ^loller 
& VandenBoom Lmnber Co. Quincy Lumber Co. 

Lunch Stands: J. George Berblinger, Jr. 



John T. ]\Ieelian, Jr. Charles K. Padelford. Wil- 
liam F. Shei'man. 

^lachine Shops: Bernard Barmeier. Central 
Iron Works. J. S. Chadwick & Bro. J. & W. 
Kurz. Massie & Sons, ilodern Iron Works. 
Quincy Automobile Works. Sharpe ilachine 
Co. Wiebmer-Becker ilachine Co. Leslie C. 
Williamson. 

:\Iaehinery: The E. E. Hollister Co. 

]Mail Orders : Goebel & Co. Snow-Schmiedes- 
kamp Co. 

ilanicures : "Sirs. Florence A. Richardson. 

Mantels and Desks: Globe Fixture & Furni- 
ture Co. 

Mantels, Tile and Grates: John H. Heitland. 

ilarble Workers and Dealers : Bockenfeld & 
Dyke Granite and ^Marble Works. Brosi & Brink- 
oetter. Daugherty & Co. 

Marine Ways : Quincy Marine Ways. 

ilassage Treatment : Natatorium. Mrs. ISlary 
B. Wewers. 

^Mattress ilanuf acturers : Charles F. Dehner. 
Peter Emrich. Hartman Bros. August Koetter. 
Peter H. Muegge. 

]\Ieat: (Wliolesale) Armour & Co. Blomer & 
:Michael Co. The Cudahy Packing Co. Ham- 
mond Packing Co. 

]\Ieat ^Markets: Arthur J. Aschenbrenner. 
Frank C. Ball. Frederick C. Bangert. August 
Bellendorff. Victor A. Bernhardt. Birkenmaier 
& Lang. Edward W. Boschulte. Herbert Davis. 
John T. Davis. John Doerschner. Louis Ebert. 
John H. Geers. William C. Gehring. Henry B. 
Giesing. Frederick Ilamann. Hermann Bros. 
Charles A. Hofer. Gottlieb C. Huelsmeier. Gott- 
lieb F. W. Huelsmeier. William B. Jesling. F. 
& C. Johannes. Victor Kettei-er. John Kreher. 
Charles Liebmann. Frederick H. Liebmann. 
Jacob W. Long. Charles H. :Mehrmann. Joseph 
Oertle. Ed'vard Oschmaun. Packing House Mar- 
ket. John W. Parker. Louis Pfirmann. V. & 
J. Pfirmann. Albert H. Phenies. Thomas Rotten- 
kolber. Frank Ruder. John A. C. Sathoft". Ed- 
ward F. Schullian. Casper J. Schwab. John 
Sehwali. Joseph Schwartz. Louis Stretz. Tuf- 
fli Bros. Christian Tuffli. Henry Voigt. Her- 
man A. Walford. Werueth & Gehring. Alfred 
D. Zolle. 

^Medicines : American Chemical Co. 

^Mercantile Agencies: The Bradstreet Co. R. 
G. Dim & Co. 

^Mei'cantile Associations: Jobbers' Assn. 

;Messenger Service : Illinois District Telegraph 
Co. Postal Telegraph Cable Co. 

:Metal Wlieels: Clement Bush Iron & Brass 
Foundrv & :Metal Wheel Works. Electric Wheel 
Co. J. R. Little Wheel Co. 

:Midwives: Jlrs. Rowena IM. Allison. IMrs. 
Caroline Hermsmeier. :Mrs. Ida :M. Jleyer. Mrs. 
ilarv B. Wewers. 



246 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



.Milk Depots: Herbert Davis. Otto Keek & 
Bro. Qiiiiiey Creamery. Robb Bros. 

Mill Supplies: The"E. E. Ilollister Co. 

.Milliners: (Wholesale) Crooks & Cox Milli- 
iici-y Co. Joseph Bros. & Davidson. (Retail) 
Buerkin Millinery Co. Crooks & Cox Millinery 
Co. Miss Lizzie C. Disselhorst. JMiss Clara Fen- 
drich. Joseph Bros. & Davidson. ]\Irs. ]\Iary 
Moeller. Mrs. Emma C. Ruder. S. & L. Sehaefer. 
]\Iiss Anna Sehwaoineyer. The Ilirsh Store. 
Weber IMillinerv Co. ]\Iiss Mary M. Weisenhoru. 
.Mrs. IT. Winter & Co. 

Millwri-hts and Mill Builders: The E. E. 
Ilollister Co. 

^Mineral Waters: J. J. Flynn lV- Co. .Mills 
Bros. 

Mortgati'e Bankei-s : Wells & xVdaiiis. 

^b.tors and Eleeli'iciii :\larliinerv : The E. E. 
Ildllistcr Co. 

.Mouldiniis : Peter Euirieh. Henry (1. (Jar- 
relts. YouuK Bros. 

Music Dealers: Giles Bros. G. II. Lyford & 
Co. Weiler Bros. 

]\Iusie Teachers: Miss Nellie Brown, ^liss 
Susie E. Bryant. ]\Iiss Frances C. Christ. Charles 
F. Clinton. Miss Clara Cover. Miss Grace L. 
Cronkite. Cvril E. Dadswell. Miss Ennua 
Driide. Miss'Abbie M. Elliott. W. Clark Eidow. 
Felt-Turner ]\Insie Studio. Oliver J. Poster. 
Miss Mary Gerschweiler. Mrs. Daisy I. Giles. 
IMi.ss Leoiia H. Gould. Miss Pearl G. Hellhake. 
IMiss Irene C. Heuer. John E. Hofer. Miss 
Lydia Ilokaiiip. Charles C. Markee. ]Miss Nora 
Xaeter. jMiehael O'Farrell. Miss Margaret M. 
O'Neil. Miss Gertrude S. Pease. Quincy Con- 
sei-vatory of JIusic. Andrew Rosenhuseh. ]\Irs. 
R. Belle Skinner. Mrs. A. ilaude Weiler. Charles 
W. Weiler. Mrs. Alice C. Whipple. Miss Evelyn 
Williams. ^liss Emma C. Worden. 

^Insieal Instriunents : (Repairers) Albert 
Masnusson. 

Musical In.struments and Merchandise: Lau- 
ritz Anderson. Giles Bros. Weiler Bros. 

Mustard: Henry Kundt. Rahn & Tofall. 

Natatoriums : Natatorium. 

News Dealers: Burlinuton Route Dining 
Room. Hotel Newcomb Cigar & News Stand. 
Pliny S. Jame.s. Sjiindler News Co. E. J. Tay- 
lor & Co. Waliash News Stand. Mrs. Anna Wliite. 

Notions: Ben.iamin L. Avers. Thomas Bin- 
kert & Son. Joseph Nauert. Pinkelmann-Barry 
Company. 

Notions and Furnishing Goods: (.'. S. Nichols 
Co. James W. Sinnock. 

Nurseries: Ed J. Brown. Quincy Star Nur- 
series. 

Oculists and ,\urists: Heni-y 'S\. Harrison. 
Benjamin F. Hendricks. Frederick ^I. Pendle- 
ton. Woods and Tull. 

Office Sup]>]ies: A. Frederick Cruttenden. 



Oils: (Wholesale) Henry A. Williamson. 
(Coal Oil, Gasoline, Etc.) Alonzo C. Greene. 
Bernard E. Moenning. Richardson Lubricating 
Co. (Cotton Seed. Etc.) Richardson Lubricating 
C'ompauy. 

Omnibus Builders: E. M. Jliller & Co. 

Opera Houses: Empire Theatre. 

Opticians: Christie Drug Co. Bernard Dal- 
haus. Perry H. ]\Iorris. Frank J. Woltman. 

Ornamental Metal Work: The VanDoorn Co. 

Osteopaths : Mrs. Marv L. Blaney. Charles 
.Mi'NeiU. Edgar L. Osborn. Walker & Walker. 

Overalls. Pants and Shirts: C. S. Nichols Co. 
Noxall Shirt and Overall Factory. Union Mnfg. 
Co. The Whitney-White Co. 

Oysters and Celery : D. N. Wisherd & Sons. 

Packers: Armour & Co. Blomer & Michael 
Co. The Cudahy Packiny Co. Hammond Pack- 
ing Co. 

Packet Lines: Carnival City Packet Co. Dia- 
mond Jo Line Steamers. Missouri & Illinois 
Transit & Excursion Co. 

Painters: Arthur E. Hase. August Meise. 
W. A. Young & Sons. (House and Sign) Henry 
Bartling. Jose])h Bourdeau. De Koning Bros. 
Peter ?]mrich. Jacob W. Fusselman. Henry G. 
(iai-relts. David T. (iould. D. Theodore Haner. 
Holtniiin & Altheide. Theodore Kamner. George 
Landwehr. Henry B. Linnemaun. John A. Meise. 
Ernest Oelrieh. Frank J. Peterschmidt. F. W. 
Resch & Co. Edgar S. Riekart. J. Henry Riek- 
enberg. John L. Smith. George Starmann. 
Frank E. Tepe. Cornelius C. Washburn. Frank 

B. Webber'. William A. Whitaker. Herman G. 
Wichmann. Janu^s W. Winters. Young Bros. 
(Sign) Charles E. Clarke. William B. Ehr- 
hardt. Fi-ank II. Einhaus. Stephen F. Gold- 
smith. James T. Ilartie. George W. Judd. John 
A. Sobni. 

Paints. Oils and Glass: Aldo Sonuner's Drug 
Comjiany. 

Paints, ( )ils, ( llass. Etc. : Charles H. Aehelpohl. 
Cottrell llai-dwai-e Co. Henry G. Garrelts. H. 
Germann & Co. Heidbreder Bros. & Co. Holt's 
Drug Store. Miller & Arthur Drug Co. Tenk 
Hardware Co. Young Bros. 

Paints: Edwai'd Lafler. John L. White. 

Paper: American Straw Board Co. 

Paper Boxes: Steffen-]\Iesher Co. 

Paper Dealers: Irwin Paper Co. 

Paper Hangers: Theodore J. Bornmann. Da- 
vis M. Chapman. De Koning Bros. Peter Em- 
I'ich. Casper II. Fossell. Henry G. Garrelts. 
John L. Smith. < ieorge Starmann. Cornelius 

C. Washlnirn. Young Bros. 

Paper Stock: Stationers' IMnfg. Co. 

Paper Tablets and Pads: Stationers' Mnfg. 
Company. 

Parcel Deliveries: J. II. Brown & Son. Lewis 
C. Meek. Nesbitt & King. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



247 



Patent Medicines : Mrs. Louisa Cosby. John 
E. W. Fo<ral. Holt's Drug- Store. T. H.' Jackson 
Co. William F. Kirtley. 

Patent Plaster: William D. iMeyer. 

Pattern and Model Makers: ]Modern Iron 
Works. Reliable Foundry Co. Weller Pattern 
Company. 

Pawnbrokers: Goldern's Loan Bank. Quiney 
Loan Bank. Jacob Schwartz. 

Photographers : James C. Byrnes. Arthur J. 
Fischer. The Fowinkle Studio. Ferdinand Gie- 
finer. Emmett Head. Fred Lieberherr. Charles 
C. McCormick. Reu.ser's Studio. C. Henry 
Wiebmer. 

Physicians and Surgeons: Margaret Ander- 
son. Llewell^Ti B. Ashton. Franz Bacher. Wil- 
liam H. Baker. IjeRoy P. Barstow. Henrv P. 
Beirne. J. W. Edward Bitter. Alois J. Blick- 
han. F. Theodore Brenner. George W. Burch. 
Arthur H. Byers. Charles D. Center. Robert J. 
Christie. Robert J. Chri.stie. Jr. James V. Cor- 
nish. 0. H. Crandall. Ernest 0. Crewe. J. Fuller 
Dnrant. George W. Edison. Chauncey E. Ehle. 
Melinda Germann. Leonard L. Gill. Henry 
HL Harri.son. Henry Hart. Hatch & Rice. Ben- 
jamin F. Hendricks. Grant Irwin. Otis Johns- 
ton. John D. Justice. John W. Kelly. Kelly & 
McNeall. William S. Knapheide. Knapheide 
& Germann. Thomas B. Knox. Charles L. Koch. 
John A. Koch. David M. Landon. Miss Anna 
M. Liesen. Doctors Liesen. Francis H. Liesen. 
Charles McNeill. Edmund Montgomery. Frank 
E. Nichols. Hosea J. Nichols. Levin PI. A. Nick- 
erson. Frederick M. Pendleton. Charles E. 
Pfeiffer. William J. F. Reiffert. John K. Ret- 
icker. Ethyl H. Richardson. Joseph Robbins. 
Henry H. Rodefeld. George E. Ro.senthal. Al- 
bert H. Schmidt. John Schmidt. William G. 
Schmidt. J. B. Shawgo. William Sigsbee. 
Stephen G. Smith. David D. Steiner. Arthur 
L. Stocks. Earl H. Toole. Frank E. Tull. Sarah 
Va.sen. Clarence A. Wells. A. William Werner. 
Alfred A. Whipple. Joel G. Williams. William 
W. Williams. Isaac T. Wilson. Sanford E. 
Winget. William S. Wolfe. Renben Woods. E. 
& W. Zimmermann. William Zimmermann. 

Piano Tuners : E. Dewayne Cady. Otis H. 
Cady. Phineas Haggas. Albert Magnusson. 

Pianos and Organs : Otis H. Cady. Giles 
Bros. Weiler Bros. 

Pickles: Globe Pickle Co. August B. Hut- 
macher. Rahn & Tofall. 

Pictures. Frames and Mouldings : De Koning 
Bi-os. Henry G. Garrelts. G. II. Lyford & Co. 
Young Bros. 

Pipe. Pipe Fittings and Brass Goods : The E. 
E. Hollister Co. 

Planing ^Mills : Henry Brinks & Sons. Buer- 
kin & Kaempen. Eighth Street Planing Mill. 
Menke & Grimm Planing :\lill Co. The Mulliner 



Box and Planinir Mill Co. Schatsiek-Baecker 
Building Co. 

Plastering Hair: William D. Meyer. 

Plating Works: Charles H. Adams. Thomas 
J. Planning. Massie & Sons. Quiney Electro 
plating Works. The VanDoorn Co. 

Plumbers, Gas and Steam Fitters: The E. 
Best Plumbing and Steam Heating Co. George 
E. DeCrow. The Gardner Plumbing and Heating 
Co. William Lubbert & Co. Sullivan Bros. 

Pop Corn Stands: John A. Whitsett. 

Poultry Breeders : Bradford Bros. Christian 
A. Mayer. Reliable Poultry Farm. Charles 
Surlage, Jr. 

Poultry Supplies: Shannon, Snow & Co. Re- 
liable Incubator & Brooder Co. H. M. Sheer Co. 
George H. Stahl. 

Printers : Elmer Berghofer. Burks Stamp & 
Printing Works. Cadogan-Hatcher Mnfg. Co. 
Lucien Cover. Forgy & Co. J. W. Franks & 
Sons. Gem City Printing Co. (Jospel Printing 
House. Berry G. A. Griffin. Hoffman Printing 
Co. G. F. Jones Printing & Engraving Co. Fred 
C. Neumann. Herman H. Reckmeyer. T. M. 
Rogers & Co. Royal Printing Co. Steffen- 
Mesher Co. The Zolle Printing Co. ^McMein 
Printing Co. 

Pullevs: Central Iron Works. IModern Iron 
Works. " 

Pullevs, Belting and Shafting: The E. E. 
Hollister Co. 

Pumps : Menke & Grimm Planing Mill Co. 
William Stahl. 

Pumps: (Steam) The Gardner Governor Co. 

Race Tracks: Baldwin I'ark Race Track. 

Real Estate Agents and Dealers : A. Binkert 
& Son. Thonms J. Clark. Cruttenden & Bau- 
man. Cruttenden & Ileekenkamp. Philip L. 
Dickhut. Dines & Orr. Gooeh Bros. & Ragland. 
Charles A. Hamilton. Joseph II. Hanly. An- 
ton A. Ileim. Samuel jM. Hughes. Lawson & 
Grinun. ]\IcKinnay & Potter. James L. Mays. 
Thomas L. iMorris. National Investment Co. 
Osborn & Henry. Jacob C. Pipino. Levi A. 
Pool. S. E. Seeiiorn & Co. George R. Stewart & 
Co. The Federal Co. B. G. Vasen. Thad W. 
Ward. 

Refrigeratoi's : j\Ienke & Grimm Planing Mill 
Company. 

Rental Agents: Dines & Orr. Anton A. Heim. 

Repair Shops : Dell V. C. Barker. Frederick 
W. Burman. Charles D. Clinton. Leonard A. 
Craft. Henry A. Geise. E. Dana Heath. Louis 
K\ihn. J. & W. Kui-z. William McMullen. 
Robert M. Moore. Phelps & Brenner. 

Restaurants: Burlington Route Dining Room, 
ilrs. Dora Cobb. College Dining Hall. John T. 
Collins. Columbia Lunch Room. Eden Restau- 
rant. Ellis Restaurant. Robert D. Ellyson. 
Fountain Restaurant. Gredell & Wahl. The 



248 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



Hiekuian Hotel & Restaurant. Earl R. Kelly. 
William Kirtright. Mealey's Restaurant. Charles 
C. Nichols. Oyster Bay -Restaurant. Mrs. Liz- 
zie Ruddle. Sehimmel's Restaurant. Shanghai 
Restaurant. Stoeeker's Lunch Counter. 

Roofers: Berghofer & Olmemus. Fortkamp 
& Winkino;. Mever & Schell. Schullian Bros. 
William C. Wilson. C. 11. Wurst Co. 

Ropes, Twines and Cordage : Tenk Hardware 
Company. 

Rubber Hose and Belting : Tenk Hardware 
Company. 

Rubber Stamps: Burke's Stamp aud Print- 
ing Works. Quincv Stamp Works. 

Rugs : W. T. Duker Co. Noxall Rug Works. 
Quincy Rug Works. Reliable Riig Works. 

Saddlery Hardware: J. B. Sehott Saddlery 
Company. 

Safety Deposit Vaults : The Quincy National 
Bank. State Savings, Loan & Trust Co. 

Sand Dealers: Enterprise Sand & Gravel Co. 
Quincy Sand Co. 

Sanitary Engineers: The E. Best Plumbing 
& Steam Heating Co. The Gardner Plumbing 
& Heating Co, 

Sash, Doors and Blinds: Menke & Grimm 
Planing Mill Co. Peter H. I\Iayer. Moller & 
VandenBoom Lumber Co. The ilulliner Box & 
Planing Co. Quincy Lumber Co. Schatsiek- 
Baecker Building Co. 

Sausage: Charles A. Hofer. 
Saving Stamps : American Saving Stamp Co. 
Saws : Thomas V. Bisht)p. Quincy Saw Works. 
Scavengers: Robert Flight. 
School Supplies: Stationers' Mnfg. Co. 
Schools of Correspondence : International 
Corre.spondence Schools. Nafional Business Col- 
lege & School of Correspondence. 

Second-Hand Stores : Daniel W. Cheriy. Zig- 
mund Esler. Goldner's Loan Bank. E. Dana 
Heath. Theodore Morrison. ]\L-s. Annie JMyers. 
Quincy Loan Bank. Jacob Schwartz. Alexander 
Seidler. Albei-t Tobias. C. W. AXHiittemore & Co. 
Seeds: David :\I. Belt. Collins Plow Co. Wil- 
liam Eber & Son. 

Sewer Pipe and Drain Tile : The E. Best 

Plumbing & Steam Heating Co. The Gardner 

Plumbing & Heating Co. William Lubbert & Co. 

Sewing Machines: Phelps & Brenner. The 

Singer ]\Infg. Co. Samuel A. Stark. 

Sheet L'on Workers: (irinim Boiler Co. 
Michelmann Boiler Co. 

Shirts. Pants and Clothing Specialties: Iron 
Clad jMnfg. Co. C. S. Nichols Co. Noxall 
Shirt and Overall Factory. The Whitney- 
White Co. 

Shorthand and Typewriting Colleges: Gem 
City Business College. National Business Col- 
lege and School of Correspondence. 



Show Ca.se Hardware and Specialties: The 
VanDoorn Co. 

Show Cases: Globe Fixture & Furniture Co. 
Huck ]\Infg. Co. Joseph Knittel Show Case Co. 
Quincy Show Case Works. 

Shutter Workers: Pitney Shutter Worker 
Company. 

Sidewalks: Clouch Bros. Gem City Cement 
Walk Co. 

Skirts, Underskirts and Wrappers: Defiance 
Garment Mnfg. Co. Ebert-Keal Mnfg. Co. 

Skylights : C. H. Wurst & Co. 

Soda Fountain Supplies : J. J. Fh'nn & Co. 

Solar Printers : George E. Long. 

Specialties: (Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat) 
Henry M. Harrison. Frederick M. Pendleton. 
(Man'ufatcurers) G. A. Kirtley & Co. 

Spices, Etc. : Robert F. Sellers. 

Sporting J]mporiums : E. J. Taylor & Co. 
Tenk Hardware Co. Henry C. Turner. 

Spray Pumps : William Stahl. 

Springs Trips : Henry C. Otten. 

Stationers: Cadogan-Hateher ]\Infg. Co. Ir- 
win Paper Co. 

Steam Heating Plants: Quincy Steam Heat 
& Light Co. 

Steam and Hot Water Heating: The E. Best 
Plumbing & Steam Heating Co. The Gardner 
Plumbing & Heating Co. William Lubbert & 
Company. 

Steel Ceilings: Berghofer & Ohnemus. 
Schullian Bros. William C. Wilson. 

Steel Ranges : Berghofer & Ohnemus. 

Stock Food: American Stock & Poultry 
Remedy Co. 

Stock Yards : Quincy Stock Yards. 

Stone Glitters and Masons: F. W. Menke 
Stone & Lime Co. Roeder & Greemann. 

Stoneware : David Long. 

Storai^e: Edwin E. Albright. Giles Bros. 
Henrv S. Lee. ^lidlaud Transfer. Ware- Way- 
land 'Co. 

Store Fixtures : Globe Fixture & Furniture 
Co. Huck Mnfg. Co. Joseph Knittel Show 
Case Co. Quincy Show Case Works Co. 

Stove Repairs and Repairers: James R. Al- 
bright. C. II. Wurst Co. 

Stoves, Ranges and Hollow Ware: Chan- 
non-Emery Stove Co. Comstock- Castle Stove 
Co. Excelsior Stove & Mnfg. Co. Gem City 
Stove Mnfg. Co. Lanon Stove Co. The Quincy 
Stove Mnfg. Co. Sheridan Stove Mnfg. Co. 
Thomas White Stove Co. 

Sti.vi's. Sheet li-dii: :Marshall Ti'avilla. C. 
H. Wurst Co. 

Stoves and Tinware: Frank F. Bickhaus. 
Comstock-Castle Stove Co. Cottrell Hardware 
Co. Henry B. Ebbers. Fortkamp & Winking. 
Grant Hardware Co. Potter & Vaughan's In- 
stallment House. George C. Sehaller. A. W. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



249 



Scheipering' & Bro. August C. Stroot. Ware- 
Wayland Co. Wemhoener & Schild. C. H. 
Wurst Co. Alois Ziener. Ziener & Hoffmann. 

Straw Boai'd and Straw Paper : American 
Straw Board Co. 

Street Railway Companies: Quiuey Horse 
Railway & Carrying Co. 

Street Sprinklers: Grewe Street Sprinkler 
Company. 

Swimming Schools: Natatorium. 

Tailors : Deters & Otten. Charles Ebeling. 
William F. Kipp. Gerry H. Lohmann. Henry 
Peppier. Carl Rasche. C. August Stille. Wil- 
liam H. Varenhorst. Benjamin F. Wirebaugh. 

Tailors: (Merchant) Lester Cox Woolen 
Mills Co. August H. C. Fronune. August A. 
Gatz. John G. Jansen. Frederick Luthin. 
James A. Martin. Eugene G. Morehead. Lo- 
renz Schmitt. Valentine Schmitt. Seeberger 
& Harmon. 

Talking ^Machines : Phelps & Brenner. 

Tar: Quiuey Gas & Electric Co. 

Tarpaulins: Peter Emrich. Jlurray's Car- 
pet Cleaning Works. 

Taxidermists: Louis Nicoud. 

Teamsters : Grewe Street Sprinkler Co. 
Mrs. Anna H. Kohl. Liebig & Son. Midland 
Transfer. Towne Transfer Co. 

Teas, Coffees and Spices: (Wholesale) Se- 
ger Grocery Co. Robert F. Sellers. (Retail) 
Grand Union Tea Co. Great Eastern Tea & 
Coffee Store. Reliance Tea & Coffee Co. 

Telegraph Colleges: National Business Col- 
lege & School of Correspondence. 

Telegraph Companies : Illinois Disti'ict Tele- 
graph Co. Postal Telegraph Cable Co. West- 
ern Union Telegraph Co. 

Telephone Companies : Adams County Tele- 
phone Co. Adams-Pike Counties and Hannibal 
Telephone Co. American Telephone & Tele- 
graph Co. Central Union Telephone Co. Illi- 
nois Western Telephone Co. Lewis County Tele- 
phone Co. of ^Missouri. Quincy Automatic 
Telephone Co. 

Telephones, Private : J. L. Niswander & Co. 

Theatres: Empire Theatre. Highland Park 
Theatre. Turner Hall. The Bi.jou. 

Tin, Copper and Sheet Iron Workers: Com- 
stoek-Castle Stove Co. :Meyer & Schell. 

Tin Plate and Tinners' Stock : Cottrell Hard- 
wai'e Co. Tenk Plardware Co. 

Tinners and Sheet Iron Workers : Berghofer 
& Ohnemus. Fred T. Brosi Co. George C. 
Schaller. A. W. Scheipering & Bro. Schulliau 
Bros. Georse Schwendeman. William IT. Thoele. 
William C. Wilson. C. H. Wurst Co. 

Tinware, Etc. : Pinkelmann-Barrv Co. George 
C. Schaller. C. H. Wui-st Co. Ziener & Hoff- 



Tobaeeo: Eagle Tobacco Co. Hillyer-Heide- 
rich Tobacco Co. William Richmuller, Jr. 

Tobacco Knives: Quincy Electro-Plating 
Works. 

Tobacco Presses : Adams Tobacco Press Co. 

Tools : William P. Kennedy. 

Toys and Notions : H. Germann & Co. Sohm, 
Richer & Weisenhorn. 

Trading Stamps: Green Trading Stamp Co. 

Trunks and Valises: Gem City Triank Mnfg. 
Co. 

Trusses: Walter L. Fick. Claudius Verniaud. 

Turkish Baths : Natatorium. 

Typewriters and Supplies : Giles Bros. Oliver 
Typewriter Agency. Underwood Typewriter Co. 

Umbrellas: Leonard A. Craft. William N. 
Gill. 

Undertakers: Daugherty & Co. Frank 
Diiker's Sous. Joseph Freiburg & Son. Charles 
Hempel. Charles F. Lepper & Son. Samuei T. 
Jle.ssick, Jr. 

Undertakers' Supplies: ]\Ieuke & Grimm 
Planing ^lill Co. Quincy Casket Co. 

Upholsterers : Charles F. Dehner. Peter 
Emrich. Hartman Bros. F. W. Jansen Furni- 
ture Co. Peter H. Muegge. Ware-Wayland Co. 
Clemens Wienhoff. 

Veterinary Surgeojis: Thomas E. Bomar. 
Josei^h W. Ireland. Gerhard II. Lefers. J. 
Frederick Pease. Jacob A. Rainwater. 

Vinegar : Globe Pickle Co. Rahn & Tof all. 

Wagon and Carriage Hardware and Wood 
Material : Fischer Iron & Steel Co. 

Wagon Makers: George W. Bohne. Jansen 
& Triebel. The Henry Knapheide Wagon Co. 
Koenig & Luhrs Wagon Co. Henry C. Otten. 
Henry W. Rupp & Co. Sturhahn & Meyer. The 
Weuzel Wagon Co. A. L. Zimmerman & Co. 

Wall Paper and Window Shades: Louis Ab- 
bath. De Koning Bros.. Peter Emrich. Henry 
G. Garrelts. Walter H. Gross. Ben.jamiu S. 
Lock. F. W. Resch & Co. George Starmann. 
Anton F. Trapp. John A. Trapp. Cornelius 
C. Washburn. Young Bros. 

Wall Paper Cleaners: Peter Emrich. H. 
Hedrick & Co. Frederick G. Heimbuch. 

Watchmakers and Jewelers: Lauritz Ander- 
son. John F. Andrews. August Basse. Thomas 
S. Greenleaf. August Jacobs. Gustav Kaesser. 
Harvey A. Love. Henry Mers. Louis Nicoud. 
Albert S\\'ink. Emil :\I. Thomasson. Trask & 
Plain. Frank Von Merssmann. Albert Wal- 
diu. Weiler Bros. 

Water Works : Quincy Water Works. 

Well Drillers: Amandus J. Clark. Charles 
E. Vincent. 

Wheels, Metal: Clement Bush Iron & Brass 
Foundry & Metal Wlieel Works. Electric Wlieel 
Co. Empire Mfg. Co. 



250 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



Wiud Mills: -John II. Rimip. 

Window Shuttei- Workers: Pitney Shutter 
Worker Co. 

Wines: John Bart. J. Henry Fuerhoff. 
William Krewet. Frederick W. Spilker. 

Wood and Coal : Alonzo G. Ames. Heuiy 
Bauer. Cober & Sprague. Simon Craft. Ebert 
& Shanahan. Anton II. Einhaiis. George Ein- 
haus. J. Leonard Grieser. John H. Heidloff. 
Henry B. Hummert. James Jarrett. Frederick 
Kordsiemon. Henry S. Lee. Henry Leiteh. Lie- 
big & Son. Willinni ]). Meyer. August G. Mosh- 
age. Charles K. Padelford, Jr. Pennsylvania 
Coal Co. Pure Ice Company. John H. Schmit. 
Waller Bros. Frederick Wenneker. 

Wood Carvers: G. William Althans. 

Yeast : Fleischman & Co. 



CHAPTER XLVII. 



DLSASTROrS STORMiS — L.\RGE FIRES — NOTABLE ACCI- 
DENT.S — LINCOLN-DOUGLAS DEBATE CEME- 
TERIES, ETC. 

Quincy's first visit i'lMiii i-liolera was in July, 
1833. There were two or three deaths from the 
disease on July 4. One authority fixes that date 
as the beginning of the disease. Another author- 
ity holds that it developed some days earlier. 
The exact number of deaths from cholera is not 
on record, but out of a population of about 400 
forty-three deaths occurred from July 4 to 
July 7. The next visit from the cholera was 
March 17, 1849, resulting, it is estimated, in 
about 400 deaths, including that of Ma,yor Enoch 
Conyers. As late as 1851 deaths occurred from 
cholera. 

In 1853 Quiney was made a port of entry. 

The Board of Education was established in 
186L 

In 1864 the first draft for the civil war oc- 
curred. 

In 1867 work commenced on the railroad 
bridge across the JMississippi river, connecting 
Quiney and Missouri. 

The State Fair was held in Quincv in 1867 and 
in 1868. 

Quincv 's first Board of 'i'rade was organized 
May 11, 1857. 

The city limits were extended in 1855. 

The C", B. & Q. railroad to Galesburg. and 
connecting through with Chicago and the East, 
was opened February 1, 1856. 

In 1857 Quiney voted !);50,000 for the Quiney 
and Palmyra railroad. 

In 1861, Budde & IMeyer started the first 
strictly first-cla.ss dry goods house in Quincv. 

April 21, 1863. Piukham's Hall was dedi- 
cated bv the " Needle Pickets." 



In 1865, one Rose, an alleged bushwhacker, 
accused of shooting a Mr. Trimble of Mareelline, 
was taken from .jail and lynched. 

A public reception was given to Lieut. Harry 
H. Caldwell, at the Hotel Newcomb, November 
23. 1899. The young naval officer was presented 
with a silver loving cup. 

Charles Prince and Thomas West, burglars, 
were killed by Chief of Police John Ahern and 
City Detective CTCorge Koch, Januaiy 29, 1900. 

John McDade was killed by Thomas Jackson 
in 1881. 

President JMcKinley spoke in Quiney, October 
6, 1899. 

The Quiney, Alton & St. Louis railroad was 
completed in 1872. 

The Quiney Water Works was begun in 1872. 

The burglary of the Quiney National Bank 
occuri-ed in 1874. The loss consisted of about 
$80,000 in money and a large amount of bonds. 

Quiney got its first steam iire engine in 1866. 

Quincv was first lighted with aas December 2, 
1854. 

The first horse railroad was opened in Quiney 
in 1867. fi-om the old post office on Maine street 
to the northern limits of the city, via Fifth 
street. 

RE]\rARKABLE STORJIS. 

On the afternoon of September 24, 1881, a 
tornado passed through Quiney and killed four 
men and damaged property to the amount of 
about $100,000. The men killed were Lon Wil- 
son, George Roland, Henry Workhouse and 
Frank Smith. The greatest damage was done 
to the Comstoek Castle stove foundiy, the Bon- 
net & Duffy foundry and the Harris tobacco 
factory, but many buildings throughout the city 
suft'ered. 

Just after nightfall October 12, 1902, a cyclone 
swept through the southern and eastern parts of 
Quiney and visited Camp Point and Columbus. 
Ten persons were injured, but none fatally. The 
damage in Quiney and vicinity was estimated at 
$45,000. A dozen houses were practically de- 
molished and some two score barns and other 
buildings more or less injured. Great damage 
was done to valuable trees and monuments in 
Greenmount Cemetery. 

The deepest snowfall in the history of Quiney 
was in the winter of 1830-31. The snow was 
three feet deep on a level. 

DEPLORABLE ACCIDENTS. 

The worst accident in loss of human life in 
the history of Quiney occurred at St. Francis 
school hall, at Seventeenth and Vine streets, on 
Friday evening, December 22, 1899. The school 
children were rehearsing for the Christmas enter- 
taininctit. ^lany of the little oni>s I'eiM-esentiug 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



251 



lambs were dressed in cotton batting. One little 
girl got too near an open gas jet and her cloth- 
ing caught fire. The child instinctively ran 
among the other children, to whom the flames 
spread rapidly. The attending sisters and others 
worked heroically and saved many lives, but the 
following twelve little girls were burned so badly 
as to cause death : Irene Freiburg, Josephine 
Bohne, Bernadena Freund, ]\Iarv Hickey, Wil- 
helmina Kottendorf, Coletta ^Middendorf, Olivia 
Timpe, Mary Wavering, Mary Althoff, Margaret 
Werner, Mai-ia Flutterer, Celia Vonder Haar. 
Among those more or less burned, but not fatally, 
were Sisters Theotaraa, Ludwiga and Jlphren, 
Father Butzkueben, Prof. Musholt, Janitor Ger- 
hard Koetters and little Laura Menke and El- 
nora Timpe. The twelve children were buried in 
the same lot in St. Boniface Cemetery the Sun- 
day following, the attendance being estimated at 

loiooo. 

Wednesday, October 10, 1888, during fireworks 
at the fall celebration, " The Bombardment of 
Alexandria," on Twentieth street, between Ver- 
mont and Broadway, the grand stand gave way 
and about 400 people were injured. 

SOME NOTABLE FIRES. 

September 19, 1875, occurred the fire on the 
west side of Third street, between Hampshire 
and Vermont, resulting in the burning of the 
lumber yard of D. D. Sleriam & Son. The loss 
was $25,000. A niolder named Butler was 
burned to death. 

The Presbyterian Church, at Eighth and 
Broadway, was burned January 2, 1879, the loss 
being $38,000. The temperature was 19 degrees 
below zero. 

September 6, 1879, was the date on which the 
Quincy Academy of Music was burned, on the 
north side of ]\Iaine street, between Third and 
Fourth. The loss was $60,000. A man named 
Laakey was killed by the falling of a telegraph 
pole. 

Pfansehmidt & Co. "s planing mill, at Fifth and 
Ohio streets, burned July 28, 1880 : loss, $60,000. 

The Bonnet & Duffy stove foundry, at Front 
and Ohio streets, was burned November 25, 1882 ; 
loss, $50,000. 

January 19, 1883, was the date on which was 
burned the Quincy Hou.se, at Foui-fh and Maine 
streets. The loss was $15,000. 

December 22, 1891, occurred the Tremont 
House fire, on Hampshire street, between Fifth 
and Sixth, the loss being $6,000. 

The steamer " Uncle Sam," previously the 
" Jacob Richtman," was burned iu Quincv bav. 
November 17, 1904. 

February 21. 1904, occurred the fire in Wliole- 
sale Row, on the west side of Third street, be- 



tween Hampshire and Vermont, the loss being 
$180,000. 

The fire at the Tenk Hardware Co. store and 
the ^lorris clothing store, on the south side of 
;\Iaine street, between Fifth and Sixth, occurred 
April 30, 1896 : loss, $60,000. 

The Oem City saw mill burned April 21, 1902; 
loss, $232,000. 

June 22, 1904, was the date of the fire at the 
Tremont House, on the north side of Hampshire 
street, between Fifth and Sixth. Miss Elizabeth 
Welch, principal of Jefferson public school, was 
burned to death, and her sister. Miss Mary 
Welch, jirincipal of Jackson school, was so badly 
burned that she died in a day or so. Among 
others more or less injured were W. E, Tooke, 
W. L. Kershaw (both of whom were connected 
with the S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., the publish- 
ers of this work), I\Irs. Thomas Clow, Mrs. W. R. 
Scott and Thomas ^Martin. The property loss 
was $25,000. 

IMay 6, 1870, occurred the fire at Fourth and 
Maine streets which destroyed the Quincy Herald 
office and other buildings, the loss being esti- 
mated at $200,000. 

The old city hall, at Sixth and iMaine streets, 
was burned in 1867. 

Thaver's distillery was burned in 1854, the 
loss being $50,000. 

In 1874, there was a fire on the north side of 
IMaine street, between Sixth and Seventh, which 
resulted in a loss of about .$28,000. 

During a fire at the Newcomb Hotel, March 26, 
1904, IMiss Rose ^McDowell, a domestic, was suf- 
focated in her room, and iMiss Annette Bro- 
miski was killed by leaping from the third story. 

The Knittel Sliow Case Works were burned 
February 1, 1894: loss, $90,000. 

Perrv Huusaker, a fireman, was killed by a 
falling" wall at the Wright & Adams foundry, 
July 20, 1895. 

THE LINCOLX-DOUGLAS MEETING. 

Herewith are given some interesting notes, pre- 
pared by the Hon. W. A. Richardson, a son of 
the late' United States Senator Richardson, and 
published in the Quincy Optic, August 6-13, 
1904, concerning the Lincoln-Douglas debate, in 
Washington Park, Quincy, October 13, 1858. The 
notes were compiled by I\Ir. Richardson from 
local press reports of the great nu^eting, and are 
as follows : 

Quincv Daily Whig and Republican, October 
5,1858:" 

The committee of arrangements for the re- 
ception of Hon. A. Lincoln on the 13th of Octo- 
ber are requested to meet without fail on Tues- 
day evening, the 5th inst., at the office of Jonas & 
Asburv. 



252 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



The foiiimittee consists of the following gen- 
tlemen ; 

A. Jonas, N. Flagg, N. Bushnell, S. P. Delano, 
M. Finlay, J. Gilpiu, G. Bond, F. Flach, L. 
Buddee, Joel Rice, James Arthur, J. K. Van 
Doom, John Wheeler, E. Littlelield, John Wood, 
Jr., J. C. Swartwout, Otto Bertsehinger, Jacob 
M. Smith, John Loomis, Timothy Rogers, J. C. 
Bernard, E. Comstock. 

Quiney Daily Herald, Wednesday morning, 
October 6, 1858 : 

The following is a list of assistant marshals 
appointed to aid in conducting the democratic 
procession at Quiney on the 13tli in.st. : 

Quiney : 

Col. John Crockett, Alexander Johnson, Hiram 
A. Rogers, I. 0. Woodruff, James S. Van Buren, 
J. W. Bradford, William Anderson, Levy 
Palmer, Thomas Benneson, H. S. Davis, John 
Schell, Jr., John Steinagell, James ]\I. Barry, 
John Kelly, Edgar IMorris, W. E. Avise, James 
Mehan, Fred Bernbrock, Anthony Li;bbee, John 
Bernbrock, John Kihlinbrink, Hugh Smith, John 
Lesage, J. W. Brown, David Higgins, Isaac 
Cleveland, Israel Fellows, David Jameson, Ed 
Little, John Delemater, James Walsh, Francis 
Jasper, Thomas Jasper. 

County : 

Col. Joseph Hanks. Burton : Jolui Wolf, Lib- 
erty ; Esq. Ballon. Clayton ; John Hanks, ilel- 
rose ; Dr. Darrali, Honey Creek ; Dr. Young, 
Woodville ; William Nelson, Houston : Alex Hoyt, 
Northea.st; John A. Roth, Camp Point; James 
Palmer, Columbus: Philip Judy, CTilmer; Robert 
McCay, Beverly: Dr. Corkins, Richfield; Morris 
Kelly," McKee ; A. E. Bowles, Ellington ; John C. 
Anderson, ilarcelline : John T. May, Concord; 
William P. Baker, Pavson ; Edmund Higbee, 
Mendon: William Bowies. Fall Creek: W. W. 
Bean, Ursa: Grayson Orr, Lima. 

Qiiincv Dailv Whig and Rei)ublican, October 
11, 1858: 

The following are appointed and will act as 
aids to the marshal : 

Cai>t. B. M. Prentiss and Jnlm Wood. Jr. 

The following are apixiinted and will act as as- 
sistant marshals : 

Dr. J. Rittler, Albert Budde. J. S. Loomis, 
J. P. Bert, Jr., N. Pinkham, George Padgett, 
K. K. Jones, Joseph Hedges, G. Bond, E. W. 
Parsons. A. V. Humiihrey, James Rice, IM. B. 
Finlay, J. IT. Wiltlieger, John B. Barnett. R. G. 
Libby, Paul Konantz, Henry A. Smith, J. C. 
Bernard. H. Holan, C. H. Bull, T. E. Durant, 
F. W. Jansen, D. C. Wood, V. B. Shinn, L. Arnt- 
zen. J. R. W. Hinelmian, N. F. Herrick, James 
Arthur. Mervin Allen, W. B. Hauworth, A. H. 
Stewart, Daniel 6. Brown, Safford Konantz, 
Caldwell Ladd, G. Wolcott. J. T. Sawyer, C. H. 
Howland, George Adams, Philip Thomas, II. D. 



Woodruff, G. P. Floyd, George W. Vills, N. 
Pease, James Adams. Samuel Seger, J. ^I. Bal- 
lance. 

The aids and assistant marshals will appear 
(in horseback, with blue scarfs and Lincoln 
Ijadges, and will assemble at the Quiney House 
lirecisely at 81/0 o'clock a. ni. 

E. K. Stone. Marshal. 

Quiney, 111., October 11, 1858. 

Quiney Daily Wiug and Republican, October 
11. 1858 : 

On Wednesday, the 13th inst., at 9 a. m., pre- 
cisely, the republican procession will be formed 
for the purpose of proceeding to the railroad 
depot to receive the Hon. A. Lincoln. 

The line of procession will be formed on Broad- 
way, the right resting on Sixth street. The re- 
publican clubs and citizens on foot will a&semble 
and form in order in Jefferson square, and form 
the head of the procession. Clubs and citizens 
in carriages and wagons will form innnediately 
in the rear of those on foot. 

The order of procession will be as follows: 

Marshal and aids. 

Stig's brass band. 

Quiney and other republican clubs on foot. 

Carriages, with ]\Ir. Lincoln and committee of 
reception and distinguished strangers. 

Private carriages, with ladies. 

Delegations in carriages and wagons. 

Delegations and citizens on horseback. 

Route of the procession : The procession on 
foot will advance to Front street, the carriages, 
wagons and citizens on horseback will remain 
and rest on Third street. The carriage for Mr. 
Lincoln and strangers will receive them at the 
depot, and the delegations and others arriving 
by the trains will be formed on foot under the 
assistant marshals. The foot procession and 
carriages with Mr. Lincoln and strangers will 
then countermarch up Broadway, and the entire 
]irocession will proceed down Thii-d to Jersey 
street, up Jersey to Eighth, up Eighth to Hamp- 
shire, down Hampshire to Fourth, down Fourth 
to ]Maine, up Elaine to Fifth, up Fifth to the 
front of the courthouse, where ^Ir. Lincoln will 
be received and welcomed by the committee on 
reception. The procession will then be dis- 
missed, and Mr. Lincoln taken by the committee 
of reception to the residence of 0. H. Brown- 
ing. Esq. Speaking will commence at the stand 
in Washington square at 2 o'clock p. m. 

E. K. Stone, ^Marshal. 

Quincv Dailv Wilis: and Republican, Tuesday, 
October "12, 1858: 

]\Iessrs. Bond and Holton have been appointed 
by the respective committees of the republican 
Douglas parties to attend to the erection of a 
stand and seats for tomorrow. 'Mr. Pinkham has 
verv kindlv and generously furnished the seats 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



253 



for the oee:isioD, wiiich are to be used entirely by 
the hidies. eight hundred of whom can thus be 
accommodated. 

Quinev Daily Herald. Tuesday morning, Octo- 
ber 12, 1858 : " 

On Wednesday morning, 13th inst., at 9^2 
o'clock, a procession will be formed at the court- 
house, in this city, in which every person who 
prefers the election of lion. S. A. Douglas to 
Hon. A. Lincoln to the United States Senate is 
invited to participate. 

The procession will leave the courthouse at 
914 o'clock, precisely, and will pi'oceed to Broad- 
way, up Broadway to Twelfth street, throwing 
the right of procession on Twelfth and front 
south, where the delegations from the northern 
part of the county will be attached; thence to 
Maine, throwing right of procession on Maine, 
and attach all the delegations from the east and 
south of the county; thence proceeding down 
Maine street to Third, up Third to the Virginia 
House, where the river delegations will be at- 
tached, and will then take the right of the pro- 
cession ; which will then proceed to Vermont, 
up Vermont to Seventh, down Seventh to Hamp- 
shire, down Hampshire to Fourth, and around 
the public square to the southeast corner, where 
the procession will enter and surround the stand, 
whereupon Judge Douglas will make his appear- 
ance and in a few remarks ad.iourn the crowd 
until half past 2 o'clock, when the discussion 
between himself and Mr. Lincoln will commence. 
I. T. Wilson, Chief Mar.shal. 

Quinev Dailv Herald. Saturday morning, Oc- 
tober le! 1858 • 

The most magnificent display that has ever 
been made in this city was made by the democracy 
on Tuesday last on the occasion of the reception 
of Judge Douglas. Our distinguished senator 
was received at half past 9 o'clock at the railroad 
depot amid the booming of cannon and a most 
splendid display of torchlights and transpar- 
encies, accompanied by the welcoming, enthu- 
siastic shouts of not less than a thousand live 
democrats. * * * Pour hundred blazing torches 
and beautiful transparencies in proportion, with 
bands of music and a procession more than half 
a mile in length. * * * The streets of the city. 
literally thronged with people in honor of the 
great statesman, was a sight that did the heai'ts 
of the democracy good to witness. * * * Judge 
Douglas was escorted by the procession to the 
Quincy Plouse, where, with three times three 
hearty and enthusiastic cheers, the democracy 
left him for the night, repairing, however, to the 
public square, where they were addressed in a 
most able, enthusiastic and unanswerable man- 
ner by Dr. Bane, after which the demonstra- 
tions i)f the evening were brought to a close. 



Quincy Daily Herald. Friday morning, Octo- 
ber 15, 1858 : " 

The democracy of Illinois have reason to be 
proud of the demonstration in the city on 
Wednesday last, the day that had been appointed 
for a .ioint discussion between Senator Douglas 
and ilr. Lincoln. At an early hour in the morn- 
ing the crowds that everywhere thronged the 
streets of our city gave indication that a great 
(lay was before us. * * * At about 10 o'clock 
a procession of the democracy, composed ex- 
clusively of delegations from the county town- 
ships, under the direction of Dr. Wilson, the 
chief marshal, made its appearance upcm the 
public square. This procession was over an hour 
|)assing the Quincy House: and it is thought to 
have not been less than two miles in lenoth. 
* * * As the procession passed the Quincy 
House Judge Douglas made his appearance at 
a second story window, where he was greeted 
with cheer after cheer along the whole line. The 
procession was afterwards joined by large dele- 
gations from Brown county and from various 
])oints in I\Iis.souri. It was the largest proces- 
sion that was ever seen in Quincy. At 12 o'clock 
the procession was disbanded. * * * At 2 
o'clock some twelve or fifteen thousand persons 
assembled around the stand upon the public 
square, where they were addressed foi- an hour 
by IMr. Lincoln, who was followed in a speech of 
an hour and a half by Judge Douglas, and the 
debati' closed with a response of half an hour by 
■Mr. Lincoln. * * * The democracy a.ssembled 
again in the evening around the stand in the 
public square, no himse in the city being large 
enough to contain the fourth of them, where they 
were addressed b>' 'Sir. Artzen of this city and 
^Fr. Reed of Keokuk. Thus began, and thus 
ended the day — the most gloriou.s to the demoe- 
i-aey that Quincy ever .saw. 

Quincy Daily Whig and Republican. Friday 
morning, October 15, 1858 : 

Wednesday was a day that will long be re- 
membered by the citizens of Quincy and by the 
iii'eat ci'owd of peojjle who were in attendance 
to listen to the great discussion between Lincoln 
and Douglas. They came from all quarters, from 
all parts of the district, and from Iowa and ilLs- 
soTiri. 

Douglas arrived on Tuesday night, and the 
Douilasites got up a kind of toi-chlight proces- 
sion to receive him. The thing was a most miser- 
able fizzle. 

On Wedaesda.y morning at an early hour our 
streets were thronged with people. The repub- 
lican procession formed on Bi'oadway for the 
purpose of receiving 'Sir. Lincoln. It was one 
of tlie finest demonstrations that ever occurred 
in this city. It is impossible to arrive at anything 
like a reliable estimate of the niunbers in the 
procession. 



254 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



Mr. Lincoln whs rei'i'iv(.'d at the depot aud 
greeted with enthusiastic cheers by the crowd. 
The procession then proceeded through tlie prin- 
cipal streets of the city to the residence of lion. 
0. H. Browning, where a beautiful and elegant 
boquet was presented by the republican ladies of 
Quincy, through the hands of John Tillson, Esq., 
our candidate for senator, in a neat and ajipro- 
priate speech, which elicited iiiucli applause. Mr. 
Lincoln replied in a few brief reinai'ks, saying 
that it was a source of much gi-atitication to him 
to find that the ladies everywhere took such a 
deep interest in this contest. Before and at the 
close of the presentation a choir of young ladies 
and gentlemen i)resent sang, to the air of " Co- 
lumbia, the Gem of the Ocean," a very appro- 
priate campaign song. The procession was then 
disbanded for dinnei'. 

Long before the speaking eonnnenced the pub- 
lic square literally swarmed with people. The 
number present is variously estimated at from 
eight to fourteen thousand. Jlr. Lincoln opened 
the deliate. » * * 

The republicans have reason to congratulate 
themselves upon the success of the day. 

The only incident of a disagreeable character 
was the falling of the seats which had been put 
up for the ladies. They were crowded at the 
time and the fall created great consternation. 
Two or three ladies were injured, but no one 
seriouslj' or severely. 

Quincy Daily Whig and Republican, Saturday 
morning, October 10. 1858 : 

On Wednesday night the courthouse was lit- 
erally jannned with peojile. Speeches were made 
by Karl Schui-tz, Jack.son (Irimshaw and B. J\L 
Prentiss. 

WOODLAND CEMETERY. 

Woodland Cemetery is located in the south- 
west portion of the city, and is bounded by Jef- 
ferson street on the north, Van Buren on the 
south. Fifth street on the east and the river bank 
on the west. 

Woodland Cemetery is, beyond question, one 
of the most beautiful cemeteries in the country. 
Its situation (m the blufif is sudi that from it is 
secured one of the finest and most extended views 
to be found on the ^lississippi river. 

It was laid out in Ai)ril, 18-16. It originally 
contained somewhat less than forty acres. In 
1857 4.65 acres were added, and now the ceme- 
tery is estimated to contain about forty -three 
acres. The grounds were once part of the estate 
of Gov. John Wood, the founder of Quincy, who 
presented them to the city. Fronting on Fifth 
street is the tomb of the late Timothy Rogers, 
which is said to be one of the finest in the coun- 
try. The National Cemetery formerly occu)iied 



the northwest portion of the grounds, but some 
four \'ears ago the government removed it to 
Gracehmd. A great many soldiers are buried 
here, however, in private lots. A handsome 
monmuent dedicated to United States soldiers is 
situated in the western part of the cemetery. 

Woodland Cemetery is one of the most beau- 
tiful in the middle west. It is managed through 
the Woodland Cemetery Association, of which 
Mr. II. P. Walton is president; Mr. George F. 
i\liller, vice president ; ^Irs. Mary Cober, secre- 
tary, and I\lr. Iv J, I'nrker. treasurer. Messrs. 
George Wells and T. 1). Woodruff are also direct- 
ors of the a.ssociation. Adam Thron has been the 
efficient superintendent for many years. 

GREENMOUNT CEMETERY. 

This cemetery was laid oiit in 1875 by the 
(ireenmount Cemetery Association. The board 
of dii-ectors of this association consists of four- 
teen members, of which Mr. Joseph Hoeuer is 
the present president and ^Ir. Henry G. Garrelts 
is the secretary. Mr. Walter Dingerson is the 
efficient caretaker of the cemetery. Greenmount 
is on South Twelfth street, across the street from 
South Park aiul just north of Harrison street. 
It is one of the most beautiful and atti-active 
cemeteries in the city. 

GRACELAND CEMETERY. 

The Graceland Cemetery, at Thirty-sixth and 
Maine streets, was organized January 18, 1895, 
by the Quincy Cemetery As.sociation. 

The president of this association is L. E. Em- 
mons; vice president, Anton Binkert; treasurer, 
T. C. Poling: secretary, William F. Ilagen; other 
members of the board of trustees are D. F. Wil- 
cox, E. Best, J. T. Blaiuev. Joseph Freiberg. Sr., 
Thomas T. Dyke. 

The National Cemetery is now a part of (-Jrace- 
land, having been removed there from Woodland 
four years ago. 

THE HEBREW CEMETERY. 

The Hebrew Cemetery, called the " Valley of 
Peace," is located in the northeastern part of the 
city, near what is now known as Walton Heights. 
The board of directors are : Messrs. David Vasen, 
]\r. Kingsbaker, ]M. Joseph and David Stern. 

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CEJIETERIES. 

The St. Peter's Cemetery is located east of 
Thirtieth street, on Broadway. It is under the 
management of the congregation of St. Peter's 
Clnirch. St. Rose Church people also bury at 
St. Peter's, while all other Catholic societies bury 
at St. Boniface, which is under the direct control 
of St. Boniface Clmrch and is located on State 
street, east of Twentieth. 



HISTORY OF ADAMS COUNTY 



IXTKODUCTIOX 

111 the d;nvii < f its history Adams county is 
seen, in common with other portions of Illinois, 
thinly populated by tribes of savages. The first 
Europeans to visit this wilderness were the en- 
voys of religion and commerce. More than two 
luindred and thirty years ago Father ]Marqnetce 
and Louis Joliet. the latter a Quebec-born tur 
trader, crossed Wisconsin by the Fox and Wis- 
consin rivers and descended the majestic ilissis- 
sippi, passing along the borders of Adams country 
and it is quite probable they made a brief halt 
at or near where the beautiful Gem City now 
stands. In corroboration of this, Marquette 
mentions in his journal of that voj^age the bluffs 
upon the eastern bank of the river, witli a rude 
sketch of the same. 

From that time until 1811 the history of the 
country which now comprises Adams county is 
not recorded. There is a slight rumor to the 
effect that one Bauvet, a French trader, located 
on the bluffs of Quincy, but was soon afterwards 
killed by the Indians. A legend comes down 
from the same shadowy source that there was an 
Indian village on the bluffs near Quincy, and 
that Indians made frequent camps south of this 
point. Evidences .still remain, however, of a per- 
manent occupation by members of the Sauk tribe 
near the banks of Bear creek. In 1813 Gen. 
Howard, with two regimentsof mounted rangers 
from Illinois and Missouri, on an expedition to 
the north part of the territory, passed this point 
and found the remnants of some rough stone 
chimneys and a few wigwam poles along the 
shore near the bluffs. The legendary stories of 
the existence of this savage village of the Sauk 
tribe, which flourished here in the olden time, 
relate that its uncivilized inhabitants, on hearing 
of the approach of Gen. Howard and his two 
regiments of mounted rangers, fled from their 
homes and left the village to the tender mercies 
of tlie palefaces. Gen. Howard's rangers, upon 
their arrival at the place, burned the village and 
passed on. 



From this time for a period of about six years 
neither legend, romance nor record chronicles 
anything of the future Adams county. 

Willard Keyes, one of the pioneers of Adams 
coimt.y, says in his lecture before the New Eng- 
land Society: " We floated past the model city 
(Quincy) on the 10th of ilay, 1819, unconscious 
of our future destiny in its eventful history. ' ' 

Justus I. Perigo, who resided on what is now 
the eastern portion of Fall Creek township, was 
doubtless the first actual settler in Adams county, 
as he was here in 1820. The coming of Asa 
Tyrer, in the summer of 1820, searching for his 
hind, and also of John Wood in 1821, who came 
to find land for a man named Flynn, and his sub- 
.sequent settlement, with his partner, Willard 
Keyes, are fully described in the history of 
Quincy. The immigration to the county in the 
next few years following was not very rapid, 
most of those who came settling in the Bear creek 
and Rock creek sections, and some few in and 
near Quincy. J^ore thaa one-half the land com- 
prising the military tract was land granted to the 
soldiers of 1812, and was not subject to entry, 
and as none could be purchased except what was 
ivuown as the bounty lands the settlement was 
much retarded on fliat account. 

As part of the Northwest Territory, in 1790 
all of Illinois south of what is now Peoria was 
made the countv of St. Clair, with Cahokia as the 
county seat. In 1812 the northern portion of 
St. Clair, above St. Louis, was created Madi.son 
county, with Edwardsville as the county seat, 
the county extending to the Wiscou.sin line. Illi- 
nois was admitted to the Union as a state April 
18, 1818. On the 31st of January, 1821. all of 
Madison county between the Illinois and Missis- 
sippi rivers was detached and made Pike county, 
with Cole's Grove, now Gilead, in Calhoixn 
county, as the county seat. 

On" the 14fh day of September. 1824. John 
Wood inserted the following notice in the Ed- 
wards-ville Spectator: A petition will be pre- 
sented to the General Assembly of the State of 
Illinois, at its next .session, praying for the estab- 



256 



PAST AND PRESEN'J^ OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



lishnient of a new county, to be formed from the 
county of Pike aiul the parts attached, the south- 
ern boundary of which shall be between towns 
three and four, south of the base line. 

Aug. 17 (,1-t)- (.Signed) Joun Wood. 

The notice having been published twelve times, 
as required by the law then in force relating to 
the formation of new counties, the General As- 
sembly took prompt action in considering the 
matter presented in the petition of Mr. Wood, 
and at the following session passed a bill which 
was approved on the 18th of January, 1825, of 
which the following is a copy: 

The County of Adams was formed out of the 
counties of I'ike and Fulton and the attached 
parts, by an act of the Legislature, approved 
Jan. 18, 1825, Act: Be it enacted, that all that 
tract of country within the following btrandaries, 
to-wit : beginning at the place where the town- 
ship line between townships three south and four 
south touches the Mississipi^i river, thence east 
on said line to the range line between ranges four 
and five west, thence north on said range line to 
the northeast corner of township two north, range 
five west, thence west on said township line to 
the Mississippi river, and thence down said river 
to the place of beginning, shall constitute a 
county, to be called the county of Adams. 

The same act appointed a committee consisting 
of Seymore Kellog of Morgan county, Joel 
Wright of Montgomery county and David Diit- 
ton of Pike county to select a permanent seat of 
justice for the new county. They were directed 
to meet at the house of Ebenezer Harkness, in 
said county, on the first Monday of the next 
April, or within seven days thereafter ; and after 
taking the oath before a justice of the peace, to 
locate the seat of justice for the future accommo- 
dation and convenience of the people; to proceed 
to fix the seat of justice. They were to forthwith 
make a copy of their proceedings and file the 
same in the office of the recorder of Pike county. 
The history of their action in this matter and tlie 
origin of tlie names of the county and the county 
seat are recorded elsewhere. It is sufficient to 
say that a majority of the committee met Api'il 
30", 1825, and officially announced that the north- 
west quarter of .section 2, town 2 .south, range 9 
west of 4th principal meridian, was the county 
seat of Adams county, and named the designated 
place Quiney. 

On the 2d of July, 1825, in ]iursuance of an 
order of the judge of the Circuit Court, the first 
election for county officers was held at the cabin 
of Willard Keyes; about forty votes were cast, 
and Levi Wells, Peter Journey and Willard 
Keyes were elected county commissioners. 

Peter Journey, a Jerseyman by birth, resided 
at the lower end of the bluffs, some ten miles 
south of Quiney, in what is now Fall Creek town- 



ship ; Willard Keyes of Quiney lived at what is 
now the foot of Vermont streec, and Levi Wells 
resided near what is now the village of Payson. 
The county had at this time an estimated popula- 
tion of about seventy. 

The first County Court of Adams county was 
(hdy organized at the house of Willard Keyes in 
Quiney on Monday, July -i, 1825. INIessrs. Joui-- 
ney, Keyes and Wells, all being present, and 
Karl Pierce was appointed a special constable 
for the court, and lleury II. Snow was appointed 
clerk, having Earl Pierce and Levi Iludley as 
his bondsmen. Ira Pierce was deputed to take 
the census of the county, and other matters of 
regular business were considered. 

The county of Adams was one of the first to 
;idiii)t township organization. On Tuesday, De- 
cember 6, 1849, an order was made by the County 
Conunissioners' Couit api)ointing Thomas En- 
low, Augustus E. Bowles and William Berry 
commissioners to divide the county into towns, 
as provided by an act of the Legislature, pro- 
viding for the township organization of any 
county, after having so determined by a ma- 
joi'ity vote being cast in its favor at any general 
election. The rejxirt of these conunissioners was 
filed in the County Court on the Sth day of 
March, 1850. They divided the county, accord- 
ing to provisions of the act in force April 16, 
1849, into twenty towns and " laid the same off 
by metes and bounds, ' ' adopting a name for each 
in accordance with the expressed wish of the in- 
habitants of said town respectively, selecting a 
name when the inhabitants of any town failed 
to agree. 

The first meeting of the Board of Supervisors, 
under the law ])rovided for township organiza- 
tion, was held on the third day of Jiine, 1850, 
" through the call of the county clerk, by the 
apjn-oval of many of the Board of Supervisors." 
This meeting was held in the court room in the 
did court house, which stood on Fifth street, 
hctween Maine and Hampshire, in Quiney. W. 
11. Tandy was elected chairman of the board for 
that session. 

Adams county lies on the western border of the 
state, and is bounded on the north by Hancock 
county, on the east by Brown and Pike counties, 
on the south by Pike county, and it is separated 
from Missouri on the west by the Mississippi 
I'iver. It embraces an area of eight hundred and 
thirty-eight square miles, or a little more than 
twenty-three townships, divided for piirposes of 
local government into twenty-two towns. It is 
well watered, thorough surface drainage being 
afforded by numerous creeks flowing into the 
great river which forms its western boundary. 
Mention has been made of Bear creek, which 
drains the northern portion of the county ; Me- 
Gee's creek drains the eastern and central, and 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



257 



McDonald's, or Iloman's, creek, Hadley creek 
and Mill creek intersect the southern, southwest- 
ern portion. These streams, together with abun- 
dant, fine, fresh water springs, furnish a plenti- 
ful supply of water for the stock growers. The 
uplands of the county are nearly equally divided 
into timber and prairie, the timber portions be- 
ing mainly restricted to the broken lauds in the 
vicinitj' of the streams. The general elevation of 
the prairie region above the level of the Missis- 
sippi, at low water, is from two hundred to two 
hundred and eighty feet. Except for about two 
miles in the vicinity of Quincy, where the bluffs 
approach near to the river bank, a belt of alluvial 
bottom land from one to five miles in width ex- 
tends the whole length of the county, from north 
to south, along the western border. By means of 
drainage and the erection of levees to prevent 
overflow from the river. the\' have been made the 
finest farm lands in the country. The destruc- 
tion of native forests in Adams county has been 
very great, but there still remains small portions 
of these former extensive tracts, containing 
nearly one hundred species of native forest trees, 
oak, hickory, ash, elm, walnut, maple, sycamore, 
red bud, hawthorn and others. 

The climate of Adams couuty is pleasant and 
healthful, and perpetual breezes blow over the 
cultivated lands, modifj-ing the summer heat. 
The seasons come with great regularity, favoring 
agriculture, and the rainfall is abundant and 
seasonable, averaging about 38 to 40 inches. The 
fluctuations in temperature are often great and 
sudden, especially in the transition seasons, but 
the vital statistics show that the climate is re- 
markably healthful, while the crop reports bear 
witness to its high fitness for agricultural devel- 
opment and the growth of great and valuable 
supplies of breadstuffs. New methods of scien- 
tific farming, the use of modei'n machinery, the 
extension of careful under-draining and the in- 
telligence of hundreds of skilled farmers, are de- 
veloping valuable agricultural properties. 

The population of the county at the last cen- 
sus, 1900, was nearly 70,000. 

The equalized assessed valuation of lands in 
the county for the year 1904 was $3,705,92-3 ; of 
city, town and village lots, $3,426,690; of per- 
sonal propertv, $3,184,810; of railroads, $11,- 
178,420 (C, B. & Q.; A. & St. L. ; Wabash, and 
0. K. C. &E.). 

The total .state tax for this county in the same 
years, $56,897.75 : county tax, $77,527.15 ; school 
tax was $168,059.44; road and bridge tax, $33,- 
696.48 ; other taxes, sufficient to make a total for 
the countv, including cities and villages, $605,- 
828.06. 

The finances of Adams county are on the se- 
curest of foundations. At the present time the 
countv has no bonded indebtedness. 



CHAPTER XLVIII. 

THE GEOLOGY OF ADAMS COUNTY. 

Hy William A. Redenbaugh, Ph. D. 

To the ordinary reader a purely geological 
description is like so much Greek. For this 
reason the author has decided to depart from 
the usual custom of describing formations and 
strata with their complicated classifications 
and confusing nomenclature. Instead, sup- 
pose we take a stroll along the bluffs of 
Quincy. If we visit the quarries in the lower 
part of the city and look up at the cliffs above 
us we see, capping the bluff, a layer of clay 
about sixty feet thick. This rests upon a 
f(nindation of solid rock, consisting of lime- 
stock with layers of flint or chert in it. If we 
observe closely we see that the upper twelve 
or fifteen feet of rock is very eherty and the 
layers of limestone between the layers of 
chert are thin, while the lower portion con- 
tains less chert and makes excellent building 
stone. 

(geologists have named the lower formation 
Burlington limestone, the upper thin bedded 
rock the Keokuk limestone, and the clay sur- 
mounting the rock, the loess. As we go toward 
the north we can trace these layers along the 
bluff's, and we find opposite the steamboat 
landing the Keokuk limestone is of such qual- 
ity that it can be profitably quarried. As we 
go farther north the Keokuk formation grows 
thicker, and uorth of the city is extensively 
quarried. The thin-bedded eherty layers are 
overlaid by thicker and more regular beds of 
bluish-gray limestones, which may be seen to 
good advantage along some of the small 
streams northeast of Quincy. The foundation 
limestone of Gov. Wood's mansion is of this 
rock, obtained from a quarry about three 
miles northeast of Quincy. In this quarry the 
limestone is seen to be overlaid by brown 
shale containing geodes or "nigger heads." 
Where the geode beds are well developed the 
geodes appear as siliceous nodules of various 
sizes, some of them a foot or more in diam- 
eter. Some of them are solid spheres of crys- 
talline quartz covered externally with a thin 
coating of chalcedony. Others are hollow 
and have their inner faces covered with beau- 
tiful crystals of quartz, calcite or dolomite, 
or with the mammillary form of chalcedony. 
Cry.stals of arragonite, iron pyrites and zinc 
blende are also occasionally found in these 
geodes, and the finest cabinet specimens of 
the crystallized minerals above mentioned to 
be found in the state are obtained from this 
bed. The shales and shaly limestones in whii-Ii 



258 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



the geodes are embedded yield readily to the 
influeuee of frost aud moisture, and the geodes 
are readily weathered out, and may be found 
in great numbers in the beds of the small 
streams which intersect these beds. Good 
specimens can be obtained from the bed of 
the small creek at Twenty-fourth and Locust 
streets. 

The Keokuk limestone can be traced along 
the bluffs from Quincy to the north line of the 
county. At Bear Creek it forms a vertical 
cliff from forty to fifty feet in height. It is 
also found on all the small streams in the 
western part of the county as far south as 
Mill Creek, and on both forks of that stream, 
though not on the main creek. 

If we attempt to trace this limestone into 
the eastern part of the county, we find that it 
is overlaid by still another kind of limestone, 
called the St. Louis limestone. This can be 
readily seen along the streams in McKee 
township, aud on the Walnut Fork of Mill 
Creek in Gilmer township, and again on the 
tributaries of Bear Creek in ^lendon township. 
On the main creek it can be traced for several 
miles farther east, where it passes under the 
shales wliii-h lielong to the coal measures. 

The c(ial measures form the bedrock over 
the whole of the northeastern part of the 
county, and are so called because they con- 
tain the workable seams of coal. The rocks of 
this group contain shales, sandstones, bitum- 
inous slates and bands of limestone, with 
seams of coal and fire clay. Tlie whole thick- 
ness does not exceed one hundred and twenty 
feet. There are three seams of coal, known 
as No. 1, which is deepest down and from IV2 
to 2 feet thick; No. 2, 2 to 3 feet thick; and 
No. 3, about I7 j feet thick. The middle coal 
seam (No. 2) is most regular, and furnishes 
the best coal in the county. Near Camp Point, 
on the south fork of Bear Creek, there is an 
outcrop of it which has been worked for a 
long time. Likewise outcrops are found along 
some of the tributaries of Bear Creek in the 
western part of the township; on Little Mis- 
souri Creek in the northeast part of Clayton ; 
on Cedar Creek in the extreme northeastern 
part of the county ; on a small branch of Mc- 
Gee's Creek south of the village of Clayton; 
and in the extreme southeastern section of 
Mendon. 

South of ("layton the country is quite roll- 
ing and hilly, but the ravines seldom expose 
the bedrock, and no coal is found outcropping, 
though it probably underlies most of the sur- 
face north of !McGee's Creek. After crossing 
the creek at Hughes' Ford, in the southeastern 
part of the township of McKee, coal is found 
in the bluff on the south side, with outcrops 



of the St. Louis and Keokuk limestones below 
it. South of Liberty and west of Kingston 
coal outcrops at various localities along the 
head waters of McDonald's Creek, and before 
the construction of the C, B. & Q. railroad the 
beds were worked quite extensively and the 
coal hauled on wagons to supply the Quincy 
market. 

In the southern part of the county the coal 
measures are very irregular in their develop- 
ment and are probably outliers from the main 
coal fields. North of Columbus the three seams 
are found in regular order. Coal No. 2, or the 
Colchester seam is by far the best developed, 
and probably underlies all of the townships 
of Camp Point, Clayton, Houston and North- 
east, and may be reached by shafts at a depth 
of from 75 to 150 feet. South of Columbus 
there is no development of coal which would 
lead us to expect that this region will ever 
become a valuable mining region, though suf- 
ficient coal may be found in the vicinity of 
Liberty and Kingston to supply the local de- 
mand for some years to come. Mill Creek, on 
the M'estern borders of this region shows con- 
tinuous exposures of the limestones which lie 
entirely below the coal measures and which 
mark off' a horizon below which no workable 
coal seam has ever been found. 

In the northern part of the county the coal 
measiires rest upon the St. Louis limestone. 
In the extreme sovithern and southeastern part 
this limestone is not present, but the coal 
measui'es I'est directly upon the Keokuk or 
Burlington limestones, so that when any one 
of these is reached in searching for coal it is 
useless to go deeper. 

Underneath the Burlington limestone is a 
formation called the Kinderhook Group, about 
one hundred feet in thickness, composed of 
sandy and clay shales and thin beds of im- 
pure limestone. About thirty feet of this 
is exposed beneath the Burlington limestone 
in the creek bluffs of Fall Creek, about twelve 
miles south of Quincy. Frequently a bed of 
black or chocolate-colored shale is found in 
the lower portion, and because of this many 
have been led to believe that coal might be 
found in it. This black shale was reached in 
a boring in search of coal just below the city 
of Quincy, at a depth of one hundred and 
fifty feet. As it lies nearly four hundred feet 
below any coal seam known in this county, 
all efforts exjiended in the search of coal in 
this formatiiin can only result in failure. 

To sum up the rock formations found in the 
county, a complete section through all of them 
would show (1) about one hundred feet of 
the coal measures on top; (2) forty to fifty 
feet of the St. Louis limestone; (3) eighty to 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



259 



one hundred feet of the Keokuk group: (-4) 
about one hundred feet of the Burlington lime- 
stone, and (5) fifty feet of the partly exposed 
Kinderliook group at the bottom. A boring 
in the northeastern part of the county would 
probably go down through all of these in the 
succession given above. In the western and 
southern portions the upper formations have 
been eroded away, leaving the lower part of 
the Keokuk group on the surface, with the 
Burlington exposed beneath it in the bluffs 
along the ^Mississippi. 

Let us now examine some of the deposits in 
the bottoms between the bluffs and the river. 
We find layers of dark bluish-gray or choco- 
late-brown clays, alternating with layers of 
sand, a formation c|uite different from the 
loess on top of the bluff's. This is called allu- 
vium, and evidently has been layed down by 
the annual overflow of the river. 

If we examine the layers of limestone in 
the quarries, we find many fossil shells and 
curious ring-like structures, crinoid stems, the 
remains of animals of a kind found only in 
the deep sea. That is to say. these limestone 
rocks must have been formed at the bottom of 
the sea. In the diff'erent limestones men- 
tioned above we may find chai-acteristic fos- 
sils, by means of which the kind of limestone 
may be recognized wherever it is seen. In the 
loess have been found the remains of mam- 
moths, mastodons and other extinct animals, 
indicating that it is a deposit of much later 
date than the limestones, and was probably 
formed in a fresh-water lake, into which the 
bones of land animals and the shells of land 
snails were swept by .streams running into it 
from the adjacent land. 

The alluvium is, of course, a still more mod- 
ern formation, as it is even now being depos- 
ited by the river. 

If we travel back into the county away from 
the river, we find that the loess thins out as 
we approach the highlands in the interior of 
the county, and finally gives place to a forma- 
tion composed of yellowish-brown or bluish 
clays, mixed with sand, gravel and large 
boulders of water-worn rock, the whole mass 
showing little or no trace of stratification. It 
is simply a heterogeneous mass of the water- 
worn fragments of all the kinds of rock that 
are known to occur for several hundred miles 
to the northward, embedded in brown or blue 
clays. Most of the large boulders are sand- 
.stones, granites, porphyries and various other 
igneous or metamorphic rocks, which have 
been transported by some powerful agency 
from their mother ledges on the borders of 
the Great Lakes. There are also many smaller 
rounded boulders, which have been torn from 



the stratified rocks of our own and neighbor- 
ing states. Fragments of native copper, lead 
ore coal and iron are often found in this mass, 
but this does not imply that there are mines 
of these minerals in the near vicinity, but that 
they have been brought from farther north 
by the same agencies that carried the Test of 
the material. The technical term for this 
formation is "drift." It underlies the loess 
or is overlapped by it, and is therefore older 
in origin. Thin layers of this drift can be seen 
between tli.- limestone and the loess along the 
bluff's at yuincy. A coal shaft at Coatsburg 
penetrates a bed of it eighty-five feet thick, 
and beneath it is found a layer of black soil 
two and one-half feet thick, resting upon a 
stratified clay. This soil was probably an 
ancient surface soil which overspread the land 
before the age in which the drift was piled 
upon it. 

If we travel up and down the Mississippi, 
we observe that the valley is cut out of solid 
limestone to the depth of from one hundred 
and fifty to three hundred feet or more, and 
from five to ten miles in width. In .some por- 
tions of this valley some of this drift is found 
underneath the alluvium. Evidently it filled 
in portions of the valley before the present 
river was formed, and the rock-bound valley 
must have been excavated by some mighty 
agency before the deposit of the drift and be- 
fore any of the existing water courses were 
formed. 

In order to understand the geological his- 
tory of Adams county it is necessary to go 
back to the beginnings of the American con- 
tinent. Geologists, by long and patient study 
and by methods of reasoning too complicated 
to be taken up in this short treatise, have suc- 
ceeded in classifying the various rocks accord- 
ing to age and origin. The oldest rocks in the 
continent are found in (1) extensive areas of 
Canada north of the Great Lakes: (2) an axis 
through the Appalachian mountain system; 
(3) a similar axis along the Rockies; (4) 
numerous strips along the Pacific coast; and 
(5) small isolated areas in Dakota, Missouri 
and Texas. There is good evidence that at 
one time these areas constituted the only land 
in what is now North America. The entire 
region now occupied by the Mississippi basin 
was at the bottom of the sea. These areas 
formed nuclei around which the rest of the 
continent was built. Just as immense de- 
posits are now being made along our coast 
lines by the river carrying sediment into the 
sea. so 'deposits were made along these ancient 
coast lines, and sooner or later a gradual ele- 
vation of the sea bottom brought these de- 
posits to the siirface, and thus the continent 



26o 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



slowly grew. Ag-e after age passed, each one 
consisting of millions of years, and the great 
sea lying between the Rockies and AUeghanies 
was gradually crowded out of existence until 
now only a remnant of it, the Gulf of ilexico, 
is left. Even this will probably disappear in 
time, and the Mississippi River will then empty 
into the Atlantic Ocean, and all the rivers 
which now empty into the (iulf will become 
tributaries of it. 

It was during the process of tlie filling in of 
this sea that the Kinderhook and St. Louis 
limestones and coal measures of Adams county- 
were deposited one on top of the other. The 
growth of the land was not a continuous one. 
Portions of the sea Itottom were elevated 
above sea level and eroded by the weather 
and the streams, and then depressed below 
sea level to receive another deposit. This ele- 
vation and depression in some cases occurred 
many times, and accounts for the absence of 
the St. Louis formation between the Keokuk 
and the coal measures in the southern part of 
our county. Again, while the coal measures 
were being formed there must have been at 
least as many elevations and depressions of 
the land as there are seams of coal. Each 
seam represents a forest which must have 
grown while the land was above the sea level. 
This must have been depressed below sea level 
in order that the limestones and shales might 
be deposited on top of it, and so on for every 
seam of coal. We have in our county only a 
small part of the total thickness of the coal 
measures, so that after the coal measures were 
completely formed and perhaps other deposits 
laid on top and the land became permanently 
elevated above the sea, it must have been 
greatly eroded. The streams cut their chan- 
nels down through the rock, and assisted by 
the action of the weather, removed much of the 
rock material, wearing away all the forma- 
tions down to those now exposed. It was dur- 
ing this period that a great river eroded the 
rock-bound channel now occixpied by the ilis- 
sissippi, and it is probable that the erosion 
was so complete that no falls or rapids re- 
mained in its course. There was a landscape 
with its forests, rivers and valleys somewhat 
similar to that which Ave have now. Then 
came the ice age; the climate grew colder; 
snow accumulated in the region in the vicinity 
of Hudson's Bay, and became perhaps several 
miles in depth, forming an immense glacier 
or ice sheet, which with the tremendous pres- 
sure of the ever-increasing snow behind it was 
pushed out over the land in a southerly direc- 
tion. The moving ice broke off pieces of rock 
from the ledges, ground them together and 
scraped the soil from the surface of the land. 



forming a great mass of material which we 
have designated as "drift." This was pushed 
into the water courses, filling them up in 
places, or piled up at the edges of the glacier, 
where the ice melted. This is why we find in 
the "drift" so many boulders from the region 
of the (ireat Lakes. 

There is evidence that as the climate 
changed the glacier advanced and retreated 
many times, now piling up material at its end, 
or dropping it broadcast as it melted away, 
scooping out basins in the soft rock here, 
damming up a water course there, so that at 
the close of thr ice age the map of the coun- 
try was completely changed. Old rivers had 
been wiped out of existence and new ones 
formed. Numerous lakes were formed in the 
scooped out basins and dammed up streams, 
and it is probable that our loess deposits were 
formed in one of these lakes. Since that time 
erosion has been going steadily on. The out- 
lets of many of the glacial lakes have cut 
down the barriers which enclosed them and 
drained the lakes. The rivers have settled 
down and now occupy in part the old pre- 
glacial water courses, but wherever a fall oc- 
curs in a large .stream there is m many casrq 
good evidence that a dam exists in the old 
water course, and the river is making its way 
around this dam across country, so to speak, 
and falling back into the old water course 
below the dam. As time goes on, all the falls 
and rapids will disappear, all the elevated por- 
tions of land will be weathered away by the 
action of the elements, unless some other stu- 
pendous forces intervene and cause a repeti- 
tion of the phenomena described. 

ECONOMICAL GEOLOGY. 

Soil. — As an agricultural region this county 
is hard to surjiass. The more elevated alluvial 
bottom lands bordering the Mississippi are ex- 
ceedingly productive, and the untillable por- 
tions are covered with a heavy growth of val- 
uable timber. The loess deposits, extending 
through the entire length of the county from 
north to south and from the brow of the bluff 
f)verlooking the ]\Iississippi eastward from five 
to ten miles, fui-nish a soil of remai'kable fer- 
tility. The surface is undulating, giving free 
surface drainage, while the subsoil is rather 
porous, so that the land is not in a very large 
degree subject to the deleterious influences of 
remarkably wet or dry seasons. This soil is 
admirably adajited to the growth of fruit and 
garden trm-k-. The drift clays of the eastern 
part of the county have given the soil of that 
region the character of a stiff clay loam, bet- 
ter adapted to the growth of wheat and grass 
than anything else. In the northeastern part 



PAST AND PKESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



261 



of the county there is a eoiisiderable area of 
level prairie, covered with a deep, black soil, 
highly charged with vegetable matter derived 
from the growth and decay of shrubs and 
grasses which have covered its surface. The 
subsoil here is not porous, so that it does not 
permit the surface water to pass freely through 
it. As a result these l.-'nds are likely to suffer 
greatly from too much water during a wet 
seasoji. 

Saud and Clays. — The clay and tine sandy 
deposits of the loess form an excellent ma- 
terial for the manufacture of common brick. 
This may be obtained anywhere in the western 
part of the county. In the eastern part the 
drift clays can be mixed with the sand from 
the beds of streams for this same purpose. 
Directly undei-neath the coal seams are de- 
posits of tire clay, which in some places can 
be Avorked with the coal and used for the 
manufacture of fire bricks. Between coal 
seams \o. 1 and No. 2 is a layer of fine light 
blue clay shale, which where exposed weathers 
into a fine plastic clay, suitable for the manu- 
facture of pottery. 

Limestones. — The Burlington. Keokuk and 
St. Louis limestones described above all fur- 
nish excellent material for either building 
stone, or, when carefully selected, for lime. 
The Burlington and Keokuk are most access- 
ible around Quincy, and the St. Louis farther 
east. The Burlington ranks highest, and as 
the deposit is nearly one hundred feet thick, 
may be considered as almost inexhaustible. 

Coal. — About one-half the entire county is 
underlaid by coal measures, but the coal 
seams, with the excejition of the middle one, 
are very irregular in their development and 
therefore of little value for the production of 
coal. The middle seam has an average thick- 
ness (if over two feet, and is frequently as 
much as thirty inches, and is of fair quality. 
It may be found over all the northeastern por- 
tion of the county, if the coal measures are 
penetrated to the proper depth. The pi'in- 
cipal drawback to the successful mining of 
the seam is the shaly character of the roof, 
necessitating considerable cribbing. This coal 
seam will afford about two million tons of coal 
to the square mile, and the time will come 
when it will pay to work it wherever it can 
be reached. 



CILAPTEE XLIX. 

AGRICULTURE: THE DISTRICTS OF ILLINOIS — 
DEVELOPMENT OP LANDS— FARMERS' INSTI- 
TUTES — SOILS — CROPS — CATTLE, HOGS, 
HORSES, POULTRY — ROADS — HORTICULTURE. 

By Hon. G. W. Dean. 

The County of Adams lies on the Mississippi 
River, in the State of Illinois, in the center 
of the great corn belt of the United States, 
The Base Line runs centrally through it, and 
it includes ranges 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 in the most 
fertile part of the Mississippi Valley. On its 
western boundary, along the river, lies some 
of the most fertile lands known for agricul- 
tural purposes, and by leveeing and tiling 
most of it has been brought into cultivation. 
That portion known as the bluff lands is 
among the mo.st fertile of the county. They 
produce all the grains and vegetables in abun- 
dance. These table lands lie more or less 
along the west side of Payson, Burton, Elling- 
ton, Mendon and Ursa townships. All these 
lands sell readily at high prices; and a con- 
siderable portion of them ai*e used for exten- 
sive gardening, which pays in proportion to 
the skill of the gardener. These garden 
products are the best that rich soil and cul- 
tivation can develop. The remaining town- 
ships are mostly prairie land, fertile and pro- 
ductive, and although it has been cultivated 
ever since its earliest settlement, it produces 
as good crops as in the beginning. Therefore 
the development of the county's agricultural 
interests are commensurate with the general 
progress. 

The State of Illinois is divided into three 
agricultiu'al districts — namely, the northern, 
the central and the southern. There is also 
known to agriculturalists a corn belt which 
virtually feeds the world with corn and its 
products — pork, beef and mutton. This coi'n 
belt runs through the States of Ohio. Indiana, 
Illinois, Missoiu'i, Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska. 
These seven .states furnish the surplus of agri- 
culture. The others are barely self-sustaining. 
Illinois furnishes more agricultural exports 
than any other of these states, and produces 
the most products of the farm. This corn belt 
includes the northern and central divisions of 
Illinois: therefore Adams county, being in the 
center of that division, claims her share of the 
honor of this great exportation. 

The .staple field crops are corn, wheat, oats, 
hay, clover seed, timothy seed and potatoes; 
these grow vigorously and produce good crops. 
The soil seems to be peculiarly adapted to 
these field crops, and more especially to the 
farmer's garden. Our farmers, as a general 
rule, have taken fairlv good care of their soil. 



262 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADA:\IS COUXT^ 



OceasioniiUy a farmer or a gardener will fail 
to make a living, while others under the same 
eirctimstances and conditions have done well; 
tlierefore. not the soil, but the man who han- 
dles it. is at fault if it fails to produce. 

The lands of Adams county, as Nature has 
pi'ovided, can be kept up, and have been de- 
veloped so as to raise better crops than in 
]iervious years. Help is scarce and farm labor 
is expensive, therefore improved farm ma- 
chinery is used to the general advantage of 
our farm owners. And as to the benefit to 
the tenant farmer, I know of no better place 
for him to start than here, by renting a good 
farm, well improved. If he can't pay cash 
rent, he may give one-half of the crop of corn 
and hay, and two-fifths of wheat and oats. 
There are .Just such openings for good tenants, 
who can take a lease for five years, and at 
the end of the lease buy the farm, so that the 
interest on the debt will be less than the rent 
paid. Theji the tenant is on the way to suc- 
cess. There is reported by the Department 
of Agriculture, in the Year Book, the ease of 
a merchant who inherited a farm in the East, 
fifteen acres, with a mortgage on it of $7,000. 
This was perhaps three or four times as much 
as it was worth, and it would seem that a 
common sense man would have let the farm 
l)ay the debt by foreclosure. I^ut this man 
moved upon his farm, and in time lifted the 
mortgage. This .shows what industry and 
economy can accomplish. There are owners 
of good farms in Adams county today who 
commenced as tenants, and who now rank 
among the best farm owners. It is quite prob- 
able that the tenants of today will iiltimately 
own much of the best lands of our county. 

"Have the farmers of this county gained 
much from goverinnent experiments?" we are 
asked. We unquestionably answer, "Yes." 
The government has issued bulletins on almost 
every conceivable product of agricultural in- 
dustry, and they are furnished free to anyone 
Avho will ask for them. But as our "suggestive 
fpiestions" demand something about our coim- 
ty farmers' institutes, we will discuss this sub- 
ject later on. 

All the tillable lands in the county are not 
what we call corn lands. Some of them will 
raise only one corn crop profitably without 
rotation. These rough lands, such as those 
in ^IcKee and Concord townships, would be 
more jirofitable if seeded to grass and used as 
pasture. To raise grain on them fertilizers 
will have to be applied every year, and then 
the soil will wash away. But by pasturing, 
the stock will fertilize them and the grass 
roots will hold the soil. The timber among 
the creeks and branches shoidd be carefullv 



guarded, as it is a valuable product. If one- 
half of McKee township were seeded down to 
blue-grass, clover and timothy, and the poor 
lands fenced into large pastures in such a way 
as to make water convenient, and the blue- 
grass pastured early in the spring and late in 
the fall, it would make a great ranch. Then 
if the other half were fenced into grain and 
hay fields in such a manner that they could be 
used as feed lots, she could, with her timber 
and rock and coal and great supply of stock 
water, be a marvel of wealth. We believe it 
would make an experiment station more valu- 
able than any whose record is yet published to 
teach how to redeem the abandoned faimis of 
the country, and we doubt not that it would 
lie the "one thing needful" which would de- 
termine the debated (|uesti((u of building the 
much needed I'ailrnad east throuiih the coun- 
try. 

As time passes and farmers are experiment- 
ing more and more on the flat lands of the 
country by different modes of cultivation, 
they have overcome much of the damage pre- 
viously due to wet lands, and good crops are 
grown where twenty years ago the land was 
not fit for cultivation. Therefore tiled drain- 
age has not received the attention that it might 
otherwise have received. All the land is 
drained where it is necessary to bring it into 
cultivation, but more of it would be better 
tlirongh being tiled. 

Fai-mers are living well now. and are mak- 
ing improvements in every line of agriculture ; 
their old houses have been replaced by new 
ones ; the old dilapidated rail fences, which 
have lived out their usefulness, are fast dis- 
apijearing, and in their stead is the wire fence. 
There are no more fence rows where the weeds 
are higher than the fence : the houses and barns 
are adequate to the conditions of the farmer, 
ar.d are beautifully and substantially painted 
and repaired ; the lawns are clothed in na- 
ture's beauties and are artistically arranged; 
the family gardens in their season abound 
with almost everything known to the vege- 
table kingdom, and the county seems to be 
taking on new life. All this is being brought 
about through the influence, direct and in- 
direct, of the Illinois Farmers' Institute. 

In 1881. by the suggestion of the State 
Board of Agriculture, a County Farmers' In- 
stitute was oi'ganized in Adams county by the 
election of G. W. Dean. President: C. S. 
Booth. Secretary, and A. R. Wallace. Treas- 
urer. We had no way to support it except by 
the encouragement of such men as P. S. Judy 
(known as "Fncle Phil"), A. R, Wallace. 
W. A. Booth. S. N. Black and a number of 
others. Witli this support it became popular. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



263 



and instructive meetings were held in October 
and I\Iay of each year. We nsed mostly home 
talent, securing an expert -when we could do 
so. Our success encouraged other counties to 
organize, and thus an interest was created 
throughout the state. But being satisfied that 
it would be impossible to get the best results 
from a farmers' institute at individual ex- 
pense, a number of interested farmers met at 
the Lelaud Hotel, at Spi'ingfield, Illinois, dur- 
ing the Thirty-ninth General Assembly and 
formulated the bill which chartered the Illi- 
nois Farmers' Institute by an act of the Gen- 
eral Assembly. This bill was placed in the 
hands of Col. Chas. F. Mills to look after its 
passage. Col. Mills placed the bill in charge 
of Hon. G. W. Dean, then a member of the 
General Assembly, with instructions to use all 
honorable means in his power to have it be- 
come a law. The bill was passed. It provided 
for a Farmers' Institute to be held in each 
county, not less than two days in each year. 
The next General A.ssembly appropriated sffoO 
to every county in the state that held an in- 
stitute, subject to the conditions of the char- 
ter of the said Farmers' Institute. This placed 
it upon its feet, and every coiinty in the state 
is organized and holds one or more institutes 
each year. In every state in the TTnion the 
farmers' institute is protected by law. 

The farmers employ the best available tal- 
ent at their institutes, which makes it ex- 
pensive, costing from $30 to $250 each. Con- 
sidering this, the Forty-second General Assem- 
bly increased the appropriation to $75 for 
each county. The institutes work under rules 
and regulations adopted by the Board of 
Directors, and there is a rule that no more 
than one-third of the appropriation shall be 
paid to foreign instructors. That means that 
we can get two speakers from the Agricul- 
tural College, who instruct lis on two different 
agricultural topics each. They cost the insti- 
tute nothing but expenses, as they are salaried 
instructors. 

The number of institutes were attended by 
speakers from the College of Agriculture and 
Experiment Station at I'rbana, season of 
190-4-5. These instructors delivered one hun- 
dred and fifty-nine speeches, embracing al- 
most every conceivable topic, from soil in- 
vestigation to the marketing of the crop. The 
farmers in the locality where the institute is 
held are interested and take part in the dis- 
cussions. From, this fact institutes are held 
at different parts of the county to accommo- 
date the audiences of the different localities. 

There are supposed to be 500,000 farmers 
in the state, and the total attendance at insti- 
tutes is 52.000. The average attendance of 



school children is 20.000, of teachers 2,000, of 
farmers" wives 10,000 ; and may we not hope 
that some of the -148,000 farmers who do not 
attend institutes can be reached by some of 
the teachers and scholars who are to form 
the next "generation of farmei'S?" 

It is the custom for the director of each 
Congressional district to call a conference of 
the presidents of all the counties in his dis- 
trict to meet at some convenient place in the 
district, to arrange dates iu such a manner 
that the speakers will have a week's work on 
one trip. Thus nuniey is saved and time 
economized. 

It is reasonable to expect from the present 
indications that the time is not distant when 
the Farmers' Institute will open the way for 
teaching agriculture in the common schools. 
Therefore her 27,000 teachers are already fall- 
ing into line for this coming event, and the 
elements of agricidtural science are gradually 
finding their place in the primary and sec- 
ondary schools through instr\iction of their 
teachei's. 

The value of nitrogen-fixing bacteria has 
been thoroughly demon.stratecl, and greatly 
increasing yields of leguminous plants with 
accompanying production of nitrogen in the 
soil is one of the great features of soil im- 
provement as taught at our agricultural col- 
lege and experiment station. At the Uni- 
versity we are taught to vise commercial fer- 
tilizers, and our institutes have embraced the 
opportunity and have learned to apply the 
necessary elements — nitrogen, phosphorus and 
potassium — to n very great advantage: but 
commercial fertilizers are costly, and the 
farmers of Adams county have learned that 
our soil is of such a nature that these ele- 
ments can be furnished the land by simply a 
rotation of crops. These three principal ele- 
ments in the land of Adams county are abso- 
lutely necessary to the production of crops, 
and in the protection of nitrogen, the principal 
element in vegetable growth, will add to the 
soil enough phosphorous and jiotassium for all 
purposes. 

The rich bottom lands of Adams county 
contain 7,880 pounds of nitrogen per acre, and 
all the other elements necessary to raise a 
crop of corn. With these conditions 100 
pounds of nitrogen will produce 100 bushels 
of corn. Thus the land is impoverished only 
one pound of nitrogen for every bushel of 
corn raised on the land. But if the corn is 
gathered from the stalk, and the stalks are 
left on the field they will return a half-pound 
or more of nitrogen to each bushel of corn, 
as the stalk is mostly composed of nitrogen 
and the ear is composed of other compounds. 



264 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



most of -rt'liich can be funiished from the 
ground, perhaps for a thousand years. This 
land is very valuable. The bluff or table and 
prairie soils of Adams county are the second 
best soils known, containing 5.800 pounds of 
nitrogen per acre, and all the other soil ele- 
ments necessary to raise a crop of corn. There- 
fore, three crops of corn can be raised without 
perceptible injury to the soil, but constant 
corn raising will wear the land out in time. 
To obviate this, instead of buying commercial 
fertilizers a rotatimi of crops is all that is 
necessary to restore the lost fertility after the 
three crops of corn. There should be a rota- 
tion of oats, followed by wheat, tJien clover in 
the spring, then let it stand two years, and 
the soil will be ready for another rotation, 
each crop paying for itself, and necessary for 
the regular fariiicr. 

BACTERIA AND LEGU]\IES 

The soils of Adams county are a composition 
of such fertilizers as will grow legumes with- 
out inoculation. Clover is grown for this 
purpose, and where the soil is in good condi- 
tion and the spring favorable, a catch of 
clover is almost certain. The nitrogen-gather- 
ing bacteria or tubercles on the roots of the 
clover plant have the power to take free ni- 
trogen from the air ancl cause it to unite with 
other elements to form compounds suitable 
for plant food. There are about seventy-tive 
million pounds of atmospheric nitrogen rest 
on every acre of land, and it can be obtained 
in unlimited quantities. 

The land situated on a hillside sometimes 
fails to grow clover. In this ease a light 
dressing of barnyard manure will almost al- 
ways insure a stand of clovei', and its nitrogen- 
gathering bacteria that live in the tubercles 
on the roots of leguiniinMis plants will prop- 
erly inoculate the soil. 

Adams county is I'icli in |)lant food, and if 
it has been used in cnips it has. in and of 
itself, the elements necessai'y to restore its 
fertility, all the while bringing profitable re- 
turns. This makes her valuable above other 
counties on account of agricultural wealth, 
yielding her products with the least possible 
expense. In comparison with the southern 
division of Illinois, with 31.80 pounds of nitro- 
gen and half enough potassium and phos- 
phorus to the acre to prodiu'C agricultuial 
crops, it requires no extraordinary conception 
to appreciate the diiference. When we con- 
sider the northern division, with her 5.800 
pounds of nitrogen per acre, with plenty of 
phosphorus ancl potassium to produce abun- 
dantly, it is somewhat surprising that so much 



of liei' division is (•onq)osed of peaty swamp 
lands and sand and alkali soils. 

The corn crop of Adams county has always 
been greatei' than the state average, because 
the southern division, on an average, raises 
about one-half as much to the acre as the rest 
of the State. The State average is (1903) 
thirty-five bushels, while Adams county's av- 
erage is forty-two bushels ; and the State 
average for thirty years has been thirty 
bushels, and the price ran for the same time 
fi-oni 58 cents to 20 cents per bushel. In 1!)03 
the acreag(> of corn was 99,833, with an aver- 
age yield of thirty-four bushels per acre, at 
4"2 i-cnts |)ei- bushel, making .'1<1.425,615. as its 
total value. Cost of pi-odm-tion, .+993,338, 
which leaves a profit for the farmers of the 
county of ii5438,277. 

Although the corn crop of 1903 was hitherto 
without equal, the crop of 1904 has exceeded 
it, and the general result is that the farmers 
have accumulated much more wealth than they 
ever have done in one year. "One conspicuous 
item that has contributed to the corn crop" 
is it produced nearly two and a half million 
of bushels, and its high price gives it a "farm 
value" of over one billion dollars. The Sec- 
retary of Agriculture says: "With this crop 
the farmers could pay the national debt and 
interest thereon one year, and still have 
enough left to pay the expenses of the na- 
tional government for a large fraction of a 
year." An occupation that has produced so 
unthinkable a sum as one aggregating $5,000,- 
000,000 within a year may be better measured 
l)y some comparisons: All the gold mines in 
the entire world have not produced, since 
Cohnnbus discovered America, a greater value 
of gold than the farmers of this country have 
pro<luced in wealth in two years. This year's 
l)roduct is over six times the amoiuit of the 
capital stock of all national banks: it comes 
within three-quarters of a million dollars of 
e(iualinu' the value of the manufactures of 
1900 less thi^ cost of the material used; it is 
twice the sum of our exports and imports for 
a year; it is two and a half times the gross 
earnings from the operations of the railways; 
it is three and a half times the value of all 
minerals produced in this country, including 
coal, iron ore, gold, silver and quarried stone." 

Adams county, lying geographically in the 
centei' of tliis gi-eat corn-growing belt, shai-es 
equally in the hon(u-s extended to the fai'mers 
in Secretary Wilson's eulogy on agriculture. 

The acreage of wheat for the year 1903 was 
79,949, and the .yield twelve bu.shels per acre, 
making 959.388 bushels at the average price 
of sixty-five cents, .$62,350. Taking out of 
this four and one-half bushels per capita to 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



265 



feed the eighty tliousand inhabitants of the 
county, there remains 579,388 bushels for ex- 
portation. The average yield of the crop for 
1904 is not yet reported ; it was a less estimate 
than usual, but the average price being one 
dollar and three cents per bushel, it has 
brought more money to the farmer than the 
previous crop. 

We do not know why the State Board of 
Agriculture did not report the oats crop last 
December, but we do know that it is an im- 
portant crop and bountifully fed in hot 
Aveather by the farmers, and that the supply 
is equal to the demand for both county and 
cities therein. 

The pastiu-es of the county have an acreage 
of 53.292, with a value per acre of four dollars 
and twentv-five cents, and the total value of 
$226.-191 for 1903. The acreage and value 
have not varied much for many years. 

There is a small potato patch of 1,151 acres 
in Adams county, that yields 39,134 bushels, 
valued at $33,261: total cost of production, 
$18,213. and net protit, $15,021 ; besides a 
sweet potato field of forty-two acres, yielding 
2.730 bu.shels. valued at $3,139; also a field of 
timothy for seed which pi'oduced 1,052 bush- 
els, valued at $1.368 : and a clover patch that 
produced 1.802 bushels, valued at $9,370. 

A large number of small fruits are raised in 
the county, a few of which I will mention, 
with their value as reported from the State 
Board of Agriculture : Grapes, $145 ; wine, 
$654; other fruits and berries, $6 589. Also 
some dairv products: pounds of butter sold in 
1905. 152.621, valued at $28,998: cheese. 6.426 
pounds, valued at $1,028: and 51,853 gallons 
of milk, valued at $5,185: 8,142 gallons of 
cream. $6,514. 

BEEF CATTLE. 

Number of cattle. May, 1903, 34.378: total 
live weight, 8.895.375 : price, four dollars per 
hundred pounds: total value, $355,815. Dairy 
cows, number. 370 : price per head. $32 : total 
value, $12,128. 

HOGS. 

Hogs numbered 49,469 : average weight, 207 ; 
average price per hundred pounds, $5.55 ; 
value, live weight, 471,706. The number of 
sheep, 12,018 : average live weight, 100 lbs. 
Total live weight. 264.400 : price per hundred. 
$4.15. Wool, number of pounds shorn. 1903. 
43,185 : price per pound, ISc : total of the 
product. $7,773. Wool has been running 18c 
per pound for a long time. 



HORSES. 

The number of colts foaled since 1893, up to 
the year 1902. averaged 1,252 annually, and 
in 1903 there were 1,340 : from 1892 up to 1897 
there were horses and colts, 11,894 annually; 
from 1897 to 1900 there were 13,913 annually; 
in 1901 there were 17,546; in 1902, 16,665; in 
1903, 16,214. Although horses have in the 
main been on the increase, a good horse now 
(1905) will command a fabulous price, and 
any horse will bring his worth. The Secretary 
of Agriculture in his repoi't says: "Farm 
horses have increased slightly in number, and 
more in value, and in the aggregate thej' never 
were so valuable as in 1904, with a total of 
$1,136,940,298." 

"The value of farm mules also reached its 
highest point in 1904. $217,532,832." A de- 
ficiency of 5 per cent in the number of mules 
in the State this year as compared with 1903 
exists, but the mule interest is manifest and 
in sympathy with the horse interest. 

POULTRY. 

The rapid increase of poultry in numbers 
and in quality, together with the increase in 
value of products, leads to some astonishing 
results for 1904, when compared with former 
years. The Secretary of Agriculture reports: 
"The farmei-s" hens are now producing one 
and two-thirds billions of dozens of eggs 
yearly, and these hens during their busy sea- 
son lay enough eggs in two weeks, at the high 
price of eggs that have prevailed during the 
year, to pay the year's interest on the national 
debt." The value of poultry sold in the 
county in 1903, $10,650: eggs" sold. $9,848. 

HORTICULTURE. 

As horticulture does not belong to agricul- 
ture, except so far as the cultivation goes, it 
will not be discussed here. There is a mani- 
fest interest in the county that would lead to 
a great system of orcharding, if a means of 
spraying eoidd be devised to etfectually de- 
stroy the insects that are so injurious to the 
apples from year to year. If a perfect apple 
could be thus assured, the possibilities are 
thei'e are thousands of acres of land in Adams 
county not very profitable as plow lands that 
would grow good apples. There are large 
orchards now which have been profitable, and 
horticulture is on the increase. But restore 
the perfect apple again, and horticulture would 
be comparatively in its infancy. 

ROADS. 

The roads of Adams county are numerous 
and in greater demand centrally because 



266 



PAST AND PRESENT UP ADAMS COUNTY. 



there are uo railroads accessible to haul farm 
products to market, and it all must be done 
b.y wagou. The farmers under existing con- 
ditions build their own road in some locali- 
ties. Burton township is setting apart foi'ty 
cents on the $100 of assessment as a .special 
tax for hard roads; this has been in existence 
ten years, and with the money thus obtained 
they have made a good road on the roads run- 
ning into the city of Quinc.y on Broadway and 
State streets, almost through the township. 
The highways could be nuide very much bet- 
ter if they were graded high enough to run 
the water oft' the roads. If this wei'e done, 
there would be less complaint. This spring 
we crossed three townships ; in two of them 
about one-half of the water ran in the middle 
of the road, and they were impassable with 
a load; the other was nicely graded and the 
road was good all the way through. 

jMay we not hope that b.y levying a tax to 
the full limit of the law all our roads may 
be graded high enough to drain all the water 
oft" on their sides? If a hard road law ever 
passes in the State of Illinois, in all proba- 
bility it will provide for submission to the 
people by townships or counties, in which case 
Illinois is likely to be as old as the Roman 
Empire was when she made good roads before 
a general system of road making will be es- 
tablished. If the roads are first well graded, 
tlie.v will be in good condition for a perma- 
nent improvement when the time comes. 

The Board of the Western Society of En- 
gineei's report that Illinois has "unlimited 
material for the manufacture of Portland 
cement." This being true, may we not hope 
that the hard road problem is solved b.y find- 
ing a road buihling material that will be 
economical and durable and that can be 
reached. 

In conclusion we want tn say by way of 
repetition, that becaiise of the i;eneral farm- 
ing on the soils, the great agricultural central 
west is the present, and we may say, "the 
future, granarv of the world." The land 
whose fertility can be kept up by rotation of 
crops is as good as Abraham's choice to dwell 
in the land of the plain of Jordan, annulling 
the woi'ld's historic verdict, "Westward the 
coiirse of empire takes its way," and substi- 
tuting therefore, "Here a permanent agricul- 
ture holds swa.v. " 

It has been the tendency heretofore in the 
civilized world for the farmers to run their 
land down and then cry "Westward ho, young 
man!" The farmers did not know that lost 
fei'tility could be restored. As the farmer's 
stock is fed the products of tlie farm to pro- 
duce to sustain the Imm.m liod\-. even so the 



soil nnist be fed the elenuMits necessary to re- 
tain its fertility. He who speaks differently 
knows not whereof he speaks. Two years ago 
this was more noticeable because the South 
is enjo.ying prosperity owing to the increased 
value of her cotton crop in addition to her 
general progress in agriculture. The Eastern 
farmer, who has been long in the background 
in competition with the rapidl.y expanding 
upper Mississippi River Valle.y, is enjoying 
nornud conditions on account of varied indus- 
tries. The Pacific coast is prospering with its 
"world famed specialties." The mountain 
States glor.y in the fruits and prospects of 
irrigation. In the early settled prairie States 
the farmer bought much of his land at $1.25 
an acre, which now sells at $100 ; and the 
American Desert, very lately nothing but a 
buft'alo range, is now settled b.y prosperous 
farmers, making mone.v from the proceeds of 
their products. The fertility of the Adams 
county soils need not and ought not be reduced 
below its original productive capacity. 

May we not hope that the farmers will as- 
sist to establish a system of farming which 
will insure a profitable aiul permanent agri- 
culture. Let us not repeat the history of the 
great Mohawk \'^alle.y in New York, or the 
James River Valley in Virginia, both of which 
were once famous for tlieii' fertilit.y and pro- 
ductive capacity. 

Prof. Joseph Carter, of Champaign, said not 
long ago, in a public address, that he reeentl.y 
traveled through the valle.y of the James 
River in old Virginia, and he found there 
that some of the beautiful farm lands which 
once grew crops of tobacco which made Vir- 
ginia rich, are now absohitely abandoned, and 
no man will own them. A well-regulater sys- 
tem of rotation of crops woidd have saved 
this once fertile land, and old Virginia would 
be growing tobacco yet. 

The farmers are learned now, and nuiy they 
not hope that those of Adams county will im- 
jirovi' their already fertile lands? 

nORTICrLTCRE IN ADAMS COUNTY. 
By C. H. Williamson. 

To whatever instinct is due the development 
of horticulture, the passion for gain or the 
passion for beaut.v, it is certain that the his- 
tor.v of horticulture in Adams count.v is prac- 
tically synchronous with its earliest settle- 
ment : more particularly is this true of Quiney. 
whose founder. Governor John Wood, was also 
the fii'st tree planter. It is hard today to esti- 
mate what the city owes to this truly great 
citizen: l,)ut not the least of the debts it owes 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



267 



to the loviug- care and remarkable foresight of 
its founder is his estalilishiiient of its lirst or- 
chard and the beautiful shade trees which 
kindled a love more enduring than brass in 
our people, and an enthusiasm which has 
reached the heart of every dweller in the town 
whose first walls he reared, so that it might 
almost be said that every child who is born in 
the town is baptized into a love of trees. This 
passion which his love first kindled has so 
taken root and spread that today Quincy is 
one vast park of beautiful shade trees, promi- 
nent among all the cities of the west in this 
regard. But if it owed so nnieh to him, its 
debt is hardly less great to a line of men who, 
coming later, liave had his passion for the 
beauty of trees in no less remarkable a degree. 
Among these whose names I cannot forbear 
to mention are Loi'euzo Bull, one of the city's 
greatest benefactors ; Henry Whitmore. who 
personally planted many of the trees that are 
now the glory of the beautiful east end ; Ed- 
ward J. Parker, the father of the city parks 
and the untiring preacher of the gospel of 
civic beauty. If Quincy owes much to Gov- 
ernor Wood as the pioneer, it owes more to 
Mr. Parker in its uplift to higher ideals of 
civic beauty and practical plans for realiza- 
ing those ideals. These men have left and 
are leaving monuments that will carry their 
names to the ages. In passion for rare and 
beautiful trees., and in generous sympathy 
with every aim that added to the city's ti'ee 
wealth and beauty, I cannot forbear to men- 
tion Richard F. Neweomb. A richness of de- 
light in tree beauty made him a center of in- 
fectious enthusiasm. Not least among those 
whose example has been contagious and in- 
spiring are the honored names of Henry Bull, 
O. H. Browning. Nehemiah Bushnell. Willard 
Keyes. Henry Asburv. But these names, in- 
complete as they are in a roster of those who 
have deserved well of their city in respect of 
its beauty, are but a part of the story. That 
is the most remarkable that the whole city is 
leavened with the same spirit, and that the 
beauty of the city is not .sporadic and a thing 
of parts, but of all parts and generic. Quincy 's 
outward l)eauty is the outward and visible 
sign of a deep and inward sense for things 
beautiful that is universal, and touches not 
some, but all. 

But if horticulture is in its deepest and 
truest sense the outward res\ilt of the inward 
craving for the beautifid, and therefore first 
to be mentioned, it is not less true that it has 
a practical sense, and that an honorable one. 
For if such men as I have mentioned deserve 
well of the city, not less to be remembered and 
revered are the pioneers in practical horticul- 



ture — such men as William Stewart, Sr., of 
Payson ; Deacon Scarborough, of the same 
town; Clark Chatten and Robert Rankin, of 
Fall Creek ; Henry Kent and Edward Sinnock, 
of Ellington; D. C. Benton, and Harges & 
Sommers, of Quincy. And in this line, too, as 
I have before indicated, stands first Governor 
John Wood. It was he who planted the first 
orchard. In 1820 he was living near Atlas, 
in Pike county, when as the earlier history of 
the county tells us, he and Willard Keyes, 
both young and unmarried men, were tem- 
porarily housekeeping and farming in i>artner- 
ship. 

In the spring of that j^ear he made a .jour- 
ney on foot to the orchard ot one Avery, who 
lived a short distance above St. Louis, and 
bought of him one pint of apple seed, paying 
a dollar for it. He planted these seeds and 
just three of them grew. This did not satisfy 
his appetite for tree planting nor discourage 
his determination to have an orchard. 

In the autumn he made another pedestrian 
journey to Griffith's orchard, on the river op- 
posite the old French settlement of Portage 
d Sioux. Here he was permitted to take the 
pomace from a cider mill and wash out as 
much seed as he wished. He made these jour- 
neys on foot, as he also did many other longer 
and more difficult ones, because he was then 
too poor to own a horse. About the same time 
he came into possession of another small quan- 
tity of apple seeds in the following manner: 
Wood and Keyes had made a quantity of 
maple sugar, and finding a family by the name 
of Sprague who were very destitute, and the 
parents and most of the children sick, Mr. 
Wood made them a liberal present of sugar, 
and wishing to express in some way their 
gratitude, and having nothing else to give, 
they insisted on his accepting a portion of a 
supply of apple seed they had brought with 
them to the county. From the product of 
these two lots of seed the young men were able 
to supply not only themselves, but many of 
their neighbors, M'ith trees for planting. In 
the spring of 1823 Mr. Wood, who in the 
meantime had removed to where Quincy now 
stands, planted a portion of his trees on a 
tract of land now embraced between Twelfth 
and Fourteenth and State and Kentucky 
streets. About the same time he planted some 
peach seeds, which were set out in the orchard 
in 1824. In 1827 he gathered fruit from both 
his apple and peach trees. Some of these 
apple trees are .still living. About the year 
1830 Governor Wood planted a quantity of 
chestnuts and set the young trees on his 
grounds. Before the year 1832 Major Rose, 
Willard Keves, James Dunn. Silas Beebe and 



268 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUiNTY. 



others of the early nettkn-s, including several 
in the eastern part of the county, had planted 
apple orchards. These trees were all seed- 
lings, except about a dozen in Mr. Wood's 
orchard, and many of them were obtained 
from him. 

George Johnson, of Columbus, planted in 
1832 the first orchard of grafted apple trees. 

In 1836 Deacon A. Scarborough, of Payson, 
set out a large orchard of bearing trees, some 
of which are yet living. In 1839 he planted 
an orchard of 200 peach trees, some of which 
were still standing in 1868. In 1855 he intro- 
duced the Concord grape. 

In 1837 Clark Chatten, of Fall Creek, pur- 
chased some grafted apple trees of Charles 
Stratton, of Pike county, and planted them on 
his farm. During 1838 and 1839 he continued 
to add to his orchard until he had 40 acres 
covered with apple trees, and became the 
laughing stock of some of his neighbors, who 
thought a market could never be found for 
so much fruit as that orchard would produce: 
but he continued to buy more land and plant 
more trees. 

In 1867 he had in all 2-tO acres devoted to 
apple trees, and 187 acres devoted to peach 
trees, the largest orchard in the state, from 
which he amassed a considerable fortune. 

' In 1839 Wm. Stewart, of Payson, planted 
some peach seeds which he had secured from 
a small quantity of fruit purchased in Pike 
county for the purpose, and in the spring of 
1840 he transplanted the young trees to a new 
farm he had purchased adjoining the village. 
At the same time he purchased one hundred 
grafted apple trees from a nursery in Pike 
county, probably at Atlas, and planted them 
in alternate rows with the peach trees. Dur- 
ing the summer he went Ea.st. and in the au- 
tumn brought from New York a choice col- 
lection of various kinds of fruit and orna- 
mental trees, shrubs, flower seeds, etc., such 
as his then limited means enabled him to pur- 
chase. The next .spring he jilanted these, and 
grafted some young ai)ple trees grown from 
seeds planted the previous spring, and this 
commenced "Stewart's Nursery." which for 
twenty-five years was the leading one in the 
county. In 1852 Mr. Stewart started a branch 
nursery in Quincy under the direction of Wm. 
Stewart, Jr., whom he had admitted to part- 
nership. 

Henry Kent, of Ellington, sent in 1839 to 
Prince's nursery. Long Island, for a supply of 
apples, peaches and nectarines, and with 
these as a beginning started a nurseiy in 1841. 
He was the introducer of the nectarine, which 
was for many years after profitably grown in 
this section. 



lie was to the noith half of tiie county what 
Stewart was to the southern half, and a nuiu 
of splentlid character and judgment. A later 
very valuable nursery was that of Deacon A. 
Scarborough, of Payson. 

But the nuseries, valuable as they were as 
adjuncts to our early horticulture, would have 
been incomplete as stimuli had it not been for 
the remarkable work at the county's first 
Horticultural Society, of which Robert Kankin 
for many years was the president and moving 
spirit. Under the active guidance of this so- 
ciety much valuable experimental work was 
undertaken, and successful exhibits were made 
at the State Fair and meetings of the Ameri- 
can Ponuilogical Society. The first exhibition 
of Adams county fruit at the State Fair was 
at Springfield in 1853, when Wm. Stewart 
and son took a number of premiums, among 
them that for the largest and best collection of 
apples named and true to the name.. The first 
public exhibition east of the AUeghanies was 
in 1860. by (',. 11. Stewart, who took a choice 
collection to the meeting of the American 
Pomological Society in Philadelphia. This 
fruit attracted much attention and received 
high conmiendation. About the .year 1863 or 
1864 Clark Chatten took the first premiinn of 
the Illinois Agricultural Society for the "best 
cultivated orchard." 

Ill 18()7 Ira Coe, of Melrose, took ]iremium 
at State Fair held in Quincy and received as 
such 100 Jonathan trees, which he planted in 
his orchard, now the property of the writer of 
this article. These are believed to be the first 
trees of this splendid variety brought from the 
East, and most of the 100 are still living, and 
are beai-iug in si)leii<lid health and very pro- 
ductive. 

The Adams County Horticultural Society 
was organized in December, 1867, by the elec- 
ti(ui of Robert Rankin as president and Wm. 
Stewart as secretary. This soon included all 
the leading horticulturists of the county. 
This society did effective work for many 
years: it made out lists of the various kinds 
of fruits, based on long practical experience of 
the members, and recommended these lists to 
planters: it held outdoor meetings in the sum- 
mer months, on the grounds of the different 
members, for the purpose of observing the 
jiractical woi'kings of the different systems of 
culture. It also made exhibits, as a society, 
at various fail's, with the most flattering re- 
sults. However, it languished: but with a 
later revival of general interest in horticul- 
ture there was establi.shed the ^Mississippi 
Apple Growers' Association in Quincy, in 1900. 
Its fouiuler and first president was Henry 
Clay Cupp, of Fall Creek, the largest orchard- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



269 



ist iu the L-ountj-. James Handly, of yuiucy, 
was its secretary, a position he still holds. 
Mr. Cupp was later succeeded by the Hon. 
S. N. Black, of Clayton, as president, ilr. 
Black was a charter member of the Illinois 
Horticultural Society, and one of the most 
eminent and widely known horticulturists in 
the State. On his retiring from the presi- 
dency in the present year, 1905, he was suc- 
ceeded by C. H. Williamson, of Quincy. The 
society, while local in its origin, was compre- 
hensive iu its aims, and while, unlike the early 
Horticultural Society, it eonfiued its interest 
to the apple, it was because in the series of 
years the apple had come to be the only fruit 
of importance in Adams comity raised for the 
distant market. In fact, iu the intervening 
years even the apple had diminished in im- 
portance in the volume of product and in its 
essential value in the market, and strawberries 
and peaches, which had in the later sixties and 
early seventies been shipped in remarkable 
volume from the various shipping points of 
the county, had dwindled to insignificance 
during the eighties and early nineties as far 
as their production on a commercial scale was 
concerned. The causes of this remarkable 
change are not far to seek. In the first place, 
the culture of strawberries, which had its be- 
ginning in 1852 b.v J. II. Stewart and D. C. 
Benton, of Quincy, and in 1865 had attained 
to considerable volume, was greatly affected 
during the eighties by the throwing open by 
the railroads of new and cheap lands in the 
Southwest to berry culture, causing a great de- 
cline in the market values of strawberries in 
the markets where our berries were sent, as 
well at the same time new and better methods 
of shipping, particularly the use of refrig- 
erator cars, made it possible to ship from more 
distant points in other directions, so that 
there was a greatly lessened demand for our 
berries. This same cause operated against our 
other small fruits, as well as against peaches. 
But an even moi'e potent cause came into op- 
eration by the industrial expansion of Quincy 
itself, which withdrew hundreds of those on 
whom the berry growers depended for picking 
their fruits, to more lucrative occupations. 

In the case of the peach there were at work 
climatic causes rendering the production less 
certain, and in the case of the pear, the blight. 
At one time, indeed, in the eighties, it 
seemed as if horticulture, even that of the 
apple, was doomed to extinction, except on a 
very small scale and for the home market 
only, and this was due to causes, some obvious, 
some obscure. In the first place, the soil was 
no longer virgin, and long continued culture 
had exhausted certain properties out of the 



soil very necessary to the life of bearing trees 
and plants. And no attempt had been made 
to replace them. The soil I'obber had been 
at work. The then available horticultural sci- 
ence was not able to point the remedy. In the 
second place, insect and fungous enemies had 
vastly multiplied. The codlin moth had ap- 
peared very early, probably as early as 1850. 
So had the scab, the most destructive of fun- 
gous enemies that attacked the apple, but the 
strong trees of our splendid and virile young 
orchards had been resistant. As the orchards 
aged and their vitality decreased, and con- 
tinued production without proper fertilizing 
had greatly decreased their natural powers of 
resistance, they succumbed to the growing at- 
tacks of their insect and fungous enemies, and 
no longer produced fruit of a nature to be 
successfull.v marketed. 

The art of spraying was little understood 
and less practiced. Then, too, the vigorous 
pioneers had many of them died or moved 
away where more virgin soils offered more al- 
luring possibilities. Horticulture was in hands 
less experienced, which did not have the splen- 
did courage of the old order nor the better sci- 
ence of the new order of things. There were 
ten years moi-e of travail and distress, but 
gradually men turned in the light of better 
knowledge to address themselves to the old 
problem.?" with a freshened understanding and 
a revived courage, and now Adams county is 
on the threshold of a better horticulture and 
a mightier indu.stry. Youug men such as 
Leeper of Lima, Robbins and Scarborough of 
Payson, Seymour of Fall Creek, Lambert of 
Coatsburg, " Montgomery of Melrose, Chatten 
of Ellington, and some of the elders, as Cupp. 
Perkins, Heckle, Wharton and Rankin, are ap- 
plying the knowledge that experimental sci- 
ence affords to a thorough understanding of 
local soil and climatic conditions that promise 
great results. Some are already garnering 
them, and they better understand their limi- 
tations. They' know in the first place that 
they cannot gather where they have not sown. 
They cannot c(uitinually take wifhovif giving. 
If file trees are to bear, they must also be fed. 
They have learned that they must therefore 
fertilize. 

They know in the second place that moisture 
must "be conserved, that the soil must be 
stirred to uulock for the trees their potential 
supplies of food, and that life-giving air may 
reach the roots. They therefore cultivate. They 
know that the insect and fungous enemies can 
and must be combated. They therefore spray. 
They know that the soil must be enlivened as 
well as protected from the cold of a severe 
climate: that the water-bearing capacity of 



270 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



the soil is in proportion to the lioinus content. 
They therefore sow cover crops. And above 
all, they know that all soils are not adai^ted 
to fruit trees; that a tree to live long must 
root deep in rich soil, and that in the loess 
soil covering oiir limestone bluffs nature has 
given Adams county one of those pre-eminent 
areas of natural adaptation wliich place her 
unrivaled in readiness to produce fruit tit to 
enter into that competition of excellence for 
which the exacting markets of the work are 
offerina' most suitable reward. 



CHAPTER L. 

ADAMS COUNTY'S BENCH AND BAR — PRIMITIVE 
PRACTICE IN THE MILITARY TRACT — CIR- 
CUIT JUDGES — E.\RLY MEMBERS OF THE 
BAR. 

The early bench and Itar of Adams county 
had a fame, justly acquired, in Illinois. It 
was the bar of the "ililitary Tract" — that 
part of the State between the Mississippi and 
Illinois Rivers and s{uith of the latitude of 
Rock Island — which had Iteen reserved by the 
federal government for the soldiers of the 
War of 1812, whose patriotism was recognized 
by "Bounty lauds." On the bench in that 
circuit presided jurists of recognized ability 
and acumen, and at this bar practiced lawyers 
of learning, eloquence and skill, whose renown 
was widespread, all contributing to give to 
the bench and bar a lustre which time has not 
dimmed and which will ever be a source of 
pride to Adams county. 

The first circuit judge was John Yorck 
Sawyer, a native of Vermont, whose name ap- 
peal's enrolled as a lawyer December 7, 1820. 
On the bench Judge Sawyer sustained an ex- 
cellent reputation f(u- ability and integrity. 
He was appointed at the session of 1824-5, and 
two years later was legislated out of office by 
the law of 1826-7, which repealed the circuit 
court system and threw upon the supreme 
judges circuit court duty. Judge Sawyer's 
first court was held July, 1825, ui the cabin 
of Williard Keyes, on Front street, near the 
foot of Vermont, this being the only one of 
the three cabins then comprising Quincy "in 
which there were no children. ' ' The session 
was but formal, and the first business session 
of the court was held October 31st. following. 
After leaving the bench. Judge Sawyer re- 
sumed his profession at Vandalia, then the 
state capital. He died ^larch 13, 1836, at 
which time he was editm- of the Vandalia 
Advocate. 



Judge Sawyer was succeeded by Samuel D. 
Lockwtxid, of the supreme court, whose name 
is recorded as the first licensed lawyer in Illi- 
nois, the date being ilay 11, 181!). Lockwood 
was born in Central New York, and came to 
Illinois in 1818. stopped first at Kaskaskia, 
and finally settled at Jacksonville, which was 
his residence initil he retired from the bench 
in 1848. Then he removed to Batavia, where 
he died about 1885. Judge Lockwood was a 
man of excellent education, learning and re- 
finement, who reflected exceptidiial honcir on 
the position held by him. 

In 1831, a fifth judicial circuit having been 
added. Judge Richard M. Young Avas ap- 
pointed. Judge Young was a Kentuckian by 
birth, a man of exemplary habits, refined 
mind, industrious disposition and good judg- 
ment, who held the public confidence and who 
served out his full term of six years with dig- 
nity and credit. After serving his term he 
was successively United States Senator, Illi- 
nois State Agent in Europe, Clerk of the 
United States House of Representatives, Com- 
missioner of the General Land Office, and 
finally he engaged in a legal agency business. 
His last days were passed in an insane 
asylum. 

Janu^s H. Ralston, who succeeded Judge 
Yoiuig, in 1S37, had been a practicing lawyer 
in (Juincy, and was also a member of the state 
legislature in 1836-7. Ralston also was a Ken- 
tuckian. His services on the bench, while 
creditalile, were brief, as he resigned in 1838, 
and was elected state senator in 1840, and was 
an unsuccessful candidate for congress a year 
later, after which he went to California, where 
he was found dead in the woods, having either 
died suddenly or been killed by some animal. 
Judge Ralston 's successor was Peter Lott, 
who came to Illinois in 1835 from New Jersey, 
locating at Carthage. Hancock county, whence 
he soon came to Quincy, where he resided for 
some sixteen years. Judge Lott had more 
than ordinary ability and made a good record 
on the bench. He was a Whig till about 1836, 
when he joined the democratic party, in which 
he became prominent. Retiring from the bench 
in 1841, under the re-organization of the ju- 
diciary law, he resumed the practice of law, 
was elected to the lower house of the legisla- 
ture in 1S44, enlisted as a private in Col. Bis- 
sell's regiment of Illinois infantry (ui the out- 
break of the Mexican war, rose to the position 
of captain and acquired credit at Buena Vista. 
Retui-ning home, he was elected circuit clerk 
and recorder for four years, after which he 
went to California and was placed in charge 
of the United States mint. He died a few 
years later, in Central America, while dis- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



271 



charging a higli trust under the government. 

Under the re-orgauization act, the appoint- 
ment of the supreme .judge from this district 
was Stephen A. Douglas, who assumed the of- 
fice in 1841. The history of Douglas is too 
well known to call for space in this connection. 
While on the bench Judge Douglas had sev- 
eral local questions of a peculiarly vexations 
character to handle, including some connected 
with the Mormons and the division of Adams 
county. In these as in other matters. Judge 
Douglas always retained the confidence of the 
public, while his exceptional ability is well 
known to all. On the election of Douglas to 
congress in 1843 over O. H. Browning, he was 
succeeded on the bench by Jesse B. Thomas, 
a son of the Jesse B. Thomas who was ter- 
ritorial judge of Illinois from 1809 till 1819, 
was one of the first two United States Sena- 
toi's and was the author of the famous Mis- 
souri Compromise bill. Judge Thomas, who 
succeeded Douglas, was probably born in the 
Indian Teri-itory. He was a democrat. His 
two years' record on the bench was creditable. 
He was transferred to a northern circuit and 
died a few years later. 

His successor on the bench, in 1843, was 
Norman H. Purple, who proved to be a judge 
of superior ability, lieing peculiarly well 
adapted for the position of jurist. Judge 
Purple retired from this circuit in 1848. by 
reason of the change in the constitiition re- 
organizing the districts and making judges 
elective. Purple returned to Peoria and re- 
sumed the practice of law. He died about 
1864. 

William A. ]\Iinshall. of Schuyler county, 
succeeded Judge Purple, in 1848. Minshall, 
who was elected as a Whig over William R. 
Aicher, of Pike county, and was one of the 
oldest lawyers in Illinois, had stood at the 
head of the bar in his own county and on the 
bench maintained his excellent reputation. 
Adams and Hancock counties being created a 
separate circuit in 1851, Judge Minshall was 
succeeded by Onias C. Skinner, who had for 
several years been a ]>romineut lawyer in 
Hancock county and then in Quincy, his later 
residence. While Judge Skinner had lacked 
educational advantages, such was his force of 
intellect that he rose to a front rank at the 
bar, while his standing on the bench was high. 
Judge Skinner was elected to the supreme 
court in 185.5. He was a member of the con- 
stitutional convention of 1870, occupying the 
position of chairman of the judiciary com- 
mittee. He died in Quincy in 1877. 

Judge Joseph Sibley, who succeeded Judge 
Skinner, in 1855, was born in Westfield, Hamp- 
den county. ]\Iass., and died in Qnincy June 



18, 1897, in the 79th year of his age. His early 
life was spent on a farm; he attended the dis- 
trict school and local academy, was admitted 
to the bar in 1846 and soon after settled at 
Nauvoo, Hancock county, Illinois, where he 
began the practice of law, and with success 
and distinction. He was elected to the state 
legislature in 1850, re-elected in 1852, moved 
to Warsaw in 1853, was elected to the circuit 
bench in 1855 for the 13th circuit and was re- 
elected for three successive terms. When the 
appellate court was re-organized in 1877, Sib- 
ley was appointed by the supreme court to 
that bench. M'here he served till the expiration 
of his tenn in 1879. He moved to Quincy in 
1865 and made his home here till his death. 
A man possessing strong individual traits 
of character, Judge Sibley had good jiidg- 
ment, was well versed in the fundamental 
principles of the law, and these qualities, 
coupled with his integrity and general ability, 
made him a good jurist, and, in time, one of 
the most eminent circuit judges in the state. 
While to strangers he sometimes appeared 
cold, with a disposition to bluntness of ex- 
pression, he was really a kind-hearted man. 
At the time he retired from the bench he had 
been presiding judge for nearly half the ex- 
istence of Adams county. 

Judge Sibley was succeeded by Judge John 
H. Williams, who served with excellent credit 
until 1885 and is still practicing his profes- 
sion in Quincy. 

William ]\Iarsh, who succeeded Judge Wil- 
liams, served fi-om 1885 till 1891, Judge Marsh 
was born in Cayuga county, N. Y., March 11, 
1822. attended a private school near Ithaca, 
took an academic coui-se, then entered Union 
college at Schenectady, from which he was 
graduated with honor in 1842. He was ad- 
mitted to the bar in 1845, practiced first in 
Ithaca and came to Quincy in 1854, He died 
April 14, 1894. It was said of him in the bar 
resolutions on his death that he was "an exem- 
plar of professional virtue and forensic attain- 
ments most fittingly calcidated to excite the 
just emulation of all whose exalted privilege 
it is to minister at the altar of justice. An 
honest, able law^'er, a just, pi;re and profound 
judge, a kind, fond and faithful husband, a 
polished, scholarly and accomplished gentle- 
man." 

Judge Marsh was siieceeded hj Oscar P. 
Bonney, who served one term, from 1891 until 
1897. Judge Bonney was born September 8, 
1852, near Chambei-sburg, Clark county. Mo., 
and died in Chicago, February 14, 1905, When 
a babe, his parents moved to Putnam county, 
111., thence to La Grange, IMo.. thence to 
Quincy. and thence to Columbus, whei'e 



272 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



Oscar grew to manhood. After a few 
years as student at La Grange eolleRe. he 
came to Qnincy, studied hiw with Ewing, 
Wheat & Hamilton, was admitted to the bar in 
1873, was successively city and state's attor- 
ney and was holding the latter office when he 
was elected circuit judge. In a recent sketch 
of Judge Bonney this true summary was writ- 
ten : "His moral, upright life; the integrity 
that characterized his intercourse with all per- 
sons and his sterling ability as a lawyer; his 
professional etiquette and his just and logical 
rulings and sound judgments while on the 
bench, so endeared him to his fellows that his 
memory will be fondly cherished for raan.y 
years to come." During his term as cii'cuit 
judge. Judge Bonney was nominated for su- 
preme judge, but was defeated bv Joseph N. 
Carter. 

Judge John C. Broady succeeded Judge 
Bonney and served till 1903. making an ex- 
cellent record. Judge Broady continues to re- 
side in Quiney and is practicing his profession. 
His successor on the bench was Jiidge Al- 
bert Akers, v\dio is making a commendable 
record. Judge Akers resides in Quiney. 

The Hon. Chauneey L. Higbee was one of 
the judges of this circuit and of the appel- 
late court for the third district of this state, 
and the Adams County Bar records show this 
fitting memorial tribiite: "That for his many 
virtues as a private citizen, and his learning 
and abilities as a lawyer, legislator and judge, 
as well as for his able and faithful discharge 
of eveiy duty devolving iipon him, whether in 
private or official capacity, the deceased will 
be long remembered, not only by his friends 
and admirers and the bar. but by the public at 
large." 

Chauneey L. Higbee was born in Clermont, 
Ohio, in 1820. In 184.5, he published a news- 
paper at Nauvoo, 111., -whence he moved to 
Pittsfield, 111., where he began the practice of 
the profession to which he proved to be such 
an eminent adornment. He was a representa- 
tive in the 19th General Assembly and state 
senator in 1859-61. He was elected circuit 
judge four times, the first time in 1861, and 
was elected appellate judge in 1878. Judge 
Eigbee died December 7, 1884, leaving a mem- 
ory that will ever be held in honor and es- 
teem, and leaving both a name and a career 
which are being nobly perpetuated by his able 
son, the Hon. Harry Higbee, of Pike county. 
Illinois. 

THE ADAMS COUNTY BAR. 
In the course of some biographical sketches 
in his "Reminiscences of Quiney." published 
in 1882, the late Henry Asbury gives this para- 



graph concerning lawyers: "Our earliest law- 
yers here before 1831 were John E. Jetfers, 
Louis Masquerier, George Logan, James H. 
Ralston, Archibald Williams, O. H. Browning, 
and soon after Robert R. Williams. James W. 
Whitney. Thomas Ford, afterwards governor, 
Adolphus Hubbard, who became lieutenant 
governor, his remains l.ving in the present 
courthouse square. Of what might be called 
our second batch of lawyers here from 1835 
to 1847, there were the following: il. D. 
Browning, Henry Asbuiy, Peter Lott, William 
Darling, Jaeoby Halleck, Ebenezer i\Ioore, Cal- 
vin A. Warren, N. Bushnell ; in 1837. Andrew 
Johnston; 1836, John R. Randolph, Charles 
Oilman, Almeron Wheat ; 1839, Charles A. 
Savage, Horace S. Cooley; 1840, Philo A. 
Goodwin; 1841, J. Quin Thornton, William H. 
Ralston, James M. Burt, Louis M. Booth, E. J. 
Phillips. William H. Benneson ; 1843, Isaac N. 
ilorris. Egbert A. Thompson, Charles B. Law- 
rence, Charles H. Milner, Isaac M. Grover, 
Abraham Jonas. Pei'kins Cleveland ; 1847, 
Adolphus Engleman, David L. Hough, George 
C. Dixon. Peachy R. Gilmer, Charles W. Bil- 
lington, Joseph M. Higbee, George Williams, 
Seth C. Sherman, Onias C. Skinner; 1845, 
Jonathan M. Bassett, Bushrod W. Lott. Homer 
Parr and John Tillson." ]\Ir. Asbury added 
that only about twelve out of the list of forty- 
six were known to be living at the time he 
wrote. 

Archibald Williams was born June 10, 1801, 
in Montgomery county, Kentucky. Having 
received the first rudiments of an education he 
was thrown upon his own resources early in 
life. He first engaged in manual labor, but 
being of a studious disposition, turned his at- 
tention to teaching. His fondness for study 
caused him to select the law for his profes- 
sion, and he was admitted to the bar in Ten- 
nessee in 1828. A year later he eame to Quin- 
ey. During his first six years' practice he 
achieved the highest rank as a lawyer and 
jurist and as a man of stainless character. He 
was elected three times to the state legislature. 
In 1847 Judge Williams was selected against a 
democrat in a democratic district to serve in 
the constitutional convention. He was twice 
nominated by the whigs for United States 
senator, but was defeated, and was also the 
whig candidate for congress in the campaign 
immediately preceding the birth of the repub- 
lican party, but was defeated. He was oft'ered 
a seat on the United States supreme bench, 
but he declined the high honor on account of 
his advanced years. In 1849 he was appointed 
by President Taylor as district attorney for 
Illinois, and in 1861 he was appointed by Pres- 
ident Lincoln as district judge for Kansas. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



273 



Judge Williams was a man of strong convic- 
tions, but one who entertained great respect 
for the views of others. He died in Quincy, 
September 21, 1863, leaving the record of a 
distinguished, noble and pure life. To quote 
from the bar resolutions, October 27, 1863, he 
was "eminently a frank and sincere man. You 
always knew where he was and what he was. 
He never deceived a friend or betrayed a 
trust, or trifled Avith an interest. None ever 
doubted his word. None ever questioned his 
honesty. He was alike the ornament of official 
position and of the private station. The ra- 
diance shed by the influence of his moral de- 
portment was not less beneficial upon society 
than his legal and logical mind and profes- 
sional courtesy were upon the bar. He lived 
for others, not himself. He lived for the ben- 
efit of his race and country. He was not a 
seeker of wealth : with all of his energy, un- 
tiring industry and great endowments, he died 
without it, leaving behind him little else but 
the rich inheritance of his professional and ex- 
emplary character." 

Xehemiah Bushnell was a native of Connec- 
ticut and was graduated from Yale college in 
1835. He was admitted to the bar in 1837 and 
came to Quincy the same year and formed a 
partnership with 0. H. Browning, which lasted 
till his death. Soon after cstabli-shing himself 
in this city, Mr. Bushnell conducted the edi- 
torial department of the Quincy Whig for a 
time. These expressions from members of the 
local bar on ilr. BushnelTs death show the 
high estimation in which he was held. Hon. 
O. C. Skinner referred to him as an "example 
of a life of patient, public and professional 
labor, public usefulness and un.sullied fame, 
distinguished alike by learning and talent — ^a 
great and good man." Hon. W. A. Richard- 
son said: "He could have adorned the presi- 
dency of any institution of learning in the land. 
He was qiialified to have discharged the duties 
of any department of their institutions. His 
talent, his learning, his sense of justice, would 
have made him conspicuous and eminent on 
the bench of the supreme court of the I'niterl 
States." Judge Sibley said: "The needy al- 
ways found in him a generous giver, the un- 
fortunate a ready sympathizer, and the intel- 
ligent conversationalist a mind stored with the 
richest fruit of miscellaneous knowledije." 
Mr. Bushnell died in 1873. 

Calvin A. Warren was born in New York 
in 1807, was a newspaper man in early life, 
was admitted to the bar in 183-4, moved to 
Quincy in 1836 and went to Warsaw later, but 
removed to Quincy in 1839. He fir,st formed 
a law partnership with James H. Ralston, then 



v\-ith Almerou Wheat, and was once associated 
with 0. C. Skinner. Warren was at different 
times engaged in business enterprises, but 
abandoned them all to follow his chosen pro- 
fession. As was written of him by the Hon. 
O. H. Browning, immediately after his death, 
"He was distinguished as a member of the 
legal profession for his high legal attainments 
and for the eminent ability with which he dis- 
charged the duties of the important offices 
with which his name has been honorably asso- 
ciated." Mr. Warren died February 22, 1881. 

An excellent biographical sketch is given 
elsewhere in this work of the late Almeron 
Wheat, the former county attorney, who ren- 
dered such conspicuous service when the eflfort 
was made to remove the county seat from 
Quincy. 

Charles Oilman, a member of the local bar 
and reporter for the state supreme court, died 
July 24, 1849, of cholera. It was said of him 
that he passed away in the meridian of his 
life and the full career of his usefulness, and 
that no man at the bar was better qualified to 
adorn that branch of his profession. Endowed 
with a quick and active intellect and possess- 
ing a more than ordinary degree of literary 
and legal attainments, he held a high place in 
the esteem and afl^ection of his professional 
biethren. 

Philo A. Goodwin was a native of Connecti- 
cut, whence he came west and he resided in 
Qr.incy nearly a third of a century. He died 
June 13, 1873. ]\lr. Goodwin had a profound 
respect for his profession, Avas a good lawyer, 
a safe counsellor, a warm hearted friend and 
an honest man. 

William H. Benneson was born in Newark, 
Delaware, December 3, 1818. After graduat- 
ing with honor from Delaware college. 1840, 
for three jears he taught school in Virginia, 
studying law at the same time. In 1843 he 
came west and opened an office in Quincy. 
His first partner was Stephen A. Douglas, who 
had resigned froiu the supreme bench of Illi- 
nois on June 28, 1843, and who was soon drawn 
away to engage in his political career. The 
pers(mal and political friendship of the two 
continued through life. 

In 1849 IMr. Benneson was allured to Cali- 
fornia gold fielils, where he mined for three 
years and then returned to again practice law 
in Quincy. He was IMaster in Chancery under 
Judge Skinner and Judge Sibley, from 1853- 
1861. During the Civil war he was appointed 
colonel of the 78th Illinois Infantry by Gov- 
ernor Richard Yates. Ill health compelled him 
to resign, and he resumed his law practice. 

He stood well among that distinguished 



274 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



galaxy of lawyers who were his contempora- 
ries. He was not engaged iu active practice 
the last ten or fifteen years of his life, but he 
still loved the law. lie died at his home near 
Qnincy, January 27th, 1899, being the last 
member of the earlier bar of Adams county. 

Isaac N. Morris was born January 22, 1812, 
in Bethel, Clermont county, Ohio, and was the 
fourth son of United States Senator Thomas 
Morris of that state. After attending the uni- 
versity at Oxford, Ohio, he studied law in Cin- 
cinnati with Judge Wright and was admitted 
to the bar. lie came to Warsaw, 111., in 1836, 
and a year later was iniited iu marriage with 
a daughter of John P. Bobbins. In 1838 he 
moved to Quincy and formed a law partnership 
with C. A. Warren and Judge Darling. The 
next year, in addition to his other duties, Mr. 
Morris edited the Quincy Argus, now the 
Quincy Herald. In 1841, by appointment of 
the state, he was president of the Illinois and 
Michigan Canal; was a member of the state 
legislature in 1846, and of congress from 1856 
until 1860. By appointment of President 
Grant he was commissioner of the Union Pa- 
cific railroad, in which capacity he rendered 
valuable service. He died October 29, 1879. 
The bar resolutions, which were presented by 
O. H. Browning, read as follows. "Resolved, 
that we hold in highest esteem the good and 
noble qualities of the deceased and remember 
with great satisfaction the zeal and ability with 
which at all times he discharged the diities 
devolved upon him by the distinguished public 
trusts, both state and national, which, from 
time to time, have been committed to him." 

Isaac Mason Grover was drowned in the 
Missis.sippi river, while bathing, July 27, 1862, 
being then about fifty years old. He was a na- 
tive of Sidney. Maine. He was an upright, 
honest man and was regarded by the bar as 
one of the ablest lawyers in the state. 

Abraham Jonas was born in England. He 
came to this country at the age of sixteen, liv- 
ing first in Cincinnati, whence he moved to 
Kentucky, where he was a member of the leg- 
islature. He came to Quincy from Kentucky 
and served in the Illinois legislature. He 
served one term as Master in Chancery, by ap- 
pointment of President Taylor, and died June 
10, 1864, while serving another, by appoint- 
ment of President Lincoln. In the public and 
private life and character of Mr. Jonas the bar 
recognized his moral qualities, great single- 
ness of mind in advancing the public inter- 
ests, indomitable energy in executing laudable 
purposes and his uniform kindness in his pri- 
vate relations. 

Sterling P. Dehnid w;is born in Richmond, 



Franklin county, Vermont, September 28, 
1830. He came with his parents, in 1839 to In- 
diaiui, and in 1848 to Hancock county, Illinois. 
In 1855 Jlr. Delano came to Quincy and en- 
tered the law office of Browning & Bushuell, 
and in 1858 he and E. H. Buckley became law 
partners. Delano enlisted iu Capt. Mead's 
Home Guards, was elected captain and was a 
model officer. He died August 27, 1862, from 
ett'eets of a wound accidentally received while 
in the military service of his country. As a 
lawyer. Captain Delano was rapidly working 
his way to the front. He gained confidence 
and regard not merely by his industry and su- 
perior ability, but by his uuifnnn cdurtesy and 
high, excellent bearing. 

An extended biographical sketch of former 
United States Senator William A. Richardson 
will be found elsewhere in this history. The 
l)ar"s estimate of the character of and abilities 
iif this distinguished citizen may be seen from 
the following resolutions, adopted February 
21, 1876: "He was regarded always as one 
of the strongest and ablest of our members. 
Of clear head, strong will, great energy and an 
intuitive and almost infallible common sense 
and judgment of men, he was a natural leader 
and these qualities, united with an integrity 
never ciuestioned, gave him deservedly great 
power and influence, as well at the bar as in 
the political arena where he was so highly dis- 
tinguished." 

The resolutions on the death of Frederick 
V. Marcy, who died July 14, 1884, were pre- 
sented by Bernard Arntzen, November 10, 1884, 
and included this sketch: "He practiced law 
here nearly a score and a half years. While he 
po.ssessed a mind which was logical in analy- 
sis and comprehensive in its grasp, rendering 
him an adornment to his profession, still it is 
also true that in a residence among us for 
nearly a score and a half years his habits 
were characterized by continued retirement 
and constant study, so that he enlisted the re- 
spect of all and the enmity of none. 

"So industrious was he as a lawyer, espe- 
cially when engaged in an important case re- 
(juiring care, study and thought, that it might 
be said of him, 'he never slept.' " This was 
the view held of Alexander E. Wheat, as ex- 
pressed iu the bar resolutions on his death. 
Mr. Wheat was not a brilliant lawyer, but he 
had few superiors at the trial table, and as an 
interrogator of witnesses he had no ecpuil at 
this bar, in the opinion of the association. Mr. 
Wheat was born at Venice, Cayuga county, 
N. Y., April 19, 1833. He was aclmitted to the 
bar in Quincy in 1857 and resided here imtil 
his death, which occurred Septendiei' 2, 1885. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



275 



Till' only lecMird that cini be found of .John 
M. Cyrus is this expression by the local bar: 
"The life of Capt. .John 51. Cyrus was cut off 
while seeking to I'egain his health in a milder 
clime during the prime of his manhood, and in 
the midst of labor and usefulness." The reso- 
lutions were adopted J\larch 23. 1874. 

Wellington S. Lee was born in Erie county, 
Pa., in 1822, on a farm, lie had some expe- 
rience in the Mexican war, coming to Quincy 
about 1850. In the summer of 1861 he enlisted 
in Co. F., 3d Illinois Cavalry, and served with 
such distinction as to be promoted to the cap- 
taincy. He died August 21, 1863, from effects 
of the accidental discharge of a pistol in the 
hands of one of his own men. His only regret 
at his approaching death was thus expressed: 
"Oh, why could I not have fallen in battle?" 
As a lawyer, Capt. Lee was always honorable, 
courteous and faithful in the discharge of his 
profession. 

"In the life and chai-acter of Jackson (Jrim- 
shaw we recognize a lawyer of eminent ability 
and learning, and a man of stainless honor and 
integrity in every station of public and pri- 
vate life. ' ' This is the epitome by the local 
bar of the character of a lawyer who had won 
more than local fame. Jackson Grimshaw was 
born in Philadelphia in 1822. At the age of 
seventeen years he was a civil engineer for 
the New York and Erie Railroad company. He 
studied law, was admitted to the bar, and in 
1843 located in Pike county, Illinois, whence he 
came to Quincy in 1857, associating himself in 
the law with Archibald and John H. Williams. 
Mr. Grimshaw was a prominent member of the 
convention in Bloomington in 1856 that or- 
ganized the republican party : was collector of 
internal revenue from the beginning of Lin- 
coln's second term, until the election of Grant, 
after which he resumed the practice of his pro- 
fession. He died at Quincy, December 13, 1875. 

Edward H. Buckley was born in Windham 
county. Conn., August 3. 1814; went to Chi- 
cago in 1832 : thence to Mississippi as govern- 
ment land surveyor; went to Richmond, Ind., 
in 1834, where he taught school, and where he 
was admitted to the bar in 1839. In 1841 he 
located in Columbus, Adams county, 111., where 
he practiced law until 1848 : was engaged in 
the county seat agitation: was a representative 
in the legislature of 1847, fi'om ]\Iarquette, an 
unorganized portion of Adams county, which 
aspired to become a new county, but which 
ambition failed of accomplishment. Buckley 
moved to Quincy and practiced law; was dep- 
uty county clerk under J. C. Bernard ; re- 
organized the records under the new constitu- 
tion; was appointed city clerk under Governor 



Wood in 1852-53. In 1857 he formed a law 
partnership with S. P. Delano, at whose death 
the firm became Buckley, Wentworth & Marcy, 
Wentworth retired in 1865, and Buckley & 
Marcy dissolved in 1870. Buckley died Jan- 
uary 14, 1890. It was the close of a long and 
honorable career, lacking but two years of a 
half a century of law practice and active busi- 
ness life in this county. 

i\Iar.yland was the native state of Rufus L. 
^Miller, who was born at Ridgville, July 27, 
1827. He came to Quincy in 1837 and was ad- 
mitted to the bar in 1854. Later on he moved 
to Keosauqua, Iowa, and served through the 
Civil war in an Iowa regiment. After the war 
he returned to Quincy, where he remained till 
his death, July 10, 1881. The bar resolutions 
describe Col. Miller as a true gentleman, a man 
of unquestioned integrity, a public spirited cit- 
izen, an incorruptible lawyer and a brave sol- 
dier and patriot. 

John Conover was a native of Warren coun- 
ty. Ohio, where he was born in 1838. He came 
to Illinois in 1852, and to Adams county in 
1877. His death occurred November 11, 1881. 
Tie was a good lawyer and an honorable, ener- 
getic business man. 

"As a man he was just, fearless and honor- 
able, and his influence was ever on the side of 
law and order," is the bar record memorial 
expre.ssion concerning Aaron McMurray. Mr. 
McMurray was born near Clayton, 111., Septem- 
ber 24, 1840. He enlisted in the 3d Missouri 
Cavalry, and served three years in the Civil 
war. On retiring from the service he was ad- 
mitted to the bar, at which he pi'acticed till 
his death, October 18, 1887. 

(Tcueral James W. Sing]ett>n was born at 
Paxton, Va., November 23, 1811. He moved in 
early life to Schuyler county. 111., where he 
practiced medicine and also studied law. He 
was twice elected to the state legislature, and 
also a delegate to the constitutional convention 
from that county. During tlie Mormon trou- 
bles he had charge of the military at Nauvoo; 
came to Quincy in 1852; constructed the rail- 
road from Camp Point to Meredosia; served 
one term in the state legislature from Adams 
county; was an emissary of President Lincoln 
to the Southern Confederacy on a peace mis- 
sion was defeated for Congress in the 4th dis- 
trict in 1868 ; was elected to f 'ongress in 1878, 
but failed of re-election. He died in Baltimore, 
Md., April 4, 1892, and the resolutions adopted 
by the Quincy bar April 23, 1892, thus analyzed 
his characteristics: "He was a born politician 
and loved the excitement and scramble of pol- 
itics. He was never more happy than when 
in the midst of political contests, and yet on 



276 



P.AST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



great occasions, he was most |ii-ni.lent and cim- 
servative. The coiitideuce of those who knew 
him best, in his fidelity, integrity and ability 
was unbonnded. It was in his social life that 
he was most admired, and Boscobel, his country 
home just east of Quincy, was celebrated the 
country over as the seat of the most delightful 
and charming hospitality. Not many years 
actively engaged in the practice of his profes- 
sion, still he was a member of this bar. 

Hon. George A. xVnderson was born in Vir- 
ginia in 1853: while a child, was brought by 
his parents to this state, and was reared on a 
farm. He graduated at Carthage, 111., college 
in 1876 : was admitted to the bar in 1879, and 
located in Quincy. In 1884 he served as City 
Attorney, and also served with distinction as 
a member of the 50th congress. After 1885 he 
was a member of the firm of Sprigg, Anderson 
& Vandeventer. Struggling against adverse 
circumstances in his youth and early manhood, 
by his patient industry, application and integ- 
rity, he rose to the high standing he occupied 
in this city and nation. He tilled with integ- 
rity and honor the various positions awarded 
him. A.s a lawyer he was cautious, industrious, 
zealous and unswerving from the lofty stand- 
ard and high standing of professional ethics, 
coui'tesy, integrity and devotion to the true in- 
terests of his clients. He died January 31, 
1896. 

William ilcFadon was born in Massachu- 
setts, December 9, 1843. The most of his life 
was spent in this city, his father and mother 
having located here when he was a small boy. 
He was graduated from Harvard University 
and also from the Harvard Law School, and 
was admitted to the bar of this state February 
3, 1869. Although he was away from the city 
for nearly seven years preceding his death, he 
was still regarded as a member of the local 
bar. He was a lawyer in the highest and best 
sense of th'> term. In politics he was a repub- 
lican, but never a blinded partisan; was an 
upright, public-spirited, law-supporting and 
law-abiding citizen, aiul was honored among 
all his neighlinrs and those who knew him. 
Whether at the h,-ir. in the church, in the po- 
litical arena, (ir in the citizen's walks of life, 
he was at all times, in all places, a thorough 
gentleman. He died at his home in Chicago, 
March 14, 1898. 

James F. Carrott was born in Quincy. July 
15, 1849. His whole life was spent here, ex- 
cept the time he w^as away at school at the 
Indiana Asbury University, where he grad- 
uated in the class of 1869. He studied with 
and in the office of the Hon. 0. H. Browning, 
and was a favorite of that eminent man. After 



his admission to practice in this state he took 
a course of lectures in the Harvard Law School. 
He returned and continued to occupy a desk in 
'Sir. Browning's office until that gentlenum's 
death in 1881. He succeeded ]Mr. Browning as 
the local attorney for the "Burlington Route." 
ilr. Carrott was an able lawyer and an 
esteemed citizen. He died December 23. 1903, 
in Quincy. 

Chester A. Babeoek was born near Bing- 
hamton. New York, January 17, 1849, and at 
an eiirly age came with his parents to jMata- 
mora. III., where his lioyhood days were spent 
on a farm. He attended the Chicago Univer- 
sity and graduated in 1874 or 1875. Upon 
graduating he entered the law offices of Wheat, 
Ewing & Hamilton, and was admitted to prac- 
tice January 4. 1877. He located in Quincy 
and practiced law here until his death, August 
28, 1899. As a lawyer Mr. Babeoek was capa- 
ble, active and persistent and was an eloquent 
speaker. 

Bernard Arntzen was born in Prussia in 1834, 
came to this country in 1849 and located in 
Quincy ; entered the drug business, but later 
decided to study law; was graduated from the 
Cincinnati Law^ School, and Avas admitted to 
the bar in 1857. He was elected city attorney 
in 1858, in 1860 was the democratic candidate 
for state auditor; in 1874 was elected state 
senator and served four years. He was spe- 
cial agent of the interior department to allot 
lands to Indians. His first work was in Ne- 
vada, where his health broke down. During 
his last years he lived in Duluth, where he died 
November 2, 1895. He was a capable lawyer 
and a logical speaker. 

Colonel W. AV. Berry was born in Hanford 
county, yid.. February 22, 1836. He first prac- 
ticed his profession in Louisville, Kentucky. 
June. 1861, he enlisted as colonel of the Louis- 
ville Legion of the Army of the Cumberland, 
and made a most brilliant military record. 
After the war he settled in Winchester, Scott 
county. III., where he practiced law for several 
years. On removing to Quincy he natui-ally 
occupied from the first a prominent ixisition 
at the bar. He was elected commander of the 
Illinois Encampenment. (i. A. R.. by a unani- 
mous vote and without his knowledge, lie was 
a highly influential republican leader, but 
while always ready to help others, he never 
st)ught office for himself, although he might 
have easily secured high position and would 
have adorned any place. He died IMay 6, 1895. 
The l)ar resolutions on his death were as fol- 
lows: "'Ciil. Berry possessed rare ciualities of 
mind and heart, a bright intellect and a quick 
perception, a lofty imagination, a clear insight 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COITNTY. 



277 



into human character, a just regard for the 
rights of others, a reverence for hiw and jus- 
tice and a sympathy for suffering that would 
have distinguished him in any age. We speak 
but the simple truth when we say that Col. 
Berry was an honest and pure man and a just 
and able lawyer. As a citizen he furnished 
an excellent example of honesty, integrity, vir- 
tue and public spirit. His life was a part and 
parcel of the development and growth of 
Quiney. When the Civil war broke out. Col. 
Berry was of the south and thoroughly south- 
ern by liirth, associations and interest, yet 
without a moment's hesitation and with all 
the zeal and earnestness of a patriot he 
espoused the side of the rnion, and upon the 
field of battle won, and justly won, a place side 
by side with great soldiers of that war." 

Judge Jose-ph C. Thompson was born at 
Blairsville, Pa.. September 18. 1826, and died 
in Quiney, III. August 20. 1893. The fifth child 
in a family of seven, he had to woi'k hard and 
get such schooling as he could pick up at odd 
times. At nineteen he was qualified to teach, 
and he taught two terms of school, tlien read 
law in Lebanon, Ohio. He came west in 1847 
with his uncles, Samuel and Isaac Culbertson, 
for whom he kept books awhile at Mt. Carmel, 
Ind.. then he returned to Lebanon, where he 
attended school and taught another tei'm, 
then attended law school in Bloomington, Ind. 
He was admitted to the bar at Anderson, Ind., 
in 1854. practiced two years at Franklin, Ind.. 
then went to Macomb, McDonotigh county. 111., 
where he practiced law till 1868. Then he 
came to Quiney, which was his home till his 
death. He practiced law regularly and was 
also known as a farmer. He was prominent 
and influential in the democratic party, was 
a member of the constitutional convention, 
served four years as county judge of Adams 
county and made a worthy and honorable rec- 
ord. In I\Iay, 1893, he was appointed by Pres- 
ident Cleveland as postmaster of Quiney, which 
position he held at the time of his death. The 
bar resolutions on his death declare "that in 
his professional career he exhibited many of 
the best and noblest qi^alities and abilities 
which distinguished the thoroughly honest, 
honorable and successful forensic praetioner, 
and was ever alert, diligent and courageous in 
the defense and protection of his client's inter- 
ests. Ilis professional intercourse with and 
deportment toward his brethren of the bar was 
uniformly chai-acterized by that suavity, firm- 
ness and ingenuousness always indicative of 
manly and generous impulses and pure and 
elevated principles." 

Gen. Elisha B. Hamilton was a native of 



Carthaue. Hancock comity. 111., where he was 
b(irn October 5. 1838. He died :\Iarch 20. 1902, 
in Riverside township, Adams county. 111., 
while engaged in a law suit. General Hamil- 
ton served through the Civil war with distinc- 
tion and at its close came to Quiucy and en- 
tered upon the practice of law, which chosen 
profession he followed until the hour of his 
death. As the bar resolutions recite: "As a 
friend he was warm and sincere: as a lawyer, 
learned and accomplished; as a husband and 
father, he was kind, loving and generous ; and 
as a soldier and a citizen, he was brave, loyal 
and faithful and delighted in the discharge of 
all his duties." 

James H. Richardson was born in New Al- 
bany, Ind., in 1834 and came to this part of 
thecoimtry in 1840. He studied law in the 
office of Warren & Edwards about 1851 or 
1852. On being admitted to the bar he went 
to Bloomington, 111., where he practiced till 
1862. when he returned to Quiney, where he 
remained till his death. September IS, 1891. 
He and Bernard Arntzen were law partners 
for a number of years. While city attorney, 
:Mr. Richardson revised the city ordinances. 
He served a term in the state senate about 
1870. He was a member of the bar of Quiney 
for nearly forty years, and the bar resolutions 
speak well of his ability and standing. 

At this writing, Hon. Ira M. Moore is the 
latest member of the Quiney bar to pass from 
this life. Mr. iloore was born in 1835, in Fa- 
bius, N. Y., where he received a common school 
education and stiidied law. He resided in 
Quiney about thirty-three years, was a mem- 
ber of the state legislature, 1872-76, a justice 
of the peace four years and was the author of 
several text books on civil and criminal prac- 
tice in ju,stice's courts. He died in Quiney 
April 6. 1905. 

Orville H. Browning was one of the most il- 
lustrious citizens of Quiney. He was eminent 
as a lawyer and statesman and filled many im- 
portant offices in state and nation. A fine 
sketch and portrait of him will be found on 
another page of this work. 

THE QUINCY BAR ASSOCIATION. 
The Quiney Bar Association, a corporation, 
was organized in 1876, final certificate of in- 
corporation being filed by Joseph N. Carter, 
Hope S. Davis and Rufus L. Miller in the re- 
corder's office of Adams county. January 20 
of that year. The stated object of the asso- 
ciation is "to establish and maintain the honor 
and dignity of the profession of the law, to 
cultivate .social intercourse among its members 
and to increase its usefulness in promoting the 



278 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



due adiuinistratiou of justice." The associa- 
tion is directed by seven managers, and these 
are the names of the managers who were se- 
lected for the first year : Orville H. Browning, 
John H. Williams, Alexander E. Wheat, Ira M. 
Moore, Frederick V. Marcy, Henry Asbury 
and William Marsh. Judge Williams is the 
only surviving member of the first board of 
managers. 

After a considerable period the association 
became inactive, but was revived a few years 
ago and re-organized upon the former basis 
and with a fine spirit of interest, which has 
already shown important and gratifying re- 
sults. Following is a list of the present officers 
of the association : President, Joseph N. Car- 
ter; first vice president, H. S. Davis; second 
vice president, F. M. McCann; secretary, Wal- 
ter Bennett ; treasurer, George W. Govert. The 
present board of managers are : S. B. Mont- 
gomery, W. L. Vandeventer, M. F. Carrott. L. 
E. Emmons, Lyman ]McCarl, Carl E. Epler, 
James N. Sprigg. This is the present roll of 
members of the association : Albert Akers, 
Charles L. Bartlett, Walter Bennett, L. II. 
Berger, John C. Broady, A. J. Brockschmidt. 
John Q. Brown, Jlatthew F. Carrott, Joseph 
N. Carter, Harry B. Coffield, W. H. Coon. Clay 
Crewdson, Hope S. Davis, Homer D. Dines, L. 
E. Emmons, Sr., L. E. Emmons. Jr., Carl B. 
Epler, W. G. Peigenspan. Joseph I. Foreman, 
J. Frank Garner, John T. Gilmer, William PI. 
Govert, George W. (idvci-t. Joseph H. Hanly, 
W. J. Henry, John T. Inghi'am, Joseph C. 
Ivius, Charles A. James. Geori>e il. Janes. 
IMerle W. Janes, II. II. Jansen, Criah H. Keath. 
W. Emery Lancaster, W. P. Martindale. Frank 
I\I. McCann, Lyman McCarl. Charles B. ]Mc- 
Crory, Edward J. ^litchell, S. B. ^lontgomery, 
Theodore B. Pape, Frank J. Penick. Elmer C. 
Peter, Thomas P. Petri. T. C. Poling, Arthur 
R. Roy, Joseph A. Roy. Thomas A. Scherer. 
Wm. Schlai;e)ili;Mir. H. E. Schmiedeskamp, Ed- 
ward SlunuiDn, W. I!. Sheets, James N. Sprigg, 
David P. Sti'irklcr, Homer :M. Swope, W. L. 
Vandeventer, John Iv Wall, Almeron Wheat, 
(Jeorge H. Wilson. Samuel Woods. 

One of tlie most siihstaiitial proofs of tlie 
liiir's renewed intci'i'sl and progressive spirit 
is the splendid hai' lilirary recently established 
and to whirh the coiinty lioai'd cf supervisors 
has allotted a room in the court house. The 
library already contains about 1^.000 volumes, 
worth at least .$6,000. It is the largest and 
best law library in the state outside of Chi- 
cago, and valuable works are constantly be- 
ing added to it. The association furnishes the 
librarian, the present incumbent being Miss 
Margaret Wicli. who is n lawver. 



CHAPTER LII. 

EDUCATIONAL. 

By Prof. N. J. Hinton. 

The history of education in Adams couiity is 
interwoven with that of the state. JIany in- 
tere.sting things pertaining to the early his- 
toi-y of education in Illinois are found hidden 
away in old newspapers, school journals, rare 
pamphlets, educational reports and congres- 
sional and legislative records, not easily ac- 
cessible to many. We are indebted to W. L. 
Pillsbnry, so long registrar of the University 
of Illinois, who has ferreted out these facts 
from their various sources, foi- murh of the in- 
formation here given. 

The first General Assembly of Indiana Ter- 
ritory (of which Illinois was then a part) at 
the second session, "begun and held at the 
Borough of Vincennes" passed, November 29, 
1806. "An ;u't to incorporate an university in 
Indiana Teri'itory," and since this act was, 
doubtless, passed by the help of Illinois mem- 
bers and bears in addition to the approval of 
William Henry Harrison, Governor, the signa- 
tures of "Jesse B. Thomas, Speaker of the 
House of Representatives," and "P. Menard, 
President pro tern, of the Legislative Council," 
both Illinois men and subsequently fanmus in 
our territcM'ial and state history, we may fairly 
claim that it belongs in part to us. Following 
the enacting clause are numerous "where- 
ases." and a clause creating the corporation 
and a board of trustees, with Wm. Henry Har- 
rison ;it the head, who are directed to estab- 
lish the University as speedil.v as may be. and 
to appoint; "A president and not exceeding 
fiuu' professors for the instruction of the youth 
in the Latin. Greek. French and English lan- 
gnaues. ^Mathematics, Natural Philosophy. 
Logic. Rhetoric and the Law of Natiire and 
Nations." It was enacted "That no particular 
tenets of ri»liiiion shall be taught in said Uni- 
versity by the president and professors." But 
it was provided in the act that there should be 
established dejiartments of theology, law and 
])hysii- wlien the good of the University and 
the progress of education reciuired their estab- 
lishment. Two other sections, 11 and 13, pro- 
vided respectivel.v, the one for "the utmost 
endeavors of the trustees to induce the abo- 
rigines to send their children to the University 
for education, who, when sent, shall l)e main- 
tained, clothed and educated at the expense 
of said institution," the other for the estab- 
lishment of ail institution for the education of 
females "as soon as in the oinnion of the trus- 
tees the funds of the said institution will ad- 
mit. " 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



279 



The institution was given the seminary 
township and granted power to sell 4,000 acres ; 
it was given power to receive donations and 
bequests and to hold not exceeding 100,000 
acres of land, and to raise $20,000 by a lot- 
tery. The trustees organized December 6, 
1806, with Gen. Harrison as president; a brick 
building was erected and the preparatory de- 
partment put into operation, but it was not so 
sucee.ssful as Harvard College in attracting the 
Indians ; not even two were gathered within 
its walls. Teciimseh was organizing them for 
his struggle, and they "showed a far greater 
predisposition for disfurnishing the outside of 
other people's heads than for furnishing the 
insides of their own." The female department 
was not organized until 18-56, and the male 
and female departments were merged together 
in 1870. But the subsequent checkered his- 
tory of Vincennes Univei'sity belongs rather 
to Indiana than to Illinois. 

One other act of the (General Assembly of 
the Territory of Indiana also concerns us, viz., 
that of 1808, empowering the Courts of Com- 
mon Pleas in the several counties of the 
Territory to lease for not more than five years 
school lands in their respective counties, not 
more than one quarter section to one man and 
with a provision that at least ten acres should 
be improved. This law was to continue in 
force until the close of the first session of the 
next Teri-itorial Legislature, biit this did not 
meet x;ntil 1810. and meanwhile Illinois Ter- 
ritoi-y had been organized. However, the 
Governor and Judges of the new territoiy had 
met at Kaska.skia, June 13, 1809, and had re- 
solved that in their opinion the laws of In- 
diana of a general character were in force in 
Illinois so far as applicable: and the first act 
of the Territorial Legislature at tiie first ses- 
sion in 1812, declared the laws in force in In- 
diana, March 1, 1809, to be in force in Illinois. 
So it was more than probable that this law was 
continued, and that the 16th section lands were 
leased, if leased at all, by the Courts of Com- 
mon Pleas, until the State Legislature in 1819 
provided otherwise. 

The only action taken by our own territorial 
legislature with regard to schools or school 
lands, was a joint resolution passed January 
4. 1816, which, after reciting the gift of a 
township of land for a seminary of learning, 
and that it had not been located yet. and that 
the registrar and receiver of public lands could 
not leave their business and make the location, 
requested them to appoint one or two persons 
competent to make the selection and to set 
apart the township chosen by them as the sem- 
inary township. The Auditor of the territory 



was also directed by this resolution to pay the 
expenses that might be incurred in making the 
location. The township was selected in 1816; 
and by whomever made the selection seems to 
have been a poor one, for it, T. 5 N. R. 1 W., 
3d P. M., is in the Okaw bottom in part, and 
the location was so unsatisfactory that on the 
plea that "This township now is and ever will 
continue to be totally valueless for a seminary 
of learning," the Legislature persuaded Con- 
gress to grant, in 1831, the right to surrender 
the town.ship and select thirty-six sections in 
lieu thereof. 

One other act belonging both to our Terri- 
torial and State history should be mentioned 
here. When the act to enable the people of 
the Territory of Illinois to form a State Gov- 
ernment was luider consideration in the House 
of Representatives, our delegate in Congress, 
;\Ir. Nathaniel Pope, as is well known, secured 
an amendment fixing our northern boundary 
where it is, instead of on a line running Avest 
from the south end of Lake Michigan, for Illi- 
nois the territory noAV containing more than 
one-thiid of the population and wealth of the 
State and the commercial emporium of the 
West. It is not so well known that on the 
same day he procured a further amendment of 
the act, thus gaining large funds for our 
schools. Ohio and Indiana, when admitted, 
had been granted five per cent of the net pro- 
ceeds of the future sales of government lands 
within their limit for building roads and canals. 
There was a similai' pr<ivision in the Enabling 
Act for Illinois, 'i'lirough Mr. Pope's efforts 
the bill as amended gave three per cent of the 
proceeds of such sales for what we now know 
as "The School Fund Proper" and our "Col- 
lege Fund." That we have to-day these two 
noble school funds, both together in I'ound 
numbers .$800,000. is due to Nathaniel Pope's 
sagacity. 

The essential points of the free school idea 
are: (1) A school system based upon law. 
(2) A school free of all rates or charges for all 
children of given ages. (3) Defraying all the 
expenses of such school, except so far as paid 
by the incomes of school funds, by a general 
tax upon all classes of property and all per- 
sons. The school law passed by the General 
Assembly of Illinois. January 15, 1825, em- 
braced all these jioints, with the additional pro- 
vision that two dollars out of every hunclred 
received into the State Treasury should be dis- 
tributed to the counties for the support of pub- 
lic schools organized under the act, in accord- 
ance with which the state aid would have been 
at first about $1,000 a year. The law met with 
much clamorous ojiposition. which was strong 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



enough to repeal the provision for State aid at 
the next session of the General Assembly, and 
to take all the life out of the measure by 
amending it so that no one should be taxed 
without his consent. 

It was fully thirty years before the advanced 
position taken by this early law was reached 
and permanently occupied by the State; for it 
was not until 1855 that our present free school 
law was enacted and our schools put upon a 
sound hnaneial basis. The subject of education 
was one, however, that was forcing itself upon 
the people of the State. The press was active 
in presenting the needs of provision for the 
establishment of schools by showing that from 
one-half to three-fourths of the children in the 
State were destitute of the means of education. 
Parents whose children were growing up in 
ignorance were, many of them, restive, and 
candidates for olifiee who in those days ad- 
dressed themselves directly to voters declaring 
their positions u])on questions of public inter- 
est, deemed it wise in announcing themselves 
to proclaim their devotion to the cause of 
learning. The Sangamo Journal of Jlarch 15, 
1832, has a "Comnuinication" signed "A. Lin- 
coln," dated New Salem, March 9, 1832. ad- 
dressed to the peo])le of Sangamo County. 
After declaring himself in favor of opening 
good roads; of building a railroad from Spring- 
tield to the Illinois river at an estimated ex- 
pense of $290,800 and of enacting a law set- 
ting a limit to usury, he proceeded at some 
length, in this "Communication." to express 
his views upon the importance of educational 
advantages and their necessity from a civic 
as well as from a uKtral standpoint. 

In February, 1833. there was held at Van- 
dalia what is called the first of the series of 
educational conventions, which, running up to 
1855, served to bring together the friends of 
education, to harmonize and concentrate their 
etforts, and rouse the enthusiasm and create 
the outside pressure so often needed to secure 
legislation. The occasion seems to have been 
seized upon to organize an educational society, 
the movement being led by Rev. J. M. Peck. 
An address on Education was delivered at the 
State House by James Hall, and after the ad- 
dress resolutions were adopted expressing the 
appreciation of the address, good will to Judge 
Hall and regret at his contemplated departure 
from the State. 

In addition to this a conuiiittee was ap- 
pointed to devise measures for obtaining in- 
formation on the subject of education, and to 
devise a sy.stem of public instruction, and to 
report on these subjects the following Mon- 
day evening. The result of the whole matter 



was the organization of the Illinois Institute 
of Fxlucation. A Constitution was adopted and 
officers were elected. A bill to incorporate an 
institution inader the name of Illinois University 
was introduced in the General Assembly in 

1833. It failed, however, not alone because of 
the jealousies of the friends of the three col- 
leges already in existence, though not incor- 
porated, but doubtless from the reasons, also, 
that the State, not having the courage to levy 
taxes for its current expenses, had laid hands 
upon the College fund and proceeds of the 
sales of Seminary lands, \ised them up and 
could not pay. Governor Duncan in his mes- 
sage to the next General Assembly, in Decem- 
ber, 1834, urged the establishment of a State 
University, and in one way and another the 
question was agitated from this time on un- 
til the Illinois Industrial Univei'sity was in- 
corjiorated in 1867. 

The itinerant school teacher is still known 
in the land, but the itinerant or circuit school, 
which had some advocates, and existed in 
Bond County and perhaps elsewhere about 
this time, has passed away. The plan was 
for the teacher to .spend from 8 o'clock a. m. 
to 12 in the school in one district and then 
go til the next district, have school from 2 
(("clock ]i. m. to 4, and the next morning from 
8 o'clock to 12, returning from the afternoon 
to the first district. Another plan was for 
the teacher, when the schools were too far 
apart for him to go from one to the other 
at noon, to stay two or three days at one school 
and then the same time at the other, and 
sometimes the teacher would take charge of 
three schools in this way. The teacher was 
expected to furnish books, etc., in part. It is 
reported that b<ith i)atrons and teachers agreed 
that on this plan the children nuide as great, 
or even greater proficiency in the same time 
than on the plan of all day schools. It is in- 
ferred from the fact that there is so little 
record of them that but few schools were 
conducted uiioii that plan. 

The friends of education began early in 

1834, to prepare for the meeting of the leg- 
islature in December. The indefatigable Rev. 
J. M. Peck suggested the importance of a 
State Education Convention at Vandalia the 
first Friday in December, which was also the 
time of meeting of Illinois Institute of Educa- 
tion. This suggestion was followed and over 
half the counties of the State sent delegates 
to what is known as the second "Illinois 
Education Convention." It is inferred that 
as the jiroceedings make no mention of the 
Institute that the Institute's meeting was 
merged into that of the Convention. The 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



immediate eft'ect of the action of this L'on- 
veution was a "'Repoi-t on the Subject of 
Education," made to the Senate Feb. 5, 1835, 
by Hon. Wm. J. Gatewood, senator from Gal- 
latin County, "Proposing a plan for a uniform 
system of common schools and county semi- 
naries throughout the State." The plan was an 
excellent one, superior in some respects to that 
now in operation, but it was of no avail. The 
legislature still believed in keeping taxation 
at a minimum. The most it would do was to 
direct the Auditor to ascertain the amount due 
to the several school funds from the State, 
computing the interest at .six per cent, and to 
order that beginning with Jan. 1, 1836, the 
interest should be distributed annually to the 
counties, on the basis of the minor white pop- 
ulation, to be used in pa.ying teachers' wages, 
providing that not more than half the wages 
should be paid in this way, leaving the other 
half, the incidental expenses and the build- 
ing of school houses to be provided for by the 
voluntary efforts of the patrons of the schools. 

In 1834.-5. Alton College (now Shurtleff), 
Illinois College and McKendreean College 
(later McKendree), each came before the legis- 
lature seeking a charter. The friends of these 
institutions, having gained wisdom, from pre- 
vious experiences, consulted together, and on 
the suggestion of Judge Thomas, concluded to 
put in one bill instead of three, and that was 
drawn by Judge Thomas. These institutions 
were all sectarian, or. at lea.st. closely allied 
with the leading religious denominations, and 
there was a strong prejudice against sectarian 
intiuence and a fear that the in.stitutions might 
become large landed monopolies under the 
dominion of the clergy and the Yankees. From 
this and other causes the friends of the colleges 
were forced to admit two restrictions into their 
charters: one, that they should not hold more 
than 640 acres of land, and the other that they 
should not establish theological departments. 
They, however, took what they could get and 
bided their time (which came a few years later) 
to get rid of the limitations. The Educational 
Convention had. doubtless, some influence in 
favor of granting these charters. The bill, as 
passed, included Jonesborough College, in 
Union County, which was added to the other 
three named above while the measure was 
pending, as appears from the legislative record. 

The iirst county meeting of teachers in this 
State, so far as can be learned, was "The 
Sangamon County Society for the Promotion 
of Education." formally organized Aug. 19, 
1837, with Erastus Wright, president. It had 
a course of lectures, the following winter. 

The Sangamo Journal, Aug. 13, 1836, had 



this: "The annual commencement of Jackson- 
ville Colleges, Sept. 21, 1836, N. B.— A con- 
vention of teachers will be held on the after- 
noon of the preceding to concert measiires for 
the cause of education in this state." 

The meeting was held, pursuant to notice on 
the afternoon of Sept. 20, 1836, and adjourn- 
ment made to Thursdaj', Sept. 22, at 2 o'clock 
p. m., when the Illinois Teachers' Association 
was organized with Rev. Edwd. Beecher, Presi- 
dent : Revs. John Bachelor and Lewis Coleby, 
Vice-Presidents: Rev. John F. Brooks, Secre- 
tary: ilr. R. A. Russell, Treasurer: Revs. J. M. 
Sturtevant, Theron Baldwin and John Bachelor, 
Committee of Arrangements for the next 
meeting. 

At the regular session of the General Assem- 
bly of 1836-37, an act was passed permitting 
the people of any township to organize for 
school purposes, and having done that, to elect 
live trustees, who should have charge of all 
the school affairs of the township, employ 
teachers (but only such as held certificates), 
make reports to the school commissionei's, ex- 
amine teachers and give them certificates. Had 
these trustees been given the power to levy 
taxes, to build .school houses and maintain 
schools, the law passed might have proved the 
foundation of a "township" system better in 
many respects than our present "district" sys- 
tem. Lacking this power the plan was fatally 
weak. 

To the year 1837 belongs the first school 
journal printed in Illinois, The Common School 
Advocate, published at Jaelcsonville, by E. T. 
and C. Goudy, monthly, beginning with Jan- 
uary. The editorial department was conducted 
by a few literary gentlemen who were doubt- 
less Illinois College professors. 

At the session of the legislature in 1838-9. 
Hon. 0. H. Browning, senator from Adams 
County, introduced a bill for a system of 
common schools, but any statement of the bill, 
which failed to pass, has not been found. The 
legislature at the same session passed a bill 
making country school commissioners elective: 
but the Council of Revision returned the bill 
with objections, and it was laid on the table. A 
bill to create the office of State Superintendent 
seems to have remained in the hands of the 
committee to which it was referred. Efforts 
in this direction were also made at the special 
session of the legislature. 1839-40, with the 
same general results. 

The Sangamo Journal, Nov. 27. 1840, issued 
a call for an educational convention to be held 
in Springfield commencing Dec. 16. 1840. This 
convention met in the Hall of Representatives, 
in the evening of Dec. 16, and seem.s to have 



PAST AND PRESP:XT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



held ail evening session only. After temporary 
organization and addresses hy a number of 
prominent men, a committee was appointed 
to consider the propriety of a permanent or- 
ganization and to report at a future meeting. 
This meeting was held in the Senate Chamber, 
Dec. 28, and the Illinois State Education 
Society was organized. At this meeting, or 
at a special meeting, a committee was appointed 
to prepare a memorial to the legislature. This 
was presented in the House Jan. 13, 1841. 
Doubtless as a result of the discussions in this 
meeting and the influence of the memorial, a 
bill was introduced Jan. 16, making provision 
for organizing and maintaining common 
schools. The act, as passed, has 109 sections, 
one of which repeals all previous acts. It made 
the county commissioner an elective officer, 
with a term of two years. The sale of school 
lands and the loaning of school funds at twelve 
per cent interest were carefully lu-ovided for. 
The inco}'poration of school townships and the 
organization of school districts was made pos- 
sible, all over the state. The examination of 
teachers by tru.stees and directors was pro- 
vided for, also penalties for failure to make re- 
ports. But no taxation for school purposes was 
permitted. 

. In 1839, John S. Wright, Secretary of the 
Union Agricultural Society, who, in 1835 had 
erected at his own expense ($507.93) the first 
buildinu- for a school lioiise in Chicago, pro- 
posed ti) publish a paper iiiiiler the auspices of 
the Society — devoted to agi'icultural interests. 
Two advance numbei's were published in the 
fall of 1840, and in these he wrote at length 
upon the great need in the new county of good 
teachers, and proposed as the remedy that the 
State should at once establish a teachers' 
seminary and endow it with the college and 
seminary funds. So far as has been found 
this is the first definite proposition for a State 
Normal School in Illinois. \jr. Wright's paper 
was the Union Aurinilt ni'alist and Western 
Prairie Farmei-. whieh heeaiiK' the Prairie 
Parmer in 1843. Mr. Wright was very active 
in the cause of education for many years, not 
oidy tlu'ough the columns of his paper but 
by pei'soiially appearing before the legislature 
explaining and elucidating measures proposed 
for the organization of a better system of com- 
mon schools. From the start until the Illinois 
Teacher was beuun in 1855, his paper, the 
Prairie Farmer, occupied the field of school 
journalism in Illinois. The school history of 
this period is largely written from its pages. 

In 1844 a law was passed in which substan- 
tial progress was made. The Secretary of State 
was made ex-officio State Superintendent of 



Common Schools, with nearly the same duties 
as the Superintendent now has, and the County 
Commissioner of School Lands was made ex- 
officio County Superintendent of Schools, and 
was recpiired to visit schools and to give advice 
on all matters pertaining thereto, he was also 
recjuired, with the assistance of associates 
whom he shmild appoint, to examine all can- 
didates for positions as teachers in his county 
and to issue certificates to such as were found 
worthy and well cjualified. School funds could 
not be paid to such teachei's as did not hold 
certificates. Trustees were equal in poAver with 
conniiissioners in the matter of the examination 
of teachers. The congressional townships were 
made school townships with a board of trus- 
tees elected, and with nearly the same powers 
as now. It also made it the duty of the triis- 
tees to district the townships and gave such 
(iisti'icts power to elect a board of directors 
1() manage its schools as they now do. In fact 
it gave us the "district" system. A homeo- 
pathic dose of taxation was also permitted ; 
the legal voters of the district could vote a 
tax, for all school purposes, not exceeding 
fifteen cents on the hundred dollars. Of all 
these changes for the better, no one was of 
moi-e value than that Avhich gave supervision 
of the teachers and the schools. The quicken- 
ing effect of the new law, and of the discus- 
sions which preceded and followed it, was felt 
in the organization of many teachers' associa- 
tions. The Franklin Association inckided 
(ireene, Jersey, Macoupin and JIadison Coun- 
ties, and was organized Oct. 12. 1S45. Adams 
and Marcpiette (afterwards absorbed in 
Adams) Counties formed an association. These 
were only two of the many associations formed. 

The Northwestern Educational Society was 
organized at the Chicago Convention, which 
met Oct. 8. 1846, with Wm. B. Ogden as Presi- 
dent : (i. W. ]\Ieeker, Recording Secretary, and 
John S. Wright, Corresponding Secretary, and 
a vice-president for each of the nine states 
represented in the convention. It held sub- 
sequent sessions in Milwaukee, July 25. 1847. 
and in Detroit, Aug. 17, 1848. 

In Will County, Oct. 19, 1848, so far as 
appeai-s, the first county institute was held. In 
October, 1849, an institute continuing for three 
weeks was held in Ottawa, with sixty-two 
teachers |)resent. One in Pike County in 1850, 
of which till' Prairie Farmer gives a fiattering 
account, \\as in charge of Prof. J. B. Turner, 
assi.«ted by John Shastid. with fifty-five teach- 
ers present. By this time institutes had be- 
come common. There were twenty-five teach- 
ei's employe(l in the common schools of Chicago 
at this time, and in December, 1850, the com- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



283 



mon council ordered that "the teachers in all 
the schools shall meet on Saturdays under the 
direction of inspectors, for their own improve- 
ment in teaching-. ■" This in place of teaching 
half a day Saturday as they had been doing. 
This action had been suggested to the council 
by the board of school inspectors. 

During twelve years beginning 1847. lion. 
Wni. Slade of Vermont, as agent of the Ohio 
Central Committee for the advancement of 
common school education, brought west about 
five hundred teachers, more than one hundred 
of them coming to Illinois. "Being ladies of 
culture and having had special training for 
this work as teachers, they did build up our 
.schools. ' ' 

Hon. Thomjjson Campbell. Secretary of State 
and ex-officio Superintendent of Common 
Schools, made the first State School Report 
(if we except a very brief report made by Levi 
Davis. Auditor, for the year 1837) in Januai-y, 
1847. The statistics were reported to him in 
response to a circular sent to county school 
commissioners dated Sept. 3. 1846. Returns 
were received from 57 counties as follows: 
Schools. 1.592 : scholars. 46.814 ; persons under 
twenty years of age, 155,715 ; funds (town- 
ship). $557,780: funds raised by tax. $8,763: 
school houses. 1.328; average wages of teachers 
per month, male and female. $12.90: district 
libraries, 21: teachers, male (56 counties), 
1.051: teachers, female (56 counties), 484. 

By act of Congress in 1850 eei'tain "swamp" 
lands were again given to the States formed 
fr(un the public domain. Illinois has received 
about 1,500.000 acres under this act. By an act 
of General Assembly approved June 22, 1852, 
these lands were granted by the State to the 
several counties in order that they might be 
used for drainage purposes. There was a pro- 
vision in this act whereby any of said lands, 
the sale of which was not necessary to com- 
plete the reclaiming and draining the same, 
should constitute a pai-t of the school fund 
of each township, to be disposed of by the 
school commissioners of said counties, for edu- 
cational purposes, in the same manner as the 
sixteenth section of each township. The amount 
added to the common school funds from this 
source in the several counties and townships 
is estimated at about $600,000. 

Pursuant to a call signed by thirty-two 
educational men of the state, a convention met 
in the ilethodist Chiu'ch in Bloomington on the 
evening of Dec. 26. 1853. At this meeting was 
fairly organized the present Illinois State 
Teachers' Association. A charter was secured 
Feb. 14. 1855. under the name of Illinois State 
Teachers" Institute. It amended its constitu- 



tion at the meeting of 1856, made the name, 
The Illinois State Teachers' Association. By 
act of Feb. 11, 1857. the legislature made this 
the legal name of the organization. 

At the special session of the legislature in 
February, 1854, a law was passed providing 
for the election of a State Superintendent of 
Schools at the general election in November. 
1855. and every two years thereafter (which 
was a blunder. 1854 being intended), and that 
the Governor should appoint a tit man to hold 
the office until the election. Hon. Ninian W. 
Edwards was appointed by Gov. Mattesou, 
and because of the blunder noted above, since 
then, there was no general election held in 
1855. retained the office until January, 1857. 
There was other legislation affecting public 
schools by which a great impetus was given to 
the school work. The chief features of the 
law which helped the onward movement were 
the •'no-school-no-state-fund" clause and the 
provisions for local taxation. 

The bill for a normal school was introduced 
in the General Assembly, that convened Jan. 
6, 1857. It passed the Senate by a vote of 
sixteen to four, and the House by a vote of 
thirty-nine to twenty-ftve. The institution was 
styled a "Normal University," although what 
was established was in fact a normal school, 
and the question of location was shrewdly 
eliminated from the contest before the legisla- 
ture by referring it to the trustees appointed 
in the "bill. The board advertised for proposals, 
and several cities and towns competed for the 
jirize. The bid of :\IcLean county ($141,725 in 
real estate and subscription pledges) was so 
far ahead of the others that the board located 
the university "on the 160 acres of fine rolling 
land within three-(iuarters of a mile from the 
jmiction of the Illinois Central and Chicago 
and Alton railroads." upon the condition that 
the full amount of the JilcLeau county sub- 
scription of $70,000 should be legally guaran- 
teed within sixty days, in default of which 
the location was to be made at Peoria. They 
employed Abraham Lincoln to draw up a form 
f)f bond or guaranty to be signed by respon- 
sible citizens of Bloomington. The corner stone 
of the university building was laid on Sept. 
29. 1857. but the financial crisis of that year 
caused the work to be temporarily su.spended. 
and hence the buildings were not thoroughly 
completed until the early part of 1861. The 
total cost of the buildings, with all the inci- 
dental expenses, books and furniture, was 
about $200,000. a large part of which was 
raised and utilized by the strenuous and per- 
sistent efforts of Gen. Charles E. Hovey. Dur- 
ing the years while the great building was 



284 



PAST AXl) ['KKSEXT OF ADAilS COUNTY 



risini;- to completion the sehool work was car- 
ried on in a ci-aniped and inconvenient bniklinu' 
called Major's Hall. The first president of the 
nniversity was ('harles E. Ilovey. bnt at the 
beginning of the Civil War he entered the 
army as colonel of the Normal Regiment, which 
he had organized. .Nine of the iiistrnctors ac- 
companied him as (jfficei-s. and a ma.jority of 
the male stndents as piivates. Dr. Richard 
Edwartls was presid<'nt from 1862 to 187() ; l)i'. 
Edwin C. Ilervett from 1S7G to 1891; Dr. John 
W. Cook from 1891 to 1899: Dr. David Pehnley 
is the present president (1905). 

"Where was the fii'st fi'ec school established 
in Illinois.'" is a (piestinn not easily aus\vered. 
Hon. Ninian P^dwai-ds stated in an address be- 
fore the State Teachers' Association in Deeattu- 
in 1870, that it was established in Alton in 
1821, under the law passed that year, and he 
repeats the statement in his "History of Illi- 
nois and Life of Ninian Edwai-ds," ]>. 19."). It 
is true that about this time a town was laid 
out near what is now Upper Alton, and that 
the proprietors gave one hnndred town lots, 
one-half for religions jiiu-poses and one-half f(n' 
school purposes, and that by an act of 1881, 
certain trustees therein named were vested 
with the title to those lots, and given power 
to levy a ta.\ of not more than seventy-five 
cents a year upon the lots in the town and 
re(|uired to establish and maintain a school free 
to all children, in the town, of a suitable age. 
After careful in(piii'y the weight of testimony 
seems to be that no school was established 
in Alton under this l.iw. and tliat Mr. Edw^ards 
inferred thai the liisl free school was estab- 
lished thei'e from the fact that a law was 
passed making such a thing possible. 

In October, 183:^ a large part of the school 
section in Chicago was sold for !f;39,000; the 
interest on this fund went for the support of 
schools. Feb. (;, LSii,"), "An act relating to 
schools in Township thirty-nine north. Range 
fourteen east," M-as passed, vesting certain 
powers in the legal voters of that township, 
which was Chicago, Alton, in 1837, and Spring- 
field and Jacksonville in 1840 were given 
power to establish and maintain schools, bnt it 
does not appejii- that either city exercised this 
powei- until a iiuicli later date. It is thus seen 
that the honor of having the first free schools 
in the State must b(> cmiceded to Chicago and 
the date placed as early as 1834. It is probable 
that the schools were first graded in C-hicago, 
since a beginning had been made as early as 
1846, In 1844 "a good permanent brick school 
house, 60x80, two .stories," had been erected 
at a cost of about $4,000, and pi'csumahly this 
school was graded. The l)uildiug was thought 



by many to be too large for the needs of the 
city, and the J\Iayor. in his inaugural message, 
"reconnnended that tlie big school house be 
either sold or converted into an insane 
asylum.'' 

In A])i-il, 1847, for the first time the city of 
Onincy was organized into school districts 
\uider the control of the city authorities, by a 
law of the legislature. In June of the same 
year, ordinances were adopted by the council 
for the support and management of the public 
schools and the appointment of a superintend- 
ent. ]\Ir. I. ]\1. (hover was chosen for the posi- 
tion, and he served in that cajjacity for three 
years. 

Dr. Hateman organized the West Jackson- 
ville District School in September, 1851, with 
four departments — primary. intermediate, 
grannnar and high school — and, according to 
his own statements, all departments were made 
free to resident pupils some time before the 
free school act of 1855 went into force. The 
pupils of this high school were taken over a 
course of study sutficient to fit them for col- 
lege, and it was the first genuine high school 
in the State which was a free school. 

The Peoria high school was organized in 
1856, with Charles E. Hovey lor principal. 
The Chicago high school followed in October 
of the same year, with C. A. Dupee as prin- 
cipal. The city eoiuicil of Chicago authorized 
tlie <ii)pointnient of a superintendent of schools 
with a salary of not more than .^1,500, in No- 
vember, 1S53. The school board elected John 
C, Don, who was pi'incipal of the Boylston 
Grammar School, iloston, who accepted and 
enteretl on his duties in Jmie, 1854. Mr. Hovey 
became superintendent of schools in Peoria in 
1855. It shoidd be mentioned here that neither 
the State Constitution of 1818 nor that of 1848 
makes any special mention of education. The 
constitution of 1870, on the contrary has an 
entire article devoted to the subject and de- 
clares "that the (Jeneral Assembly shall pro- 
vide a thorough and etticient system of free 
schools, whereby all children of the State may 
receive a good common school education." The 
first law providing for the establishment of 
free schools, as has been noticed, was passed 
in 1825. Many changes have since been made, 
some of which destroyed for a time the free 
school features of the system. Some of the 
most important laws passed and now in foi'ce, 
aside from that creating the separate office of 
State Superintendent, are deserving of notice. 

The school law of 1865 provided that County 
Superintendents, instead of county commis- 
sioners, shoidd be elected in the legular elec- 
tion of November, the same year, and hold 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



285 



office for four years. He has supervision of 
the township treasurers whose bonds must be 
approved by him, and to whom he apportions 
the money from State and County funds: he ex- 
amines their bonds, accounts, notes, etc.. an- 
nually and withholds from those districts, that 
have not made annual report to him, their 
share of funds. He must hold annually a 
teachers' institution, which must continue in 
session at least five days. The expenses of this 
institute are paid from what is known as the 
"institute fund," derived from the payment 
of a fee of one dollar from every applicant for 
examination for a teacher's certificate, and for 
each renewal of a certificate. Prior to 1885, 
the county superintendent visited schools only 
when directed to do so by the county board. 
Under the present law he must visit every 
school in his county at lea.st once a year. He 
is to spend at least one-half the time given to 
his office in visiting ungraded schools. 

The business of the school township is done 
by three trustees, one of whom is elected on 
the second Saturday in Api-il annually, except, 
as is usually the case, where the boundaries of 
the school township coincide and are identical 
with the boundaries of the town, as established 
under the township organization laws when the 
election of school trustees is held at the same 
time as the annual town meeting. Their duties 
are. to appoint the township treasurer, to 
divide the township into districts or to change 
the same under certain conditions and to ap- 
portion and distribute the State. County and 
Township funds on hand and stdj.iect to dis- 
tribution among the several districts which 
have kept school according to law. 

Each school district has three directors, one 
being elected annually on the third Saturday 
in April at the district election. The directors 
have the management of the school in their 
district in the matter of prescribing rules for 
the school employing teachers, selection of 
text-books, etc., they may levy a tax within 
limits prescribed by law. at present not to 
exceed two and one-half per cent for educa- 
tional and two and one-half per cent for build- 
ing purposes, to defray the expenses of the 
schools in their districts. In school distiicts 
having a jxipulation of not less than 1,000 and 
not over 100,000 inhabitants, under the general 
law. instead of the directors provided by the 
law in other districts, a board of education, 
consisting of a president, six members, and 
three additional members for every additional 
lO.ODO inhabitants, is elected. 

As has been noted, the oldest educational in- 
stitution of the State is the X(n-nuil University, 
at Xormal. ilcLean County, established in 1857. 



The institution is under control of the Board 
of Edvication of the State of Illinois. This 
board consists of fifteen members. The State 
Superintendent of Public Instruction is ex- 
officio a member and secretary of the Board. 

The University of Illinois, located at Ur- 
bana. Champaign County, was established in 
l(S(i7, utider the name of Illinois Industrial 
University. The change to University of 
Illinois was made in 1885. the fact that the 
word industrial is applied to charitable and 
penal institutions being the principal reason 
for the change. In 1862 congress provided for 
the apportionment, to such of the States as 
should comply with certain provisions within 
five years, of an amount of public land equal 
to 30,000 acres for each senator and repre- 
sentative in congress to which each State was 
entitled by the census of 1860. One of the 
provisions of the grant was that there should 
be established in each state desiring to obtain 
an apportionment of land at least one college 
in which the leading object should be to teach 
such branches of learning as are related to 
agriculture and the mechanic arts. The pres- 
ent I^niversity of Illinois was established imder 
the provisions of this act of congress. It is 
controlled by a board of trustees, nine in num- 
l)er. three being elected every two years. The 
(iovernor, the President of the State Board of 
Agriculture and the State Superintendent of 
Public Instruction are ex officio members. 

The Southern Illinois Xormal University 
was established in 1869. It is located at 
Carbondale, Jackson County, and is controlled 
by a board of five trustees. 

The Eastern Illinois State Xormal School, 
located at Charleston, Coles County, was es- 
tablished in 1895. It is controlled by a board 
of five trustees. 

The Xorthern Illinois State Xormal School, 
also established in 1895 and controlled by five 
trustees, is located at DeKalb, DeKalb County. 
The Western lUinoi.s State Xormal School is 
at ilactnnb, JIcDonough County. It was es- 
tablished in 1899, and is controlled by five 
trustees. 

per:\iaxext school fuxds. 

The following is a statement of the perma- 
nent school funds, the income alone of which 
can be expended for school purposes: 

1. School Fund Proper, being three per cent 
on the net proceeds of the sales of the public 
lands in the State, one-sixth part excepted. 
This fund amounts to $613,362.96. 

2. Surplus Revenue, being a portion of the 
money received by the State from the General 
Government, under an act of Congress pro- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



viding- for the distribution of the surplus 
revenue of the United States, and by act of 
the Legislature, March 4, 1837, made a part of 
the common school fund. This amount is 
$335,592.32. 

3. College Fund, being one-sixth part of the 
three per cent fund originally required by act 
of Congress to be devoted to the establishment 
and maintenance of a State College or univer- 
sity, $156,613.32. 

4. Seminary Fund, being the proceeds of 
the sales of the "Seminary Lands" originally 
tlonated to the State by the (Jeneral Govern- 
ment for the founding and support of a State 
seminary, $59,833.72. 

5. County Funds, created by act of the Leg- 
islature, Feb. 7, 1835, which provided that the 
teachers sliould not receive from the public 
fund more than luilf the amount due them for 
services rendered the preceding year, and that 
the surplus should constitute the principal of 
a new fund to be called the "County School 
Fund." total in all counties. $158,072.83. 

6. Township Funds, being the net proceeds 
of the sale of the sixteenth section in each 
Congressional township of the State, the same 
having been donated to the state for common 
school purposes by act of Congress in 1818 
and of additions thereto, total of all the town- 
ships, including value of school lands unsold, 
moderate valuation, $15,614,627.31. 

7. University of Illinois P^und, before men- 
tioned, including original sale of scrip, of lands, 
and v;due of unsold, Tinproductive lands, about 
$6()(),()()0. 

THE STATE COURSE OF STUDY. 

A in'operly graded course of instructinn is 
a very important factor in any system of 
schools. The Illinois State Course of Study, 
now generally recognized as the most com- 
plete course ever compiled for the schools of 
any state, has been in process of development 
during a period of about twenty-five years. Its 
evolution is d\ie to the realization, on the part 
of progressive superintendents, of the great 
need of some plan of country school super- 
vision. John T. Trainer, formerly county 
superintendent of Macou County, was the 
pioneer in the use of a course of study in the 
country schools of Illinois. As early as 1875 
or 1876 he issued a book entitled "A Graduat- 
ing System for Country Schools." This work 
was widely circulated and the system was 
adopted in many parts of the country. The 
Knox County Outline of Study, prepared by 
Supt. W. L. Steele, of Galesburg and Co. Supt. 
Geo. W. Oldfather, of Knox Coiinty and the 
Chami)Migii County ^Manual and Guide, pre- 



pared by Co. Supt. Geo. R. Shawlian. followed 
soon afterward and were used also in comities 
nearby, the latter princijjally in the eastern 
part of the State. There were also other 
courses of study, individual c(uu-ses, in several 
counties. It is readily seen that so many 
courses of .study were a disadvantage in many 
ways. During the meeting of the Central 
Illinois Teachers' Association, held at Jackson- 
ville in March, 1889, a luunher of enthusiastic 
county superintendents :iiid other friends of 
the plan, met in one of the hotels and dis- 
cussed in an informal way the advantages of 
having a state course of study. As a result of 
this discussion, Hon. Richard Edwards, State 
Superintendent of Public Instruction, was 
asked to call a meeting of County Superintend- 
ents and leading teachers of the State to dis- 
cuss the sub,iect, and if thought advisable to 
take steps to prepare a state course. The call 
was issued and the conference was held in 
Spi'ingtield, April 10, 1889. At the close of 
the day's conference a committee of five county 
superintendents was appointed to work out the 
course in detail according to conditions agreed 
upon. This committee consisted of the follow- 
ing comity su])ei'intendents: Geo. R. Shawlian, 
Champaign Co.; J. A. Miller, McLean Co.; 
(Jeo. W. Oldfather, Knox Co.; Geo. I. Talbot, 
DeKalb Co., and J. D. Benedict, Vermilion Co. 
The committee was a strong one and well 
chosen, the course was completed and ])ub- 
lislied in time for the opening of school in 
September, 1889. It contained 94 pages and 
continued in use five years, from 1889 to 1894. 

Acting on the suggestion of ^Ir. J. H. Free- 
man, president of the State Teachers' Associa- 
tion, December, 1893, the association appointed 
a committee to revise the course. This com- 
mittee completed the revision of the course in 
time for use in most of the annual institutes of 
1894. This first revision of the State Course 
of Study contained 96 jtages and was used 
three yeai's. from 1894 to 1897. 

At the annual meeting of the County Super- 
intendents' Section of the State Teachers' 
Association, in December, 1895, it was sug- 
gested that there should be a standing com- 
mittee on State Course of Study to revise the 
course from time to time. A committee of six was 
appointed with the under.standing that of the 
first committee one-third of the members were 
to serve one, two and three years, respectively, 
and in future members were to be appointed 
for a term of three years, except appointments 
to fill un-expired terms. The State Superin- 
tendent was to be a member of the committee 
by virtue of his office. In 1897 the committee 
put out the second revision of the course. In 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



287 



this revision the plan of alternation of studies 
was worked more definitely and extended, the 
work of the primary division was more fully 
explained and outlined to some extent, and 
new and valuable features were added, such as 
work in composition, vocal music, etc. This 
second general revision of the State Course 
contained 148 pages, and with two additions, 
a year's course in agriculture, in 1900. and 
second year's work in the same subject, 1901, 
was used six years, from 1897 to 1903. In the 
third general revision of the State Course, 
made in 1903, two new features were included, 
a course in household arts was added and sev- 
eral high school courses were carefully worked 
out on the principle of alternation. The 1903 
revision of the course contained 218 large, 
closely printed pages, and is in use at the 
present time with varying degrees of success 
in nearly all the counties of Illinois. It has 
been officially adopted in five states and terri- 
tories, and is placed in the hands of teachers 
in a number of counties in different parts of 
the United States. 

Through the use of the Course of Study great 
improvements have been made in the common 
schools : 

1. The school year has been lengthened in 
many localities. 

2. The older boys and girls enter at the 
beginning of the year and remain until the 
close in order to complete the entire course. 

3. The common school course leads up to 
the high school. 

4. The pernieiou^s custom of changing teach- 
ers twice a year has almost entirely disap- 
peared. 

5. The Course of Study has been the means 
of improving the methods of instruction of 
thousands of teachers who could not be induced 
to attend the normal schools. 

The State Course has become so well estab- 
lished and is so far reaching in its influence 
that a new subject of study or an improved 
method of teaching may be published in it, and 
in a few months thousands of teachers and tens 
of thousands of pupils of the state will go to 
work earnestly to meet the new reciuirements. 
(We are indebted to C. M. Parker, Taylorville, 
111., publisher of the State Course of Study, for 
information concerning its history, etc.) 

EDUCATION IN ADAMS COUNTY. 

The early history of education in this coun- 
ty is largely incorporated in the history of the 
townships and the city of Quincy. The ob- 
stacles in the way of pioneer endeavor and 
struggles, the hopes, the defeats and the vic- 
tories which apply to what has been said of the 



State, in securing needed legislation, were 
shared by the ambitious, progressive residents 
of Adams Comity. Where tardy recognition of 
the claims of public education was accorded, 
no county in the State more promptly pre- 
sented the opportunities and advantages of the 
free school system to her boys and girls. 

There are 182 school houses in the county, 
nearly all in good condition. Of these 129 are 
frame structures, 36 of brick, 16 of stone, and 
one only. Hickory Grove school house, in 
Liberty township, is of logs. There are seven- 
teen private schools in the county. 

The first county school commissioner is said 
to have been A. Tonzalin, from Feb. 21, 1854, 
to Dec. 1, 1857 ; but the first official i-ecord in 
the County Superintendent's office is that of 
A. W. Blakesly, from Dec. 1, 1857, to Dec. 1, 
1859. The first teachers' certificates seem to 
have been granted by him to Hamilton Yomig 
and Mary Young, of Richfield, both bearing 
date of Dec. 9, 1857. The commissioners suc- 
ceeding Blakeslv were: M. T. Lane, Dec. 1, 
1859: Wm. Avise, 1860; Hope S. Davis, 1864. 
As a result of the school law of 1865, in No- 
vember of that year Seth W. Grammer was 
elected first County Superintendent of Schools 
for a term of four yeai's. He was succeeded 
by John II. Black, who served from 1869 to 
1881. In 1881, the County Board of Super- 
visors appointed S. S. Nesbitt County Super- 
intendent for one year, in compliance with a 
law making a change in the time of election of 
certain county officers. John Jimison was 
elected to the office in the fall of 1882, and 
served from Dec. 1, of that year until his 
death in June 1893. Miss Ella "m. Grubb was 
appointed by the county board to fill out the 
remainder of his term, and in the election of 
1894, A. A. Seehorn was chosen and held the 
office until Sept. 16, 1897, when he resigned to 
accept the position of city superintendent of 
Quincy schools. A. R. Smith, by appointment 
of the county board, filled out the remainder 
of Mr. Seehorn 's term, and in the fall of 1898 
was elected to the position which he has held 
continuously since that time. 

The State Course of Study has been in use 
in the county since about 1890, however, it is 
only within the last eight years that it has 
been generally adopted and used in a sys- 
tematic way. The first county commencement, 
graduating pupils from this course, was held 
in 1900. In 1902, Supt. Smith inaugurated a 
county school rally, including field day ex- 
ercises, in connection with the annual com- 
mencement exercises. 

The high schools at Clayton, Camp Point, 
Mendon and Payson each have excellent four- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



year high school courses, which answer, amply, 
college preparatory requirements. Good graded 
schools are maintained at Ursa, Loraine, La 
Prairie, Golden, ljil)erty, Coatsburg and 
Fowler. 

OUR CITY AND COUNTRY NEWSPAPERS. 

To trace the history of all the newspapers 
which have existed in (Juiney or other parts 
of Adams county during the eighty years' life 
of the city and county, would be a taisk im- 
possible of comi)lete fulfillment without such 
research as would not justify the labor and 
time required. 

Quinc.y's oldest newspaper is the Quincy 
Herald, first established as the Bounty Land 
Register, whose history is thus epitomized in 
the Herald of April 18, 1905: 

"In a quiet way the Herald is today cele- 
brating its seventieth anniversary as a Quincy 
newspaper. It was originally established under 
the name of tlie IJounty Land Register, and, 
according to the reminiscences of Capt. Henry 
Asbury the first number was issued April 17th, 
1835. Some of the archives of the Illinois 
State Historical Society place it back in 1834, 
l>ut there is no reliable evidence on that point, 
and the early files of the paper were destroyed 
bj' fire. The original publishers were C. M. 
Woods and Dunbar Aldrich, who were both 
practical printers. Judge Richard Young had 
editorial charge at the time. On November 
15th, 1836 — one week after the election of 
Martin VanBuren as President of the United 
States — the paper was transferred to John H. 
Pettit, of Cincinnati, ami became the Quincy 
Argus and Illinois Bounty Land Register. At 
that time the entire vote of the county did not 
exceed 800. Editor Pettit wrote an article 
descriptive of the "boom" in Quincy at that 
time. Imagining himself wielding the inspired 
pen of a prophet he declared that within ten 
years Quincy would be the largest city on the 
Mississippi river with the exception of St. 
Louis. The census of 1840 — some four years 
later — gave Quincy a iio]iulation of only 2,319, 
but in 1850 the popnlatimi i-caclii'd (i,902, which 
was a remarkable advance For the decade, 
(ialena and Dubu(|ue were ahead of Quincy at 
that time and St. Paul had just reached 1,000 
souls. Now Dubu()ue and Quincy are neck and 
neck. Galena has disappeared from the contest 
and St. Paid and Minneapolis are at the top 
of the ladder. 

"In 1841 the name of the Argus was changed 
to The Herald and in 1850 it was first issued 
as a daily papei'. Under the editorial man- 
agement of Austin Brooks the paper possessed 
a national reputation. 



"The Herald is the third oldest paper in the 
state. Its seniors are the Springfield Jo\u'nal, 
which appeared November 10, 1831, and the 
Galena Gazette, which was established in 1834. 
"The Herald has had a long and somewhat 
adventuresome career. It has known prosperity 
and has faced adversity. It has passed through 
the hands of a hundred or more of editors and 
piddishers. The present management assumed 
possession September 21st. 1891." 

The stockholders of the company are E. M. 
Botsford and II. J. Eaton of Quincy, and C. L. 
Miller of Rockford, 111. :\Ir. .Miller's relation 
is not active. Jlr. Botsford is the managing 
editor and Mr. Eaton the business maiu\ger. 
The present owners bought the paiier of IMorris 
Bros., who bought of Dowing. Hinrichsen & 
Case. 

The Quincy Whig was established Jlay 5, 
1838, Major II. V. Sullivan being the publisher, 
and N. Bushnell and A. Johnson editors. Aug. 
18th of the same year, S. :M. Bartlett and Major 
Sullivan became the sole proprietors, the 
former editor and the latter as publisher, thus 
continuing until the firm was dissolved by 
the death of Mr. Bartlett in 1852. In the fall 
of 1852, John F. Morton became editor and 
he and Sullivan conducted the paper till 1854, 
when Sullivan's interest was bought by Henry 
Young. The first number of the daily was 
issued March 22. 1852. Mr. Young died in 
1855, when his interest was bought by V. Y. 
Ralston. A year later, F. S. Giddings bought 
an interest. In 1858, the Quincy Republican, a 
daily which had been started about a year, and 
the Whig were consolidated, the lu-w name be- 
ing "The Whig and Republican," ^Morton and 
F. A. Dallam being the owners. The successive 
managements included James J. Langdon, 
Charles Holt, Messrs. Bailhache & Phillips, 
Porter Smith and others. Col. John Tillson 
was the editor from 1869 till 1871 and was 
succeeded by Paul Selby. January 1. 1874, 
the establishment was bought by Daniel Wil- 
cox, whose sons, Chester A. and David F. 
Wilcox, were later admitted to i)artnership, 
and who succeeded to tin- business on the 
death of their father. May 19. 1S7S. In July, 
1898, Messrs. Wilcox sold to a stock conijiany 
and Louis F. Schaefer became business man- 
ager, and II. M. Mc]\Iein managing editor of 
the Whig. In October of that year, the stock 
was bought by Robert Ransom and the late 
J. B. Ellis, in February. 1899. the interest 
of JMr. Ransom was bought by ;\lr. Ellis, whose 
widow owns most of the stock. Perry C. Ellis 
is managing editor, and Walter W. Midler, the 
liusiness mnnagei-. 

The (j>uini-y Daily .lournal was established 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



289 



Sept. 11. 188:3, by Hiram N. Wheeler and John 
U. Weaver, the former bein^ managing editor 
and the latter busines.s manager. December 
19, 1885, C. H. Meyer became business man- 
ager, Mr. Wheeler having bought 'Sh: 
Weaver's interest. In 1899 the Journal com- 
pany bought the Daily Evening News, which 
was consolidated with the Journal under the 
hitter's name only. Mr. Wheeler owns prac- 
tically all of the stock, and continues as man- 
aging editor, Air. Meyer being the business 
manager. 

The Quincy Germauia, a German daily and 
weekly, dates from 1874, when it succeeded 
the Westliche Press and Tribune. Dr. G. C. 
Hoffman was managing editor of the Ger- 
mauia until his death, January -t, 1888. He 
was succeeded by Henry Bornnuinn. who had 
been assistant editor and who is still the man- 
aging editor. Fred C. Klene is business man- 
ager, succeeding Henry Ording, Jr., in that 
position in 1895. 

The Quincy Daily News was established in 
1877. Its absorption by the Journal has been 
noted. 

The present weekly newspapers in Quincy, 
in addition to the weekly issues of the Herald, 
the Whig and the Germania, are as follows: 

The Enterpri.se, in its twentieth year: pub- 
lished by the Enterprise Publishing Co., II. 
II. Reckmeyer, editor. 

The Farmer's Call, in its twenty-fifth year: 
John M. Stahl and A. Otis Arnold, editors. 

The Journal of Industry in its twenty-first 
year : Fred P. Taylor, editor and publisher. 

The Quincy Optic, in its twentieth year; 
l)ublished by the Optic Publishing Co., C. F. 
Perry, editor. 

The Quincv Labor News, in it twelfth year: 
W. H. Iloft'man, publisher: E. J. Northup, 
editor. 

The Quincy Record, in its eighth year : Frank 
M. Stahl, proju-ietor, and Julia D. Robbins and 
Frank JI. Stahl. editors. 

The Western Catholic, in its eighth year; 
John F. Ridder, editor and publisher. 

The monthlies are The Apple Specialist: The 
Catholic Record; The Home Seeker; The Home 
Instructor; The Poiiltry Keeper, and The Re- 
liable Poulti'y Journal. There are also a num- 
ber of school, church and fraternal publica- 
tions. 

Among the Quincy newspapers which have 
ceased to exist are : The Quincy Commercial 
Review, which was established in 1871 and 
quit in 1904; The Modern Argo ; The Evening 
Call, conducted by T. J. Heirs about six years; 
The Daily Journal, conducted about four years 
by the late T. M. Rogers; The Courier, (Ger- 



man) which lasted during 1857-8; and a num- 
ber of more transient publications. 

Following are the present newspapers in 
the county outside of Quincy: The Camp 
Point Journal, at Camp Point, was established 
in 1873, by the present editor, George W. 
Cyrus and Thomas Bailey. The latter retired 
from the paper in 1876, selling his interest to 
Mr. Cyrus. 

The Clayton Enterprise, at Claj'ton, in its 
twenty-sixth year; J. li. Staker, editor and 
publisher. 

The Mendoii Dispatch, at IMendon, in its 
twenty-seventh year; Urech & Son, proprietors. 

The" Messenger, at Plainville, Rev. J. W. 
Madison, editor and publisher. 

The Golden New Era, at Golden, in its four- 
teenth year, publi-shed by John P. Beckman. 

The Times, at Payson, in its ninth year; E. 
P. Maher & Sons, publishers. 



CHAPTER LIII. 



QtTINCY AND .XDAMS COUNTY DURING THE CIVIL, 
WAR— THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR. 

By Hon. W. H. Collins. 

CONFLICT OF OPINION. 

Quincy and Adams County shared in the 
conHiet of opinion which culminated in the 
war between the states. A large part of the 
population were immigrants, or the descend- 
ants of immigrants, from south of the Ohio 
river. Many of them believed in the theory 
of state sovereignty and the condition of 
.slavery for the negro, as a normal form of 
soeiar order. They hated anti-slavery agita- 
tion, and inclined to yield to every demand 
of the pro-slavery leaders. These men had 
determined to nationalize slavery, to preserve, 
propagate and perpetuate it. For this end they 
had secured the "repeal of the Missouri com- 
promise," the "Dred Scott decision" and the 
enactment of the "Fugitive Slave Law. ' ' They 
constantly threatened to withdraw from the 
Union unless their demands were granted. In 
order to placate the pro-.slavery leaders. Sena- 
tor Douglas had taken the position that the 
question of admitting slavery into new terri- 
tories should be decided by a vote of the in- 
habitants of the territory. This was called 
"Squatter Sovereignty." and was regarded by 
his large following, as a wise way of settling 
the question. 



290 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



Out of this agitation came the great debates 
between Lincoln and Douglas. One of these 
discussions was held in Washington Square, 
and was attended by thousands of people. Mr. 
Lincoln advocated that there should be no 
extension of slavery into new territory. "Sir. 
Douglas held that "he did not care whether 
slavery was voted up or down." He said, "I 
hold that a negro is not and never ought to be 
a citizen of the United States. I hold that 
this government was made on the white basis. 
by white men for the benefit of white men and 
their posterity forever, and should be admin- 
istered by white men, and none others. I do 
not believe that the Almighty made the negi'o 
capable of self-government." This probably 
expressed the opinion of a large majority of 
the Democrats of Adams county. 

As indicative of the spirit of a large and 
influential portion of the people the Quincy 
Herald on April 10, 1861, used this language : 
"The slave states have gone out of the Union, 
or, those that have not already done so will 
most likely do so soon, — when that takes place, 
the republicans will not be able to rally the 
thousands of deluded men that have followed 
them with the cry of 'no more slave territory 
or no more slave states, or down with 
slavery.' " In its next issue, it assumed the 
success of secession, and, consec[uently that 
custom houses wo\dd be established on tlie 
boundary lines of the confederacy, and "con- 
gratulated the farmers of Adams county, that 
all agricultural productions usually shipped 
from Quincy, would be duty free." It was 
not without good reason, that southern leaders 
expected a "solid south and a divided north." 

After the "great debates," though Mr. Lin- 
coln received a majority of the popular vote, 
Mr. Douglas was elected by the legislature to 
the senate. A majority of the voters of Adams 
county were Douglas democrats. 

After the election of Mr. Lincoln to the 
presidency in 1860, the pro-slaveiy leaders 
decided to lead their states to secede from the 
Union. In this crisis. Senator Douglas stood 
firmly for the Union. To him, probably, more 
than to any otlier man, belongs the honor of 
inspiring liis jiarty with a patriotic purpose to 
support the president in his efforts to maintain 
the Union by milit;ny force. He made power- 
ful appeals, in liis brilliant and effective 
speeches. He said: "I deprecate war, but if it 
must come, I am witli my country under all 
circumstances and in every contingency." He 
said: "I stand by Mr. Lincoln and will sup- 
port him in every effort to put down re- 
bellion." Inspired by this leadership, demo- 
crats joined with republicans, forgot partisan 
differences and responded with enthusiasm to 



the call for trooi^s to maintain the Union. The 
moral energy of patriotic devotion and the pro- 
found conviction that the Union was in danger 
of destruction, called out, organized and 
directed the military power of the city and 
county. Before the war ended, out of a pop- 
ulation of about 41,000, 2,300 men had en- 
listed in the army of the Union. 

QUINCY AS A STRATEGIC POINT. 

Quiiu-y next to Cairo, was the most import- 
ant military point in the state. ^Measured by 
longitudinal lines, it is seventy-five miles 
farther west than St. Louis. Situated thus on 
the extreme western edge of Illinois, projecting 
into the state of Missouri, it was of great 
strategic importance. 

The line of military effort between the loyal 
aiul the slave states reached from the Potomac 
river westwaicl across West Virginia and Ken- 
tucky to Cairo, thence bent northward to the 
Iowa line and thence westward to Nebraska 
and Kansas. After Cairo was occupied, the 
next movement was to secure the control of 
^Missouri. In a general way the operations of 
the Union army was a "left-wheel" pivoted 
upon the Army of the Potomac. The extreme 
right wing began its forward movement from 
the Iowa line. Quincy was the point at which 
the national army, made their rendezvous, 
effected tlieir organization, and from which, 
they crossed the river to take possession of 
the northei-n part of Missouri, co-operate with 
forces sent out from St. Louis ancl thus take 
nulitary control of the state. 

Quincy became a center of great military 
activity. Companies gathered here from 
vai'ious parts of the state to be organized into 
regiments. Steamers passed down the river 
loaded with soldiers from Iowa, Wisconsin and 
^Minnesota, ilechanies in the city were busy 
ill iiuddng munitions of war, from a leather 
liox foi' "cajis" to steel cannon. The recruit- 
ing drniii was heard day and night. Orators 
made pati'intic speeches and pastors preached 
pati'iotic sermons. Regiments with bands par- 
aded the streets. Women organized to make 
]>rovisiiui foi' the sick and wounded in hospital 
and camp. 

The effect of the shot fired at the tiag at 
Fort Sumter is indescribable. That shot united 
the north. The question of slavery was for- 
gotten. Tile only thought of every man, wo- 
man and child was, that the insult to the flag 
should be avenged, and the Union maintained. 

Readei's of local history may enjoy a de- 
tailed summary of the events of this period 
gathered mainly from the files of the eon- 
temporar.y daily papers. 

Immediately after the i)i'(iclaniation nf the 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



291 



pie.sitk'ut calliug for troops, the Adjutant Gen- 
eral of the State notified the commanders of 
the various military organizations, that they 
would be called upon to enter active duty. At 
thi.s time, there were two companies in Quincy, 
commanded by Captain Jas. D. Morgan of the 
"Guards." and Captain Schroer ot the 
"Rities." 

A meeting of "the citizens of Quincy and 
vicinity" was called at the courthouse. All 
were invited "who without distinction of party 
were determined to stand by the flag of their 
country and sustain the government. The 
courthouse was packed to its utmost capacity. 
Atklresses were made by Dr. Stalil, Barney 
Arntzcn, I. X. Morris, 0. II. Browning and 
Jaeksou (irinishaw. No epithets were bandied 
liy democrats against republicans or by repub- 
licans against democrats, for the first time in 
Quincy. Parties forgot their patisanship in 
their patriotism." Recruiting was begun by 
the "Guards" and within twenty-four hours, 
more than one hundred men were enrolled. 
The Savings Bank tendered a loan of twenty 
thousand dollars to the State. On Sunday, 
April 21, two companies left for Springfield, 
on their way to Cairo. Captain B. M. Prentiss 
was in connnand. Captain ilorgan whose leg 
had been broken while packing ice the previous 
winter, accompanied the command on crutches. 
Before their departure, they were given an 
ovation. A vast crowd assembled in Washing- 
ton park. Rev. II. Foote and lion. O. II. Brown- 
ing made speeches. A flag was presented to 
Captain Prentiss. M. B. Denman led in sing- 
ing "My Country 'Tis of Thee." Rev. Mr. 
Jaquess ottered prayer, and the exercises were 
closed by singing the Doxology. Ten thousand 
people accompanied the volunteers to the rail- 
road station. A train decorated with flags 
was ready foi' them. The immense crowd sang 
the "Stai- Sjiangled Banner." and cheered by 
the sympathetic multitude, they left for Spring- 
field. At Clayton they were joined by thirty 
recruits nuiking a total of two hundred and 
one n.cn. At Jacksonville a large assembly 
(if peoi)le met them at the depot to speed them 
on their way. The writer heard the speech 
Prentiss made on this occasion, and remembers 
that his main point was in refutation of the 
charge that a "Yankee wouldn't fight." His 
point was that for "ju.st cause, he would fight, 
as well as any man God ever made." A move- 
ment was made to organize a company in each 
ward of the city. There was much military ac- 
tivity across the river. Green and Porter were 
industriously organizing companies for eon- 
federate service. Union men w'ere being killed, 
others were driven out of the state. It was 



(juite possible that a raid might be made upon 
the city. 

It was the work of a few days to raise six 
companies as follows: First ward, Captain 
Benneson, 107 men: Second ward. Captain W. 
R. Johnson, 14S men: Third ward. Captain J. 
A. Vandorn, 158 men; Fourth ward. Captain 
Joshua Wood, 130 men : Fifth ward. Captain 
U. S. Penfield, 115 men; Sixth ward, Captain 
S. :M. Bartlett, 108 men. In addition to these, 
Captain William Steinwedell reported a com- 
pany of 71 men. These companies elected as 
regimental officers. James E. Dunn, Colonel; 
Wm. R. Lockwood, Lieutenant Colonel, and 
William Shannahan, ilajor. The "Quincy 
Cadets" became enthusiastic, and gave re- 
newed attention to drill. 

Women showed a /.calous patriotism, and 
nn the '2iXh of .\pril. a call was issued for a 
meeting "to organize to iiel]) the men in the 
field." Two societies foi- this purpose were 
formed, one was called "The Needle Pickets," 
the other "The Good Samaritans." They ar- 
ranged to meet on Tuesday, Wednesday, 
Thursday and Friday of each week, "to pre- 
pare lint, bandages, articles of comfort and 
convenience, and in every way, add their mite 
to aid and comfort the brave men of our land." 
They industriously "solicited flannel, linen and 
all kinds of material which could be made 
useful to the soldier." 

These noble women deserve an honored 
place in local history — "Sirs. Almira Morton, 
.Mrs. Eliza Bushnell," ilrs. John Moore, Mrs. 
Rittler. Jliss Nellie Bushnell Parker, Mrs. Anna 
McFadon, Mrs. Electa Finlaj% Sarah Baker, 
Mrs. Joseph, IMrs. Phil Bert' ilrs. Gaushell, 
]Mrs. Amanda Penfield. Mrs. Elizabeth Charles, 
]Mrs. Warren Reed, ^Irs. Geo. Burns, Mrs. 
Jonas. ]Mi-s. Alica Asbury Abbott, Miss Maertz, 
iliss Lina Church, Miss Kate Cohen, Miss 
Abbey Pox, Mrs. Pinkham, Kate Palmer, Mary 
Palmer, Mrs. John Williams, Mrs. Lorenzo 
Bull. Mrs. C. II. Bull. Mrs. F. Nelke. Mrs. 
Baughman, Mrs. John Seaman, Mrs. Fred Boyd 
and Mrs. James Woodrutif. This is but a pax"- 
tial list of those noble workers. Among those 
who belonged to the "Good Samaritans" were: 
Mrs. John Cox, Mrs. Joseph Gilpin, Mrs. I. 0. 
AVoodruff, ]Miss Theresa Woodruff and many 
others. On the 12th of July they had a mem- 
bership of 148 — 114 women and 34 men. 

Ex-Governor John Wood was appointed by 
the Governor. Quarter Master of the Illinois 
ililitia. Another call for troops was made by 
the Governor and mass meetings were called 
to prt)mote enlistment. 

On the 24th of April, a meeting was held to 
organize a company of cavalry. Speeches were 



2g2 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



made by D. P. Allen, Captain Dunn and Col. 
W. A. Richai'dson. Chas. W. Mead was made 
captain of the company. On the same date a 
dispatch was received ordering a six-ponnder 
brass cannon, which was in the city, to be for- 
warded to Springfield. On the 30th, Judge 
Douglas made a speech before the legislature, 
which greatly encouraged and united the loyal 
element of the country. Recruiting was greatly 
.stimulated. Meetings were held from Lima to 
Kingston and Beverly, addressed by Dr. Stahl, 
I. N. ]\Iorris, Barney Arntzen and Dr. M. M. 
Bane. 

A company was fdrnicd known as the 
"Union Rifle Coiupany;'" Charles Petrie was 
made captain, .\boiil this time there was some 
question as to how far \V. A. Richardson sup- 
ported the administration in its war policy, 
and Dr. Bane addressed him a letter in the 
public prints to secure his views. He replied, 
"every citizen owes it as a solenui duty to oliey 
the law, to suppoi't the constitution, repel in- 
vasion and defend the tiag. " A company was 
formed called the "Quiney National Zouaves;" 
Joseph W. Seaman was made captain. A 
"^Marine Corps" was also organized intended 
to enforce the recent act of the legislature 
forl)idding the exportation of arms and muni- 
tions of war from the state. It had been dis- 
covered that powder, caps, and other military 
supplies were being bought in Quiney and 
taken to Missoui'i. 

On the 12th of .Inly. Col. U. 8. Grant ar- 
rived in Quiney. and went into camp at West 
Quiney. Robert Tillson delivered a lot of ac- 
countrements and Col. Grant kept the tally 
of them himself, in the absence of the Quarter 
Master. It is worthy of record that the 
"Needle Pickets" sent a pillow-case tilled with 
lint and bandages to the ferry for the iise of 
the regiment, ilrs. C. H. Morton carried it 
to the l)oat and delivered it to Col. Grant. He 
thanked the ladies through her, and putting 
the pillow-case under his arm, walked aboard 
the boat. Thus in this simple and uncere- 
monious way, did the great general of his time 
enter upon hostile ten-itory. 

On July 15th. Col. Tnrchin arrived with the 
nineteenth infantry, and went into camp on 
Sunset Hill. Gen. Ilurlburt soon arrived to 
take command of the brigade and made his 
headquarters at the Quiney House. Col. ^Mulli- 
gan's regiment arrived on the 17th, camping at 
Sunset Hill. Sickness began in the camps and 
the chair factory on the corner of Fifth and 
Ohio was leased as a hospital. Quiney became 
a rendezvous for companies from the ad.joining 
counties. Camps were established southwest 
of Woodland cemeterv at the Fair Grounds, at 



Sunset Hill north of the city, and on Alstyne 's 
prairie east of Twelfth street. The companies 
first arriving were organized as the Sixteenth 
regiment of Illinois Infantry. 

The regiments of Colonels (iood. Scott and 
Palmer had been ordered to Quiney, and the 
Fourteenth had arrived on the 19th of June. 
James W. Singleton was offered the (Jolonelcy 
of a cavalry regiment, but he declined the 
honor. The various "Home Guards" engaged 
in target shooting. Hays and Woodruff had a 
large force of men engaged in making knap- 
sacks. Robert Tillson made scabbards and 
cartridge boxes, and Greenleaf's foundry was 
manufacturing cannon. The "Needle Pickets" 
gave a Union supper netting $95, the Four- 
teenth regiment band supplying the music. On 
the Fourth of July there was a grand parade. 
The procession wa.s led by the Fourteenth 
regiment, then followed the "Quiney Guards," 
Captain Pentield ; the "National Rifles," Cap- 
tain Steinwedell: "Quiney Cadets," Captain 
Letton : the Quiney ^Mounted (Juards, Captain 
Charles W. Mead. These were followed by 
vari(nis civic societies. In the afternoon, a 
niilit.iry in<'iiic on Alystyne"s prairie closed the 
exercises. 

On the 5th of July, word came from the 
town of Canton, in ^lissouri. that Captain 
Howell of the Home Guards had been shot by 
a secessionist, and that the town was about 
to be attacked by a confederate force. Six 
hundi'ed men of the Fourteenth regiment were 
sent up on the steamer Black Hawk, but their 
services were not needed for no attack was 
nuide. W. R. Schmidt, withoi;t any "po.sters 
or newspaper appeals and speeches" raised a 
company and left for Camp Butler where he 
.joined the 27th infantry. 

Sjiecial efforts Avere made to raise an Adams 
county regiment. On the 16th of July. Dr. M. 
^r. Bane published this notice: "The Adams 
county regiment will be accepted under the 
first call for troops. Commanders will till up 
their ranks and be prepared to enter service 
immediately." This regiment was mustered 
into the United States service September 12, 
1S61. M. I\I. Bane was made Colonel; William 
Swarthout, Lt. Colonel; Geo. W. Randall. 
]\[ajor. William Ilanna was captain of Com- 
pany E. Their first service was along the line 
of the Hannibal and St. Joseph railroad. This 
regiment had a brilliant and conspicuous 
career. On the 26th of July, Edward Prince 
liublished a call, proposing to raise a cavalry 
coniiiany. He was appointed Lt. Colonel of 
the Seventh Illinois Cavalry, and made drill 
master of cavalry at Camp Butler. The three 
months' volunteers returned from Cairo on the 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



293 



fifth of August. They were met at the wharf 
by Captain Penfield and Captain Rose with 
their infantiy commands, by Captain Delano 
with his dragoons and one company of the 
Fourteenth infantry. Captain T. W. Macfall 
left for Camp Butler with his mounted cavalry 
company on the 16th of August. About this 
time the '" Needle Pickets" gave a reception 
to Gen. Prentiss and Col. ^Morgan. They also 
made one hundred and seven needle-books for 
Captain Sheley's company. This company after 
its three months' sei-vice enlisted for three 
years and was Company C of the Tenth In- 
fantry. 

The troops which had crossed the river here 
had now taken possession of north ^Missouri. 
Bush whackers and guerilla bands wandered 
about the country, but aside from some skir- 
mishing with these, the Union soldiers held 
the Hannibal and St. Joseph railroad entirely 
across the State, and with it, its military con- 
trol. The extreme west wing of the con- 
federate army was driven sottthward beyond 
the Missouri river. During the sitmmer and 
autiunn of this year, several events of interest 
occurred. An effort led by Joseph Kolker was 
made to raise an artillery company. Captain 
Powers and Dr. S. G. Black were authorized 
to raise cavaliy companies. The Tenth cavalry 
arrived in Quiney and paraded the streets eight 
hundred strong. Many steamboats, some with 
barges attached loaded with troops, passed 
down the river. Col. Williams' Sharp Shooters 
left camp for the front. The Fox river regi-- 
ment passed through Quiney for St. Louis, 

Gen, Phillip St. George Cooke of the regular 
army passed through Quiney with his com- 
mand six hundred sti'ong, with three hundred 
horses and six cannon. They came from Utah. 
Col. Glover with his command crossed into 
]\Iissouri. In a few days he was at Paris, 
Monroe county, and levied a sum of $2,500 
upon the citizens to repair the railroad which 
had been damaged by the confederates. On the 
11th of November, Lietitenant Shipley of Com- 
pany A. 27th Infantry, killed in the battle of 
Belmont, was buried in Woodland cemetery, 
with military honors. On the Sth of Decem- 
ber, the C. B, & Q, railroad company presented 
a cannon to the local artillery company. About 
this date the bridges across the North and 
Fabins rivers southwest of Quiney were 
burned by confederates. 

Col. W. A. Richardson was tendered com- 
mand of a "Kentucky Brigade" to be organ- 
ized at Camp Dtt Bois near Jonesboro, Illinois, 
Captain Delano's company of dragoons left 
for Camp Butler, and by the 9th of September, 
were in camp at Bird's Point on the river op- 



posite Cairo. At the close of the year, most 
of the regiments which had been organized at 
Quiuej' and were in part composed of men 
from Adams county, had been sent southward 
and assigned to various brigades and divisions. 
The Tenth. Sixteenth and Twenty-seventh were 
at the fi-ont. The Fiftieth left Quiney Jan- 
uary 26, 1862. ilost of the Adams county 
soldiers were with Pope's command, and par- 
ticipated in the campaign which resulted in 
the capture of New Madrid, and about 5,000 
men near Tiptonville. The Fiftieth was with 
Grant of Fort Donelson. Subsequently they 
were all engaged in the movement under Gen, 
Halleck upon Corinth, Miss, 

During the spring and early summer months, 
Quiney began to see the results of active cam- 
paigns, in sickness, wounds and deaths. There 
were two hospitals established, and numbers of 
sick and wounded soldiers were brought from 
the camps and battlefields. Rev. Horatio 
Foote and Rev. S. II. Emery were appointed 
chaplains. Dr. D. G. Brinton had charge of a 
hospital. Dr. I. T. Wilson served as surgeon. 
Other local iihysicians were assigned to hospi- 
tal duty. 

THE LEVY OF 1862. 

It re(iuired several bloody battles to con- 
vince many people that the South was des- 
perately in earnest, and engaged in a supreme 
striiggle to dissolve the Union. On Julj' 2, 
1862, the President called for more troops. 
This awakened all patriotic people to renewed 
efforts, to induce men to enlist. Quiney again 
became a center for the collection of reci'uits 
and the organization of new regiments. A 
Union war meeting was held July 21. A large 
number of leading citizens signed the call. 
Committees were formed to solicit funds for 
soldiers' families, to encourage enlistments and 
secure meetings throughout the county. 

Prof. Roberts of the High School tried to 
raise a company. J. P. Steritt of Payson was 
authorized to raise a regiment. Col. Duff tried 
to raise a regiment, and subsequently, entered 
the artillery service with a ninnber of men. 
The pro.sjDect of a draft induced some men to 
enlist, some to hire substitutes, and others to 
hire substitutes to serve, even though they 
were not drafted. Large amounts of money 
were raised and bounties were given to en- 
courage enlistments. Some recruits joined 
various commands according to their individual 
interest, and were not credited to Quiney or 
the county. But as the results of strong effort. 
Companies B, E, F, G and K, and part of 
Company D, were recruited in the county, and 
joined the 78th Illinois Infantry. W. H. Benne- 



294 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



son was madr ('oldiu'l. ami ('. \'iiii X'lcck, Lt. 
Colonel. Aclaiiis ruunty furnished Companies 
E and I for the 84tli Illinois Infantry. Lewis 
H. Waters was connnissioned Colonel of this 
regiment. Thomas Ilamer was made Lt. 
Colonel, and Charles II. Jlorton of Qnincy was 
commissioned iMajor. This regiment was ur- 
banized in Quiney. C'omitanies D. F and K 
recruited in Quincy, joined the llSth Infantry. 
John J. Fonda wa.s Colonel, and Robert ^I. 
MeClanghry, Major. On September IS, the 
119th Infantry was organized, with Thonms 
J. Kinney as ChIducI. Companies A. C and I 
were recruited in Adams county. Rev. Mr. 
Jaqnes, president of Qnincy C'ollege, was com- 
missioned Colonel, and took command of the 
T.'-ird Infantry, Companies I and H being mainly 
raised in Adams connty. 

An effort was made dnring this year to estab- 
lish a military college in Qnincy. It was hope- 
fnlly announced by the press that it "wcnild 
soon take high rank in the west."" Another 
incident of the year was the retnrn of Gen. 
B. M. Prentiss, who had been taken prisoner at 
the Battle of Shiloh. He arrived on the 
Steamer Black Hawk, and was escorted from 
the wharf by the 119th Infantry. Jackson 
Grimshaw was Chief Jlarshal. The General 
was presented with a sword, a gold-headed cane 
and a silver pitcher. 

In the autumn of 1862, the flnsh of patriotic 
enthusiasm which pervaded all parties had. 
with many, lieen chilled by the burden and 
horrors of war. Some M'cre discouraged by 
the uncertain issue of the struggle. Others felt 
that it was assuming anti-slavery features. It 
was sometimes stigmatized as an "abolition 
war." Soldiers of the T^nion armies were 
sometimes branded as "nigger thieves." The 
partisan press jirominnced the war to be "a 
failure"" and the volunteer soldier was called 
a "Lincoln hireling." Senator Douglas was 
in his grave. His ehMiuent voice was no longer 
heard. Some of his former followers forgot his 
words and his example. They shrank from the 
sacrifices which the last full measure of de- 
votion to the T^nion called for. They began 
to ([uestion Ihe right .if the adnnnistration to 
coerce a rebellious state. 

The result of the November election Avas to 
send representatives to the next (icneral As- 
sembly who were bitterly opposed to the vigor- 
ous prosecution of the war. The representa- 
tives from Adams county voted for the so- 
called "Copper-head Resolutions," which de- 
nounced the war and called for an "armistice." 
This Assembly was prorogued by the Governor. 
The representatives fi-om Adams comity were 
elected by a majority of 1,796 votes. The 



political conditiou of affairs at houie, however, 
did not seriously impair the efficiency of the 
patriotic soldiers in the field. There were a 
few deserters. Some extreme partisans en- 
couraged desertion. "Law and order" meetings 
were outspoken for the war, now denounced 
oi)position to the "draft." Some who in 1861 
were out-spoken for the war. now denounced 
it. "(ien."" Singleton said he "was an op- 
ponent of the war, and never pretended any- 
thing else."" 

The "draft" was sustained and added to the 
number ol soldicis in the field. James Wood- 
ruff was the Provost ilarshal, then Captain 
Henry Asbury, who was succeeded by W. H. 
Fisk. Not nuiiiy local events of military in- 
terest occurred diu'ing the closing period of 
lS(i2 and the s[)ring of 1863. On the 13th of 
December. 500 men of the Second Ohio Cavalry 
passed through Qnincy. The musical society, 
the i^opidar "Old Folks'" contiiuied to give 
successful concerts in the city and neighbor- 
ing towns, including Jacksonville, Alton and 
St. Louis. They raised in this way several 
thousand dollars. 

At this time there were about eight hun- 
dretl soldiers in the hospitals. Ladies from the 
adjoining townships assisted those of Qnincy 
in sewing garments and cooking delicacies for 
them. Eff'orts were made at this time to enlist 
negro troops. Black men from Missouri crossed 
the river and enlisted. This caused much agita- 
tion. The master of the slave jjursned him 
aiToss the ri\-er and insisted that he had the 
sanu^ right to him under the Fugitive Slave 
Law, as he had to his hog or his horse which 
might have strayed away. Thirty-six men 
were enrolled in the colored regiment of Col. 
Bross, some joined a Massachusetts regiment. 
Every one so enlisting was credited upon the 
draft in the district. Great demonstrations of 
ixipulai- joy were made after the battle of 
(iettysluirg and the fall of Vicksburg. The 
"Neetlle Pickets'" held a fair which lu^tted 

In January 1S64, the lOth, 16tli ;iiid ."lOth 
regiments, having largely re-enlisted came 
home on veteran furlough, and were received 
with the booming of cannon, speeches of wel- 
come and sumptuous banquets. They were 
largely re-inforced by new recruits diu'ing 
their furlough, and upon its expiration, re- 
joined the army at the frmit. The earnest and 
patriotic spirit of these veterans encoui'aged 
the loyal people, and deepened their deter- 
mination to sustain the administration in jn-os- 
ecnting the war till the rebellion should be 
completely subdtu^'d. 

Ill the siiriuu- of lS(i4. ()hio, Indiana. Illinois 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



295 



and Iowa believing; that the I'ebellion was near 
its close, tendered the President a volunteer 
force of 85,000 one-hundred-day men, to re- 
lieve the veteran soldiers of guard duty at 
the forts, arsenals and along the railroads. In 
response to this call, the 137th Infantry was 
mu.stered in June 5th at Camp Wood. Ex- 
Governor John Wood was made Colonel. The 
citizens of Quiney. presented Colonel Wood 
Avith a fine horse, saddle, hostler's pistols, etc.. 
the outfit costing about .^4(10, as a testimonial 
of their pei'sonal regard. The regiment left 
Quiney June 9. A salute was fired of seven- 
teen rounds and a flag was presented to them. 
They proceeded to Memphis. Tenn.. by boat. 
Assigned to picket duty on the Hernando road, 
it was attacked by Forrest's Cavalry and met 
with seven losses in killed, wounded and pris- 
oners. After honorable service it was mustered 
out at Springfield September 24. 

June 24. the 138th regiment of one-hundred- 
day men left Quiney for Fort Leavenworth. 
The 29th colored regiment. Colonel Bross com- 
manding, also left Quiney going to the east. 
They filled twelve coaches. Two companies 
were from Adams county. This regiment made 
a glorious record. Colonel Bross and many of 
his men fell in a desperate charge in front of 
Petersburg. An efl^ort was made to establish 
a Home for the children of deceased and dis- 
abled soldiers. Gen. Prentiss was made agent 
of the association, and made addresses in its 
behalf throughout the state. On September 5, 
a mass meeting was held to give expression to 
Union sentiment. O. II. Browning, Jackson 
Grimshaw and Gen. Prentiss made .speeches. 
A strong effort was made to adjust public senti- 
ment to the pressure of the "draft." Quite a 
number of our citizens not liable for military 
duty, volunteered and hired able-bodied men 
to repi-esent them in the army. Individual 
subscriptions of from $300 to $1,000 were made 
to constitute a bounty fund. The supervisors 
met and proposed a tax of $2.30 upon the hun- 
dred so as to be able to ott'er a bounty of $300 
to each man entering the military service. The 
year passed with noisy denunciations, but with- 
out serious or organized resistance to the en- 
forcement of the conscription law. 

The vote in the county in the presidential 
election gave the opponents of the Administi'a- 
tion 1,066 ma,iority. During the year local 
contractors were busy in making aceountre- 
ments for infantry, artillery and cavalry. The 
"Government Clothing Hall" used three hun- 
dred and sixty thousand yards of blue kersey, 
made two hundi-ed and fifty thoi;sand paii's of 
"pants" and drawers, shirts, etc., in like pro- 
portion. Quiney was a busy military center. 



February, 1865. the 148th regiment was or- 
ganized. Company D of this regiment was 
enlisted in Quiney. with Henry A. Dix as Cap- 
tain. Enlisted for one .year's service, they were 
mustered out September 9th. In the spring 
months the draft was being made. The fol- 
lowing is a specimen notice taken from the 
Whig. "The wheel turned again for Ursa and 
Lima. Recruiting is dull. Our turn will come 
soon unless volunteering becomes more brisk. 
There is plenty of money to pay bounties, all 
that is lacking, is the men." 

On April 4. news came that Richmond was 
in the possession of the Union soldiers. The 
news created indescribable excitement and joy. 
Bonfires were kindled, speeches were made, 
houses were illuminated, pati'iotic music was 
sung by all who had a voice, flags were un- 
furled, bells were rung, whistles blown, and 
every imaginable demonstration of joy indulged 
in. !Meu who had been doing all they could 
to discredit the Administration and a vigorous 
prosecution of the war, were "converted" and 
gave outward signs of enthusiasm. One hun- 
dred guns were fired, stores closes, streets 
bloomed with flags. The fire depai'tment 
turned out, decorated with banners, bauds 
paraded the streets. Intoxicated with en- 
thusiasm, some one set fire to a load of straw 
which happened to be passing the square. 

The surrender of Gen. Lee stopped the draft. 
The 146th regiment was sent April 21 to 
Springfield to be mustered out. The barracks 
which had sheltered so many thousand sol- 
diers, were di-smantled and the lumber sold. 
The local press expressed the hope that "now 
that the soldiers have vacated Franklin 
Sciuare. we trust that our authoi'ities will turn 
their attention to its embellishment." Quiney 
ceased to be a military camp. 

In addition to the enlistments mentioned in 
this sketch, quite a number of men from this 
locality were on the muster rolls of miscel- 
laneous commands, some of them credited to 
^Missouri. Others served in the regular army. 

As rapidly as they were mu.stered out of the 
service, the volunteers usually returned to their 
h(unes by the shortest route. About fifty of 
the 10th Infantry returned to Quiney with 
Col. Tillson. They were received with grate- 
ful feeling and enthusiasm. The 50th reached 
Quiney July 22nd. This regiment was the pet 
of Adams county. It had been nick-named 
the "blind half -hundred. " This was a vague 
name of no special significance, except that, in 
the spirit of humor, names are sometimes given 
exactly because they do not apply at all. The 
record of the 50th showed that it certainly was 
not "blind." but had eves to see duty and the 



296 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



way to do it nobly. The regiment began its 
service in Missouri, thence went to Cairo, 
thence to Forts Henry and Donelson. It was 
in the battle of Shiloh, when Colonel Bane lost 
an arm. It was engaged at Corinth, iliss., and 
in all the active campaigns in Tennessee and 
Alabama. For a time it served as mounted 
infantrv. It was in the bloody tight at 
Allatoona. when Col. llanna received a severe 
wound and the regiment lost 87 in killed and 
wounded. Going with Sherman to the sea, it 
was on the march through the Carolinas en- 
gaged in the battle of Bentonville, and par- 
ticipated in the grand review in Washington. 
Ordered to Louisville to lie musterecl out, it 
won the prize banner in a competitive drill 
with the 63d Illinois and 7th Iowa Infantry. 

The volunteers who went from Adams coun- 
ty to the call of their country were the very 
flower of her youth. They became the ecpals 
of the best soldiers who ever made a campaign 
or stood in the fighting line in the shock of 
battle. There were those, who as students of 
history, anticipated that the return of large 
numbers of soldiers would endanger the peace 
of society. They had the Shakespeare ideal of 
the soldier: 

"Full of strange oaths, and bearded like a 
pard. 
Jealous in honor, sudden and (puck in quarrel, 
Seeking the bubble reputation 
Even in the canon's mouth.'" 

Rut the volunteer with his ideals raised 
rather than lowered by his years of patriotic 
service, came back to civil life better titted 
than ever to take up its duties and share its 
responsibilities. From camp and field they 
came to take again their place as citizens so 
modestly that there is nothing to distinguish 
them except the Grand Army button of bronze, 
and the comradeship which is conspicuously in 
evidence, on days of regimental "reunion." So 
many rendered glorious service and accom- 
plished their full measure of duty, that it is 
impossible to give adecjuate notice of all mer- 
itorious achievement. Captain Prentiss, rising 
from connnand of a company to be brigadier 
general, won high honor at Shiloh, where he 
commanded a Division at what was called the 
"hornet's nest." He attained the rank of 
Ma.ior General. 

Captain Morgan, a company commander at 
Cairo, attained to the rank of a ]Major Gen- 
eral, and was in charge of the 2nd Division 
of the 1-tth Army Corps at the end of the war. 

Colonel Bane survived his wounds received 
at Shiloh, and after a long period of service in 
the field, resigned to take a distinguished rank 
as a citizen. 



W. A. Schmidt was breveted Brigadier Gen- 
eral. 

Colonel Tillson commanded a brigade in the 
great march to the sea, was breveted a Brig- 
adier General and was given a commission as 
captain in the regular army. 

Colonel Hanna, Colonel Swartout, Colonel 
Prince are survivors, who respond to the roll 
call of men who did conspicuous service. 
F](|ually entitled to honor and grateful con- 
sitleratiou are the many less conspicuous, but 
not less deserving, those of the rank and file 
who were behind the guns. 

QUINCY SOLDIERS AND THE SPANISH 
WAR. 

On the 25th of April, 1898, Captain H. D. 
Blasland, commanding Company F of the Illi- 
nois Militia, received an order from the Ad- 
jutant General to report at the State Fair 
(iroxuids, to the regimental commander, for 
"service in war." Immediate preparations for 
departure were made. A meeting of citizens 
was held at the rooms of the Chamber of Com- 
merce, and arrangements made to give the 
"boys" a fitting "send-ofi:'. " At five o'clock 
on the morning of the 27th, a procession was 
formed to escort the company to the Wabash 
station. First came a platoon of twenty-six 
liolicemen. The veterans of the civil war took 
their jilace behind them. Then came honorary 
members of the company. The post office em- 
jtloyes came next, then Gordan's band with 
the Naval Reserves followed by Company P. 
Thousands of people thronged the sidewalks, 
and Front street about the station was packed 
with a dense multitude. Cheers and huzzahs 
Avith martial music, rang out on the air. Flags 
and handkerchiefs, a great wave of them, 
fluttered in hundreds of hands. Arriving at 
the station, the company went aboard the train, 
while the band played "Marching Through 
(ieorgia." There were many hearty "good- 
byes" as Avell as tearful farewells. The train 
])ulled slowly out of the depot on its way to 
Sjiringfield. It was mustered into the United 
States service on the fifth of May. H. D. Bias- 
land was commissioned Captain ; H. D. Whip- 
ple, First Lieiitenant; J. McClellan, Second 
Lieutenant. F. B. Nichols, who had some ex- 
jierience in the English army, both in South 
Africa and in India. Avas made Major. Alfred 
Castle was commissioned Adjutant of the batal- 
lion. with rank of Lieutenant. Eugene Hard- 
ing, who had achieved marked efileiency in the 
school of the soldier was selected Captain for 
Company E, from Hillsboro, 111. 

On the thirteenth of May, the regiment to 
Avhich Company F belonged left camp for 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



297 



Cliattaiiuogfi, Tennessee. Somewhat unlike the 
march of the ' ' boys ' ' in the civil war who were 
glad to get into cattle cars, these boys rode in 
Pullman palace ears! 

They laid in camp for many weeks engaged 
in drill and earnest prej^arations for the field 
of war. They were impatient to go to the 
front. There was great rivahy between the 
various regiments in camp as to which should 
have orders to proceed to Cuba or Porto Rico. 
Political friends in the Senate and Congress 
were appealed to, to secure the requisite order. 
At last, after weary and anxious waiting, the 
company with its regiment took the cars at 
Ringgold, Georgia, for Newport News and ar- 
rived on the sixth of August. They were 
destined to disappointment. Thej' embarked 
on board a transport only to disembark again. 
The victory at Santiago and the destruction of 
The Spanish fleet led to speedy negotiations for 
peace and the end of the war. 

The command was next ordered to Lexing- 
ton, Kentucky. Here a vote was taken and the 
regiment voted to be mustered out of service. 
Returning to Springfield, they were paid oft' 
and disbanded. Company D arrived in Quincy, 
on the twelfth of September, and were ac- 
corded an enthusiastic welcome. 

THE QUINCY NAVAL RESERVES. 

The Quincy Naval Reserves were organized 
May 21, 1897. The first meeting was held at 
the Chamber of Commerce, when nearly 100 
of the best young men of the city signified their 
willingness to form a new company and were 
jwoiii into the state service for three years by 
Coramander D. C. Daggett, of IMoline. Col. 
C. S. Hickman, who had served in the U. S. 
Navy during the civil war, and also as Lieu- 
tenant Colonel in the State Guards, was elected 
Lieutenant, commanding the division, with Roy 
A. ^lorehead as Junior Lieutenant, and Earl 
H. Toole and George Horton as Ensigns. New 
sailor uniforms and Lee rifles were duly re- 
ceived and in August the division went into 
camp near Chicago, on Lake ilichigan, where 
a very profitable week was spent in infantry 
and signal work, with boat drills, seamanship 
and gun practice on board the U. S. Ship ]Michi- 
gan, which was anchored in the lake. 

The following fall Lieut. Hickman was pro- 
moted to the Captain's staff, and Ensigns Toole 
and Horton resigned. At an election held Dec. 
20, 1897, Roy A. jMorehead was put in com- 
mand ; W. A. Simmons raised to lieutenant 
jvmior grade, with Marion A. Krieder and 
Hugh E. King as ensigns, and these officers 
were in charge at the outbreak of the Spanish- 
American war. So great was the interest mani- 



fested that drills were held every night, and 
then came the word that the government could 
not take the Naval Reserves as an organization, 
but would enlist them as individuals. The re- 
sidt was that fifty-eight men were enlisted in 
the regular service and were distributed on 
various ships. The cruisers Newark and Cin- 
cinnati received the most of them. These two 
ships were cruising in West India waters most 
of the time, and took pai-t in several bombard- 
ments. Three of the officers, Lieut. Morehead 
and Ensigns Krieder and King, received com- 
missions as Ensigns in the Regular Navy, More- 
head serving first on the Receiving Ship Frank- 
lin, and afterwards on the Gunboat Castine. 
Krieder was assigned to Lancaster, and King 
to the Caesar. The first two did not leave the 
I'nited States, but the Caesar was ordered to 
the West Ludies where she remained about six 
months, and was at San Juan. Porto Rico, on 
the 18th of October, 1898, when the United 
States took formal possession of the Island. 
The lltli Infantry U. S. Ai-my took possession 
of the city, the Spanish flags were ordered 
down and "Old Glory" raised on five of the 
most important buildings. To Ensign Hugh 
E. King, as a representative of the navy, was 
accorded the honor of raising the first Ameri- 
can flag on the Intendentia Palace, while an- 
other former Quincy boy, Lieut. Castle, U. S. 
Army, a nephew of Col. C. H. Castle, officiated 
at the Governor's Palace. Other army officers 
M-ere doing like duty at the City Hall and Moro 
and San Christobal Colon Castles. 

At the close of the war the officei's and men 
were honorably discharged and sent home with 
the thanks of the Government and two months 
extra pay to their credit. 

Early in the summer of 1S99. the Quincy 
Naval Reserves were re-organized with Lieut. 
H. E. King at the helm. Lieutenant junior 
grade M. A. Krieder. Ensigns Samson C. 
Strau.ss and Wm. Burton as assistants, who 
took the division wp to Waukegan, for the 
week's camp and training on board the U. S. 
Michigan. In 1902. the U. S. Government gave 
T'. S. Ship Dorothea to the State of Illinois for 
a training ship to be used on Lake ^Michigan. 
A crew of the Illinois Naval Reserves, con- 
sisting of seventy-five men and ten officers 
under the captaincy of Lieut. B. T. Collins of 
Chicago, brought her from League Island Navy 
Yard at Philadelphia to Chicago, via the Gulf 
and River St. Lawrence and the Great Lakes. 
Lieut. King and several of the men of the 
Quincy Division formed a part of the crew. 
Since then the Naval Reserves take a cruise 
on the Dorothea each summer instead of going 
into camp. 



298 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



In 1903, Lieut. King was promoted to llie 
rank of Navigating Oificer of the Battalion, and 
John F. Garner, elected Lieutenant ; S. C. 
Strauss, Lieutenant, junior grade, and Wm. 
Thesen and Wm. C. Powers, Ensigns. 

During the summer of 190-1, Lieut. (4aruer 
took a part of tlie division to the World's Fair 
at St. liouis. going down in the 30-ft. t-utter, 
and later the whole Illinois Naval Reserve spent 
a week at the fair. 

During the past winter, Ensign Powers was 
transfeived to Chicago, and Chester Anderson 
elected to fill the vacancy. 

The Division is now in a very prosperous 
condition, having about seventy-five members. 
Garner has proven to be a very careful and 
efficient officer, and has kept the personnel and 
the record of the division up to a very high 
standard. Other Quincy men who have served 
in the Illinois Naval Reserves are Lieutenant 
Commander C. S. Hickman, executive office. 
'2nd ship's crew: Lieut. A. M. Simons, naviga- 
tor. 2nd ship's crew: Rev. E. A. Ince, chaplain: 
M. S. Cabbel, chief engineer, and Dr. L. B. 
Ashton, surgeon. 

CO^IPANY I (COLORED). 

Company I, Sth regiment Infantry Illinois 
Volunteers. Col. John R. ]\lai'sliall. which was 
under conunand of Captain Frederick Ball, Jr.. 
was enrolled at Quine.v, June 28, 1898, and 
mustered in at Springfield, Illinois, July 21, 
1898. They left Springfield August 8. 1898, 
proceeded by rail to New York City, arriving 
there August 11, 1898. Embarked on board the 
V. S. Ship Yale, arriving at Santiago, Cuba. 
August 16. They thence proceeded by rail to 
San Luis de Cuba, where they performed 
Provost duty until March 10, when they were 
ordered back to Santiago. Embarking on the 
Steamer Sedgwick for Newport News, they ar- 
rived there ilarch 16, 1899. They were mus- 
tered out Api'il 3. 1899. The regiment to which 
this company belonged was the only one com- 
manded by colorc<l officers in the service of the 
Ignited States. 



CIIAT'TER LIV. 

THE BIRDS OF ADA:MS COUNTY. 

By C. L. Kraber. 

It is our design to present onl.y short sketches 
of most of the one hundred birds of this coun- 
ty, noticed from its organization to the present 
time. Instead of using technical terms to fuUv 



describe them, common or local names will be 
used for tiie better understanding of the gen- 
eral reader. We do not propose to keep to the 
beaten path but will go oft' into the brush more 
or less frequently just for the pleasure of the 
wild abandon of it all. 

In the early days the Mississippi bottoms, 
al)ove and below Quincy, contained great num- 
liers of Paroquets, or Parocpiites, really a small 
green parrot. It would seem that they passed 
away with the Indians, as they were still here 
when the red men passed through the town, 
going and coming for the annuities they re- 
ceived fro'i' *hb government at that time, about 
I.^-"' r.cit long after this the birds were not 
to be seen. It is said that they were in greater 
numbers soiitli of town than elsewhere. The 
Indians usually camped there also. It is not 
supposetl that the birds are extinct^ for they 
are tropical, and are probably still plentiful 
in warmer latitudes, having taken their de- 
|)artui-e from here for a locality more to their 
liking. 

Wild Muscovy Ducks, much larger than the 
mallards, were often secured at an early day, 
but it is thought that none have been seen for 
fifty years. Very rarely do we find the l)lack 
duck, (uily three of them having been taken 
during that time. 

The Green Head Mallard is now the game 
<liick of the open season, and it is a splendid 
liii'd for the talih\ as are also the pintail, blue 
and green winged teal, spoonbill, butter ball, 
lu'own head, fish duck, blue bill, or scaup, and 
;i luuuber of others, equally delightfully to 
the sportsman. The beautifi;lly plumaged 
summei" duck, once so plentiful, is also gone. 

A new and peculiar large Diver, as yet un- 
named, has made an appearance, flying in 
pairs : its flesh is too fishy in flavor for food. 
The Little Diver, which has been here for so 
many years that the hunters have learned the 
uselessness of wasting ammunition, because it 
invariably dives before the shot can reach it. 
is still in evidence. 

The Blue Coot, a bird with a bill like a 
chicken, a frequenter of shallow water lakes, 
not web footed, has left for other shores, or 
has been destroyed. They were quite common 
and tame some years ago. 

Another fine bird, the Pineated Woodpecker, 
ciilled "Woodcock" but not related to the 
woodi'iK'k of the snipe family, almost black in 
color, with a small red tuft on its head, is prob- 
ably extinct. The writer, when immature in 
years aiul experience, made a strenuous effort 
to add to its extinction by following one from 
tree to tree for a long distance through the 
woods at Fox Springs (Dick Springs), forty 
vears ago, but fortiuiately he was unsuccessful 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



299 



ill his endeavors to secui'e it, and lias not seen 
one since. It is very neai'ly it' not quite ex- 
tinct. So says "The Citizen Bird," a book 
used as a text in the schools of new England. 

The old reliable Ked Headed Woodpecker is 
an active worker, and stops the career of thou- 
sands of insects, in the embryo state, from 
further developing into pests of the soil, and 
from adding to the discomfort of mankind. 
Flying from one tree to the other with its red 
head, and white marked wings, it is easily seen. 
It is not a wild bird, and can be studied at 
pleasure. His near relation, the "Yellow Ham- 
mer" or "flicker" or "the high roller," of E. 
P. Roe, is another bird to study with reference 
to habits, etc., since they have many traits 
worthy of emulation, by the human family. The 
flicker and its mate will edge up to each other 
on the limb of a tree and go through more 
fantastic motions than any quixotic people. It 
would be hard to describe them, as they sit 
there, swinging back and forth in unison, their 
heads up and moving from side to side, and all 
the while chattering to each other something 
very interesting to themselves. At such times 
it does not take a very close observer to see 
that it is bird sentiment being expressed in its 
most amorous and innocent way. They mean 
every word they say, and lay it oft' so positively 
to one another that one can hardly help looking 
on and listening, and understanding just what 
they are talking about. It is interesting to 
have it made so plain that they are one in senti- 
ment and agree so well in their out of door 
domestic life. 

The so-called Sap Suckers are really a kind 
of woodpecker. There are two kinds, probably 
more in this locality, large and small, marked 
very much alike. As near as can be seen, their 
manner of life is identical, pecking into dead 
trees and peering under the bark for eggs of 
insects and worms. Like the red head it ar- 
rives early in the spring, and at times remains 
all winter, for when it is quiet in the timber 
in winter, and outside nature seems almost de- 
void of life, one can hear the peeking of this 
woodpecker. Black "Warblers and Wood 
Warblers look something like woodpeckers. 

The flocks of blackbirds in the fall exceed 
in numbers tho.se of any other birds, and they 
are on the increase. Sometimes the flocks string 
out in their flight for .miles, taking nearly an 
hour to pass a given point. They make good 
use of their stay here, nesting and brooding. 
and do not seem to do much in.jury to the crops. 
The farmer folks do not exhibit any particular 
inclination to draw up preamble and resolu- 
tions against them, and not much ammunition 
is used to hinder their propagation. It is sup- 



posed that they carry some grain away, but 
the idea is advanced that a good many bugs 
and worms go with the grain diet, for the plow 
man can, at any time look back along his riding 
plow's freshly turned furrow, and count more 
blackbirds than any other bird among the 
feathered tribes, picking up their portion of 
the underground population which the plow 
share turns over and exposes to view. The 
blackbird walks, like the crow, and does not 
hop, although it does sometimes "walk as the 
robins do." Sometimes with a flock there are 
blackbirds with perfectly white heads and 
necks, a sort of half albinos. 

The Red Eyed Wild Pigeons up to the 60 's, 
wei"e in such vast numbers as to break down 
large branches of the trees upon which they 
alighted and in their migrating they had a con- 
tinuation of flight over Quincy, taking the 
course of the river bluft's in the spring and fall. 
The sun was sometimes darkened, as if clouds 
wei'e passing over, the long massive line ex- 
tending into the woods north and south of the 
town, so that neither end of the line could be 
seen for hours. The last one observed was re- 
ported in a late bird book as having been seen 
at Lakeside Park, Chicago, and was supposed 
to have been shot before it got out of the 
city. Later, some were thought to have 
been seen in California, but the story 
was afterwards proven false. The "Penny 
iMagazine," a very old publication in England, 
one of the books distributed to members of the 
Old Citizens' Library Association of Quincy, 
when it disbanded, prior to 1850, states that 
a traveler who was going from Naples to visit 
the ancient temples of Paestum was impressed 
by the appearance of tall, slender towers, not 
much unlike Turkish minarets, built on the 
mountain side near the town of La Cava. On 
inquiring into the use of towers, he was in- 
formed by the natives that in the months of 
September and October, when the wild pigeons 
were migrating, these towers were used to 
catch them. White stones were collected and 
men, armed with these stones were stationed in 
the towers; warned by a blowing of a cow's 
horn, of the direction the pigeons were taking, 
the men would sling the stones in front of the 
flocks. The birds would descend after the 
stones and fall into nets spread for them among 
the trees in the valleys, and many were caught 
in this way. 

A few years ago some wild pigeons were said 
to be in the vicinity of Venice, but upon in- 
vestigation, they were found to be tame 
pigeons. Some give the cause of their rapid 
decrease as the loss of their proper food, the 
"mast," as it was called, of the forests, i. e. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



the Mcorns of the oak trees. It -was seldom 
that small aeorns were not found in the crop of 
the bird when shot. Others think they were 
swept out to sea, in tlying across such large 
wastes of water during storms. Statements of 
all the bird books of authenticity intimate 
that the red eyed pigeons are extinct all over 
the world. Tame pigeons, common fan-tail, 
pouchers and others do not need any discussion 
here. Every boy and girl in town and country 
is familiar with tame pigeons and their habits. 
The Sand Hill Cranes used to alight in the 
wheat tields regularly for food when making 
their migratory Hight, — north in spring, when 
the tields were green, and south in fall, about 
wheat-sowing time. They stand nearly as tall 
as a man but they are never seen in this region 
any more. 

A few scattering flocks of Pelicans with their 
ti.sh-laden pouches, so far ahead of their wings 
that they look as if they would turn topsy- 
turvy at slight notice, make their flight as 
usual, but in not nearly so large numbers, nor 
do they comprise so many flocks as there were 
several years ago. This is the American White 
Pelican. Brown ones, very tame on Pacific 
Coast and frequently seen, swimming about the 
vessels, and making great splashes in the ocean 
in c[uest of fish, are .smaller. 

The flocks of Plovers, with nearly always a 
few Kildeer among them, still fly from south- 
west to northeast and back again across coun- 
try at the beginning and ending of the pleasant 
seasons. They were often taken for Avild 
pigeons, since they appear to the casual ob- 
server to fly so much like them. Never very 
]ilentiful, they are growing less every year. The 
l)lover can swim, but is not considered a water 
bird. It has white flesh and is a fine eating 
bii-d. 

The Kildeer is in form like the jilover. but 
it is darker in color. It gets its name from its 
cry of "Kildeer," uttered at intervals Avhen 
in flight. In the last decade, in our township, 
just five Prairie Chickens would show their 
presence at vai'ious times. And then there were 
two, and then none. Too bad ; what good com- 
pany they were not so very long ago, when the 
snow was on the ground, and the roads were 
cheerless, what a welcome sight to the country 
boy hauling wood or crops, to see the rail 
fences for many rods, often lined with these 
birds — hundreds of them rising into the air 
from fence panel, and sailing deliberately off, 
whirring their wings, and then sailing without 
an efl'ort a little while, and then the whirr and 
the sail, over and over again, until a new corn- 
field entertained them to their satisfaction. The 
Prairie Chicken has dark meat, with the wild 



Havoi-, now much sought after, but seldom ap- 
preciated when they were so plentiful. Wild 
flavored meat was so common that many did 
not care to shoot the Prairie Chicken, on ac- 
count of the dark flesh, and it was not then 
considered a delicacy. The J'rairie Chicken 
struts like a turkey gobbler when undisturbed 
among its kind, making a very peculiar roar- 
ing sound that may seem very near or very far 
away. At such time, two little wings on the 
side of the neck of the male rise perpendicular- 
ly above his head. Just underneath and where 
the little wings rest when in repose, the skin 
of the neck assumes a fiery red color when he 
goes through his strutting and crowing per- 
formance. When they existed here in flocks of 
two or three hundred, in the spring of the year, 
.just after sunrise, the air was full of their 
buzzing or roaring sounds. 

The "honks" of the Canada Wild Geese, as 
they followed their leader, an Amazon, in V 
shaped flocks, are now seldom heard. Lima 
Lake in this county was once a great resort for 
them. Their habit was to leave the lakes and 
river by hundreds before sunrise and settle 
down into the wheat and corn fields upon the 
blutfs and farther inland, until about ten 
o'clock in the morning. Then all would return 
to the river and lakes until ab(nit four o'clock 
in the afternoon when they would return to the 
fields and stay and feed until after dark, then 
go back to the water for the night with great 
noise. They were very regular about it until 
late in the fall and sometimes all winter if the 
weather was mild. Parboiled before baking, a 
Avild goose is a delicacy, and very accejjtable 
to any one because of the wild flavor. His 
black head and white marked throat are not 
often seen in the markets or elsewhere. They 
domesticate readily, and become quite tame, 
liut when so, are only waiting to try their 
wings for a final goodbye. They are destined 
to early extinction. 

The Brant, or Brand goose, and the China 
(ioose. which is nearly white and smaller, but 
similar to our tame ones, migrated in flocks, 
visited the fields for food, and returned to the 
water in exactly the same manner as the wild 
goose proper. The Brant is much quicker in 
fliiiht than the larger bird. The flesh is not 
considered nearly so good for the table, and 
often not fit to eat, on account of something 
eaten by them. Their habits are very similar to 
those of the wild goose. 

The Wild Turkey can be distinguished from 
the tame ones, since the domesticated fowl have 
quite roiuid eyes, while of those of the wild 
turkey are more elongated. No wild turkeys 
have been heard of in the loealitv for several 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



301 



years, aud none have been shipped, showing 
the scarcity. In the days when they w^ere 
numerous they were quite shy, but with time 
and patience and exceeding quiet they could 
be secured, by employing a tiirkey caller, made 
from the bone of a wild turkey's wing. A goose 
quill will answer the same purpose very well. 
It has to be manipulated by the mouth of the 
hunter, and the success wnll depend on the skill 
of the one using it. Wild turkey are very 
speedy on foot, but never fly very far. Their 
flesh is very much the same as that of the tame 
turkey, and much sought for. 

There are three of the Gi'ossbeck family in 
this county, the Blue, the Red-breasted, and 
the Bullfinch. They are not old residents, but 
have been here several years, as if to .stay. 
They have very thick beaks and are feared even 
by the jaybirds, whom they will conquer when- 
ever they come together in combat. The Bob-o- 
Link, or rice bird of the south, is sometimes 
heard and seen, but as yet is only a solitai-y 
visitoi'. These birds do not like the climate or 
the food for they seldom visit us, and never 
remain long. Nevertheless, they leave us with 
the charm of their song to remember them by. 
We have better songsters, however. 

Every one knows of the English Sparrow, 
which is perceptibly losing ground, probably 
more through the ravages of rats and cats and 
the "butcher bird" than through the instrii- 
mentality of the indefatigable boy and his rub- 
ber shooter. They are prone to shelter and 
roost in comfortable places, as in barns, in the 
hay, where vermin can attack them easily. They 
have little sympathy from anj^ one. They are 
not native, but were brought from England 
several years ago. and for a time, they in- 
creased rapidly. They are good scavengers, 
and not so bad as their reputation makes them 
appear. 

It is to be deplored that we have the game 
law which puts the Turtle Dove on the game 
bird list. The bird of the olive branch is not 
altogether a creature of sentiment. Extinction 
is only a question of time for the harmless dove, 
unless humanity gets the better of its politics 
in our legislature. 

The Red-bird or Cardinal .stays in this lati- 
tude during mild winters, and his pleasant note 
of greeting, usually for his mate, who is sure 
not to be far away, is heard with pleasure, fre- 
quently at a time, when it may be the only 
sound of bird anywhere. It is said of him that 
he does not put his foot upon the ground, but 
a very close observer had the pleasure, the past 
spring, of seeing male and female on the 
ground. 

Bluebirds, with their soft and plaintive 



warble, gentle little things, foretell us of spring- 
time. They are great favorites with children, 
and are late to leave for a milder climate. 

What shall be said of that rascally mocker 
and impudent blue beauty the Jay, who will 
sit on a ti-ee or a shed and imitate the screams 
of a hawk to perfection, scaring chickens from 
their food so that he can get it for himself? He 
loves his progeny so well that he will devour 
his young ones if they fall out of the nest. He 
will hold a grain of corn against a hard sub- 
stance with his feet and pound it with his bill 
until he cracks it into small enough pieces to 
swallow, lie has more all-around mischief and 
mean intelligence than any other bird in this 
part of the country. He often stays through 
the winter. Some question the fact of his 
migration. 

The bird that should be called the American 
Songster is the Brown Thrush or Thrasher, as 
his notes are infinitely sweeter than those of 
any other bird, not excepting the English 
mocking bird. 

It is not generally known that we have a real 
member of the Cuckoo family, an annual 
visitor, under the name of "Rain Crow" or 
French Robin. It is shy and does not court 
close acquaintance, but is distinctly American. 
It is not like its English brother, that encour- 
ages boarding rather than building and sees to 
it that the eggs in which he is interested are 
laid in the vireo's nest or in that of some other 
small bird, that the ofl^^spring may be hatched 
and reared by them. The American Cuckoo 
mates and nests here regularh'. It builds its 
own nest and its mate broods and rears its own 
young. It is characteristic of this bird that it 
has a new mate each year. It deserves special 
mention for its vahie to the crop raiser. It will 
kill more caterpillars than its eats, aud is worth 
ten times more than any other bird to destroy 
the tent caterpillai. so says the best of author- 
ity. It is a trim, neat looking bird, if it does line 
its stomacli with caterpillar spines, which is 
literally true. Another peculiarity is that it 
has two toes in front and two behind on each 
foot. It is the Yellow Billed Cuckoo, a close 
relation to the Black Billed Cuckoo of the At- 
lantic States. 

At present, Whippooi-wills do not greatly 
manifest the disjiosition to utter the notes 
which have given them their name, as they are 
gradually moving away into more quiet places. 

■"Will-o-the-Wisps." swooping down in great 
curves through the air with their shrill cry and 
booming sound, and the noise of the rush of 
their wings thronging the air, with a .snapping 
whirr, are still in evidence, before a storm, in 
search of insect food. They do not build nests, 



302 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



but lay their eggs on the bare ground. The 
white spots on their wings distinguish them 
from the " WhiiDpoorwill." or "Goat Sucker." 

The Eed Wing Blackbird is usually found in 
iow ground, near water, as this seems to be 
his preference, and his ringing, bell-like notes 
apprise us of his arrival every season. It is 
a fine sight to watch him swell out his feathers 
all over himself, and show all the red on his 
wings when he sings. 

Meadow Larks never xail to return to their 
old nesting place. They will look back as they 
fly away, on a person's approach, to see what 
one wants in their neighborhood. They be- 
long to the blackbird family but it seems they 
must be very distant relations. The residents 
of the farms and villages, even to the small 
girls and boys, are glad when the lark comes 
back. The ground lark is a smaller bird, much 
along road sides and the fences. A nice little 
singer with a heart shaped mark on his breast, 
who lifts his little head and sends his few notes 
of song just as far as po.ssible. 

Cow Black Birds do not build nests, but like 
the English Cuckoo lay their eggs in the nests 
of other birds. They impose on smaller birds 
to hatch their eggs and raise their ofifspring. 
They are smart, but do not have the pugnacious 
dispositions of their near of kin the cow-birds 
of Central Park, Los Angeles, California. Hun- 
dreds of tourists frequent here daily and here 
the cow-birds and mocking birds are very 
plentiful, the latter nesting in the trees. Wheii 
men are walking about the park, they are fre- 
quently startled by the sound of swift rush of 
little wings from somewhere above their heads. 
It is the cow-birds or mocking birds that are the 
offenders, who fly down fi'om the trees and peck 
and spur at the heads of the persons near them. 
The cow-birds are just as much interested, for 
they have, no doubt, laid their eggs in the 
mocking birds' nest. Strange to say, the birds 
have never molested the ladies in the pai-k. It 
is not clear whether they take them for friends 
or foes, possibly they do not want to hurt one 
of their own feathered tribe, which perchance 
may adorn the ladies' hats. 

The Jack Snipe could not stand the pressure 
of modern civilization, for, he, too, is now a rare 
bird. It is the largest snipe here, and a fine 
eating gajue bird. It belongs to this section 
and frequents marshy ground. It can be 
domesticated and made a pet, but as it has an 
enormous appetite and lives on worms and 
bugs, is not desirable for that purpose. 

The vei-y common Black Crow is an old na- 
tive of these parts, and does not need any in- 
troduction. He knows too well how to intro- 
duce liimself in many ways not exactly correct. 



for crow habits have no limitations. He is 
liere, and we all know him and his family too 
well. The crow is of considerable account, 
and it nuiy be the county does owe him a living. 
He takes no more than he needs. He does need 
a great deal, for his family is large and they 
must live and have a place to sleep. There is 
a large "crows' I'oost" near Quincy, in a large 
clump of evergreens, and all attempts to send 
it somewhere have failed. There are about 
three hundred in the flock. Every morning 
during winter they go out, one by one, into the 
adjoining country for miles around to forage. 
The.y are good enough to take only just enough 
grain from the man of the soil to make it not 
worth speaking of, or worth molesting the 
cniw. The.v return, at evening, in snuiU num- 
liers at a time, caw-cawing about what they 
have done, and where they have been. The.y 
stay all winter, not migrating as the black- 
birds so near of kin. The "crow roost" seems 
to be under a management that displays won- 
derful order or system. Its population is in- 
(•reasing yearly, and has outgrown its habita- 
tion, as the crows are evidently making eft'orts 
to locate new roosts not far from the old one ; 
in one chosen location, owing to the persistent 
barking of a small dog, the.v gave up the effort 
and (lit! not I'eturn. 

The Kobin Red Breasts are earl.y comers, and 
they are the earliest singei's in the morning, 
and the latest heard in the evening. They are 
very l)us.v fellows among the bugs and worms. 
The.y will hop or walk about upon the ground, 
as suits them, looking for food. The.v will stop 
to listen with head to one side and suddenly 
dig into the ground with their bills and pull 
out the victim. Surely, the proverb "the early 
liird gets the worm" was never better ex- 
emplified. It is possible that the bird taps his 
foot on the ground to make the worm think it 
is raining, in order to induce him to come 
nearer the surface. Just as boys do when they 
dig fish bait, drive a stake in the ground and 
tap it with another stick to make the worms 
come up so the.y will not have to dig so deep. 
Robins are fine singers. Their notes, however, 
are shorter than those of the thrush and not so 
melodious. Often some of them .stay all winter. 
The robin is a very valuable bird on the farm, 
and a favorite everywhere because of his social 
nature. Robins like to nest close to buildings. 

The name of this sprightly fellow, the Cat 
Bird, comes from a not very agreeable note it 
makes, much like the mewing of a cat. . It is a 
songster in fact. One would not think the lit- 
tle throat that utters the unpleasant cat-like 
sound could sing so sweetl.v. It is a dark lead 
color, an insect eater of no mean order. Init 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



303 



confines his labor more to the hedges and 
margins of fields, not coming very far out in the 
open since he is somewhat shy. Nothing can 
be said against the cat bird. 

The farmer and the sportsman want more 
plump Quails than they can get. There is not 
much protection, so it is difficult for them to 
multiply as they formerly did. Nearly every 
eoi'ner of land is taken up by the crops. The 
grass, to hide in, is cut away in most places. 
The hazel brush cover, of which they were so 
fond, is nearly all plowed up. If the birds nest 
in the meadows, the ruthless mowing machine 
ends it all for them in a minute. If the eggs 
are touched or handled, the quail will not re- 
turn to the nest. The under-growth in nearly 
all of the few timber lots, is pastured oft", so 
there is little protection for them, and being 
so exposed the poor bird cannot propagate 
with comfort. With the hawks by day, and 
the cats and opposums and the owls by night, 
and the ineffective game laws, quails have a 
hard time. About twenty-four eggs are laid 
in a deep partly covered nest upon the ground 
in a grassy spot. The young are interesting 
and wild from the time they are first out of 
the shell. The quail has several notes. When 
under cover and alarmed, it is a rich, ringing, 
low whirr. When in flocks and separated from 
each other, a double call note, repeated from 
time to time, a rather plaintive wheedle-whee 
whistle, uttered usually about three times, but 
quite shrilly when its gets confidence to whistle 
louder. When mated and brooding, "Bob 
White" is the note that he gives out with all 
his might for his mate on the nest to listen to. 
All the rhyme written aboiit the quail whist- 
ling his "Bob White" song in autumn does not 
apply in this county. 

This very interesting, beautiful and enter- 
taining songster, the Oriole, with its golden 
plumage and hanging nest, certainly leads us 
to believe that birds think, at least. With all 
deference to siieh students of nature, as have 
given to the opinions that "birds, or animals, 
do not think." the Oriole's nest is an argument 
against such .statements. The hanging nest 
of the golden robin, wherein its eggs are laid 
and the swinging young ones first see the light, 
is a wonderful piece of bird mechanism. Its 
builder hides it right before one's eyes, where 
it is impossible to see it, even when it is known 
to be very near where we look, until the leaves 
are off the trees, and the family have moved 
to their southern home. 

The little, fidgety, pugnacious Wren belongs 
to us by the best of right. He will fight for 
himself and family every time he is called upon 
to defend them, without waiting a minute to 



think about results. The wren is no respecter 
of persons. He will peck and spur his land- 
lord, and take the dignity out of the dog or cat 
without hesitation. The wrens are not early 
distinguishable, and have about the same habits 
away from here. A pair of wrens will carry 
more dry sticks, for their house-preparation, 
than almost any other bird, and do it over and 
over again if it is several times destroyed, 
thereby using their combative nature to good 
purpose to make up for their stature. 

Pheasants are the birds of the woods, but 
are sometimes found in the orchard, eating the 
buds of trees. They are not very plentiful, and 
very much need better protection, than the 
present game law affords. Their flesh is white 
like the quail's, and is delicious for the table. 
It has a quiet and rather stupid manner when 
not drumming or alarmed. The drumming 
sound is made by their wings on logs in the 
timber. Sometimes, they are called partridges, 
but there is no such bird in this country. The 
partridge is a native of Europe. The pheasant 
is very swift in flight and it takes a good 
marksman to bring it down, when on the wing. 
However it is very stupid and fearless of men. 
One can walk almost upon it before it will fly. 
It seems to depend on its resemblance to the 
dry, yellow leaves of the woods for the safety 
of "its' life. When alarmed, the tuft on the head 
rises, and it seems to be surprised that it should 
be disturbed, but when it does go, there is no 
time lost on the way. There is but one kind 
of pheasant here. 

The American Chimney Swallow belongs to 
the Swift family and is a bird that certainly 
is peculiar in the selection of an abiding place. 
The .swift is a good example of the strangeness 
and .strength of habit, when it is hereditary, 
or the continued doing of one thing, like the 
old horse going round and round whether he 
is in the mill, or eating grass, or like the Indian, 
who lives in his smoke house teepee, though 
he goes blind because of it; even so, is the 
swallow — in chimney smoke and soot, rearing a 
family. Really the bird enters his claim in an 
unused chimney, but if perchance the fireman 
lights the fire, the bird is not easily smoked out. 
The nest of twigs is glued together with a 
secretion from the swift's mouth, and be- 
comes a very hardened mass. The swift lives 
on insects, flying in and out of the chimney 
night and day. When it sleeps is a mystery. 
No one knows where it winters. They con- 
gregate after breeding season and suddenly dis- 
appear, and reappear in the spring in the same 
way. They are very quick and strong — on 
wing. 

The wattled Turkey Buzzard is not so plenti- 



304 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



ful as formerly. It is a very large black bird 
with wattles about the head, which is feather- 
les.s. It i)3 much of the time on the wing at 
great altitudes, soaring for hours in great 
circles. Sometimes there is twenty minutes be- 
tween strokes of wing. As a scavenger it is 
useful. Like the South American Condor, its 
not far removed cousin, now extinct, it lives 
on dead animals but is sometimes aggressive 
when hungry. 

The Blue Heron is a solitary bird whose 
habitat is in the sloughs and lakes of the 
river bottoms. It is a wader and lives on the 
small fish of its home waters. It is a heavy 
flyer. The Night Heron is heavily feathered 
about the neck, and has a round pointed beak. 
At night its hoarse cry may often be heard as 
it flies heavily across the country. It is some- 
times seen alone, sitting on a tree, inland, with 
no water near, with no object in view, waiting 
for the night to come. Its local name is not 
inviting. 

Bank. Barn, Eaves. Purple Martin, are all 
true swallows, ditt'ering in various ways from 
each other. The inaccessible parts of the Mis- 
sissippi River bluffs over the limestone quarries 
are perforated deeply, laterally with the holes 
of the Sand or Bank Swallow, where they nest 
and rear their yoiuig. Characteristic of all the 
swallow kind, it h;is wonderful strength of 
wing for rapid flight. 

The Eave Swallows build tlicii' nest of mud, 
first made into small jiellets and fastened under 
the eaves of houses and barns, with the same 
material. A queer circumstance is. that after 
the swallows leave for the south their mud 
houses are inhabited by hordes of wingless 
creatures, well known in nil parts of the United 
States, — Cimex Lectulanous. Sixty mud swal- 
low nests, on one side of a barn, were counted, 
by the writer, that were inhabited in this way. 

The Barn Swallow has precedence among its 
kind because of the rich color of its dress. It 
is also more synnnetrical in shape than its 
"banker" or "eaves" brothers. It has a long, 
forked tail, which the others do not have. In- 
sects are its food, and it builds its nest inside 
of the bai'u. Its song is quite a sprightly 
warble, very pleasant to the ear. 

The Purple Martin swallow is very domestic, 
and likes boxes fixed near dwellings for its 
accommodation in llir nesting. The Martins 
and the blue birds (luarrel frequently as to 
who shall move in and out. The martin sin"s 
well. 

Least but not last, the Humming bird de- 
serves mention. It is a true bird, gentle and 
delicate in its movements (if not in disposition, 
for they will fi.uht fierrelv for their own ). with 



its wonderful poise on invisible, rapidly moving 
wings, getting its flower food. Indeed, it fills 
a large place among the wonders of creation 
in bird life, and so plainly proves to those who 
want to know the wise purpose of the power, 
which gives the finite and infinite touches to 
all animate and inanimate nature. 

Quite a goodly showing of Crossbills appear 
in our county, annually. They are peculiar in 
that their bills are crossed when closed, and 
are capable of lateral, as well as up and down 
motion. They are so constructed for powerful 
work in cutting open hard seed and cones of 
the evergreen trees. They are hard to keep in 
a cage, as they will cut and pull at the wires 
to get out. They are interesting, and of fine 
phnuage. The shape of their bills is not easily 
seen luiless observed at close range, or with a 
glasis. They seem to be of a family almost to 
themselves, something like the linnets and bull- 
finches. These birds are of a red and brown 
color and they have the mischievous char- 
acteristics of the parrots. 

We can claim the Bald Eagle for our coun- 
try without reservation. It sometimes comes 
here, and has nested with us in times gone by. 
It is seen nearly always high in air, soaring 
majestically and in all dignity. Bird of our 
country, ready at any time, with the swiftness 
of an arrow, to swoop down on its prey. 

The Grey Eagle is not common. It soars as 
the hawk does, and when on the wing, has very 
much the same appearance in manner and 
color. Its nature is very well known. It is 
a l)ird of prey, and will carry away small 
animals to its nest, which is usually in some 
large tree in a remote place. 

The large (irey Owl is called by local hunters 
the Horned Owl, but there is a question about 
it being that bird, as the feather tufts are not 
largely developed. 

The Screech Owl M'ill sit and twist its head 
without turning its body, in a most amusing 
Avay, and it has a variety of voices for the 
night, making it appear as if some other bird 
wei'e ab(nit. but they all come from the screech 
owl. They eat mice, and are quite tame. They 
nest near houses and barns if they can find 
trees neai', with holes in them. 

The Scarlet Tanager, a beautiful bird, is a 
new acquisition to the birds of our county, and 
will be heartily weh'omed by every bird lover. 
The "cardinal" will certainly have a rival 
worthy of his company, and the brilliance of 
his own i)lnmage, coupled with that of the 
Scarlet Tanager. will double the delight of the 
friends of the birds when they wend their way 
through the woody path. The Tanager has a 
scai'let bi'cast and body, with black wings. It 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



305 



belongs to the Finch-sparrow relationship. They 
are not here in hirge numbers, but several have 
been seen by reliable observers, near the city 
of Quincy. 

The increase of the population of this city 
is probably the reason of the scarcity of the 
Wild White Swan. Too much shooting has 
made it seek other shores, for it was always 
shy. Its beautifully curved neck and graceful 
carriage, without any marks of affectation, 
make it an enjoyable bird, wild or tame. 

Arraj'ed in the colors of the English Mock- 
ing bii'd, black and white, is a cruel, unlovely 
bird called the Butcher bird, or Shrike, well 
named, indeed, in every rescpeet. It kills mice 
and little birds, and in particular English 
sparrows, more than it needs for its living. 
Thorns are used upon which to impale its vic- 
tim. It makes much use of the telephone wires 
to wait for what it destroys. Its flight is 
straight as an arrow from one place to another, 
and it will stand in the air. for quite a time, 
perfectly motionless except for the movement 
of the wings, until the ill-fated mouse o.r bird 
is seen, and then it pounces upon it like a 
pirate. This bird has no friends. 

The Mississippi Rivei' is the home of the Gull. 
They spend nuich time on the wing over the 
water, never flying very high. Little is known 
about them. On the Pacific Coast, they are so 
tame that one can almost place the hand upon 
them, and are as large as chickens. Our Gull 
is not so large. There is apparently only one 
species here. 

We have ju.st as good reason to claim the 
caged Canary, as any one. Shall the beautiful 
songster, that is petted more than any other 
bird, be left out ? In a cage he sings a pent up 
song, but nevertheless he has a voice that is 
wonderfully sweet, and the little fellow seems 
to put his whole being into the production of 
his melody. It is a handsome bird as well, com- 
panionable, and a favorite everywhere. 

The Pewee is heard everywhere, but is not 
always in evidence. He is well known and can 
be counted on every season. 

Once in a while we see a Kingfisher on a tree, 
waiting disconsolately for as disconsolate a 
minnow, whose fellows are nearly all gone for 
fisherman's bait, for the creeks about Quincy 
are almo.st entirely divested of their small fish 
for this pui'pose, to the great dismay of the 
Kingfi.sher family. 

The inevitable Bee Birds, large and small, 
are the foe of all hawks and crows, and will 
follow them high into the air, spurring them as 
often as they can rise above them, and pounc- 
ing down upon them over and over again, evi- 
dently very much to the discomforture of the 



victims, who squawk with pain or fear of the 
treatment inflicted. It is thought that these 
birds are beneficial to the counti-y, as they de- 
stroy many insects. They do eat some bees. 

There are three Hawks at least, and prob- 
ably more. But certainly the very large Hawk 
so frequently seen is quite different from the 
slender but powerful Chicken Hawk, that every 
farmer has had a close acquaintance with. Cap- 
able of carrying off' a full grown chicken from 
the barnyard to some convenient tree and eat- 
ing it, and making this his practice, his habits 
are not conducive to agreeably familiar com- 
panionship, unless it be after di-awing a fine 
sight along one's trusty rifle barrel, and pulling 
trigger just at the right time. A much smaller 
hawk, familiarly called "Sparrow Hawk" is 
very common, and one would think it is not a 
very objectionable bird, as it lives on mice, and 
the English Sparrow. It does kill small birds, 
and this is of course against it, but perhaps its 
work in other directions, will be credited to it 
in the minds of those disposed to be charitable. 

Cedar Birds visit us for a little while, ap- 
parently to eat the cedar berries, and the 
berries of the mountain a.sh trees, and it departs 
very soon afterward. 

Black winged yellow thistle birds come for 
the thistle seed every year. They stay quite a 
while, and also eat other seeds. They are some- 
times called "Wild Canary." 

A native of the lowly kind is the little ground 
sparrow, known as Chippee Sparrow, who 
comes on time each spring and is a good stayer. 
Among the other small birds are the Pin 
Warbler, Red-eyed Vireo, Nut-hatch or Tree 
Mouse, Tufted Tit-mouse, Indigo bunting, 
Chewink, (Towhee or Ground Robin), Chick- 
adee, (worm destroyer). Snow-finches, Phoebe 
bird. Brown and Tawny ThriTsh, Red lark, 
Linnet, (Finch family), "Tip up" (snipe) — all 
of which sharj) eyes will find with us in season. 



CHAPTER LV. 



HISTORY OF THE ILLINOIS SOLDIERS AND SAILORS 

HOME. QTHNCY, ILLINOIS — ADAMS COUNTY 

MEDICAL SOCIETY. 

This home for disabled volunteer soldiers and 
.sailors was established by an act of the Legisla- 
ture, June 2fi, 1885. The location commission- 
ers, after quite a protracted contest between a 
number of cities seeking the location, decided 
the nuitter, December 2, 1885, upon a tract of 
land containing 140 acres, Iving in Riverside 



3o6 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY 



township, just outside and north of the city of 
Quiney. Since that time additional ijurcliases 
have been made to the extent of eighty-two acres. 

The commissioners selecting this site M'ere 
made up of the following named gentlemen : 
William W. Berry, Adams county ; F. E. Bryant, 
Bement; Monroe C. Crawford, Jonesboi'O; IT. ^1. 
Hall, Olney ; Henry T. Noble, Dixon ; M. R. M. 
Wallace, Cook coiinty ; Fred 0. White, Aurora. 

The fir.st Board of Trustees, appointed by Gov. 
Oglesby on December 11, 1885, were : Daniel 
Dustin of Sycamore, T. L. Dickasou of Danville 
and J. G. Rcnvland of (.^uincy. 

On December 15 of the same year this board 
met, choosing Gen. Dustin for president. Con- 
tracts for the various buildings under the first 
amount of money appropriated for the home were 
made in May, 1886. The cottage or detached 
building plan having been adopted, the home 
was opened for the reception of members in 
March, 1887. 




P^i'om time tn tiiiic i'ui-tlii'r apiUMpriations 
were made and nthci' buildings i-fcctrd, until at 
this date then' arc now (in tlie grdunds tifty-two 
(52) buildings, namely: 

One main or adnnnistration building, which 
contains offices, library and living (|uarters for 
the officers -, one large hospital, one cottage annex 
to hospital for convalescents, together with its 
cook house and boiler house: seventeen cottages: 
one main boiler house, under the roof of which 
is one machine shop, employing machinists, 
blacksmiths, tinners, plumbei-s and steam and 



gas fitters ; one laundry and one soap house ; one 
general kitchen, store house, bakery, cold storage, 
quartermaster and commissary departments ; one 
superintendent's residence, one house for dairy 
men, one new brick stable, two frame barns, four 
greenhouses and ten hotbeds, one carpenter shop, 
one ice house, one teamsters' quai'ters, one wagon 
shed, one tool house, one railroad .station erected 
by the C, B. & Q. Railroad Company, one large 
cow barn, one group of piggery buildings, one 
spring house, one summer house, one stone 
crusher building, one paint shop, two gate lodges, 
two fire engine houses and Lippincott ^Memorial 
Hall, where religious exercises are held and en- 
tertainments are given for the benefit of the home 
members. 

This building was erected and equipped by 
Capt. William Somerville, superintendent of the 
home, and dedicated December 19, 1900. It was 
erected to the memory of Gen. Charles E. Lippin- 
cott, the first superintendent of the home, and 
his estimable wife, Emily Chandler Lippincott. 
It is located on what is known as the parade 
ground and is northwest of the headquarters 
liuilding. Its dimensions are as follows: Length, 
82 feet ; breadth, 62 feet : height of ceiling in 
auditorium, 31 feet 9 inches. This building has 
a massive stone foundation, the main superstrTic- 
ture being of brick. The two ends of the build- 
ing are set off by immense columns, which sup- 
liort the porches. The main hall or auditorium 
has a seating capacity of 510, while balcony or 
gallery seats comfortably 350. Besides this, there 
are two large private boxes on either side of the 
stage, which will comfortably seat 40 more. The 
stage is 24 feet in depth and is the full width of 
the house. 

This building was given to the state l)y the 
home membei's, free of any incumbrances. A 
]iortion of the money was subscribed by the home 
members and the balance was .secured bv profits 
arising from the sale of small articles at the home 
store. The cost complete was $14,000. 

The general ground plan of th(^ main si-oup of 
bnihlinus covers an area of about twenty acres. 
.\ tunnel 2.600 feet in length. buil( of stone 
masoni'y. is covered over on top with stone flag- 
u'ins'. Near this tunnel are located the main 
Imilding and seventeen cottages, boiler house, 
general kitchen and other utility biiildings. All 
the piping, consisting of steam, gas, hot and cold 
water, sewage pipes, etc., is carried in this tunnel. 
which is anmly large to allow men to walk 
through for the purpose of examining the plant 
and making necessary repairs, while branches 
from the several nipes are carried through side 
tunnels to the liuildings. 

The caiiacitv of the honie as a maxinnnn may 
be stated at 1,747 men, as follows: 



FAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



307 



8 cottages, -lO men each 320 

6 cottages, 90 men each 540 

2 cottages, 120 men each 240 

1 cottage, ] 25 men each 125 

Hospital 427 

Hospital Annex 95 

Total ' 1,747 

During the past winter the average has num- 
bered over 1,700, the number on the rolls 2,035. 

The main or headquarters biiilding is built of 
Quiucy limestone, the front or tower portion be- 
ing four stories in height and the rear or library 
part two stories in lieight. and tlic Imilding was 
erected at a cost of $50,000. 

The genei'al utility building, kitchen, ware- 
house, quartermaster and commissary depart- 
ments, boiler house, machine shop, laimdry, soap 
house, paint house and coal hou.se are also built 
of stone. The other buildings named, except the 
farm buildings, are built of brick, with slate or 
metal roofs, and while plainly finished are sub- 
stantial, durable and well adapted to their re- 
spective purposes. 

The cottages, or members' quarters, vary in 
size and hold from 45 to 120 men each, as the 
number intended to be accommodated. These 
resident buildings have sleeping rooms for six 
to ten men each, sitting rooms, dining rooms and 
serving rooms, closets and bath rooms, with hot 
and cold water at all times, they being complete 
residences with the exception that there are no 
kitchens or facilities for cooking food. All the 
food for the general camp and hospital is pre- 
pared at large general kitchens and taken to each 
cottage and hospital buildings in a closed cart 
and there served each meal time. The food re- 
tains its heat even in the coldest weather, as it is 
contained in metal boxes or food carts that are 
tightly sealed, and the meals in being transported 
from the respective cook houses to the dining 
rooms lose very little of their heat. 

A good feature of the cottages is a veranda for 
nearly all of the sleeping rooms, contributing 
largely to the comfort of the men at all seasons. 

The hospital has a frontage of 262 feet. The 
central portion is three stories high and is con- 
nected by two-story corridors with pavilions on 
each side. The number of beds fiu' patients is 
427. 

The annex to the hospital is two stories high, 
with a large area basement and has 95 beds for 
convalescent patients. These buildings are sup- 
plied with steam heat, which is conveyed from the 
boiler house, which is located some distance in 
the rear of these buildings, and is entirely sep- 
arate and independent fi-om the main boiler- 
house. The cook hoiise is also in the rear of these 
buildings and adjacent to the boiler house. The 



hospital also has a large diet kitchen, where spe- 
cial food is prepai-ed for patients. 

The main boiler house, 60 feet by 100 feet, 
contains a battery of nine boilers, which furnish 
steam for cooking, j)()wer and heat for all of the 
buildings excepting the hospital and annex. Ad- 
joining this is a large coal house, machine and 
repair shops, laundry and soap house. 

The railroad switch from the main line of the 
C, B. & Q. tracks is ccmvenient wherefrom coal 




and supplies in bulk are delivered to the ware- 
house, kitchen, bakeiy, ([uartermaster and com- 
missary departments. 

The dairy and piggery buildings are located 
north of the camp proper, and comprise a large 
and com]3lete cow barn and sheds to accommo- 
date 95 head of cattle, together with buildings 
for grain and hay storage, and for the care of 
the hogs. 

The farm of the home supplies vegetables re- 
quired in good season, and there is ample pasture 
land in addition. On an average there are about 
65 cows that are milked and furnish from 195 
to 210 gallons of milk daily, at a cost of ly^ cents 
per galhm. A large .spring house is arranged for 
cooling and rediicing animal heat in the milk and 
is conveniently located to the daily. Usually 
alroiit 150 hogs are fed and fattened from the 
home slops, which .shows a good profit for money 
and labor expended. 

The handsome little railroad station built by 
tlie C. B. & Q. Railroad Company is a great 
convenience to the members in going from and 
returnins' to the Home. This station is al.so used 
by the Wabash trains. 

The total number of men admitted to tlie home 
is 7.051. The total number readmitted is 2,545; 
5,857 have been discharged and 1,741 have died, 
leaving 1,998 on the rolls. There are 1,216 buried 
in the Home cemeterv. 

The average age of the members who are vet- 



3o8 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



erans of the war of the Kcbelliou is 63.16 years. 
The average age of members of the Spanish- 
American war is 33.66 years. The number pres- 
ent now is 1,560; the average number through 
the year being 1.922. Nationality of tho.se ad- 
mitted, three-fourths native born, one-fourth for- 
eign born. Over niue-tenths of the members 
draw pensions, the average allowance being $9.60 
per month. 

Appropriations made for the home liy the 
State Legislature to date are as follows: 



Year. 

1885 

1SS7 to 1889. 

1889 to 1891. 
1891 to 1893. 
1893 to 1895. 

1895 to 1897. 

1897 to 1899. 

1899 to 1901. 

1901 to 1903. 

190:! to 1905. 



Ordiminj 
Expenses. 

. $ 

. 40,000 

224,50(1 
. 260,000 
. 290,000 
. 115,000 

135,000 
. 149,500 

149,500 
. 150,00(1 

180,000 
, . 176,000 

176,000 
. . 176,0(J0 

176,000 
. . 187,500 

187,500 



Specials. 
.$2(J0,(.)00 

5,000 
1.37,000 
32,000 
53,300 
14,000 
11,000 
25,750 

3,750 
10,100 

5,100 
23,500 

8,500 
45.(:;0() 
14,(J0(.) 
37,100 
11,600 



Totnl. 
.$200,000 

406,500 
292,000 
343,300 

275,000 

328,500 

345,000 

384,000 

411,700 

423.700 



Out of the above appropriations there has been 
returned to the state treasury .$113,000 to date. 

Congress provides that the national treasury 
shall contribute to the support of State Soldiers' 
Homes, under certain regulations, to the extent 
of .$100 per member per annum. This monej' is 
paid tlirect into the state treasury. 

The present officers of the home are : 

Governor — Charles S. Deneen. 

Superintendent — Capt. William Somerville. 

Ad.jutant — Capt. S. P. ]\Iooney. 

Surgeon — Dr. D. I\I. Tjandon. 

Clerk— E. C. Schureman. 

Engineer — J. A. Bunting. 

Farm Superintendent — C. S. Cordsiemon. 

Board of Trustees— Hon. J. B. Messiek 
St. Ijouis: Hon. C. C. Johnson. Sterling; 
C. W. Hawes, Rock Island. 

Officers of the Board — Hon. J 
president: E. H. Osborn, treasurer; Nelli 
Mc^l;dion, .secretary. 

Quartermastei- — R. B. Lancaster. 

Chaplains— Rev. M. M. Davidson, Rev 
Kerr. 



East 
]\[aj. 



B. :\ressick, 

J. 



J. P. 



TRITSTEES. 

Daniel Dustin. Sveamore, 111., Dec. 11. 1885 
Mav. 1890. 



L. T. Dickason, Danville, 111., Dec. 12, 1885- 
April, 1893. 

J. (_;. Rowland. Ouincy, 111., Dee. 11, 1885- 
Oct. 4, 1887. 

Thomas iMacfall, (^uincv. 111., Nov. 23, 1887- 
April, 1893. 

James I. Neff, Freeport. III.. May, 1890-April, 
1893. 

William Steinwedell, (-^uiney, 111.. April 6, 
lS93-Jan., 1896. 

Jas. A. Sexton. Chicago, 111., April 6, 1893- 
Jan. 1, 1899. (Died.) 

Lewis B. Parsons, Flora, 111., April 6, 1893- 
April, 1897. 

Theodore Schaar, Beardstown, 111., Jan., 1896- 
April 1. 1897. 

William O. Wright. Freeport, 111., April 1, 
1897-June 1, 1901. 

J. W. Niles, Sterling, 111., April 1, 1897-June 
1, 1901. 

C. V. Chandler, Jlacomb, III., Jan. 1. 1899- 
May 31, 1902. 

John C. Black, Chicago, III., June 1, 1901- 
Sept. 31, 1903. 

C. W. Hawes, Rock Island, III, June 1, 1901. 

J. B. Messiek, E. St. Louis, 111., July 1, 1902. 

C. C. Johnson, Sterling, 111., Sept. 19, 1903. 

SUPERINTENDENTS. 

Chas. E. Lippincott, Dec. 1, 18S6-Sept. 11. 
1887. (Died.) 

J. G. Rowland (pro tern), Sept. 14. 18S7-Oct. 
4, 1887. 

J. G. Rowland, Oct. 4, 1887-April 16, 1893. 

B. P. McDaniel (acting), Nov. 14, 1894- Jan. 
3, 1895. 

W. II. Kirkwood, Jan. 3, 1895-March 31. 1897. 

William Somerville, April 1, 1897, and pres- 
ent incumbent. 

In 1903 the North Fifth street line of the 
Quincy Street Railway Company was extended 
into the Home grounds, following and parallel 
with the curves of the nuiin drive, from the Lo- 
cust street entrance to the Headquarters build- 
ing, and a small but well built and convenient 
street ear station built within a few yards of 
the Administration building and hospital. This 
has been found a great convenience to members 
of the Home, saving a walk of about half a mile 
and enabling many of the more feeble to go to 
the citv who would otherwise not be able to go 
at all." 

Indications are that this extension has also 
been a good thing for the Street Car Company 
in the returns from increased traffic. 

The legislature of 1903 appropriated $10,000 
for overcoats for members of the Home. This 
was a wise and charitable measure, as heretofore 
but few of the members had overcoats, those who 



FAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COU.NTY. 



309 



could afiuru tln'iii buyiiii^' their own, while many 
had been obliged to do without. 

ADAMS COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY. 

This society antedates by some two months 
the Illinois State Medical Society, and is with 
one exception the oldest medical society in Illi- 
nois. Its senior by about four years is the 
Aesculpian Society of the Wabash Valley, or- 
ganized at Lawrenceville in 1S46, and which 
has drawn its membership from the whole south- 
easterly, and largely also from the southern, por- 
tion of the state and from western Indiana. 

The Adams County Society was organized at 
Qi;incy, March 28, 1850, at a meeting presided 
over by Dr. Samuel W. Rogers, and also partic- 
ipated in by Doctors Warren Chapman, James 
Elliott, J.- W. Hollow-bush, F. B. Leach, Joseph 
N. Ralston,,]M. J. Roesehlamb, M. Sheperd, L(mis 
Watson, and Isaac T. Wilson. Of these Dr. El- 
liott was a resident of Clayton, and Dr. Shei)erd 
of Payson, tlie others lived in Quincy. 

At the banquet commemorating the fiftieth an- 
niversary of the society, held at the New-comb 
Hotel, Quincy, JIarch 28, 1900, it was announced 
that Dr. Wilson (who was on the program for 
a speech, but who was at the beside of his sister 
in Kentucky, then very ill) was the sole sur- 
vivor of the founders. He w-as one of the speak- 
ers at the annual dinner of the society, Feb- 
ruary 11, 190-4, which he survived some four 
months, dying in Quincy, June 24. 1904. 

The officers elected at the organization w^ere : 
Joseph N. Ralston, president ; S. W. Rogers and 
M. Sheperd, vice-presidents ; J. W. Hollowbush, 
recording secretary; Louis Watson, correspond- 
ing secretary ; F. B. Leash, treasurer : I. T. Wil- 
son, M. J. Roesehlamb and L. Watson, censors. 
Vice-President Sheperd was elected delegate to 
the American Medical Association meeting that 
year in Cincinnati. 

The first president. Dr. Ralston, was one of the 
most prominent men of Quincy. For many years 
by common consent at the head of the general 
practitioners of medicine, and his home was for 
a long time a social center. He died in 1876, 
in his seventy-sixth year. Of his character and 
personality a memorial minute found in the 
records of the society thus speaks : 

"He was rather tall and spare in figure, dig- 
nified in cai-riage, courteous almost to punctil- 
ious in manner, clean and precise in speech ; self- 
poised, keen in his perceptions, steadfast in his 
convictions, sagacious in council, the sturdy vir- 
tues which eonnnanded for him universal respect 
■were rooted in a kind and sympathetic nature 
which w-on for him the enduring love of kindred 
and the affectionate regard of those to whom he 
ministered. ' ' 



Tliree daughters, all widely respected and be- 
loved, survive him — Mrs. Emilie Caldwell and 
Mrs. Margaret Charles, both widowed and resid- 
ing with the third and youngest sister, Mrs. 
Mnuiie Hayden, w-ife of Philip C. Hayden, of 
Keokuk, Iowa. 

Another of the earlier members deserving 
especial mention was Dr. Edward G. Castle, a 
native of England, who joined in 1856, and at 
orce left the impress of his aptitude for affairs, 
breadth of mind and high character upon the 
proceedings of the society. His name disappears 
from the records January 14, 1867, to ilarch 
3, 1873, during which period he was absent fnmi 
the country as ITnited States consular agent at 
Carlisle, Eng., the early home of his wife. He 
never resumed the active practice of his profes- 
sion after his return, but retained all his old 
intere.st in its organic life, accepting a re-election 
to the presidency of the society, also the presi- 
dency of the medical staff of Blessing Hospital, 
both of which places he held at the time of his 
death, which occurred September 20, 1880. His 
personality as it impressed itself upon his co- 
workers is well reflected in the following from 
the memorial minute recorded by the society at 
his death : ' ' Honored in his profession, honoring 
it by a dignified, faithful, and fearless discharge 
of its duties, wise in council, upright in charac- 
ter, ruling with firm yet gentle hand, carrying all 
the generosity and freshness of youth into the 
autumn of life, he has passed away in the matur- 
ity of years. The key to his life and character 
lies in a w-ord : No man ever thought of doing 
a mean, unkindly-, unmanly or unprofessional act 
in his presence." 

Two children, iMrs. George Wells and Mr. 
George Castle, both well know-n residents of 
Quincy, survive him. 

Owing to the small number of members of the 
society and the wide extent of the field then cov- 
ered by practice of Quincy physicians, it seems 
to have been impossible to get a quorum of the 
members together even for the annual meetings, 
and there is a break in the records from Novem- 
ber 10, 1850, to April 19, 1856, when at a special 
meeting called by the president at w-hich a num- 
ber of new members w-ere proposed, and at the 
annual meeting the following month fourteen 
were elected, and the society took on a new lease 
of active life, which has since remained prac- 
tically unbroken, although in the first year of the 
civil w-ar it w-as found expedient to omit the 
quarterly meetings owing to the absence of so 
many members in the army. 

At the annual meeting (May 13) of 1861, reso- 
lutions w-ere adopted tendering the gratuitous 
services of the members of the families of volun- 
teers from Adams County, and declaring that 



310 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



they held tlieiiiselves in readiness to obey any 
call which the state or uatiou might make upon 
them as physicians or patriots. 

Down to the close of the civil war there had 
l)een enrolled fifty-seven members, of whom 
the following- were in the military service: 

Dr. Moses M. Bane, colonel of the 50th Illinois 
infantry ; lost his right arm at Shiloh ; subse- 
quently assessor of internal revenue and later 
register of the general land office at Salt Lake 
City, Utah; Dr. Garner K. Bane (brother of Col. 
Bane, whose arm he amputated on the field), 
assistant surgeon, 50th Illinois infantry : Dr. 
Frederick K. Bailey, surgeon 20th Illinois infan- 
try, detached and in charge of division No. -i 
of the Quincy military hospital ; Dr. Leauder 
D. Baker, surgeon 24th Jlissouii infanti-y, and 
later division surgeon of the Department of the 
Gulf; Dr. Moses F. Bassett. assistant surgeon of 
the board of enrollment of IVth congressional 
district, headquarters at Quincy; Dr. Edward 
G. Castle, not nuistered. but temporarily sur- 
geon in charge of division No. 1, Quincy Hos- 
jiital : Dr. Henry J. Churchman, surgeon, as- 
signed to the a rmy of the Potomac ; details not 
obtainable; Dr. Bartrow Darrack, surgeon, died 
soon after being mustered, of smallpox contract- 
ed while caring for his own family stricken with 
that disease ; Dr. Samuel W. P]verett, brigade 
surgeon on staff of Gen. B. M. Prentiss, was 
killed at Shiloh while rallying retreating troops ; 
a nephew of the Hon. Edward Everett, the ora- 
tor and former secretary of state, a cousin of 
the Rev. p]dward Evei'ett Hale, the author of 
"The Man "Without a Country," and a younger 
brother of Edward Everett, who during his long 
residence in Quincy was a soldier in the ]\Ior- 
mon and Mexican wars, and an assistant to Gov. 
Wood, quartermaster general of Illinois from 
the outbreak of the civil war iintil the duty of 
equipping Illinois troops was taken over by the 
war department; Dr. A. 1\I. D. Hughes, ad.i'utant 
of the 50th Illinois infantry; killed at Shiloh; 
Dr. J. R. Kay, surgeon 124th Illinois infantry ; 
Dr. Henry W. Kendall, siirgeon 50th Illinois 
infantry; Dr. Rus Kendall, assistant surgeon, 
regiment not ascei'tained; Dr. Samuel C. Moss, 
surgeon of the 78th Illinios infantry; Dr. Charles 
H. Morton, ma.ior, and later lieutenant colonel 
of the 84th Illinois infantry; eajitured at Chick- 
amauga and confined in Libby Prison, and after 
the war became county clerk of Adams Comity 
and later police magistrate of Quincy; Dr. Virgil 
]\TcDavitt, surceon 1st Alabama (colored) cav- 
alry; Dr. N. IT. IMcXeall, assistant surgeon 137th 
Illinois infantrv; Dr. George O. Pond, surgeon 
7:-!rd Illinois infantry; Dr. Daniel Stahl, sui-geon 
7th Illinois cavalrv; Dr. Joel G. Williams, assist- 
ant surgeon 2d Illinois cavalry; Dr. Louis Wat- 



son, surgeon Kith Illinois infantry, and later 
medical inspector of the Army of the Cumber- 
laud; Dr. Isaac T. Wilson, contract surgeon in 
charge of division No. 2 of the Quincy Hospital 
during the war; Dr. Reuljen Woods, siirgeon 
119th Illinois infantry, and later division sur- 
geon of the Department of the Gulf ; against the 
name of Dr. Henry Douglass, one of the earlier 
members and at one time postmaster of Quincy, 
in an analytical roster in the back of the record 
book, stands the notation, "In the army," but 
of what his service was nothing seems now as- 
certainable, but it was probably professional. 

Of those who joined after the close of the war 
the following were in the service during its con- 
tinuance : Dr. D. Bryan Baker, private, 137th 
Illinois infantry ; Dr. P. A. Marks, subaltern in 
the navy; Dr. Robert W. McMahan, who in the 
earlier part of the war was surgeon on the Mis- 
sissippi River fleet connnanded by Col. Ellet, 
of whose gentle courtesy and apparent absolute 
unconsciousness of danger he was w'ont to speak 
with imbounded admiration, and later was sur- 
geon of the 146th Illinois infantry ; Dr. J. B. 
Shawgo, private, 85th Illinois infantry, who w-as 
detailed as a scout on reaching the front and 
as such during the war ; and Dr. Robert J. Chris- 
tie, Sr., senior surgeon of Gen. Price's brigade 
of IMissouri (Confederate) infantry. 

General sanitation early engaged the attention 
of the society. Pursuant to a resolution adopted 
November 22, 1865, Drs. E. G. Castle and Joseph 
Robbins appeared before the city council and 
asked that in view of a probable visitation of epi- 
demic cholera, steps be taken to put the city in 
a proper sanitary condition. The authorities 
acted promptly, created a board of health of 
which Dr. Castle was made president, and under 
his direction the city was put in such condition 
that when in the following summer disease came 
up the I\ri.ssissippi River, Quincy escaped with 
less than a dozen cases, and only two or three of 
these were fatal. 

In August, 1866, the secretary. Dr. Joseph 
Robbins, presented to the city council a memorial 
adopted by the society asking the passage of the 
necessary ordinances to secure a complete record 
of deaths with the cause of death in each case, 
and to provide that no intei'ment should take 
place without such a certificate from the jirac- 
titioner in attendance or from the coroner after 
an inque.st. The latter provision provoked oppo- 
sition in the council and it w^as not until three 
years later that the continm^d efforts of the 
society in this direction were crowned with suc- 
cess. The record, in which the first entry was 
made November 21, 1869. has since been kept 
up, not perfectly in its eaj'lior years, but more 
aeeiarately since a state law to the same end 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



3" 



with stringent penalties for neg:leet. eanie into 
operation. 

. Meanwhile the agitation of the record matter 
and the continued ett'orts of individual member.s 
led to the re-establishnient of a board of health 
in place of the one which had fallen into desue- 
tude. During the administration of Mayor Row- 
land, which began in 1870, an efficient board was 
provided for, consisting of live members of which 
three were regular phy.sicians, with one lajTuan, 
like them appointed by the Mayor, who was him- 
.self a member es-otiiicio. The high character and 
demonstrated efficiency of the board was main- 
tained for only a few years : it .soon became an 
asylum for lay politicians, wholly losing its pro- 
fessional character, and then giving way to the 
present organization in which there is no pro- 
vision for the participation of medical men. 
Within the past year (1904) the medical society 
has again taken action looking to the restoration 
of the professional character of the board, but 
no visible progress has been made. The society 
now has about seventy members. 

The present officers of the society are as fol- 
lows: President, John A. Koch: first vice-presi- 
dent, G. M. Grimes ; second vice-president. Henry 
Hart : secretary, George E. Rosenthal : treasurer, 
R. J. Christie, Jr. : cen.sors, Joseph Robbins, L. 
B. Ashton, and E. B. IMontgomerv. 



CHAPTER LVI. 



THE COUNTY POOR F.\RM — COUXTV .VXD DISTRICT 
OFFICERS. BY D. L. II.MR. 

Very early in the history of Adams County, 
the benevolence of its pioneer citizens began to 
be manifest in the provisions made for the indi- 
gent and deserving poor within its bordei-s. At 
first, and for a number of years, the paupers 
were provided for in the several localities where 
they resided. But in the year 1847, the Board of 
Commissioners deemed it advi.sable, as a matter 
of economy to the county, and for the better pro- 
vision for these unfortunate objects of public 
charity, to purchase a farm to be devoted to their 
support, to which they could be removed and 
cared for in a body, and where those not entirely 
disabled might be furnished some employment, 
and thus in a measure, become self-supporting. 
Consequently, after .some investigation, the 
board bought the eighty acre farm owned by H. 
T. Ellis, parts of the Northwest and Northeast 
quarter of Section 16. of township 1 north and 7 
west, lying near the center of Honey Creek", the 
transfer bearing date March 16, 1847, and the 



con.sideration being $700. The farm was under 
a fair state of improvement, and had a frame 
house containing several rooms and a shed 
kitchen. A barn and other outbuildings, and a 
blacksmith shop were on the premises. 

The farm was under the supervision of a com- 
petent man. and tlie paupers were removed to 
it, and sustained there until May, 1855, when by 
order of the Board of Supervisors — the county 
having gone into township organization in 1849 
— the county poor farm w^as sold to John White, 
for .$800, the board reserving the use of the farm 
until the next year. 

At a session of the County Board of Super- 
visors held January 5, 1856, it was resolved to 
purchase 200 acres for a poor farm, and a com- 
mittee con.sisting of Wm. Laughlin, A. H. Doan, 
and Baptist Hardy, were appointed to select and 
make the purchase. On June 10, the committee 
reported that they had bought of John F. Battel] 
160 acres, the northeast (juarter of Section 11, in 
(xilmer township, for $5,000. The committee also 
reported, at the same meeting, the purchase of 
50,000 brick and other nuiterial with which to 
erect buildings thereon. The following year, 
1857, the farm w^as rented out and the paupers 
were hired, kept by contract, at a specified price 
per capita per week. TTpon the completion of the 
buildings the paupers were removed to the county 
farm, where they have been provided for since. 

This county hou.se then consisted of a biiilding 
24 feet by 40 feet, two stories high, wdth a base- 
ment, and it is estimated cost about $2,500. ' In 
1857, when the new home was entered, there 
were about fifteen persons brought from the old 
farm. In 1860, we find twenty-five members, 
and to make room for the increase of paupers 
in 1863, the county built an addition to the first 
building, 30x30 feet, two stories high and base- 
ment, at a cost of about $3,000. Osborne & Son 
did the brick work, and Ligget & Bachey, the car- 
penter work. 

In 1861, the first barn was biiilt at a cost of 
$300 by Ben Wegle. In 1862, the old building 
for the insane was built, at a cost of $1,000. 
This building, however, has been taken down, 
since it did not give satisfaction as a place to 
confine the insane. 

In 1867, the county built a pest house at a 
cost of about $500. This building is still stand- 
ing. 

In 1868, becau,se of the increasing numbers?, 
another building was erected, 24x48 feet, two 
stories high, costing $6,000. 

In 1874 the city of Quincy went into township 
organization, prior to which time the paupers 
of the city had been under the charge of munici- 
pal officers, one alderman from each ward con- 
stituting the pauper committee, to which was 



312 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



added an overseei- of the poor. Since 1874, the 
connty has had charge of its pauper expenses, 
the same as tlie other townships of the county. 
The adoption of Quiney poor so increased the 
number of county dependents that the building 
on the farm became insufficient, and it became 
necessary to provide for them elsewhere. Ac- 
cordingly, an agreement was made with the Char- 
itable Aid and Hospital Association of Quiney, 
to keep them during the ten months, from July 
1, 1874, to Jlay 1, 1875, for .$8,000 and 200 cords 
of wood; and for a year, begiiniing ]\Iay 1, 1S75, 
for a sum not to exceed $12,01)0, the sum actually 
being expended was $10,400. During the latter 
year, there were on the book of the Association 
an average of 814 jiersons per month, represent- 
ing 226 families. 

A committee of the Board of Supervisors was 
then authorized to examine and make a report 
of plans for a new building to be erected on the 
County Poor Fai-m. This committee recom- 
mended that a buikling three stories high, 32x43 
feet area, be built at a cost of $8,000. It was 
fini.shed in 1875, at a cost of $7,968. The build- 
ing committee consisted of Thomas Bailey, Wm. 
Winkleman, E. H. Turner, David Sheer and J. 
B. Weaver.. A steam heater was afterward put 
in the building at a cost of $1,290. 

Again, in 1897, because of the great increase 
in insanity, a new building 24x40 feet, was put 
up. This cost the county about $10,000. About 
the same time a barn scales and other outbuild- 
ings were erected at a cost of about $2,500. These 
are all now in good repair. A new heating ap- 
paratus has also been put in, in late years hy 
Best, the Quiney plumber. 

At first the paupers were put under the cus- 
tody of some one man, who boarded them for a 
certain price per week. Later, the Board of 
Supervisors concluded to manage the house and 
farm themselves, and furnish everything for the 
poor. Accordingly they appointed a superin- 
tendent. Under the old regime, Mr. Henderson 
had charge of the paupers two years, and Mr. 
Curtis one year. The first superintendent ap- 
pointed was D. L. Hair in 1860, serving six years ; 
second. A. L. Shiphard, seven years; third, As- 
bury Elliott, six years; fourth, Mr. Doren, one 
year ; fifth, W. Beecott, one year ; sixth, M. Doren, 
two years ; Mrs. Doren, six years after her hus- 
band 's death: eighth, William Bates, six years: 
ninth, Dave L. Hair, six years; and tenth and 
last, Jacob Wolfe, the present superintendent. 

At present there are between eighty and eighty- 
five inmates at the farm, and this number, it is 
said, is smaller than it has been for many years. 
The reason for this, we presume, is because of 
the very recent removal of sixty patients to the 
asylum at Bartonville. Of course, the greater 
number of pauper expenses are incurred for the 



city poor, but a great deal of expense is brought 
about by the feeding of transient paupers and 
for railroad pas.ses. The average cost per head, 
for keeping the paupers, less the income from 
the farm, was at one time 86 cents per week, but 
this expense later came down as low as 67 cents 
per week. 

The Adams County Poor Farm is well located 
— the land is rolling, and the drainage good. 
There is penty of water, of the very best quality. 
It is said that there is not a better managed poor 
farm in the state, for the management has always 
been good. The poor are liberally provided for, 
and at the same time the management has been 
so economical that the County Poor Farm is a 
credit to the Adams county tax payers. 

COT'XTY OFFICERS. 

The t'dlldwing is a list of county and district 
(iflici.-ils fi-diii the organization of the county in 
lS2-'i, 1() the present time: 

James Black, recorder July 8, 1825 

Levi Headley, sheriff Aug.'sO, 1825 

Asa Tyi'cr, coroner Aug. 30, 1825 

Henry II. Snow, .iudge probate. . .Sept. 15, 1825 
Henry II. Snow, .judge probate. . . .Jan. 23, 1826 

Henry H. Snow, recorder Jan. 23, 1826 

Hugh Wliite, surveyor Jan. 23, 1826 

Earl Pierce, sheriff Sept. 6, 1826 

Asa Tyrer, coroner Sept. 6, 1826 

Ilei'man Wallace, coroner Sept. 6, 1828 

Earl Pierce, slieriff Dec. 5, 1828 

Earl PiciH-c, sheriff Nov. 27, 1830 

Thomas :\loon, coroner Nov. 27, 1830 

Eai-1 Pierce, sheriff Sept. 5, 1832 

William P. Reader, coroner Sept. 5, 1832 

H. Patfon, surveyor April 28, 1834 

Harris Patfon, survevor June 2, 1834 

J. 'SI. Whitinu', coroner Ana. 22, 1834 

Earl Pierce, sheriff Aug. 29, 1834 

Harris Patfon, surveyor Dec. 24, 1834 

C. :\I. Billington, recorder Aug. 22, 1835 

Harris Patfon, .surveyor Aug. 22, 1835 

Thomas C. King, coroner Aiiu'. 24, 1836 

Earl Pierce, sheriff Aug. 24, 1836 

Wm. G. Flood, probate .judge Feb. 17, 1837 

Wm. II. Tandy, sheriff Nov. 29, 1837 

Wm. 11. Tandy, sheriff Aug. 21, 1838 

Jas. :\r. Ilattan, coroner Aug. 23, 1838 

Jiio. H. Holton, recorder Aug. 17, 1839 

Joel ( f. Williams, surveyor Aug. 17, 1839 

Thomas Jasper, sheriff Aug. 12. 1840 

John T. riilmer, coroner Aug. 12, 1840 

Jonas Orubb, coroner Aug. 12, 1842 

Wm. II. Tandy, sheriff Aug. 13, 1842 

John IT. Holton, recorder Aug. 29, 1843 

Thomas II. Williams, surveyor. . . .Aug. 29. 1843 

James ]\I. Pittman. sheriff "^ Aug. 12, 1844 

L. Fi-azer, coroner Aiig. 16, 1844 



FAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



313 



Juuics M. i'ittman, sheriff Any. 18, 18-46 

Thaddeiis Monroe, coroner Aug. 18, 18-16 

John H. Holton, recorder Aug. 19, 1847 

Washington Wren, sheriff Aug. 16, 1818 

Thaddeus ^lonroe, coroner Aug. 16, 1848 

Philo A. Goodwin, eountv .judge. .Nov. 17, 1849 
J. C. Barnard, county eferk. .7 . . .Nov. 22, 1849 

Peter Gott, circuit clerk Sept. 4, 1848 

Abner E. Humphrey, sheriff Nov. 20, 1850 

Thaddeus Monroe, coroner Nov. 20, 1850 

B. I. Chatten, surveyor Nov. 22, 1851 

Levi Palmer, sheriff' Nov. 20, 1852 

Thaddeus Monroe, coroner Nov. 20, 1852 

C. JI. Woods, circuit clerk Nov. 20, 1852 

G. W. Luch. county clerk Nov. 21, 1858 

W. H. Gather, county .iudge Nov. 20, 1853 

A. Touzalin, school com Feb. 21, 1854 

John Field, county clerk April 11, 1854 

William Lane, sheriff' Nov. 15, 1854 

Thaddeus jMonroe, coroner Nov. 15, 1854 

B. I. Chatten, survevor Nov. 15, 1855 

John P. Cadogan, sheriff Nov. 12, 1856 

Thaddeus Monroe, coroner Nov. 12, 1856 

Thomas W. Macfall, circuit clerk. .Nov. 14, 1856 

Wm. H. Gather, county .judge Nov. 21, 1857 

Alex Johnson, county clerk Nov. 21, 1857 

B. I. Chatten, county surveyor. . . .Nov. 21, 1857 

Wilson Lance, treasurer Nov. 3, 1857 

Asa W. Blakesly, school com Nov. 3, 1857 

J. H. Hendrickson, sheriff Nov. 10, 1858 

Thaddeus Monroe, coroner Nov. 10, 1858 

N. T. Lane, school com 1859 

Eli Seehorn, county treasurer 1859 

B. I. Chatten, county surveyor 1859 

Wm. :\r. Avis, .school com." Dec. 25, 1860 

Maurice Kelly, sheriff Nov. 26, 1860 

W. S. M. Anderson, circuit clerk. .Nov. 26, 1860 
James Wimean, coroner Nov. 26, 1860 

E. A. Baker, county judge Nov. 18, 1861 

Alex. Johnson, county clerk Nov. 18, 1861 

Peter Smith, county surveyor Nov. 18, 1861 

John Steinagel, sheriff' Nov. 28, 1862 

Geo. D. Watson, coroner Nov. 28, 1862 

F. G. Johnson, county treasurer. . .Nov. 13, 1863 
Peter Smith, county surveyor. . . .Nov. 13, 1863 

H. S. Davis, school com. . . ." 1863 

Samuel T. Brooks, circuit clerk Nov. 28, 1864 

Wm. L. Humphrey, sheriff Nov. 28, 1864 

Geo. D. Watson, coroner Nov. 28, 1864 

Chas. H. Morton, county clerk. . . .Nov. 15, 1865 

Thos. J. Mitchell, county judge Nov. 22, 1865 

Seth W. Grammer, supt. schools. . .Nov. 22, 1865 

Chas. Petri, county surveyor Nov. 25, 1865 

Thomas W.Gaines, county treasurer.Nov. 25, 1865 

Henry C. Craig, sheriff' Nov. 23, 1866 

John W. :Morehead, circuit clei-k. . .Nov. 26, 1866 

Alex. Brown, coroner Nov. 28, 1866 

Peter Smith, surveyor Nov. 28. 1867 

Joseph Lummis. treasurer Nov. 22, 1867 



J. M. Earel, .sheriff Nov. 17, 1868 

John W. Morehead, circuit clerk. . .Nov. 19, 1868 

Alex. Brown, coroner Nov. 30, 1868 

Tho.s. J. Mitchell, coimty judge. . .Nov. 23, 1869 
Chas. H. :\Iorton, county clerk. .Nov. (2) 10, 1869 

N. Morehead, circuit clerk 

Wm. Fletcher, treasurer Nov. (2) 30, 1869 

B. I. Chatten, surveyor Nov. (2) 18, 1869 

Jno. II. Black, supt. schools. . .Nov. (2) 29,1869 

1870. 

Napoleon ilorehead Circuit Clerk 

John il. Kreitz Sheriff 

Alex. Brown Coroner 

1871. 

Edwin Cleveland Treasurer 

I'hilip Falls Surveyor 

1872. 

W. G. Ewing State's Attorney 

(ieorge Brophv Circuit Clerk 

G. C. Trotter". Sheriff 

Alex. Brown Coroner 

1873. 

J. C. Thompson County Judge 

Willis Haselwodd County Clerk 

1874. 

Geo. W. Craig Sheriff 

Alex. Brown Coroner 

1875. 

S. G. Earel Treasurer 

Seth. J. ilorey Surveyor 

1876. 

Wm. H. Govert State's Attorney 

George Brophy Circuit Clerk 

J<ihu S. Pollock Sheriff 

Elihu Seehoi'n Coroner 

1877. 

Benj. F. Berrian County Judge 

Willis Haselwood County Clerk 

Anton Binkert Treasurer 

John H. Black Supt. Schools 

1878. 

Edwin Cleveland County Treasurer 

John H. Black Supt. Schools 

1879. 

Henry Ording Sheriff 

Elihu Seehorn Coroner 

COUNTY TRE.\SURERS. 

1882 John. S. Cruttenden. 

1886 John B. Kreitz. 

1890 James B. Corrigan. 

1894 George McAdams. 

1898 James ^McKinnie. 

1902 Frank Sonnet. 

•SURVEYORS. 

1876 Philip Fah.s. 
1880 Peter Smith. 
1885 John R. Ne\ins. 



314 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



1888 Ferguson A. Grover. 

1892 Ferguson A. Grover. 

1896 Edward C. Wells. 

1900 F. L. Kaneoek. 

1904 W. Jl. De(iroot. 

CORONERS. 

1888 Ichahod U. .Miller. 

1892 Michael Rvan. 

1896 Win. K. Ilasehvood. 

1900 Benjamin P.. Luniiuis. 

1904 W. K. Thomas. 

STATE 'S .ATTORNEYS. 

1876 Wm. II. Govert. 

1884 Oscar P. Bonnin-. 

1890 Carl E. E])l,'r, ti'll.-d dut Bonnev's term. 
1892 Albert, Akers. 

1896 George H. Wilson. 
1900 Clav Crewdson. 
1904 Wm. B. Shoet.s. 

CIRCriT CLERKS.' 

1876 George Bi-ojihy. 

1896 Joseph L. Sheridan. 
1900 Hiram R. Wheat. 
1904 San ford C. Pitney. 

CdCNTV CLERKS. 

1877 Willis Ilasclwood. 

1897 Jaek.son 17. i'iefcc. 

<.!(II-XTV .IITDGES. 

1877 Benjamin F. Berrian. 
1894 Carl E. Ejiler. 

1902 Charles B. McCi'ory. 

CIRCUIT .ITDGES. 

Jo.seph Sibley to 1S79. 

1879 John II. Williams. 

1885 William :\Iarsh. 

1891 Oscar P. Bonnev. 

1897 John C. Broadv". 
190:{ Albert Akci's. ■ 

shp:riffs. 

1878 Ilenrv Oi-diiiu'. 

1880 R. ^1.' (U-.iy. 
1882 Ben Ileckic 

1886 Richard Seaton. 
1890 J. W. Vancil. 
1894 Adojph F. Roth. 

1898 John Hoth. 
1902 Ed. Smith. 



HECORnERS. 

1892 Ben. Heckle. 
1896 Rolla McNeall. 
1900 Ben. Heckle. 
1904 David P. Lawless. 

Following is a list of the s 
of the General Assembly fn 



i-essivc members 
Adams County 



and the counties to which it has been attached 
as part of the various districts: 

Senators — Elected. 

George Caldwell, of :\Iadison 1818 

Theophilns W. Smith, of Madison 1822 

Thomas Carliu, of Greene 1826 

Henry J. Ross, of Pike 1828 

Archibald William.s, of Adams 1832 

0. II. Browning, of Adams 1836 

James H. Ralston, of Adams 1840 

Jacob Smith, of Adams 1844 

Hugh L. Sntphen, of Pike 1848 

Jno. Wood, of Adams 1850 

Solomon Parsons, of Pike 1853 

Wm. H. Carlin, of Adams 1854 

Austin Brooks, of Adams 1858 

B. T. Schotield. of Hancock 1862 

Samuel R. Chittenden, of Adams 1866 

J. N. Richardson, of Adams 1870 

Jesse Williams, of Hancock 1870 

George W. Burns, of Adams 1872 

Maurice Kelly, of Adams 1873 

Bernard Arntzen, of Adams 1874 

Maurice Kelly, of Adams 1878 

Maurice Kelly, of Adams 1880 

Maurice Kelly, of Adams 1882 

Maurice Kelly, of Adams 1884 

(Resigned Aug. 5, 1885.) 

George W. Dean 1886 

George W. Dean 1888 

Albert W. Wells 1890 

Albert W. Wells 1892 

Albert W. Wells 1894 

Albert W. Wells 1896 

( Died, succeeded by John .McAdams, elected 
June 7, 1S!)7.) 

John :\reAdams 1898 

John M<-Adams 1900 

Thomas .Meehan, of Scott 1902 

Tliomas P>are. of Calhoun 1904 

h'( jHi .•<( iilativcs — Elected. 

Abraham Prickett, of [Madi.son 1818 

Samuel Whitesides, of .Monroe 1818 

John Howard 1818 

Xathaniel Buckma.ster, of Madison 1820 

William Otwell 1820 

Joseph Bronauo-h 1820 

X. Ilan.som, of Pike (ejected) 1822 

Henry J. Ross, of Pike 1826 

Levi J. Roberts 1826 

John Turnev, of Peoria 1828 

John Allen," of Joe Daviess 1828 

A. W. Caverly. of Greene 1828 

Joel Wright, of Fulton 1830 

Samuel C. Pearce, of Calhoun 1830 

Charles Gr<-di-y 1830 

Wm. (i. Flood, of Adams 1832 

Philip W. .Martin, of Adams 1832 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



315 



William Ross, of Pike 1S:U 

Thomas H. Owen 1834 

George Galbraith, of Adams 1836 

James H. Ralston, of Adams 1836 

Archibald Williams, of Adams 1837 

A. Williams, of Adams 1838 

Wm. G. Flood, of Adams 1838 

Robert Star, of Adams 184U 

William Laiig'hlin, of Adams 184U 

Jno. G. Ilumphrev, of Adams 1842 

0. H. Brownino," of Adams 1842 

A. Jonas, of Adams 1842 

R. W. Star, of xVdams 1842 

P. B. Garrett, of Adams 1842 

A. Wheat, of Adams 1842 

Peter Lott, of Adams 1844 

William Hendrix, of Adams 1844 

William Miller, of Adams 1844 

1. N. Morris, of Adams 1846 

William Ilendrix, of Adams 1846 

James M. Seehorn. of Adams 184(i 

E. 11. Buckley, of :\rarquette, then attached 

to Adams 1846 

O. C. Skinner, of Adams 1848 

John :\rariott. of Adams 1848 

J. R. Ilobbs. of Adams 1850 

J. M. Pittman, of Adams 1850 

J. W. Sinoleton. of Brown 1851 

John j\Ioses. of Brown 1852 

J. Wolf, of Adams 1852 

J. W. Singleton, of Brown 1853 

H. Boyle, of x\dams 1853 

Eli Seehorn, of Adams 1854 

H. V. Sullivan, of Adams 1854 

Sanmel Holmes, of Adams 1856 

M. M. Bane, of Adams 1856 

M. M. Bane, of Adams 1858 

W. Metcalf. of Adams 1858 

J. W. Singleton, of Brown 1860 

W. C. Harrington, of Adams 1860 

A. E. Wheat, of Adams 1862 

W^illiam Brown, of Adams 1862 

Thomas Redmond, of Adams 1864 

Wm. T. Yeargain, of Adams 1864 

Henrv L. Warren, of Adams 1866 

P. G.' Corkins. of Adams 1866 

Thomas Jasper, of Adams 1868 

John E. Downing, of Adams 1868 

Geo. J. Richardson, of Adams 1870 

Joseph Stewart, of Adams 1870 

H. S. Trimble, of Adams 1870 

Maurice Kelly, of Adams 1870 

Ira M. ]\roore. of Adams 1872 

Charles Ballon, of Adams 1872 

N. Bnshnell. of Adams 1872 

John Tillsim. of Adams 1873 

A. G. Griffith, of Adams 1873 

Ira M. Moore, of Adams 1874 

R. H. Downing, of Adams 1874 

J. C. Bates, of Adams 1874 



II. S. Davis, of Adams 1876 

J. H. Hendrickson, of Adams 1876 

Thos. G. Black, of Adams 1876 

Absalom Samuels, of Adams 1878 

Jos. N. Cai'ter, of Adams 1878 

Samuel Milehani. of Adams 1878 

Jos. N. Carter, of Adams 1880 

John McAdams, of Adams 1880 

Wm. A. Richardson, of Adams 1880 

Thomas G. Black, of Adams 1882 

James E. Purnell. of Adams 1882 

James E. Downing, of Adams 1882 

Fred P. Tayh.r. of Adams 1884 

Samuel :\Iileham. of Adams 1884 

Wm. H. Collins, of Adams 1884 

Albert W. Wells, of Adams 1886 

Ira Tvler, of Adams 1886 

Wm. il. Collins, of Adams 1886 

A. S. McDowell, of Adams 1888 

Albert W. Wells, of Adams 1888 

Ira Tvler, of Adams 1888 

Ira Tyler, of Adams 1890 

Jonathan Parkhurst. of Adams 1890 

Geo. C. MeCroue. of Adams 1890 

Mitchell Dazev. of Adams 1892 

Joel W. Bonnev, of Adams 1892 

Geo. C. McCrone. of Adams 1892 

Elmer A. Perrv. of Brown 1894 

Geo. W. Dean, of Adams 1894 

Chas. F. Kincheloe, of Adams 1894 

Chas. F. Kincheloe. of Adams 1896 

Elmer A. Perry, of Brown 1896 

Geo. W. Montgomery, of Adams 1896 

William Schlagenhauf. of Adams 1898 

Jacob Groves, of Adams 1898 

Elmer A. Perrv. of Brown 1898 

Wm. Schlasenhauf, of Adams 1900 

John M. :\Iurphy, of Brown 1900 

Jacob Groves, of Adams 1900 

Wm. Schlau'enhauf. of Adams 1902 

Jacob Groves, of Adams 1902 

Irvin D. Webster, of Pike 1902 

Campbell S. Ilearn. of Adams 1904 

R. B. Echols, of Adams 1904 

Irvin D. Webster, of Pike 1904 



CHAPTER LVII. 

THE VARIOUS TOWNSHIPS — THEIR ORGANIZATION 
AND DEVELOPMENT. 

BEVERLY TOWNSHIP. 

The township of Beverly is situated thirty-one 
miles southeast of the city of Quiney, in the 
southeast corner of Adams county, the county of 
Pike Iving south and east. The first permanent 



3i6 



FAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



settlement was made by Azeriah ilaytield, iu 
1S32, on Section 21, and was the only settlement 
until 1S34, when James Sykes, Jr., and John B. 
Robertson, with their families from New York, 
settled there, and in 1835, James Riehardsim, 
Sr., Samuel Cutler, Wm. Raymond, lion. Archi- 
bald Williams, Jacob Stafford, and others, and 
from that time the accessions to their population 
were more rapid. These, mainly, entered Con- 
gress land, and soon it was mostly taken up, 
leaving nothing but the military land open for 
purchasers ; but for lack of confidence in the 
titles the latter was not inirchased until 1840, 
when it began to sell rapidly, and the best of it 
was early taken by those who still continued to 
come into the township. 

In this township are two small villages, Bev- 
erly and Kingston. 

Beverly village was laid out in 1856, on Sec- 
tion 21, by an association composed of John B. 
Robertson, Wm. Raymond, Chas. W. Billington, 
Samuel Reynolds and Archibald Williams. 

Beverly contains several churches, and a town 
hall for holding elections and other meetings. 
This hall was built in 1850 for a church. The 
first church was built in 186-4 by public sub.scrip- 
tion. The first school house was built in 1837, 
and was destroyed by a tornado in 1844. The 
first teacher was Henry Benson, who taught two 
quarters, and was employed by the trustees at 
$23 per month, the citizens agreeing to pay one- 
third by subscription, the balance from the school 
fund. 

Beverly postoffice was established in 1837, 
and Mr. John B. Robertson appointed postmas- 
ter by President Martin Van Buren. For thirty- 
four years Mr. Robert.son kept the postoffiee at 
his hoiise, and then six years in the village, and 
at the age of eighty-six resigned on account of 
deafness. 

The first mill was built in 1843, on Section 20, 
by William Raymond and Ben Kenney, and was 
run by ox-power. The first blacksmith shop was 
run by Edward L. (Jrosch. The first store was 
owned by Thomas Thompson. The first preacher 
in the township was ;\Ir. Browning. 

The village of Kingston (Fairweather P. O.) 
is situated very finely in the northwest corn(.'r of 
the township. It is an enterprising little town, 
and is said to have one of the finest Masonic 
halls in the county. 

This township is equally divided between tim- 
ber and prairie, and is classed among the best 
townships in the county. 

BURTON TOWNSHIP. 

The first white settler in Burton township was 
Elias Adams, a native of New York State, and 
a soldier of the War of 1812, in Capt. Foi-sythe's 
rifle company. After serving for five years, part 



of the time as an orderly sergeant, he was dis- 
charged, and coming to Illinois in 1824 or 1825, 
located on the land gi'anfed him by the govern- 
ment for his services, being the northwest coi'ner 
of Section 28. 

Thadtieus Pond and family came to the town- 
ship in 1829, and located on the southwest cor- 
ner of Section 15. 

John Wigle was living iu the year 1831, on 
Section 28, near where the town of New Liberty 
now stands, and had for his neighbor Joseph Fer- 
guson, who resided about two miles west from 
him, near where the old Dunkard meeting house 
stood. Dennis P. JMeaehem had located near the 
southwest corner of the northeast quarter of Sec- 
tion 20. Abraham Hunsaker, Jno. Hughes and 
Geo. Wolfe, with their families, were lucated 
along the western line of Section 18. Lewis 
Simpson, Jacob Hunsaker, and Eli Littleton were 
located along the west line of Section 19, and 
Sanuiel Hunsaker on the northeast of Section 30. 
Long Davis on the northwest of Section 30. Jo- 
seph Rhodes and Andrew Hunsaker on the south- 
west of Section 30. Jno. ilcBride on southwest 
of Seetit)n 31, which is now the west part of Lib- 
erty township. As most of these settlers had 
large families, (|uite a little settlement was 
formed. 

At about the same time Samuel Ferguson had 
located neai- the southwest corner of Section 2, 
in Burton townshiji : Jacob Sharp, at the south- 
west corner of northwest of Section 3 and Wm. 
Richards on noi'thwest of Section 7. Wm. ]\Ied- 
ford, the first school teacher in the township, and 
who was also a Methodist lu-eacher, was livint;' 
on the southeast of Section 8. 

During the fall of the same year, Abram and 
Alvin Conner, with their mother, Joseph H. Chil- 
ders, the widow Norton, Henry C. Davis, with 
their fam.ilies, arrived from the State of Ken- 
tucky and located on Sections 5 and 8. Mr. 
Franks aiul family, who came with the same 
party, settled on the northwest of Section 6, in 
Richfield township. Henry Clingingsmith and 
family, with his single brothers, Daniel and John, 
and his brother-in-law, Jno. Strader, were lo- 
cated on Section 18, near the Burton spring. 
Henry and John Dotv, both single, were located 
on the sovithwesf of Section 17. 

Other settlers who came to the township 
j'bout this time, including Layston. Ray, Reuben 
\Yriuht. l\lcNab, James and Eli.jah Thompson, 
from some cause or other .soon pulled up' stakes, 
and journeved to other lands, some to Texas, 
others to Iowa. Eli.iah Thompson returned 
from Texas in 1834. and settled on the simth- 
east of section 12. 

In November 1831, Laris Pulman and wife 
arrived in Burton townsliip, from the State of 
New York, having come the entire distance in a 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



317 



two horse wayon, drawn liy horses which were 
nearly old enough to vote, being each eighteen 
years old. Mr. Pulnian located on section 26. 

There were coal beds worked on sections 25 
and 36, from sixty to seventy years ago, by 
blacksmiths and others who hauled it to Quincy, 
but the construction of the C. B. & Q. railroad 
cli'eetually crushed the enterprise by furnishing 
cheaper transportation from the beds at Col- 
chester. 

Wm. H. Tandy was the first supervisor and he 
was succeeded by Abraham Vickers, Joseph Pull- 
man, Wm. V. Humphrey, Louis Pullman, Wm. 
Richards, Chas. Tripp, A. 51. Samuel, Revnard 
Cook, Geo. W. Dean, Geo. R. Stewart^ Ray 
Wheeler, and S. S. Nesbitt. 

J. S. Pullman was the first town clerk; A. F. 
Price, asses.sor; Jos. Leveritt, collector. 

The village of Burton was laid out and lo- 
cated on the southwest quarter of section 7, by 
Elijah M. King; about the year 1836. Paris T. 
Judy kept the first store, E. S. Beardsley, the 
first tavern, and David Karnes, the first black- 
smith shop, which were located on section 18. 
The first wagonmaker was Samuel Cooper. The 
village has something less than a hundred in- 
habitants, a blacksmith and wagonshop, a school 
house and two churches. 

Burton School was established about 1847, 
the board of directors being Joseph H. Childers, 
Josiah Richards, and Granville Corbin, J. Rich- 
ards being treasurer. J. P. Cadogan was the 
first teacher who ever taught the district. 

The first church was organized by Caleb Sew- 
ell, who was a Free AVill Baptist minister from 
Lowell, Mass. Subsequently the Methodists 
organized a church under the leadership of 
Daniel Hughes. The Methodists were the last to 
proclaim the Gospel in the old school building, 
and modestly retired to the new church known 
as Pleasant Grove Church. The building was 
repaired in 1868, and was burned on the night 
of December 18, 1875. 

Pleasant Grove M. E. Church was built in 
1866. at a cost of $3,000. It was dedicated by 
Rev. Reuben Andrus, D. D. The board of trus- 
tees at the time of building the house was Gar- 
rett Stewart, Elijah Thompson, Daniel Hughes, 
Dan. H. Corbin, John S. Wilson and -Jas- Ship- 
man. The number of members was then twenty. 
Among those who contributed largely to aid in 
the building of the church were Daniel Hughes, 
who moved to Payson ; James Shipman, who 
moved to Kansas; E. B. Hughes, J. F. Hughes, 
Garrett Stewart and many others. A well at- 
tended and flourishing Sabbath School is main- 
tained. 

The Baptist Church at Newtown was organ- 
ized ]\Iay 24, 1873 : Elder Gibson, moderator, 
and II. L. Tandy, secretary. Chas. M. Morton, 



Giles S. Lewis, and H. L. Tandy, were chosen 
deacons. J. T. Richards, clerk; H. L. Tandy, 
treasurer. At the organization the church num- 
bered thirty-six members. In the fall of 1873, 
a meeting house was built and dedicated, costing 
about .$4000. The first pastor was Elder Kellv, 
in March, 1874. This church also maintains "a 
large Sunday School. 

At a meeting held Jan. 25, 1839, at Newtown, 
Adams County, called for the purpose of tak- 
ing into consideration the desirability of organ- 
izing a Presbyterian Church in that place, it 
was unanimously resolved by the persons pres- 
ent at the meeting to take the initiatory .steps 
toward organization. Me.ssrs. Wells, Roe, and 
Warren Miller, were then appointed to lay the 
subject before the Congregational Church in 
Payson, and ask the concurrence of that church 
in their action, and letters of dismissal for all 
persons desiring to indentify themselves with 
the new organization. In due time, the commit- 
tee above named, submitted the matter to the 
Payson Church, which gave its unanimous ap- 
proval and granted to all persons wishing to 
identify themselves with the new organization, 
letters of dismissal and commendation. A n:eet- 
ing to perfect the organization of a Presbyterian 
Church was called and held Feb. 26, 1839. 

The first minister in charge of the church was 
Rev. Thomas Cole. The first ruling elders of the 
church were Wm. Wells, Lewis Roe and Warren 
Miller. During this period of the history of the 
church, dift'erences arose among the members 
which led to a division, and the organization of 
the Newtown Congregational Church. 

The Burton I. O. 0. F. Lodge was instituted 
and officers installed on the 8th day of Augu.st, 
1877, by W. W. Stockwell, Acting Deputy G. 
M. P. M. of Quincy, and W. Piggott, G. V. G. 
James Benneson, G. Sec, Dr. Bonney, G. Mar- 
shal, and Bro. Bristol, G. treasurer. The or- 
ganization and institution of the lodge, notwith- 
standing the exceeding unfavorableness of the 
weather, was well attended by visiting brethren 
from Quiney and Liberty: J. W. Grimes, j\I. D., 
B. F. G rover, C. J. Korney. 

The first officers elected were: N. G., Geo. J. 
Schaffer : V. G., R. Cook : secretary, P. R. Meyers • 
treasurer, F. :M. Stall ; warden, John H. Riimpf. 
Appointed officers: 0. S. G., Henry Meise; 
conductor, F. M. Stall. The charter "membens 
were: Geo. F. Schaffer, R. Cook, F. M. Stall, 
J. H. Rumpf, P. R. Meyers, A. Miehels and A.' 
Meise. The lodge is now in an active and pros- 
perous condition. 

CAMP POINT TOWNSHIP. 
(By George W. Cyrus.) 
"Indian Camp Point" was the designation 
of a point of timber extending into the prairie in 



3i8 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



the present limits of the villai;-e of Camp Point, 
as known by the early settlers and travelers who 
passed that way during the latter part of tlie 
twenties and early thirties, from the fact that 
it was used by the aborigines as a camping 
ground when joiirneying between tlie ]\Iissis- 
sippi and Illinois rivers. When a petition was 
circulated to secure a postoffice at Garrett's mill 
it was thought the name was too long and the 
"Indian" was omitted. 

The first settlers in the township were Daniel 
Smith and James Lasley, brothers-in-law, who 
settled on Sections 2S and 29 in 1828. In the 
fall of 1S29 Lasley sold his improvements to 
Jezreel Shoniaker who lived there for several 
years. In 1830 a man named Calley. and his 
son-in-law. Rand, settled on tlie northeast (juar- 
ter of Section 27 ; Lock settled on the northeast 
quarter of Section 22 and Jonathan Brown on 
the southeast quarter of Section 3. In 1831 
Lock sold his improvements to William Wilkes 
whose descendants still own the place. In 1832 
Samuel IMcAnulty, William ]\[cAnulty and 
Lewis McFarland settled on the north half of 
Section 3. During the fall of 1835 there came 
several families who became well and widely 
known and whose descendants are among our 
most stable citizens: ]\Irs. Wallace and her 
sons, James A. and Adam Rankin, Rezin Down- 
ing and his sons (except John, who came the 
year before^ Peter B. Garrett, and Richard 
Seaton. 

The first school house was built in 1S3() on 
Peter B. Garrett's land in Section 2(i and a man 
named Brewster was the first teacher. The sec- 
ond ^^•as built on Section 29 in the spring of 
1840 and our venerable townsman, Thomas 
Bailey, a real live Yankee, was the Krst teacher. 
The third school house was built on the south- 
west cpiarter of Section 12, ami P. W. Leet was 
the first teacher employed. 

The first church was also built o;i the sDUth- 
west quarter of Section 12 in 18-18, by the Meth- 
odists and it was named "Hebron" and the 
church is still maintained by that denomination. 
The second church was erected fni- the Cumber- 
land Presbyterians on Section 28. but the build- 
ing was torn down many yi'.-irs aud and the con- 
gregation disper.sed. 

Thonuis (i. Stevens (ipeiied the lirst store in 
the township in 1850 and sold gi-oeeries, later 
adding a stock of whiskey, but the citizens ob- 
jected to the traffic in the latter article and held 
a meeting at which it was decided to buy Ste- 
vens' stock of liquor and destroy it. They raised 
the money, proceeded to the store and told 
Stevens of their decision. lie protested that lie 
didn't want to sell at wholesale but the pro- 
tests were unheeded, the barrel rolled out, and 
the contents poured on the gi-ound. 



A horse mill was erected by John Newland on 
the north side of Section 5, about 1838, where the 
pioneers could get their corn converted into meal 
while they waited and. worked their horses on the 
power. In 1844, Peter B. Garrett erected a card- 
ing machine and- the next year added a grist mill, 
the jiower being furnished by a tread wheel on 
which oxen worked. Later steam power was 
added and the mill having been since rebuilt is 
now occupied by W. A. Berrian & Co. with mod- 
ern machinery. Caseo ilill was built in 1866 
by Thomas Bailey, Silas Bailey, William L. 
Olliver and Ormond Noble. It has been disman- 
tled, but the old building still stands. 

Lewis ilcFarlaud established the first tannery 
back in the thirties and he was the fir.st justice 
of the peace in the township. Benjamin Booth 
opened the first blacksmith shop at an early day 
wliieli cannot now be ascertained, and in 1846 
.lames 11. Langdon started a second at Garrett's 
.Mill. Granderson 31. Iless opened the first gen- 
eral store in 1854. The Northern Cross railroad 
reached Camp Point in February, 1855, and the 
village was platted. The land owners were 
Thomas Bailey, Peter B. Garrett, Benjamin 
Booth and William Farlow. 

The township was organized in 1850 out of 
Congressional township one north, range six 
west, and Thomas Bailey was the fir.st super- 
visor, lie was succeeded by James E. Downing, 
Vixen P. Tiay, Silas Bailey, Thomas J. Bates, 
Richard A. Wallace, George W. Cyrus, Charles 
V. Gay, Frederick A. Morley, ilatthew W. Cal- 
lahan and James R. (TUthrie. 

The first newspaper was the Canq) Point En- 
terprise, established by W. R. Carr in 1866. It 
was printed in Augusta, where Carr also issued 
the Augusta Batniei'. The ]>a|)er was sold the 
next year to E. E. B. Sawyei' who moved the 
plant to Camp Point and sold it in 1870 to J. M. 
& J. E. Kirkjiatrick who conducted it for two 
years when it suspended. The material was pur- 
chased in January, 1873, by George W. Cyrus 
and Thomas Bailey who began the publication of 
tile Camp Point Journal. In 1876 Bailey sold 
nut to his partner who has conducted it to the 
present time. 

Thomas Bailey began the banking luisiness in 
Cami) Point in 1868 and after several changes 
of ownership the bank is still doing business un- 
der the name of the Camp Point Bank. 

In 186(i the first graded school house w^as 
erected luit not completed until the next year. It 
was built in a large block of ground which was 
planted to majtle trees and the school was labeled 
"^laplewood." which title it has worn ever since. 
Samuel F. Hall, of Pi'ineeton, 111., was the first 
principal and he took charge of the school in 
October, 1867. He was at its head for 18 years. 
The school soon obtained a large amount of at- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



319 



tentiou on account of its high standard and drew 
pupils from all parts of the county. It has always 
ranked high among the graded schools of the 
state and is a source of pride to the people of 
Camp Point. 

The Odd Fellows were the first to cultivate the 
secret society field and a lodge was organized Oc- 
tober 17, 1856. The Masons were next with a 
lodge in 1858. Other lodges have been started 
until there are now enough to supply the de- 
mand for a time. 

CLAYTON TOWNSHIP. 

This is one of the most beautiful and fertile 
townships in Adams county, her lands consisting 
of rich prairies interspei'sed with groves of tim- 
ber bordering on little Missouri Creek, which has 
its course in the \\ estern portion of the township, 
and flows east, dividing it nearly in the center. 
It is one of the richest agricultural districts in 
the eonnty, and is bounded on the north by 
Northeast township, soiith by Concord, west by 
Camp Point, and east by Brown county. The 
soil is a dark, vegetable loam, highly productive, 
and nearly all tillable except the narrow bluff 
along the little ^lissouri. The farms are highly 
cultivated, and the improvements of a fine char- 
acter. The staple crop is Indian corn, while 
quite a large area is devoted to grass and grazing. 
Clayton, the only village in the township, is a 
thriving place of over one thousand inhabit- 
ants. 

The main line of the AVabash Railway extends 
across the township from east to west, a mile 
north of its southern boundary. At Clayton, the 
Keokuk branch leaves the main line and runs in 
a northwesterly direction. The Chicago. Burl- 
ington and Quincy Railway also touches the 
northwestern corner. 

The first white settlement made in this town- 
ship was in 1829 about two and a half miles 
north of the village of Clayton, by Obadiah 
Nicks, who settled with his family on the north- 
west corner of Section 23. David il. Campbell, 
the second settler, came April, 1830, and located 
on the southeast of Section 21. In the fall 
of 1830 Rev. John E. Curl settled on the 
southwest of Section 31. and Jacob Pile, on 
Section 23. In the fall of 1831. Daniel Pile set- 
tled on the farm now owned b^■ John Logue on 
on the southwest of Section 31, and Jacob Pile, 
on Section 23. In the fall of 1831, Daniel Pile set- 
tled on the farm now owned hy John Logne on 
Section 24. Mr. Pile was elected first .iustice of 
the peace in the township. After 1833, settlers 
flocked in I'apidly, and public lands were soon 
converted into farms. In 1834, John ]\Iarrett, 
Rev. R. K. McCoy. Chas. McCoy and Edward 
Davis settled in the town. 

The people early took an interest in educa- 



tional matters, and as early as 1832, we find a 
school started in tlie township, which was taught 
David M. Campbell, first school teacher of 
the township. This school had, at first, only one 
session, and that on Sunday, at the houses of the 
pioneer.s. The first marriage in the township 
was that of Josiah Gantz to Miss Cui-1. They 
were united in wedlock by Rev. David Wolf in 
the winter of 1830, on the farm of Wm. Curry. 
The first death was that of Sarah J., infant 
daughter of David JI. Campbell, in August, 
1832. 

In those early days, hotels were "few and far 
between" and accommodations meager, but 
"heart room-house room," was the prevailing 
motto with many of those noble men who came 
to make a home and a fortune in the great West. 

Among this number were David M. Campbell 
and his kindhearted wife, whose hospitable na- 
tures never said no to a weary traveler seeking 
food and shelter. Though their cabin was but 
sixteen feet square they entertained and lodged 
as many as eleven of the aristocracy of Quincy 
at one time. 

The j)resent village of Clayton was laid out in 
the year of 1834 by Chas. McCoy, Rev. Reuben 
K. McCoy and John McCoy, three brothers. 

The town was located on the northeast quar- 
ter of section 34. Chai'les McCoy was an ardent 
admirer of Henry Clay, and so he named the in- 
fant town Clayton in honor of the great states- 
man. The Rev. R. K. McCoy was for thirty 
years pastor of the First Presbyterian Church 
at Clayton. He erected the firsl house in the 
place during the summer of 1834. He died in 
1874, after a long and useful life, and beloved by 
all who knew him. Chas. McCoy built and 
o]iened the first store with a small stock of goods, 
but he sold it a few years later and it was re- 
moved to Brown county. 

It is related that Cla\rton had been partially 
settled, and not proving satisfactory to the pro- 
.iectors of the enterprise, the buildings were 
nearly all moved out to farnis, and the town was 
almost abandoned for a nuinber of years, but it 
finally began I0 j-evive after the railway was 
built. Several additions have been made to the 
original town of Clayton, so that it is now situ- 
ated nn parts of sections 27, 34 and 35. at the 
junction of the Keokuk branch with the main 
line of the Wabash railway. H has had a steady, 
substantial growth and now boasts of a num- 
ber of churches, hotels, banks, wagon and black- 
smith .shops, a marble works: several dry goods, 
millinery and grocery stores, hardware stores, 
barber shops, meat market, etc. It also has that 
indispensable accompaniment of every prosper- 
ous town, a newspaper printing establishment, 
called The Clayton Enterprise. 

The first school house was erected in the village 



320 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



in 1836. Amos Andrews taught in it. In 1877 
the tine brick l)uildinfr. two stories hisrh, with 
seven rooms, was built, at a cost of sixty-tive hun- 
dred dollars. Between the years 1836 and '37, 
several additions were made to the orisjinal build- 
ing to supply the demands of the rapid growth 
of the vicinity, the last costing thirty-five hun- 
dred dollars. Early in 1877 it was destroyed by 
fire. In 18-1:9 the Clayton Academy \vas built by 
the First Presbyterian Church, and used for the 
high school for a time. 

The Old Settlers' Association of Adams and 
Brown counties was organized at Clayton in the 
year 1869, the first president being John McCoy. 
Annual reunions have been held at Clayton, with 
the po.ssible exception of one year, when it was 
held at Mt. Sterling. 

The Presbytery of Schuyler, at its spring meet- 
ing in 1836, appointed a committee to organize a 
Presbyterian Church in Clayton. That commit- 
tee consisted of Rev. R, B. Dobbins and the Rev. 
Cyrus Riggs, and Elder Joseph (J, Walker. These 
brethren met at the residence of the Rev. R. K. 
McCoy, in Clayton, to transact the business as- 
signed them bv the Presbvtery, on the 9th day of 
April, 1836. 

The first minister was the veteran missionary, 
Rev. Reuben Kemper McCoy. For four years 
after its organization the church had no house of 
worship, their religious services being held in 
the district .school building and wherever else the 
congregation could be assembled. Many of their 
most interesting meetings wei"e conducted be- 
neath the great forest trees on the camp-ground ; 
"the groves were their first temple." 

In 1839. three lots in Clayton, Nos. 63, 64 and 
65 Washington .street, were donated to the 
church b}' Elder McCoy. Here was erected a 
brick church in 1840, at a cost of about $3,000. A 
few years later a tower and a bell were added. In 
1865, the brick walls were removed and frame 
was substituted. In addition to the church, the 
people own a pai-sonage valued at $1,700. 

The Clayton Christian C^hurch was organized 
in 1855, Dr. T. G. Black and others being the 
original members. The first elders were Dr. 
Black and Geo. Lecklen. The edifice in which 
the society worship, was erected in 1855, at a 
cost of about $3,500. A large and flouri.shing 
Sunday School is attached to this church. 

The M. E. Church was organized about 1836. 
It was a part of Pulaski charge, afterwards at- 
tached to the Columbus charge, and later to the 
Mt. Sterling circuit. The church services were 
held in school houses, and private houses until 
1850, when the first church edifice was erected 
on the site where the present edifice stands. The 
Board of Trustees at that time were Joseph 
Douglass, George McMurray, John C. Newton, 
James D. Hard and Robert R. Garner. That 



church was used for twenty-five years, when it 
became inadequate and was removed and a tine 
brick structure erected in 1875, at a cost of $7,- 

000. The Sunday School is quite large. 

Like all other advanced sections, we find here 
the Masonic order in a healthy condition, doing 
a good work. Now there are many members in 
the following orders: Clayton Lodge. No. 147, A. 
F. and A. M., Clayton Chapter, No. 104, R. A. 
M. and Delta Commandery, No. 48, K. T. The 

1. O. O. F. was organized in 1S52. with Dr. T. G. 
Black, N. G. 



COLUMBUS TOWNSHIP. 

Columbus township is situated about eighteen 
miles from Quiney in a northeasterly direction. 
The first settlement made in Columbus township 
was in 1830, when James Thomas left Kentucky 
and settled here on section 30. He was followed 
by Jacob Conner, Clements Wilks, George John- 
son, Mathew Ray, Philip Ray, George Smith, Wm. 
RosebeiTV, W. L. Wilmot, and Jas. Wisehart. 

The town of Columbus was laid out Ijy Coimty 
Surveyor Williams, under the direction of Wil- 
lard Graves, in March, 1835. 

The first sale of lots took place in March, 1836, 
and nearly one hundred houses were erected that 
year. Francis Turner and John Robison also 
settled about 1835. Col. Geo. Smith, who figured 
prominently in the township, settled on section 4, 
October 20, 1836. Daniel Harrison and Abra- 
ham Jonas, settled in Columbus village in 1836 
and 1837. T. H. Castle, Frederick Collins, Clem- 
ent Nance and many others soon followed. 

The original plan was to make Columbus the 
county seat of Adams County, and it was located 
at the nearest practicable point to the geograph- 
ical centre. The exact centre is Gilmer, about a 
mile west of the site of the town, but that tract 
was military land, and owned by parties in the 
east whose whereabouts were not known, and con- 
sequently it was not accessible. The village grew 
ra[iidly and jirospered for several years. 

About 1840, the county seat contest between 
Columbus and Quiney began to be agitated, and 
grew hotter until 1841, during which time a news- 
paper called the Columbus Advocate, was estab- 
lished in the village by a man named E. Ferry, 
in the interests of Columbus. 

l\Ir. Abraham Jonas, above mentioned, being 
a writer of considerable ability, penned articles 
upon the then-all-absorbing question, in favor of 
the Columbus interests, and sent them to the 
Onincy papers for publication, but they were re- 
fused, hence the birth of the Advocate, to which 
he became the chief contributor. 

Religious exercises were held by the Presby- 
terian, ]\Iethodist and Christian societies at the 
private residences and school houses in the town- 
ship until 1836, when the Christian society erected 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



321 



a house of worship in the village. The Presby- 
terian society built a church iu 1838. This so- 
ciety was later discontinued, however. 

The Methodist society erected their first church 
several years later. 

The First Baptist Church of Columbus town- 
ship was org:anized March 13, 1879, at the Inde- 
pendent School House, on Section 3, by Rev. Silas 
Odell, and Rev. Mr. Wood, with fourteen con- 
stituent members. 

The German Methodist Church was built in 
1842. There are also several churches at Pa- 
loma. 

A I\Ir. Bartholemew and his two sons, Gilead 
and Samuel, erected the first steam mill on sec- 
tion 3, in 183.5. It was a grist and saw mill. Later 
it fell into the hands of the Mormons, who con- 
templated strongly making a settlement, and 
starting a town there, but when they were driven 
from Nauvoo, they abandoned the idea and some 
years later, the mill was removed. The second 
steam mill was erected in the village about 1865, 
by Lock and Hendricks. Willard Graves erected 
a saw mill on McKee's creek, on section 16, about 
1838, which was operated several years, and was 
finally abandoned. 

Daniel Harrison was the first to oommenee mer- 
chandising. He afterward associated with him 
Abraham Jonas, John F. Battell, L. Davis, F. 
Collins, A. Tonzalin, Sr., and Clement Nance 
were all engaged in merchandising. Lyth Griffin 
was the first in the saddlery and harness business. 
Thomas Greenleaf and Sons manufactured wag- 
ons and buggies quite extensively. M. T. Green- 
leaf introduced a machine lathe. Thos. Durant 
ran a wool carding machine with animal power ; 
afterward the business was enlarged and a steam 
engine added by H. II. Butler. Henry Pratt and 
others erected a mill and successfully for a while 
made linseed oil. 

The first school was on section 30, in 1832, and 
was taught by Thomas Bailey. The township or- 
ganization law went into effect in 1850, and the 
first election of officers occurred in April of that 
year. Alexander "SI. Smith was elected super- 
visor, A. Tonzalin, Jr., town clerk: John P. Nich- 
ols, assessor; Wm. Roseberry, collector: Andrew 
Redmond and Jas. A. Bell, justices. 

The supervisors wlio have succeeded Alexander 
Smith were John A. Nichols, Wm. Bellew, Har- 
vey Earl, Wm. Roseberry, John I\I. Earl, A. B. 
McNeal, James Lurly, Seldon G. Earl, John E. 
Lowe. Thos. Marshall, H. H. Homer, G. E. Flagg, 
D. L. Wilhoit. R. E. McNeal, Clem. H. Hair. Wil- 
kie Bruns, Clem. W. Hair. 

During the war of the Rebellion, Columbus 
township put her shoidder to the wheel, and dem- 
onstrated her loyalty by word and deed, coming 
up with her cpiota of men at every call of the 
government. This proved the kind of men and 



citizens Columbus had, and has now at the pres- 
ent day. 

CONCORD TOWNSHIP. 

Concord township was organized at the spring 
eI(^ction in 1850. Edward Sharp was elected su- 
pervisor, Wm. Hobbs, clerk : David Hobbs, as- 
sessor, and Shannon Wallace, collector. The first 
settlement was made in 1832. John Wells settled 
on section 25, John Ausmus on section 7 and 0. 
H. Bennett on section 9 ; followed soon after by 
the Wallaces and Hobbs and Elijah Ellison. The 
first school house was built on section 4 in 1835; 
the first teacher was Wm. Hobbs; the firat min- 
isters of the Gospel in Concord township, were 
Granville Bond, of the ^lethodist Episcopal 
Church, J. B. Curl of the Christian Church, 
and Wm. Harvey, of the regular Baptist Church, 
Wm. Hobbs, David Ilobbs, and John Aiisraus, 
who were residents of the township, preached oc- 
casionally. 

The fii-st marriage was of Edward Wells and 
Elizabeth Collins. The first birth was a child of 
Wm. and Mary Briscoe. It died soon after, and 
was the first death in the township. 

The first church was built in 1860, on section 
30, by the liutherans. The next was erected on 
section 23, by the people for a LTnion Church, but 
owned by the Baptists or the Dunkards. 

The German Lutheran Church was organized 
in 1862, by the f(»llowing members who estab- 
lished the chuj'ch ; Henry Les.sinan, Christ Voll- 
braeht and Frank Kestner. The first minister 
of the church was B. Burfeind. He served six 
years. The entire cost of the church parsonage 
and four acres of ground used as a cemetery 
was about .$2,000. 

In the north and northwest portions of the 
township, the soil is excellent. In the southern 
part there is more timber and broken land. 

ELLINGTON TOWNSHIP. 
Ellington is a regular Congressional township, 
which lies nortli and east of Quincy. It origin- 
ally embraced that portion of the city north of 
Broadway and all of the township directly north 
of the city, known as Riverside. However, in 
1887, the township was divided and now Elling- 
ton is bounded on the north by Ursa and Mendon, 
separated from them by the 40th parallel of lati- 
tude : on the west by Riverside and ea.st part of 
Quincy ; on the east by Gilmer ; and on the south 
by Melrose and a part of Quincy. 

" The surface is undulating, and in some parts 
quite broken, and was originaly half timber and 
half prairie. The rare fertility of the soil, which 
is eomi)osed nearly equally of mineral and veg- 
etable properties, the excellent drainage, so well 
adapting it to a great variety of crops, and di- 
versitv of seasons, and the superior class of im- 



322 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



provements which dot its beautiful farms, have 
won for it the cognomen of "Banner" township. 

The soil is of rich, black loam and the land 
price easily averages from ^15 to $100 per acre, 
^vhile the farms rent from $5 to .$10 per acre. 
In addition to the facilities for farming, the 
ti)wnship can boast of rare advantages in stone 
quarrying. There are several stone quarries four 
or five miles northeast of Quiney on 36th street. 
It may be interesting to know that the stone for 
the foundations of the old court house and the 
old Quiney house, which stood where the New- 
eomb Hotel now stands, was quarried on R. W. 
Putnam's land, section 17, about five miles north- 
east of the city on 36th street. Also, the stone 
for the foundation of the residence of Governor 
John Wood, no\v laiown as Chaddock College, 
was taken out of a i|uarry owned by him, at the 
timi', aiiout t'oui' mill's northeast of Quiney, on 
36th street, on section L'O. 

In 1844, some ]iromoters from the east came to 
Ellington and tri(>d to establish a .silk industiy. 
These iiumi pi-oposed to furnish plants of the 
]\Iorus multicaulus. oi- white mulberry, and the 
silk woi-iii eggs, and Ihen they promised to buy 
tile cocoons when matured. Of course they gave 
com])le1e iiist ruction for conducting all parts of 
the iudustr.y. It was taken up by a few of those 
enterprising spirits who were able to do it, and 
who were desirous of ascertaining and develop- 
ing all the resoure<'s of the newly developed coiin- 
try. Amonu llicse were Avery Turner, who lived 
about five miles northeast of Quiney, and Hub- 
bard and Baldwin, who lived together on a farm 
in Honey Creek township, about two miles south- 
east of Mendon. On this latter farm there are 
two or thi-ee clumiis of white niulbei'ry still grow- 
ing. The project failed from two difficulties. 
First, no one in this part of the country, at that 
time, had suitable arrangements to carry the 
worms over winter: second, lal)or in this countiy, 
could be more pi-ofitably employed in other lines. 
The preparations for the extension of this in- 
dustry were very lavish, and when the plans 
were proved failures, many of our best et)iuitry 
people were nearly ruined. Several large build- 
ings and quantities of nnil berry trees, planted 
for food for the silk worms, were located on the 
northwest corner of section 30. The buildings 
are now used as barns near by. After the fail- 
ure of the silk industry, about 1848, the first 
Osage oranges, used as hedges, were introduced 
into this part of the country, by Avery Turner 
and Ilubliard and Baldwin, mentioned above. 
The seeds were brought here from the SoTith 
about the time of the ilexican war, 1848. There 
are hedges which have been "turning stock" 
since 1850, or at least 55 years, on the old Bald- 
win homestead. 

About the year 1855. the agricultural depart- 



nent at Washington distributed the seed of the 
sorghum or African sugar cane here. People who 
caiHiot remember back to the time of the war of 
the Rebellion can have no conception of the im- 
])ortance the sorglnnn industry then assumed, 
it was tiie chief source of "sweetening" of most 
of the people at that time — since the principal 
sources of supply were cut oft' by the war. 

In the early settlement of this county, quite a 
number of people cultivated small quantities of 
fiax. This was raised for lint and was worked 
up by the women of the families who raised it, 
into linens for clothing, sheets, tablecloths, towel- 
ing and sacks. At one time there was located in 
Quiney, what was then called a "rope walk," or 
works w-here the lint of hemp and flax were 
wi'ought into ropes and all kinds of cordage. 
liowcviM-. most of the hemp came from Mis- 
soui-i — but the flax was furnished to a great de- 
t;i-ee, from Hllinuton, and neighboring town- 
shi]:)S. 

Ellington has the advantage of superior drain- 
age, as several creeks with their numerous 
branches checker its surface. Cedar Creek, the 
largest of them, originates in a large spring, a 
mile or two northeast of Quiney, and flows south 
of west to the river. Leonard's or Homan's 
Creek has its source near the center of the town- 
ship in one of the largest and finest springs in 
the county, once owned by Capt. Leonard, from 
whom it and the creek take their names. Mill 
Creek, along whose borders is the most broken 
and sterile portion of the township, flows across 
the northeast corner. 

The Chicago, Burlington & Quiney Railroad, 
also used by the Wabash Company, enters Elling- 
ton a mile south of the north, and extends diag- 
onally to (Quiney in the southwest corner. 

The society of the township is cosmopolitan, 
made up of inhabitants of varied birthplace and 
7iationality, although a ma.jority of the pioneer 
settlei-s Mi'i'c Tiatives of Kentucky. The fir.st set- 
tlement was made in 1828, by Samuel Seward, on 
section 23, and he w^as soon followed by Henry 
Jacobs and John S. Wood, who settled on section 
17, and John M. Sterne, and Jaines Frasier, on 
section 5, in 1829. 

Henry Frasier, son of James Frasier, was the 
first child born in the township, on section 5, in 
1829. The first death was that of Mr. Cook, who 
died from over-exertion in hunting in the "deep 
snow." the winter of 1830-31. J. i\r. Sterne, an 
old resident, in speaking of that memorable snow 
storm some years ago, said: "It began to fall on 
the night of December 27, 1830, and was two 
and a half feet deep outside and six inches deep 
inside my cabin the next morning." He made 
a path to his spring by a supreme effort, and 
from here he carried water and satTirated the 
snow on the i-oof. making a covering' siiow-jiroof 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



323 



and wiii(l-i)i'o()f for the rest of the winter. The 
.snow continued to fall at intervals iintil January 
1, 1831, when it was four and one-half feet deep. 
The hiti'h winds drifted it, making- the "rough 
ways smooth"' and connecting the prairie into 
one vast level of crystals. 

The first school house in Ellington was ei'ected 
on Mv. Sterne's farm, on section 5, in 1836. 
There had been schools in vacant cabins and sev- 
eral terms in Wesley Chapel, prior to that date. 
AVesley Chajjel was the first house of woi-ship, 
and was erected in 1831, on .section 5, by the 
I\Iethodists. I.saac Sawin was the contractor, and 
J. M. Sterne helped to hew the timbers. John 
Kirkpatriek, a local minister of the M. E. Church 
preached the first discoi;rse. The first little 
.school has been replaced by a number of new 
and more modern schools, and the little chapel 
by more imposing edifices. The little school is 
now the home of a porcine family. It is said 
that it has still the same shingles on it that kept 
out the snow and rain fifty years ago, and that 
they are still in a fair state of preservation. The 
Wesley Chapel is now used as a barn for hay. 

There are five progressive schools in Elling- 
ton. They are the Rock School, in N. W. S. E. 
See. 5; Washington School, S. W. corner S. W. 
Sec. 11 : Center School, N. W. N. W. Sec. 20; 
Franklin School, east side. Sec. 28 ; and the El- 
lington School. N. W. corner S. E. qr. Sec. 31. 

There is a church about OTie mile west of W^es- 
ley, near N. W. corner qr. of N. W. qr. of Sec. 
6, called Pleasant Grove, but no services have 
been held there for years. Ellington Ifemorial 
Presbyterian Church is in S. W. corner of N. W. 
Sec. 17, and Rev. IT. Jacobs is the minister at 
present, services being held evei-y two weeks. 

The village of Bloomfield is the only town of 
which Ellingtcm can boast. It is situated ten 
miles northeast of Quincy, on the northeast quar- 
ter of section 3. It was laid out about 1837, by 
Ansel Clarkson. For some years it seemed a 
child of promise. Store buildings were erected, 
a postoffice was located there, a wagon factoiy 
established, and in every way the little town 
bade fair to become a great city. But from 
about 1861, the village rapidly declined. The 
wagon factory, run by the farming men of the 
district, did not prove a profitable enterprise, 
and was abandoned after a few years. 

The religious proclivities of the village are 
chiefly Catholic, and the only house of worship 
in the place was erected bv that denomination 
in 1862. 

It is said that the old pioneers better under- 
stood the transforming the wilderness into the 
jiroductive farm and the comfortable home than 
the technicality of law, as evidenced by the fol- 
lowing true incident : Henry Jacobs and John 
S. Wood purchased a quarter section of land on 



section 17, jointly. Some time after, wishing 
to divide it, instead of going to the trouble to 
quit-claim, thej^ .simply cut the patent in two in 
the middle, supposing that to be legal beyond 
question. 

However, in the spring of 1850, the town was 
organized and the first election held at the house 
of ;\[rs. Jacobs, near the center of the township, 
and John P. Robbins was elected supervisor; 
Wm. Powell, assessor; Erastus W. Chapman, 
to\\^l clei'k. The first justices of the peace were 
Augustus E. Bowles and AVni. H. Cather. 

Since then, John Sharp. J. T. Turner, E. W. 
Chapman, Jetha Dudley, Baltis Sigsbee, Wm. 
Ilulse, James W. Singleton, John B. Murphy, 
John W. Mars, Thomas Payne, Geo. W. Powell, 
Francis Aneals, John Aron, Seldon G. Earel, F. 
W. Simmons, John T. Simmons, Chas. Aron and 
C. T. Sterne, have succeeded Mr. Robbins as su- 
pervisors. 

Since the first town meeting and election, many 
improvements have been advocated and made, 
not the least of which is one voted on at the last 
two meetings — the question of building a new 
town hall. It is to be built at the S. E. corner 
of the S. W. qr. of section 16, and the cost is not 
to exceed $1,000. 

Ellington is now densely populated by a moral, 
intelligent, and thrifty people; it contains sub- 
stantial church edifices, has the iTsual number of 
prosperous schools, and no more beautiful farms, 
and cheery homes can be found in any part of 
the state. " 

FALL CREEK TOWNSHIP. 

This township derives its name from the creek 
of the same name running through it from east 
to west, the creek having been so named from a 
cascade, or waterfall, of considerable size in the 
stream. It is situated in the southeast corner of 
Adams County; is bounded on the north by Mel- 
rose, east by Payson, south by Pike County and 
west by the Mississippi river. Fall Creek is a 
fractional town, being cut in an irregular form 
by the river ; is seven miles wide on the iiortli 
line, and less than five on the south line. 

Its surface is considerably diversified, the bluff 
lands, comprising two-thirds of its area, are cjuite 
rolling, traversed by several creeks and brooks 
^vhich furnish abundant water supply and am- 
ple drainage. The largest of these is Mill Creek, 
which was once the .seat of the pioneer mill from 
which it derived its name, flowing diagonally 
across the northwest corner, on whose banks the 
village of Marblehead is located. 

Ashton Creek heads about the north boundary 
of the township a mile and a half west of the 
east line, and flows southwesterly, emptying near 
the center of the west line. Fall Creek enters 
the township a mile south of the northeast cor- 



324 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



vier, its course is meanderini;', and its mouth a 
little north of tlie southwest corner. A luxu- 
riant growth of timber originally covered three- 
fourths of the township, and the prairie grass 
the remainder. 

The soil is a dark sandy loam, with a sub- 
stratum of lighter color strongly impregnated 
with sand and gravel, and a subsoil of limestone. 
This composition admirably adapts it to the pro- 
duction of the cereals and fruits. Wheat, of 
which very laj-ge crops are grown, amounting 
in the a-ggregate to over 100,000 bushels in a 
.single season, has been considered the staple crop, 
though corn is extensively planted, and yields a 
rich har\(st to the husbandmen. Much atten- 
tion is given to frxiit growing. 

Limestone abounds everywhere along the bluffs, 
and many fine ([uarries are being profitably 
worked. At Marblehead, large kilns are in ac- 
tive o]ieration, and are turning out large quanti- 
ties of the finest lime, which finds a ready market 
in various parts of Illinois and other states. 

The bottom lands, comprising the other third 
of the township, are inexhaustible in their pro- 
ductive resources: by drainage and levee protec- 
tion from the river, the.y have become the most 
magnificent and valuable farming lands in the 
country. 

The Louisiana branch of the C. B. & Q. R. R. 
cuts this town diagonally fi-om northwest to 
southeast along the edge of the bottom, furnish- 
ing an outlet for the shipment of its abundant 
productions. There are thi-ee stations within its 
limits, ilarblehead, the first south of Quincv, 
Bluff Hall and Fall Creek. This latter village 'is 
at the .junction of the Hannibal branch, and is 
quite a shipping point for live stock and farm 
produce. It is the seat of Fall Creek postoffice ; 
there is also a general store and a blacksmith 
shop. There is also a neat little church building. 
not under any one denominational control — a 
"Union'' Church. 

;\Iarblehi'ad is abmit seven and a half miles 
southeast of (^uincy. It was laid out in 1835 by 
Michael Mast, John Cotfjuan and Stephen 
Thomas, in the center of section 6, taking a cor- 
ner of land from each. For a time it gave prom- 
ise of growth. Jliehael Mast erected a large 
store and filled it with a stock of general mer- 
chandise, and for a time commanded considerable 
trade. In later years, the business shrunk to the 
modest dimensions of a very small grocery. Early 
in its history, the saw and grist mill on Mill 
Creek did considerable busine.ss, and a large 
steam ferry plied between a point opposite ilar- 
blehead and Marion City, now extinct on the ]Mis- 
souri side, furnishing a great thoroughfare for 
emigrant travel as late as 1850. The chief fea- 
ture of importance now at the place are the lime 
kilns and stone quarries, giving employment to a 



large number of men. The village has never 
been incorjiorated. 

Justice I. Perigo was the first white man who 
sought a home in Fall Creek. He settled south 
of the present site of ]\Iarblehead in 1821, but 
being a regular frontiersman, he made little show 
of improvements. In June, 1823, John C. 
Thomas came to the township and moved on the 
same farm where Perigo settled. Col. Headly 
and Jlr. Slayton, the father of Ferando Slayton, 
came the same .year. Zephaniah Ames and Eben- 
ezer Harkness came the next April. Amos Beebe, 
Amos Bancroft, Mr. Crandall, Daniel Moore, 
Holman Bowles, Mr. Journey and Thos. Carr 
were among the early pioneers, as was also Wm. 
Thompson and son, M. L., who came in 1830. 

The first nuirriage was that of Amos Bancroft 
and Ai-delia Ames, in the winter of 1824-25. The 
first child born was Priseilla Crandall, after- 
wards the wife of Josiah Thomas, in 1825. The 
first death was old Mr. Slayton, of consumption, 
in 1825. 

The first school house was erected on section 
16, in 1825, and Levi Wells taught the first 
school in it the following winter. The first ser- 
mon was preached bv an itinerant Methodist 
preacher named ^Medford in 1826. 

The first house of worship was erected b.y the 
Baptists in Josejih Thomas" woods in 1832. The 
tii'st pei'manent church edifice was built by the 
^lethodist Protestant society, on section 23, near 
the falls of Fall Creek, in' 1844. A lady mem- 
ber worked the date in the curtains. The first 
Sunda.y School was organized at the residence of 
Zei)haniah x\mes in 1832, by Deacon Chatten and 
Elder Sweet. 

Amos Bancroft, Daniel ]\[oore and Rial Cran- 
dall built the first saw mill on Mill Creek, late in 
1824. In 1831, a grist mill was erected which 
supplied the surrounding country with bread- 
stuffs. 

Among the early settlers of Fall Creek to\^^l- 
shi(i wiM-e Holman Bowles, Alexander Fruit, and 
John Hickerson, who, with their families, were 
members of the Christian Church. The.y began 
to assemble together for worship in their cabins 
as early as 1831. Rev. Jesse Bowles preached 
for them occasionally, and the believers in the 
faith increased in number until in 1840 when 
they organized regulai-ly. Revs. John B. Curl and 
John Rigdon officiating. Holman Bowles, Jesse 
Fruit, and Albert Morris were elected elders, 
and John Featheringill and James Lewis chosen 
deacons. The society held services in school 
houses until 1851 when it attained sutifieient 
strength in numbers and purse to erect a house 
of worship which they built that year. It is the 
parent of the Payson Christian Church, and is 
the second oldest society of that denomination in 
Adams County. 



PAST AND PRESEiNT OF ADAilS COUNTY. 



325 



A considerable number of Germans having 
settled in Fall Creek township, they organized a 
Lutheran Society, and erected a stone edifice in 
1860 upon section 9. A neat, commodious, frame 
church building now stands on the same site. 
There are quite a number of ]\Iethodist people in 
Fall Creek who attend at Fall Creek Chapel, just 
in the edge of Payson township. 

Fall Creek township contains a population of 
about three thousand inhabitants. It ranks 
among the first in the county in fertility of the 
soil, and the character of its farm improvements. 

THE THOMPSON SETTLEMENT. 

In the early history of the county there was 
a settlement in the southwest corner of Honey 
Creek and in the southeast corner of Mendon 
known for many miles around as the Thompson 
Settlement. The patriarch of this settlement 
was Enos Thompson, one of the three brothers 
who came to this county from Ohio in 1830. The 
youngest brother of the family, Josiah, had come 
the year previous, and after spending about a 
week with the family of John Wood, in Quincy, 
concluded to settle in Fall Creek township, where 
he made his home on .section 11. The other two 
brothers, Dr. Samuel Thompson and William 
Thompson settled on sections 1 and 12, respect- 
ively, in Fall Creek. 

Enos Thompson was a minister in the M. E. 
Church, quite a revivalist, and was well known 
all over Western Illinois. Like most of the pio- 
neers in the great West, he had a large family. 
His sons were Morgan, Andrew, John, Wesley, 
Salathiel, Milton, and Robert. The daughters 
were Mrs. Brackett Pottle of Payson, IMrs. Brad- 
ley Stewart of Hoiiston, and IVIrs. Martin Stewart 
of Honey Creek, afterwards of Camp Point town- 
ship. Enos Thompson's first wife was a Miss 
Higgins whom he married in Ohio, and who was 
the mother of all his children. His second wife 
was a ]\Irs. Stone, whose first husband was one 
of the family after which Stone "s Prairie was 
named. The oldest two sons of Enos Thompson, 
Andrew and ]\Iorgan, lived in the southern part 
of the county and the writer is not acquainted 
with the history of their families. John Thomp- 
son lived first in JFendon, then in Honey Creek, 
where he died. His first wife was a Miss Long- 
cor, by whom he had five children, three sons 
and two daughters. The sons were Albert, 
Charles and Horace : the daughters were So- 
phronia, wife of Sylvester Woodward, and Me- 
linda, wife of Chauncey Bloomfield. The sec- 
ond wife was a ]\Iiss Shields, by whom he had 
six children, two sons and ionr daughters. The 
sons were George W. and Aksekia : the daugh- 
ters were Orpha J., Samantha, Elizabeth and 
Lucy A. Wesley Thomp.son lived first in Honey 
Creek, then in Denver, Colorado, then in South- 



west Missouri, where he died. His wife was a 
Miss Kincaid. They had one child, a daughter, 
who died before reaching womanhood. 

Salathiel Thompson lived first in Mendon 
township, then in Gilmer, then in Colorado, and 
afterwards in Quincy. His wife was a Miss 
Newell. They had eight children : Mary, Lydia, 
George W., Aaron, William, Sarah, Elizabeth and 
Alfred, named in the order of their ages. Mil- 
ton Thompson lived in Honey Creek, then went 
to JFontana, M'here he now resides. His wife was 
a Miss Pilcher. Two children are known to have 
been born to them — Laura and Charles. Robert, 
or as he was commonly called, "Bob" Thomp- 
son, was "simple minded" and died at about the 
age of twenty-five. The Thompson men were all 
farmers and did cooper work as a side line. In 
the early histoiy of Quincy, when the city 
packed all the pork raised within a radius of 
many miles, when there were several flouring 
mills and large distilleries, the demand for bar- 
rels was unsatiable, and almost any week day in 
the year one could see wagons from the Thomp- 
son Settlement, with their great ladders holding 
from sixty to one hundred barrels, on the road to 
Quincy. This was kept up until near the time of 
the Civil War when the timber in Honey Creek 
was becoming exhausted. 

The daTighters of Enos Thompson, as before 
stated, were Mrs. Brackett Pottle, IMrs. Bradley 
Stewart and Mrs. IMartin Stewart. Martin and 
Sarah Stewart were long time residents of the 
Thompson Settlement in Honey Creek, but they 
finally settled in the northern part of Camp 
Point township where they both died at a ripe old 
age. To them were born eleven children, all of 
whom grew up to manhood and womanhood. The 
four sons were Marcus De Lafayette, Enos, An- 
drew and Sullivan. The seven daughters were 
Rosanna, wife of James Stone, Jane, wife of 
John IMes.siek, Leviea, wife of Capt. T. L. How- 
den, Lavina, wife of Dan. Humsher, Emerett, 
wife of Stephen Brewer, Elizabeth, wife of a 
Mr. Howell, and Lue-y, wife of a ilr. Noble. It is 
believed that the only representative of Enos 
Thompson's family bearing the name and now 
living in Adams County, is W. N. Thompson, of 
Coatsburg. 

Of the three brothers of Enos Thompson, Jo- 
siah, who came in 1829, died in about two years 
after settling in Fall Creek. His wife was a sis- 
ter of the late Joshua Tibbets. There were five 
children, three sons, and two daughters, born to 
them. The sons were Washington, who died be- 
fore reaching his ma.iority: Newton, who now 
lives in Payson, and Franklin who died at Ten- 
nessee, Illinois, in 1887. The daughters, 
both now deceased, were Sobriety, wife of the 
late E. R. Seehoi'u. and Eliza A., wife of Dr. 
Henry Houp. The children of Newton Thomp- 



326 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



son iKiw liviii;^', are Jlrs. S. S. Imiinn of Plaiii- 
\illf and Mi's. N. J. Ilintoii of Quiiiey. His 
lirandchildreii are the JMisses Edna V. and 
Blanche Intnan. and Ralph T. Hiuton. The 
children of Franklin Thompson are jMrs. Neal 
-MeDonousi'h of Burlinnton, Iowa, and the Misses 
Bertha and Mamie Thompson of Galesburg. 

Samuel Thompson, as jireviously stated, set- 
tled in Fall Creek, but after some years he re- 
moved to Missouri where he died. His descend- 
ants now residing in this county are a grand- 
danghter, ]\Irs. Jtl. W. Hughes of Pall Creek, with 
her children and grandchildren. Arthur Thomp- 
son of Fall Creek, a great gi'andson, with his sis- 
ters. Misses Lucy and Alma Thomi)Son, and the 
two daughtei's of the late ^Irs. James Grove of 
Payson, Mrs. Harry Seehorn and Miss Lei a 
Grove, both great granddaughters. 

William Thompson remained on the farm 
where he first settled in Fall Creek until the time 
of his death in 1880. One son, [Marcus L. Thomp- 
son, now in his eighty-eighth year, and two 
grandsons, Wm. E. and John G., sons of ]Mar- 
eus, live on farms adjoining on the west the one 
occupied by that worthy pioneer. A daughter, 
IMrs. D. E. Tipple, with her husband, now resides 
on the old home farm which is a model in the way 
of up-to-date management and culture, and 
adorned by a fine residence, and neat, substan- 
tial and convenient barns, etc. Another daugh- 
ter. Miss Esther, resides in Quincy. 

The members of the Thompson family were 
honorable people, respected by all who knew 
them. As a rule they were Democi-ats in politics 
and almost to an individual they adopted the 
faith of the iM. E. Church. Their descendants 
are scattered all over the Mississippi Valley, and 
as has been shown, some of them may be encoun- 
tered in different parts of this county. 

GH.]\TER TOWNSHIP. 

The first settlers in Gilmer Township were 
George Wigle, who settled in 1829, on section 
34 — he built a log cabin and made other improve- 
ments — Ben.iamin Walby, an Englishman by 
birth, Jacob Smith. John Thomas, Mr. Franks, 
and I\Tr. Riddle. 

In November, 1831, John Yeargaiu and fam- 
ily came, and soon after Daniel Harrison and 
others. These men were good citizens, theii- oc- 
cupation that of farming: they were poor and 
en.joyed but few of the luxui'ies of life, but they 
were cheerful, contented and hospitable. 

The first sermon was preached at John Year- 
gain's, by James Ilobbs, in the year of 1832. In 
the same year John Hiuiter, a preacher of the 
M. E. Church, preached at the same place. Soon 
after a class was organized consisting of the fol- 
lowing persons : John Yeargain and wife, Jacob 
Sharp and wife. Weaver Potter and wife, Geo. 



Kuntz and wife, Nancy G. Tate and W. T. Year- 
gain. Soon after this others were added. David 
Carter, who was the first circuit-rider, com- 
menced his labors in the year 1832. The class 
continued to meet at John Yeargain 's until 
thought best to move it elsewhere. Meetings 
were then held successively at John Yeargain 's 
thence to a log school house on what is now 
knoM-n as the old telegraph road. From there it 
moved to Mr. Brunton's, then afterward to a 
school house known as Blount Pleasant, and built 
in 1836. where meetings were held until 1865, 
when they built a church on section 27. During 
the .year 1832 David Hobbs and John Curl 
preached at various times at the residence of 
John Yeargain. whose house was open with a 
welcome to preachers of all denominations. Also 
at other times John Kirkpatriek, Samuel Griggs 
and John Ham of the JMethodist Episcopal 
Church, and John Wolf, a Dunkard, preached 
frequently at Daniel Harrison's. Wm. Roberts, 
a Baptist, preached at various places. There are 
now established here several IMethodist Episco- 
pal churches, a German Methodist Episcopal 
church, two Christian churches, one Lutheran 
and one Catholic church in Gilmer. 

The first marriage was that of 'Sir. William 
Lamberth to :\Iiss Nancy G. Tate, 1832. The 
ceremony was j)erformed by Judge James Rals- 
ton. 

The first birth was a child of Daniel Harrison, 
and the first death that of John Bavne in Novem- 
lier, 1834. 

The township was named in honor of Dr. 
Thornton Gilmer. 

The first election was held at what was known 
as ]\fr. Pitts' schot)l house, on section 15, April 
2. 1850. The fii-st .iudges of election were John 
Rice, Ilobbs and Wm. B. Finley, clerks; first su- 
pervisor was J. F. Bartell : first magistrate un- 
der township organization, Paris T. Judy; first 
town clerk, Wm. Morrow; first assessor, Philip 
S. Judy; first overseer of the poor, Jeremiah 
Ballard; first collector, David Chase; first com- 
missioners of highways, Robt. Breedlove, Chas. 
(xilmer, and Jacob Smith, who afterward served 
one term in State Senate; first treasurer, John 
Lawless ; second treasurer, Geo. B. Thompson ; 
first trustees of schools, Geo. W. Thomp.son, Eli 
Williams, Ben.]. Walby, and D. L. Pedow; second 
trustees of school, Thornton Gilmer, John Bar- 
tell. Abner Chase, and John Finch. 

The first school was taught by jMiss Ellis, a 
missionary from the East, in 1833. 

The first goods were sold in 1832, l)y Daniel 
Harrison, who kept a sto7-e on section 30. In the 
year 1835 he moved his house and goods to Co- 
lumbus, where he took as partner in the dry 
goods and pork-packing business, Abraham 
Jonas, who was a member of the legislature. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



327 



Cohimbxis was laid out by William Graves, iu 
the year 1835. 

The poor house and farm are in Gilmer. There 
are three miles of the C. B. & Q. Railroad in Gil- 
mer township. Fowler is a little village on this 
line, and is known as a shipping point. 

The land of this township consists of about 
two-thirds prairie and one-third timber. It is 
settled by an intelligent class of people. Its 
church and school privileges are excellent. 

HONEY CREEK TOWNSHIP. 
By Dr. W. E. Gillilaiid. 

Honey Creek comprises the original survey of 
1 north of the Base Line, range 7 west of the 
Fourth Principal ileridian. It is bounded on 
the north by Keene, on the west by j\Iendon, on 
the south by Gilmer and on the east by Camp 
Point. Originally it consisted of about three- 
fifths timber and two-fifths prairie land. The 
entire watershed is drained by Bear Creek, its 
principal tributaries in the township being 
lioiiey Creek and Brush Creek, thence the waters 
tiow into the ili.ssissippi. The natural resources 
are agriciilture, horticulture and stock-raising, 
wheat and corn, hogs and cattle being the main 
products. Hog raising seems to be a favorite 
employment with most of the farmers, and cat- 
tle are receiving more attention each succeeding 
year. The tendency at this time seems to be to- 
ward the dairying industry. Timber, which at 
one time was an important item, is now well-nigh 
exhausted. There is an abundance of excellent 
stone for building purposes and for road mak- 
ing, and an inexhau.stible supply of fine brick 
clay which has never been iitilized, but there is 
no coal. Horticulture has always received much 
attention. Apples, peaches and pears do as well 
here as in other parts of the county. The trees 
of the first planting have nearly all pas.sed away, 
and, on account of the insect enemies of these 
fruits, some of the people have become discour- 
aged and have ceased to plant. A few, however, 
are continuing the work extensively with a view 
to fighting the insects with all the modern scien- 
tific implements of warfare 

The history of Honey Creek is the history of 
the men who have made the township. The first 
habitation of which we have any knowledge was 
built by a squatter named Haven, on section 21, 
prior to 1830. It is said that he found a bee 
tree on the creek bottom and that he obtained 
from it a fine lot of honey, from which circum- 
stance the creek derived its name. After Haven 
came Ed. Edmonson, H. B. Baldwin, Enos 
Thompson and sons, John, Byler, J. E. Kam- 
merer, Richard Gray, Mrs. Irene Grigsby, Jos- 
eph Pollock, Jabez Lovejoy, W. D. Her — Hey- 
worth, the Struevs, father and sons. James 



Bailey. Daniel Gooding, Joel Darrah, I\I. D., the 
Whites, Thomas, Richard and James, Wm. Eu- 
banks, Horatio Ellis and several others whose 
names were less conspicuous. These were all 
here prior to 1840, except Joel Darrah, M. D., 
wh<i came in the spring of that year. 

In the seventy-five years that have intervened 
since the arrival of the first settlers. Honey Creek 
township has witnessed a wonderful transforma- 
tion. From a state of wilderness, of which woi"ds 
would give but a faint conception to those who 
had never seen it, to a condition in which every 
acre and rod of land is made to yield to the 
wants of its 1,500 population; from the terrific 
scream of the hungry panther, the howl of the 
ravenous wolf, and the weird wail of the wildcat, 
to the friendly greeting of the house dog, the low- 
ing of cattle and the grunt of satisfaction fi-om 
the pig sty ; from a lone cabin to over three hun- 
dred comfortable, resjieetable dwellings, many 
of which are almost palatial ; from nothing in 
the way of school and religious advantages, to 
nine substantial school houses, where some four 
hundred children annually receive their primary 
education, and seven churches, where as many 
denominations worship according to the teach- 
ings of their several creeds. 

The principal prairie of Honey Creek is called 
' ' Froggy. ' ' How it came by such an euphonious 
title is, to the unitiated, a mystery. It originated 
at one of the old-fashioned spelling bees, where 
a school district to the westward of this prairie 
was pitted against the home district. School 
hou.se. a log cabin on the prairie: time, IMarch 
25, 1844; at candle lighting, present both schools 
in full force ; wild grass taller than a man : water, 
bootleg deep, full of frogs which made so much 
noise that the teacher was compelled to pro- 
nounce the words at the top of his voice in order 
to be heard at all. A school girl from the 
west district called the place "Froggy.'" and 
"Froggy" it has been ever since. 

Manufacturing of any kind has always been 
limited in Honey Creek. In the early history 
of the township great numbers of pork and lard 
barrels, flour barrels and even whiskey barrels 
were made and hauled to Qnincy. In 1840 
Charles Fletcher built a water mill on Bear 
creek, on section 4, for the purpose of grinding 
grain. A few years' experience taught him the 
unreliability of water power, and he put in steam 
engines. In 1870 he moved the whole plant to 
Coatsburg. and about two years later the mill 
burned. It was rebuilt by Fred Cruze and aftei'- 
ward remodeled b.v ^Varon & McGuire. Later it 
came into the possession of I. N. Pevehouse. who 
sold it to J. N. Shanhaltze, the present owner. 

Some fifteen years ago Josejih Freeze and son 
started, at Coatsburg, in a small way. the For- 
est Oak Nurseries, whose growth has been almost 



328 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



iiiarveloiis. For the past tiw or six years the 
annual output from these nurseries has run into 
the thousands of dolhirs' worth. Two very vahi- 
able varieties of apple, the Bayard and the 
Rohe's Favorite, have propai^ated in these nurs- 
eries. 

Honey Creek has two villages within its bor- 
ders, Coatsbui'p: and Palonia, both situated ou 
tlie Burlington division of the C. B. & Q. R. R. 
Ciiatsliurg was laid out l)y Robert Coats in 1804. 
at the time the railroad was built, and Paloma 
at a later date. Coatsburg has the distinetion 
of having- been the rival of Quiney in the county 
seat controversy of 1875. Prom the beginning 
it has been an important shipping point for live 
stock, grain, hay, etc. It has now a skimming 
station for the Camp Point Pioneer Creamery 
Company, which receives ten thousand pounds 
of milk pel- week in winter and thirty thousand 
pounds in snnniiei-. This seems to be a growing 
industry. Coatsburg has three general stores 
wliieh do ;i large retail business; there are also 
several restaurants, blacksmith and repair shops. 
One rural free delivery mail route goes out from 
there. The |)resent ])opulatioii of the village is 
about in:). 

I'aloma was laid oul by Daniel (iooding. about 
18()"J, and it now has a i)opulation of about 16U. 
It has three .stores, a lilaeksmith shop, and a soda 
water factory. There are also two churches and 
an I. 0. 0. F. lodge. Several years ago, becaus<' of 
the enormous (piantities of euciunbers shipped 
from this station, the railroad men dubbed it 
"Pickle Station." oi- "Pickleville. " It is a 
shipping point for live stock and grain, and 
there is no other .station in the county that bales 
and ships as much hay. A rural free delivery 
mail route goes out from Paloma. 

llOrSTOX TOW.VSIIII'. 

llonston boasts not only an ilhisti-ious name, 
but its history is no less imixirtant than that of 
other townships in the matter of early settle- 
ment and the character of its prominent men 
who have long bci'ii i-esideiits. 

Among the til-st set 11im-s were llor;ii-e Reynolds. 
David Striclder. llcni-v .\. (^•rns, Samuel 'Woods 
.-Mid .Mr. Willard. 

A town site was laid out on the southwest quar- 
t<'i- section of section o4, in 18:511. by Henry A. 
Tyrus and Levi T. Benton, and nairied Houston, 
in honor of Cenei-al Sam Houston of Texas. The 
town was a com]ilete failure, except in giving 
the township a umuo when afterward organized. 
There is a raili-oad station on the east side called 
Chattel), in honor of the lati' B. T. Chatten of 
Quiney. 

Houston is -J north of the base line, and range 
(i west of the 4t!i principal meridian. It is 
twenty-five miles fi-om Quiney in a northeast 



direction, to the west side of the townshij). 

Houston was organized April 16, 1849, by the 
County Commissioners. The first .supervisor was 
Joseph Kern. He was succeeded by Samuel 
Woods, Joseph Nevins, S. R. ^IcAuulty, James 
.AIcDavitt. P. I\I. Stump, Jacob Groves and L. W. 
^liller, the present supervisoi-. 

The first school w-as held at (ilenwood, on sec- 
tion 16. and the first church was a brick structure 
at York Neck, section 33. 

The land is nearly equally divided between 
timber and prairie. The soil is good and pro- 
iluces excellent crops. Fine farms and wealthy 
farmers arc connnon, and, taking the township 
as a whole, it will compare favorably with any 
in the county. 

KEEXB TOWNSHIP. 

This township was first settled about the year 
1834. Joel Benton, Thomas Hudson, Ralph Har- 
den and John Caldwell were among the pioneers 
who commenced the culture of its soil and took 
advantage of the rich source of revenue fur- 
nished by the valuable timber.s, belts of which 
interspersed the fine prairies. This township is 
a valuable stockraising section, more especially 
because of the fact that it is so well watered. 
The principal streams are South Fork, Thurman 
creek. Middle Fork and Big Neck creek. 

The first school house in the township was 
built of logs in 1843, on section 16. The fir.st 
church organized was of the Methodist Episcopal 
denomination undei- the name of "Union Soci- 
ety," in iSfiO. They erected a frame church 
Ini tiding on section 24. The officers were Gran- 
ville Bond, pastor; Samuel Curless, class leader, 
and Ezekiel Walters, steward. The church -was 
oi'ganized with fifteen membei-s. 

The first s(>cret society oi-ganized in Keene 
township was Lt)raine lodge. No. 641, I. 0. 0. P., 
instituted under dispensation June 20, 1877, by 
District Dejiuty James A. Beiuieson of Robert 
Brooker lodge. No. 406. of Quiney, in the hall 
fitted up for the purpose over the store of Chris- 
to|)lier Seals. The charter members were David 
.\ndrews, John Pollock. Frank Seals, James M. 
( 'urless, Christopher Seals and James Coffield. 
The first officers elected were Christopher Seals, 
.\. G. ; James Coffield. V. G. : James W. Curless. 
seci'etary, and James ^I. Seals, treasurer. 

The fii'st mill in the township was known as 
"Seals" Corn Cracki'r." built in 1852, on sec- 
tion 21. 

The village of Loraine was laid out in Decem- 
ber. ISTO. by .Messrs. Woods and Lionberger, 
during the constri'ction of the Carthage branch 
of the Chicago, Burlington & Quiney Railroad. 
James H. Wade, in 1870. built a store house and 
began a general merchandising business. In 1871 
he was appointed postmaster. Christopher Seals, 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



329 



in the spriu^ of 1871, built a store house and a 
dwellinf^ and did a general merchandising' busi- 
ness, and also kept a hotel known as the "Trav- 
elers' Rest." S. P. Ilalton, in the summer of 
1871, built a blacksmith .shop and a dwelling. 
Other store houses, dwellings, .shops, etc., fol- 
lowed soon. In the spring of 1872 George A. 
Yeuter built a grain house and bought and 
shipped grain, as well as live stock. The first 
drug store was built by P. S. Cavilee in the 
spring of 1873. E. J. Selleek, in the summer 
of 1873, h\u\t a grist mill, which, before its com- 
I)letion, he sold to George Jackson and son. Rust 
& Barniber, in the spring of 187-lr, built a black- 
smith shop. Drs. Coffield and Akins, in the 
spring of 1875, built a drug store and office and 
also practiced medicine, and in Angu.st of the 
same year Dr. Akins was appointed postmaster, 
and remained in office until January, 1878, after 
%vhieh James Coffield was appointed to the posi- 
tion, which he retained for some years. 

All lines of trade incident to a railroad point 
in the midst of a thriving agricultural and stock 
raising region has been continued, and the vil- 
lage is in every way calculated to do and to 
maintain a good business. Woodville, a small 
place of about fifty inhabitants, is situated on the 
line of the railroad, in the extreme northern por- 
tion of the town.ship. It was laid out in 1836. 

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP. 

(By John Campbell.) 

Liberty township lies about twenty miles ea.st- 
southeast of Quincy. The first settlers of the 
township were A. II. D. Butz and D. P. ^leacham. 
Others were Nagle, Wolfe, Hunsaker, Lile and 
Nations. 

ilr. ileacham opened the first store ever kept 
in the village, or, in fact, the township, and the 
first house built was erected by Daniel Lile. The 
first marriage in this township was that of Jacob 
Wigle and Nancy Hunsaker. solemnized by Elder 
George Wolfe. The first sermon was preached 
by George Wolfe, of the Dunkard (German Bap- 
tist) denomination in the year 1829, and the first 
church organization effected was in 1831, which 
was the establishment of a Dunkard church. 
This church was located two miles w-est of the 
present village of New Liberty. 

The township took up township organization 
in 1850, with the other townships, and the first 
supervisor was David Wolfe. He was succeeded 
by John I. Adams, John Wolfe. Ben.jamin Wigle, 
Benjamin F. G rover, Maurice Kelly, John F. 
fiercer, Alexander Henry, Samuel Naylor. Will- 
iam Huddleston, Jonas Grubb, A. S. ]\Iintle, 
John William.son, I. B. Roe, J. B. Wolfe and 
John Campbell, the present supervisor. 



The first village, called Montgomery, was or- 
ganized by Mormons in 1830, one and one-half 
miles southeast of where New Liberty now 
stands. New Liberty (Liberty P. 0.) was 
laid out by Paris T. Judy in 1850. It has now 
a population of 300. There are two general 
stores, conducted by Pond Bros, and Wagner & 
Collins ; a drug store, of which George D. Mercer 
is proprietor ; a harness shop, a tin shop, two 
barber shops, three blacksmith and wagon shops, 
three restaurants and a first-class hotel, the Euro- 
pean, binder the management of William Breck- 
enridge. There are five cliui-ches : The Chris- 
tian, F. Jalageas, pastor; the Evangelical Luth- 
eran, J. II. Nesch, pastor; German Bapti.st, D. 
M. Brubaker, pastor; Presbyterian, H. Jacobs, 
pastor; and Catholic, Rev. A. Vollebregt, priest. 

Liberty lodge, I. O. 0. F., was organized in 
Mav, 1860. The present officers are Charles 
Bai'rd, N. G. ; John Campbell, V. C. ; Floyd Mer- 
cer, .secretary; Clarence Pond, treasurer. 

Liberty lodge, A. P. and A. M., was organized 
in October, 1863. The present officers are Clar- 
ence Pond, W. M. ; E. J. Grubb, S. W. ; A. J. 
Enlow, J. W. ; A. II. D. Butz, secretary; Zenas 
Wiuget, treasurer. 

A camp of M. W. A. was organized here in 
September, 1892. G. 0. Williams is venerable 
counsel ; J. W. Klarner, worthy adviser ; George 
D. Mercer, clerk, and H. E. Frey, banker. 

The Farmers' State Bank of New Liberty was 
organized July 1, 1903, with a capital of $25,000. 
July 1, 1904. it was reorganized as a private 
bank, with a capital of $10,000. The officers are : 
A. W^. Callahan, president: Amos J. Linn, vice- 
president : George D. Mercer, cashier. The direc- 
tors are : Hez. G. Henry, Frank D. Thomas, Mrs. 
flattie F. Henry, Hem. George W^. Dean, A. W. 
Callahan, Seldon Slade and James F. Hughes. 

The first school house built in Liberty town- 
ship was on section 10, but the date is unknown. 
The village now boasts a eonnnodious, substan- 
tial building, erected in 1887, at a cost of .$2,600. 
At that time the school was reorganized and 
well graded, and it compares favorably with 
other schools of the same size in the county. 

LIMA TOWNSHIP. 

(By A. B. Leeper.) 

From most authentic soui-ees of information, 
the first settlement of this township was made 
in 1828, Joseph Harness having erected the first 
house, about two miles northwest of where the 
town of Lima now stands, about this time. It 
may be also interesting to know that the first 
child born in this township was Julian, daughter 
of Joseph and Nancy Harness, in the same year. 
Among the other early settlers were W^illiam 
Orr, Thomas Killum. Lewis James, John Selbv, 



33° 



PAST AND PRESEiNT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



Benjamin Ilines, Ishniael Dazev and Gravson 
Orr. 

Lima is the township to the extreme north and 
west of Adams eonnty, and has Ilaueoelv county 
as a boiindary on the north, Keene to^\^l.ship on 
the east, the townships of Ursa and Mendon on 
the soutli, and the iMississippi river on the west. 

The first brick made in Adams eonnty was 
made in Lima township in 1830 by Grayson Orr. 
The first mill was operated bv William Orr on 
White Oak branch, in the sonthwest part of the 
to\«i.ship. The first mari'iaiie in the township 
was that of Thomas Killnm and Nancy Daze.y. 

The first bridge Iniilt by order of the Adams 
eount,v Board of Supervisors was across Bear 
creek, on the Warsaw & Qnincy road, in 1850, 
and at the present time, 1905, it is iu as good 
condition as when erected. The first school was 
taught by John ^I. Selliy. ,\ow the township 
has eleven school districts. 

The first supervisor, in 1850, was Grayson Orr. 
The present supervisor is T. E. Conover; town 
clerk is V. A. Bolt ; a.ssessor is J. Clark, and 
collector is J. W. Jacobs. 

Among the first, if not the first, sermon 
preached was by the Hon. Rev. Peter Cartwright. 
Rev. Stephen Ruddle was also an early diviner. 

The western part of the township was origin- 
ally swamp land, subject to overflow from the 
]\iississippi river, comprising Lima lake, which 
afforded one of the best hunting and fishing 
grounds in western Illinois. In 1885 this land 
was leveed, and th(> greater portion of it was 
reclaimed. 

The central part, ai'oiuid the village of Lima, 
has a very productive soil, especially adapted 
to fruit culture, particularly that of apples. 
Lima ranks fii'st in the county in the production 
of apples. This part of the township is popu- 
lated almost exclusively b.v native born inhab- 
itants. The eastern part was formerly covered 
with heavy timber, which has been cleared away 
and the land converted into productive farms. 

One mile cast of the town of Lima is White 
Oak branch, which circles ai'ound about that dis- 
tance from the town mitil it gets to the south- 
west, when it runs directly southwest and em])ties 
into Bear creek. 

To the east of this branch the country is rough 
and unbroken, and is generall.y known as Pea 
Ridge. This country, rough as it is, is a source 
of wealth that cannot be neglected. The timber 
upon it is the best quality of white oak, suitable 
for manufacturing purposes. Where this timber 
is cut off the land produces wheat of the best 
qualit.y, which meets with read.v sale in the mar- 
ket. Wlieat, however, is not the gi'eatest source 
of wealth on the "ridge," the sturdy Germans 
who settled there, in imitation of their life in the 



' Vatei-land," on the i-omantic banks of the Rhine, 
have concluded to 

"Let the vine luxuriant roll 
Its blushing tendrils 'round the bowl, 
Whih> many a rose-lipjicd bacchant maid 
Is cullinu clustei-s in their shade." 

.Many of tlie hills in autunni ai'e decked with 
pur|)lc |)asterres that I'oll streams of wealth into 
caiiMcious coffers of their indi;strious owners. 
Lying west of White Oak branch, south of Petit 
branch and east of Lima lake, is some of the 
i"iehest land in the state, which turns out a vast 
store of corn, wheat, oats and apples and other 
staple products. In the center of this plateau 
is the town of Lima. 

Lima is a beautiful little village of three hun- 
dred iidialiitants, situated eighteen miles north 
and one mile east of Qnincy, one mile and a half 
south of the Hancock county line. In 1833 Dr. 
Joseph Orr built the first stoi'e in Lima, and 
at that early day every store that was situated 
at some distance from the other stores had to be 
dignified with the title of a town. In obtaining 
<i name for this town the doctor, who was of a 
imetical turn of mind, was assisted b.v a Peru- 
vian, who was staying with him. The Peruvian 
declai'cd he had traveled through many coun- 
tries, but in none had he found such beautiful 
women as thei-e were in the capital of his native 
country, except here, and, therefore, he called it 
Lima. Thus the town obtained its name from 
the charms of the fail' sex that inhabited the sur- 
I'ouiuliiig country. If at that day it laid claims 
to so much beauty, what can we say of the 
jn-esent .' 

Sitiuited in the center of the townshiii. the 
town has advantages unsurpassed by any town 
in the eonnty. save Qnincy. 

Two miles west of the town is Lima lake, a 
beautiful expanse of water. The lake itself, and 
its sloxxghs, afford some of the finest fishing and 
hunting grounds in the northwest. In early set- 
tlements the iieople frequently met together to 
hunt the wild, animals, either for anni.sement or 
to rid them.selves of pests. Diiring one of these 
hunts, in 1833, it is said a snake den was discov- 
ered on Bull's branch with one hundred and 
eighty serpents of all kinds twisted together. 

There is one other village in the township of 
Lima worthy of special mention — the little town 
of ]\reyer. It is situated on the Mississippi river, 
opposite ('ant<iii. ^lissouri. and has one hundred 
inhabitants. II, was laid out by J. W. Caldwell. 
With the ilississippi river as a means of trans- 
l)ortation. it affords a market for the adjacent 
country. 

^feyi'r has two elnu'ehcs. the Eiuseopal and the 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



331 



United Brethivii, and two lodges, the ]\Ioderu 
Woodmen and Royal Neighbors, while Lima has 
three churehes, ^lethodist Protestant. ^Methodist 
Episcopal and Christian, and the following 
lodges: Masons, the oldest society in the town- 
ship ; the Order of the Eastern Star, the ^lodern 
Woodmen of Ajiierica, Royal Neighbors and the 
Grand Army of the Repiililie. 

McKEE TOWNSHIP. 

The first settlement was made in 1S3S. ou sec- 
tion 4, by William Hogan, John Covert, Calvin 
Brandy. John TI. Keller and Dudley Perrigo. 
In 1840 there was a numljer more came in — 
Francis Amro, Philip Anu-o, Jacob Hover, Jus- 
tice Perrigo. Cyrus Sims and Reuben Childers. 

Jacob Hughes and family moved from Gilmer 
township in 1847 and located on section 14, 
among the hills, on the brink of one of the bluffs 
of JIcKee creek, and died on this farm many 
years after. 

The township, although largely composed of 
hills and valleys, was soon quite thickly settled, 
and on the top of many of these hills could be 
seen the houses of pioneers, and from the valley 
just beyond came the smoke curling up from 
the home of another of the .sturdy frontier.sman. 

A. H. D. Butz. with a keen eye to business, 
built the first mill in 1845, on section 6, using 
the water power of McKee creek for sawing and 
grinding purposes. !\Ir. Smith of Quincy started 
the first stoi'e in the township, and John Hoffman 
the second, on section 7. This store, a blacksmith 
sliop and several houses composed a town named 
Bowling Green many years ago by William Bow- 
ling. In 1853 "Old Slab Town" received the 
new name of Spring Valley, and struggled hard 
for existence with her carding, grist and saw 
mill, in charge of William Wells and John W. 
Wardell. Harvey Bogley was storekeeper and 
P. :\r. Torgey the'blacksm'ith. Early in the Civil 
war the millers enlisted, leaving business for 
our countiy's service, and in theii- absence the 
town fell to ruins, with only the blacksmith's 
shop to mark the spot. 

An attempt to murder one of the citizens on 
Christmas eve, in the year 1858, proved a failure, 
we believe, though it created such a sensation 
as to be handed down among the records. 

A fine new school house was built near the 
site of the old town. It has been used for school 
and church purposes and all town meetings. The 
almost obliterated town of Bagnolia was started 
by William Hart and Dan Higbee, in 1865, for 
three years. They conducted a dry goods, gro- 
cery and whiskey store, the latter department be- 
coming the principal business, and ruined the 
town. 

J\lr. Payton, in 1869, started Hickory Corner 



and Post Office Payton, which since has been 
changed to Kellerville, a prosperous and pleasant 
town, with large trade. The buildings are in 
good repair and the town looks bright and 
thrifty. A fine suspension bridge crosses McKee 
creek at this point. There was a large gri.st and 
saw mill on section 33. The Genuan Methodists 
have their church on section 31. 

This church was organized in the year 1847, 
and for twenty-six years worshipped in a log 
cabin. Mr. George Hess acted as class leader for 
twenty years. In 1873 the old house was torn 
down and a substantial one erected at a cost of 
$1,000. Among the early members were George 
Hess and wife, John Deal, A. Lentz and wife, 
John Harss and wife and John Winder. Rev. 
ISlv. Bowers was the fii-st regular minister and 
began his work with the organization. Rev. John 
Smith succeeded him in 1849, and many others 
have succeeded him since. Some of them are 
still living in the county. The Sunday school 
is an interesting one and well attended every 
Sabbath. 

The United Brethren Chnrch. Spring Valley, 
iMcKee township, was organized in an early day, 
but was entii-ely liroken up by neglect of church 
duties, etc. In 1867 it was i-eorganized by Joseph 
Diendortf, with the assistance of IMorris Ben- 
nett and John Padgett. 

In politics the democi-ats have the majority 
in ]\IcKee. The first supervisor was John W. 
Wardell: town clei'k. .\. J. Durbin. in the vear 
1851. 

The first sehool house was built on the farm 
of Rube F. Smith, on section 3. McKee has now 
some of the best schools in Adams county and 
has had for a number of years. 

]\IcKee creek runs through the township in a 
southeasterly dii'ection and forms, in many 
places, deep ravines. (Jeorge AV. Query, now of 
Indiana, made the discovery of a furnace in 1849 
in one of the bluffs near the creek, which formed 
some foundation for the old story that, during 
the French war with the Indians, a small party 
of French, having with them a large amount 
of silver, were overpowered by a band of In- 
dians and, before capture, buried their ti-easure. 
They were then burned in the furnace, all save 
one. who escaped, wounded, and on his death 
bed very minutely described this locality as the 
one where the treasure had been concealed. After 
the discovery of the furnace, for several years 
many adventurers, guided by different fortune 
tellers, came in search of the money, which has 
not yet been discovered. 

]\IcKee township is occupied by a prosperous 
and thrifty people, who have the reputation of 
being energetic and ambitious of making and 
keeping their township the erpial of any in 
Adams county. 



332 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



MELROSE TOWNSHIP. 
(By Hon. C. S. Ilearn and Frank N. Durand.) 

IMelrose townsliip lips immediately east and 
south of the city of Qiiiney. It is bounded on 
the north by Elliniiton and the city of Quiucy, 
east by Burton, south by Fall creek and west 
by the ;\Iississi])pi river. Pour-fifths of the 
township is coini)rised in table or bluff lands, 
which are abundantly watered and considerably 
broken by Mill creek and its branches. This 
stream enters the eastern border of jMelrose a 
little more than two miles from the south line 
and pursues a serpentine course west and south, 
tlowinii' aci'oss intii Fall ci-eek near the declivity 
of the bluff's about two miles from the river. Its 
principal br.nicli, Ijittle Mill creek, flows into 
the township I'roni Ellington, near its northeast 
corner, and bears a southwesterly course, empty- 
ing into ]\Iill ci'eek before it crosses the south 
township line, ilelmse, like the other river town- 
ships, has a sub-stratum of linu'stone, and many 
fine working quarries abound, furnishing build- 
ing rock and lime in great quantities. 

Melrose township was one of the earliest set- 
tled in Adams county. Outside the city of 
Quincy there were only two white families liv- 
ing in the county — those of Daniel Lile and Jus- 
tus I. Perigo. in Fall Oreek — when Asa Tyrer 
brought his family from Louisiana. Illinois, and 
settled on the snuthwcst cpiartcr of section 1'2. 
2 south, 1) west, in tlu' spi'ing of 1S21, where he 
resided until his death in 1873. Mr. Tyrer first 
visited the site of Quincy in 1821, on a tour of 
investigation. Having purchased soldiers' war- 
rants for two quarter sections of land on 12, he 
came up to locate it and see what prospects it 
offered for a lionii". So he was one of the first 
white men. if ui>\ llu' first, who ever trod its 
soil. Being eharnu'd with the beauty of the 
country, he retui'tu^d to bring his family. But 
his wife could nut brook the idea of forsaking 
every trace of civili/.alion and settling in this 
howling A\il(lei'ness. witli no companionship but 
that of wild beasts and wilder Indians. So the 
removal was imstponed until two years later. In 
the meantime Ex-Oovei'uor John Wood, Willard 
Keyes and Jeremiah Rose and family had set- 
tled in Quincy. David Sh.aw purchased the 
northwest quarter of sectimi 18 and settled on 
it in 1828. The late Perry Alexander, a promi- 
nent resident .-ifterward, owiieil and lived on the 
same farm. In 1821t Almdiaii Waddell settled 
on section 'A'\ -nul the same year Jacob Wauner 
settled on the southeast ((uarter of 29. Abigal 
Parsons and Nathaniel Sonuners settled in the 
town.ship about 1830. ;\lr. Sonimers married Mr. 
Parson's dauuhter, wliicii was, perhaps, the first 
wedding, and in 1832 a daughter was born to 
them, which was one of the first births in Mel- 
rose. Perrv Alexander, whose father. Sanuiel, 



settled in Quiney in 1832, was the first boy to 
sell i)apers on the streets of the city. In the 
spring of 1835 he sold the Illinois County Land 
Register. 

j\Iore than two-thirds of the citizens of Mel- 
rose are of German nationality, who are noted 
for being careful and thrifty farmers. 

Although this township is somewhat broken in 
some parts, it has some among the most beauti- 
fid and productive agricultural lands in the 
county under a high state of cultivation. The 
staple pi'oduetidiis ai'e wheat and Indian enrn. 

The first Sunday school was organized by The- 
resa Alexander and Annie Crow in the sunnner 
of 1829, and was held at their residences. Some 
rude young men of the neighborhood scoffed at 
the idea and, by starting an "opiiosition sehnol," 
as they termecl it, thought to break it uji ; but 
within a vi^i'v slKu't time thereafter tho.se young 
men bee;niie zealous members of the church, and 
the Sunday school still lives and prospers, though 
tlie founders have been laid in their final rest- 
ing places. The first sermon was preached by 
Rev. Sanuiel P>ogard at the residence of Jona- 
than ('row. The first religious society organized 
was the .Melrose Methodist Episcopal church, at 
the house (if Samuel Griggs, on Little Mill creek, 
in 1833. 

In 183r) this society erected the first house for 
public wtirsliip, a little log structure near 
■■l)yei''s Springs." now known as "Coe's 
Spi'iiigs. ' ' The first school house was built in the 
sunnner n\' 1S33, on section 35, and James Wal- 
Icei' taught the first school in it that year. Lacy 
& Stone ei-ected and operated the first mill for 
grinding grain in 1838, though there had been 
a pestle mill for crushing corn for several years 
pridi-. This mill was erected on section 32. 

The first justice of the peace was William B. 
( Joodnuui. At the first election under the town- 
ship orgaiiization law, held in Ajiril. 1850. Ste- 
phen Satfdi'd was elected supei'visor; ("ornelius 
L. Deiiiaree. assessor; Nathaniel Pease, town 
clerk; Jereiniali Parsons, collectiu'; (iilead Bar- 
tholi'niew ;iihI .\iii(is Bancroft, justices of the 
]ieace; AllnM-1 .\. Ihunphrey, ovei'seei' of the 
p.i:ir. and -John .1. lieeder and Oliver Xaddell, 
eonsiahles. 

The sueeeeding supei'visors ai'e A. G. Pe:-ir- 
siin. Jeremiah Parsons, David lluglu's. Perry 
.Mexander, David Sheer, James Shinu, Edward 
F. Humphrey. C. S. Hearne, Jonah Hedges and 
('. S. Heai'ii, tile () resent supervisor. 

.■\t a meeting of the citizens of the township 
in 1849, held at the residence of Nathaniel Pease, 
he projwsed the name of "^Melrose"' for the 
township. When it was submitted to a vote of 
the citizens, it was adopted as the name of the 
township. It was named after ]\Ielrose, in I\Ias- 
sachusetts. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



333 



ilelrose contains three cliureh edifices, Mel- 
rose Chapel, which was formerly Methodist Epis- 
copal ; St. Antonius, Catholic and Zion "s Chapel, 
and the German Episcopal Church. Melrose 
Episcopal Chui-ch was organized at the house 
of Rev. Samuel Griggs, on North Mill creek, in 
1833, under the ministrations of the celebrated 
"Western Itinerant," Peter Cartwright, and 
Rev. David B. Carter, who for some time pre- 
vioiis labored as a missionary among the pioneers 
of Adams county, ilr. Griggs, who was a 
licensed preacher, held the position of leader and 
also of steward for many years. Preaching was 
held in his hou.se in winter and in his barn in 
summer for two years. Rev. David B. Carter 
was their first pastor, or "circuit rider," as they 
were called in those days, and Peter Cartwright 
conducted the first f(uarter]y meeting in 1834. 
One of the first sermons preached in that vicin- 
ity was by Rev. Carter on the occasion of the 
death of Elizabeth Kirkpatrick, who is said to 
have been the first death in Adams county. 

In 1835 the church built the little log house 
near Dyer's Spring, now known as Coe's Springs, 
and there held meetings for a number of years ; 
then in the residence of Joseph Hauks some 
years until the little brick school house was 
erected in 1850, on section 19, after which ser- 
vices were held in it for four years, until Mel- 
rose Chapel, a neat frame edifice, which has since 
given place to a neat modern building, was 
erected on section 19, 2 south, 8 west, in 1854. 

In 1859 Messrs. Anton Hoebing, William Well- 
man, John Schneider, the Widow Brinkman, Mr. 
Altro and John Mast, citizens of Melrose town- 
ship and zealous Roman Catholics, concluded af- 
ter mature deliberation to build a church. Mr. 
Anton Bordewig, also an influential German 
Catholic, donated ten acres of laud, which should 
be used for church, school house and cemetery. 
The first building erected was of frame, 35 by 60 
feet, in which Father Ferdinand fii-st officiated 
after its consecration. A school house was built, 
and Mr. Ignatz Lear became the teacher. In 
1861 Father Mauricuis took charge of the spir- 
itual affairs of the church and school and re- 
mained until 1864, when, under direction of 
Father Ferdinand, the present brick building, 
45 by 70 feet, was erected at a cost of $12,000. 
The frame church was reconstructed and made 
into a school building, and "Sir. Gottlieb Jacoby 
took charge. After much hard work by its mem- 
bers in its infancy, St. Antonius' Church is now 
in a flourishing condition. All the inside work 
of the building has been done by contribution, 
]\Tr. AVellman making all the pews, and several 
others assisting in working on the coiumunion 
rail, chancel and confessional. 

The German Methodist Episcopal Chiirch was 
org.inized in 1845. For several vears the society 



held their services at the homes of the members 
until 1850, when they erected their church edi- 
fice, "Zion's Chapel," on the northeast quarter 
of section 22. 

The situation of the township of ^lelrose, so 
near the city of Quincy, and the facilities of the 
position near the river, have made Melrose one 
of the richest and most valuable townships in 
till' county. 

MENDON TOWNSHIP. 

(By Samuel II. Bradley.) 

The territoi-y constituting the town of Men- 
don is composed of four tiers of section east of, 
and next to, Ursa, extending from Bear creek 
south to the base line. That part of the country 
between Rock creek and Bear creek was origin- 
ally called the "Bear creek country." On the 
adoption of township organizaticm by Adams 
county, in 1850, all of this territory was ortran- 
ized as one township and named T^rsa. In 1851 
the four tiers of sections above referred to were 
set off by special act of the legislature and called 
Mendon, which townshi]) is ten miles north and 
south and four miles east and west. 

The first settler of the territory, so far as 
known, was Ebeuezer Riddle, who came, with 
his family, from Kentucky in 1829 and settled 
on the southeast ffuarter of section 9, 1 north, 
9 west, where he built his cabin. If there were 
other settlers previous to that time there is no 
present knowledge of the fact. The ownership 
of some of this land still remains among the Rid- 
dle descendants. Col. Martin Shuey settled on 
IVIendon prairie in 1829, on the northwest quarter 
of section 6, 1 north, 8 west, which is located just 
over the line in Honey Creek township. John C. 
Hardv settled on the southwest quarter of sec- 
tion 29, 2 north, 8 west, in 1830. During the 
following year or two occasional settlers made 
homes in the locality. It was not, however, until 
the year 1831 that a preconcerted effort was 
made to encourage the establishment of a per- 
manent settlement. In the latter part of that 
year Samuel Bradley and family, from East 
Haven, Connecticut, and John B. Chittenden and 
family, from Guilford, Connecticut, came to- 
gether and located on Mendon prairie. Within 
a few years many families came from the above- 
named and other" towns in Connecticut. William 
Lausrhlin came from Kentucky in 1832. He 
taught school in the northwest part of the tovm- 
ship. Among those who came from Connecticut 
in 1833 were Daniel and Erastus Benton, Ben- 
jamin, Henrv B. and Timothy Baldwin. Abram 
Benton came in 1834: Caleb A. Smith in 1835. 
In the next few years many from Connecticut 
and other states located in the new settlement. 
Anion-: them were James H. and Timothy Dud- 



334 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



ley: Ralph G. Ely; Richard, William ami Ueoi-ue 
Starr: Edward H. and Henry Puwler; Jonathan 
and Asahel Hubbard; Lyman Prisbie; Jii-ah 
Piatt; Thomas R. Bray: Cooley E. Betts; Amos 
Scranton: Daniel Nutt, A. D. Cook; William and 
Richard Battell ; Levi Stillman ; and many others 
whose names cainiot here be enumerated. From 
1840 to ISfiO the settlement i-eeeived many addi- 
tions. C. Shn|ie came in 1841: :\L Shnpe in 
1843; Peter Wihle, William Van Dyke and others 
in 1S44. The most oi' the .settlers" brcmght their 
families and njade permanent homes, and today 
their descendants constitute a large part of ]\Ien- 
don's population. 

The town of :\rcn(|oii, lirst called Fairfield, 
was laid out in 18:?;^ Iiy -lolin I!. Chittenden, Ben- 
jamin Baldwin and Manic] Hcnton. The name 
was soon dianevd, as I here was found to be an- 
other Fairfield in the state. The Crooks and 
Fowler. Sellwood, E. II. Fowler, Peter Younir 
and J. B. Frisbie additions have been made at 
various tinjcs since. 

The tii'st Imildine- was ereeted by E. A. Stron.u' 
in 1833, It Av;is of loi;s and was usi'd by him as 
a blacksmilh's sho|). Later .Mr. Strong became 
an able and i)rominent Episcopal minister, hav- 
ing eilucated himself while woi-king at his trade. 
A postofiiee ^\•Ms established in 1834, Abram Ben- 
ton beiiiu- tile lii-sl piistmaster. The first store 
was kejit i)y Daniel Benton. Abram Benton soon 
succeeded him. and for half a century cai'ried 
on the business, increasing it as the develoi>ment 
and settlement of the eoiintry rcipiired. S. R. 
I'hittenden was early engaged in mei'cantile busi- 
ness and sneee.ssfully eai-ried it on until he turned 
it over to his smis. S. F. ami (;eoi-ue R., who are 
still in business at the old stand uiuler the firm 
name of Chittendt'U Bros., and represent the 
oldest e.stabli.shed business in the place. 

As early as 1840 the ilendon settlement had 
become a place of interest and influence in the 
eonnty. In the William Henry Harrison cam- 
paign of that year a grand Whig barbecue was 
held in Mendon ; the carcasses of oxen, sheep 
and hogs were roasted whole, and the nudtitude, 
who had gathered from the surrounding counti-y, 
were bountifully fed. Daniel Nutt was man- 
ager of the roasts; Hon. (). H. Browninu' was 
the principal speaker. This was the first politi- 
cal gathering of the kind held in the county. 

Between 184(1 and 1S44 the Mormon c[uestion 
assumed threatening pi-opnrt imis. On section 4. 
2 north, 9 west, a Moi'mdu settlement was started, 
and a town came into existence. The houses 
were arranged in the form of a circle, and the 
town at one time had a population of between 
one hundred and two hundred people. But local 
public opinion was so strong against it. and the 
people in Adams and Hancock counties wei-i- so 
determined that i\Iormonism should ncit he per- 



mitted to gain a foothold in this pai't of the state 
that the town was iibandoned. I'he deserted log 
buildings arc among the eai-ly i-ecollectioiis of 
the writer. 

The fii'st church building was erected in ^len- 
don in 1833 and was called the "Union fleet- 
ing House." all denominations having .ioined in 
er-eeting it. AH were free to ii.se it, as the ser- 
vices of a minister could be secured. The build- 
ing was also used as a school house. The first 
si-hool of which there is an.v knowledge or ree- 
oi'd was taught by a ?iliss Burgess in 1832, in J. 
H. Chittendeirs house. Miss Burgess afterward 
mai-i'ied Willard Keyes of Quiney, but lived only 
a shoi't time. A Congregational church was or- 
ganized on Febrnaiy 7, 1833, and was the first 
church of that denomination organized in the 
state. This church built a "meeting htmse" in 
1838 ; it was a frame building, 30 feet by 40 feet. 
This gave place to a much more pretentious struc- 
tui'e in 1853. The ilethodist Episcopal and the 
Kpiscopa! churches were organized early in the 
history of the settlement, and the Lutheran 
Church in 1853. They all have biiildings of suf- 
ficient capacity for their present needs. The 
Lutheran ]ieople have recently remodeled the in- 
tei-ior of their church, giving it a modern and 
tastefid a|)pearance. In connection with all the 
churches are reasonably comfortable parsonages, 
and the spiritual welfare of the conurcgations 
is looked after by conscientious ami able minis- 
ters. The Congregationalists are erectinu' a new 
building at a c(ist of about !|;16,000. It is of brick 
and stone, and will add favorably to the appeai-- 
ance of the town. The building conniiittee who 
have the w(n'k in charge are S. H. Bradley, C. A. 
Chittenden, (4. F. Warner and (icorge R. Chit- 
tenden. The old Congregational building has 
been ]mrchased by "The Mendon Improvement 
Company," who will spend from .1;2.0fl0 to ;f;3.000 
on it and make of it a commodiims |uiV)lic hall, 
modei'u in style, something ]\Iendon has long 
needed but never had. There is a Roman Cath- 
olic Church in the village and another in the 
south jiai-t of the townshi]i. Their membei-ship 
is composed largely of farmei's. who are regai-ded 
as most vabudile citizens. 

Since the adoption of towiishi]t organization 
]\I(Midon has had twelve supervisoi's. whose names 
and terms of service were as follows: William 
Laughlin, eleven years: W. P. (Tilliland, two 
years: A. 11. Trimble, four yeai's; .1. H. Hen- 
drickson, eight years; S. H. Bi'adley. sixteen 
years; A. E. Horn, two years; C. Strickler. two 
yeai-s; S. R. Chittenden, four years; W. J. 
Bi-own, two years; J. R. U^reeh, one .year; T. J. 
(iilliland, one year; W. B. Quig, one year. Jo- 
s"]ih B. Frisbie was Mendon 's first town clerk. 
Ill' is now over eighty-six years of age, strong, 
;i<'tive a>id vigorous. His son. J. B. Frisbie, Jr., 




MENDON CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, BUILT 1853. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



337 



is the present town elerk, having served eight 
eonseeiitive years. 

The Qnincy & Warsaw Railroad came to Men- 
don in ISHi. The town.ship voted .$20,000 in 
bonds to aid in its eonstrnetion. The debt has 
long' since been paid, bnt the township still owns 
the stock. It was money well invested, at least 
so far as the farming and producing interests 
were concerned. 

Li 1867 ^lendon was. hy special act of the 
legislature, incorporated as a town, its bounda- 
ries embracing one mile square. Later (about 
1890) it was incorporated under the general laws 
of the state as a village. Its government con- 
sists of a president, six trustees, a clerk of the 
village and a police magistrate. The village is 
a c[uiet and orderly place. It has many fine resi- 
deiices, good business buildings, a fine sy.stem of 
sidewalks, good streets and handsome lawns. It 
has a beautiful park called "Chittenden Park." 
in memoiy of Col. John B. Chittenden, who, 
when the original town was platted, gave a block 
of ground for that purpose. This park is filled 
with handsome trees and suppliecl with seats, 
making it a most attractive and en.ioyable place. 
It is bordered on all sides with hard maples, 
planted in 1876, and called "Centennial Row." 
The general appearance of the village is one in 
which its citizens take much satisfaction and is 
a subject of commendation by its visitors. 

ilendon may be said to be almost strictly an 
agricultural and stockraising community. Two- 
thirds or more of its land was prairie, most of it 
good soil for agricultural purposes and, with 
the exception of a portion of that lying near 
Rock creek, on the south, and Bear creek on the 
north, which is more broken, is in as good state 
of cultivation and as productive as that in any 
other part of the eoiinty ; at least the County 
Board of Re\'iew persi.st in keeping Mendon real 
estate near the top of the list in value. The 
farms of ^lendon township are, as a rule, well 
improved. There are many fine and costly houses 
and barns, besides such other buildings as com- 
fort and convenience may suggest. 

ilendon was, at one time, something of a manu- 
facturing town. Its principal industries were 
the manufacture of plows, wagons, flour, leather, 
etc. : but, owing to the tendency to concentrate 
business in larger places, manufacturing has, to 
a great extent, been lost to the small towns. The 
water plant was recently destroyed by fire. If 
rebuilt, as it should be, original defects and mis- 
takes should be remedied and the system made 
effective. 

The first newspaper of the place was estab- 
lished in 1877 by C. A. Bristol & Co., and was 
known as the "Mendon Enterprise." After sev- 
eral changes of ownership, it was purchased by 
J. R. ITrech in 1878. and the name changed to 



the "Mendon Dispatch." The late D. H. Darby 
^\■as editor for several years. In 1884 W. H. 
JMcIntyre purchased an interest in the paper 
and became its editor ; later he became the sole 
owner. In 1899 he sold out to J. R. and C. H. 
Urech, who have continued its publication under 
the firm name of J. R. Urech & Son. 

A bank was first established in Mendon in 
April, 1889, by J. S. Wallace & Bro., who con- 
ducted a general banking business until Feb- 
ruary, 1895, when they disposed of their inter- 
est, and the bank was reorganized under the 
name of "Mendon Bank," under which name its 
business has been successfully conducted to the 
present time. As a business institution it is one 
of the most important in the village. The bank 
has a paid-up capital of .$25,000. A. P. Gay 
is the president and G. P. Warner, cashier. 

The public school house is a tasteful and sub- 
stantial brick building, with a seating capacity 
of two hundred and fifty or three hundred. It 
was built in 1871 at a cost of about $20,000. It 
has recently been refitted with new furniture, a 
steam heating plant, etc., and is in better condi- 
tion than ever before. The reputation of the 
school is good, and many pupils attended from 
abroad. No intoxicating liquor is sold in Men- 
don, and it never had within its limits a licensed 
saloon. 

Mendon lodge. No. 449. A. F. and A. M., was 
(U-ganized in 1865 ; Mendon chapter, No. 157, R. 
A. il., in 1873 ; Mendon State chapter. No. 153, 
0. E. S., in 1889, all of which have strong or- 
ganizations and large memberships and are in 
a prosperous condition. Thei-e are also lodges 
of A. 0. U. W. and I. 0. 0. F., a camp of Modern 
Woodmen, a Grand Army post, organizations of 
Rebekahs, of Royal Neighbors, and of Loyal 
Americans, commendable and beneficial societies 
to exist in any community. 

During the Civil war ilendtm sent large num- 
bers of its young men to the front and filled its 
"quota with its best blood." It had a society 
of "Needle Pickets" second to none in the county 
(outside of Quincy), which was in continuous 
session from its formation to the close of the 
war. It did much to relieve the necessities of 
soldiers' families at home and much more for 
the relief of sick and wounded soldiei's at the 
front and in hospitals. 

Mendon helped to make real history in the 
days of the " LTnderground Railroad." It was, 
from an early day, a well-known station, many 
of its best men being faithful agents of the com- 
pany. In the days of Dr. Nelson and until the 
result of the Civil war put an end to traffic in 
human beings, the route via iMendon to Free- 
dom was a trunk line in almost constant use. If 
the escaping slave was posted beforehand and 
had the right start Quincy. jMendon, Phanouth, 



338 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



Galesburg, etc., all receiving and forwarding sta- 
tions, never failed of the desired result. No one 
was ever known to be captured and returned to 
slavery if he had a through ticket ou this route. 
Mendon was known as an abolition town, and 
pi-iees were set for the capture and delivery in 
.Missouri of certain of its citizens. Illustrative 
of the almost unanimous public sentiment on the 
.slavery question, an incident occurred in 1862 
which is of historical interest. The Illinois 
"Black Laws," prohibiting the immigration of 
free negroes, were in force when three black 
boy.s, who had been slaves, but were then called 
"contrabands"— a kind of pui-gatory condition 
between slavery and freedom — came to Mendon 
and were employed by two farmers. After they 
had been here beyond the law limit, they were 
jiouuced upon by men armed with shotguns and 
were run into the village of Marcelline, where 
wan-ants had been issued for their arre.st. The 
bringing of the first one caused a commotion 
among the citizens of the place ; but the law took 
its course (some of the time) and finally resulted 
in the following notice being posted : 

"Bj' virtue t)f the Laws of the State of Illinois 
and a Special Act passed by the Legislature of 
said State, passed Febnmry 12th, 1853, to pre- 
vent the immigration of Free Negroes into this 
state, and 

Whereas, on the 16th day of December. 1862, 
comes Washington A¥ren and complained and 
had arrested a negro bo>' by the name of (4eorge 
Price and was fined in the sum of Fifty Dollars 
by a Jvu-y of 12 men on the 16th day of Decem- 
ber, 1862, and costs, for high Misdemeanor for 
coming into this State and remaining iu this 
State over ten days with the intention of remain- 
ing in this State contrary to I^aws. and the same 
not having paid, and therefore, I shall, by virtue 
of my Oftice offer at public sale at the front door 
of my office in the Town of Marcelline in Adams 
county, and State of Illinois, to any person or 
persons who will pay the fine and costs for said 
George Price, for the shortest time, the purchaser 
to furnish said negro with comfortable food and 
clothiiiu' and lojoing during said time, on the 
27th dav of December A. D., 1862, between the 
hours of 8 o'clock A. M. and 4 o'clock P. M. of 
said day for cash in hand. ' ' 

Given under my hand and seal this 17th day of 
December, 1862. 

Lee R. G.S.MPBELL, 
Justice of the Peace." 

The day of the sale came and only one bid was 
made for the "boy" who had been convicted of 
a "high misdemeanor" in coming onto the free 
soil of Illinois to try and earn an honest living. 
The "l)oy" was sold to work ninety-nine years 
and six months to pay tlie fifty-dollar fine. Diir- 



ing the progress of the sale the purchaser had 
lieen knocked down, kicked, and choked, by a 
"man from Mendon," the complainant had been 
knocked down, kicked, and had most of his 
clothes toi-n off by a Slethodist minister who was 
pi-cscnt at the trial, and the six-foot son of the 
complainant, who attempted to interfere with 
the ministerial work, was given a broken nose, 
with accompanying side dishes and "deserts," 
which necessitated the use of a "big" wagon to 
carry him home, where he remained contently (?) 
for several weeks. The "negro boy" went home 
with his purchaser-, whose wife persuaded the 
' ' boy ' ' under promise that he should not be pur- 
sued, to run away before morning, which he did. 
He afterward worked about jMendon without 
molestation. The other boys, who had also been 
fined for the same "high misdemeanor" and had 
been advertised to be sold two days later, were 
offered to the public, but the market seemed over- 
stocked and no bids were received. They were 
discharged and admonished "not to cause any 
further trouble." Several justices of the peace, 
sitting "en banc," made an effoi-t to ascertain 
who "busted" the fellow's nose, but the state's 
attorney, happening along when coiirt was in- 
vestigating, dismissed the case, assessing the cost 
on the complainant with the remark that he only 
"got what was coming to him." Neither the 
boys nor any one else ever made any further 
trouble in this line, althoTigh the infamous " Black 
Laws," to the disgrace of the state, remained 
on the statute book for years afterward; but 
their enfoi-cement was never again attempted in 
IMendon. 

The J\Iethodist Episcopal Church was organ- 
ized in Mendon in the year 1839 and among the 
charter members of the organization were A. B. 
Stevens. Ralph G. Ely. Daniel Nutt, James Hull, 
Jesse J. Kirkpatrick. Stevens was a carpenter 
by trade and superintended the work of build- 
ing the first church, which was in 1840. The 
"Mendon Circuit" included all of Adams county 
and preaching places in some of the adjoining 
counties. The redoubtable ' ' Backwoods Preacher, ' ' 
Peter Cartwright, was the presiding elder of the 
(Juiney district, which included Jlendon circuit 
at that time and has ever since. The Quiney 
district was foi'uied in 1832. and Bishop Soule 
a|i|iointed Peter Cartwright to the district. The 
ilistrict included "Galena ilission, Fort Edwards 
.Mission (now Warsaw), Henderson River Mis- 
sion. Blue River Mission, Quiney (which in- 
cluded ilendon circuit), Rushville and Canton." 
This was nearly all the western half of the state 
of Illinois. Enos Thompson was the first pastor 
of the "Mendon Circuit." The church building 
erected in 1840 was replaced bj' the new church 
that was erected in 1854 and is now (1905) used 
]iy the present congregation. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAiMS COUNTY. 



339 



NORTH EAST TOWNSHIP. 
(By Lem Burke.) 

The first settlement of this township was made 
on section 2, in 1829, by Alexander Oliver. He 
came to the township from the state of Ohio with 
a wife and ten children — five sons and five daiigh- 
ter.s — built a log cabin, and made the first im- 
provements. Two of his sons entered the min- 
istry of the jMethodist Chiirch. ^Ir. Oliver and 
his family resided in this township during the 
Black Hawk war; also during the winter of the 
deep snow, and suffered many and great priva- 
tions and hardships incident to those times, much 
owing to the limited circum-stanees of the early 
settlers. The ne.xt in order of time who settled 
in the township were Harmon and Alfred Mar- 
low, IMr. Bates and ]\Irs. Smith, with their fam- 
ilies, from Indiana : Hiram Elliston, Jolni Hil- 
ber, Levi Conover and Elliot Condes were the 
next to settle. The last three families came from 
the state of Keutuckv and settled in the year 
1831. 

The first wliite child born was a son of Han- 
son Marlow. in the year 1831, and the fir.st death 
was that of ilrs. Smith, in the year 1832. 

Benjamin Gould and Miss Janes were the first 
parties married. The ceremony w-as performed 
by Christopher C. Tates, a justice of the peace, 
in the year 1833. The first sermon was preached 
by the Rev. AV. H. Ralston, at the log cabin built 
on section 4, in the year 1833, and iliss Janes, 
afterwards wife of Benjamin Gould, taught the 
first school. The first church building was 
ei-ected by the Presbyterians on section 36, and 
Rev. William Grain was their minister. This 
township is mostly prairie, well skirted with fine 
timbers, and is settled by a prosperous and in- 
telligent people. 

The township of Northeast was organized in 
the year 1850, when an election was held. The 
first supervisor was Benjamin Gould, the first 
town clerk, William Burke; the first assessor, 
William Ketchuni ; first collector. J. J. Graham; 
fii'st overseer of the poor, B. N. Galliher; fii"st 
justices of the peace were ilitchell Alexander 
and James J. Graham; the first constables, Rob- 
ert B. Combs and William F. Grain : commis- 
sioners of highways, E. B. Hough. Elliot Combs 
and Clements Robbins. 

The first election was held in Franklin school. 
The succeeding supervisors since that first elec- 
tion are : Benjamin Gould, .six years ; James 
Abraham, fifteen years; John DeGroot, three 
years ; Jackson Pearee, one year ; Charles J. Tau- 
haeff, three years; John Lyle, one year; William 
Burke, two years; William Taidiaeff, two years; 
William R. Hoyt, seven years; John Alexander, 
three years; Lemuel Burke, eight years; William 
DeGroot, resigned September 15, and Ira Rey- 



nolds was appointed to fill unexpired term. 

H. A. Keller is the present supervisor. Wil- 
liam R. Hoyt \va.s listed twenty-one years con- 
secutively as town clerk. He has proved a very 
efficient officer and to him the township is in- 
debted almost wholly for the accuracy of the 
records. 

The fir.st school house built was on section 4, 
called Hiler's school house, in 1833. The build- 
ing was made of logs. The first frame building 
was the "Franklin," on section 16, and it was 
for a long time used as the place of holding an- 
nual town meetings and general elections. 

The first religious service was held by Rev. 
Ralston at the residence of John Hiler in 1833, 
under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. The first church wa.s built by the Meth- 
odist Episcopal Society of Elm Grove in 1847, 
on section 23, with Rev. William as circuit rider. 
This church was rebuilt several times, the last 
time in 1904. 

The first mill was built by John Wilson — a 
horse mill operated for a few years, which ground 
only corn. The fii-st steam mill was started 
114 miles north of LaPrairie by Luke Simp- 
son. He was not successful liere and in a few 
years he sold it to Abijah Cohetstone, who re- 
moved it to Brown County. 

Two w^ind mills were operated for the purpose 
of grinding lye and buclovheat flour, cornmeal 
and other cereal products. The fii-st mill was 
built on the northwest quarter .section 33 by 
Henry Eiinninga in 1854. The present owner is 
C. Frazen & Son. The other mill is operated 
by H. II. Emminga, the son of the builder. 

The New Era mills were built by H. H. Em- 
minga in 1889 and are yet in successful operation 
as a steam flouring plant. 

The first secret order permanently organized 
was a lodge of Jlasons, called Prairie Lodge No. 
267, organized Oct. 6, 1858. A lodge of Odd 
Fellows had previously ])een organizect, but after 
a few years the charter was surrendered and the 
lodge abandoned. 

The village of Golden A\as formerlj- known as 
Keokuk Junction, where the connection was 
made with Keokuk by the Wabash and Burling- 
ton Railroads. A hotel, two or three saloons, run 
"wide open," and a station and telegraph ofiice 
were established here early in 1863. At a meet- 
ing called by the citizens of the hamlet in 1867, 
a village organization was formed under a special 
act of the legislature and the to^Ti was named 
Keokuk Junction. The following officers were 
elected : John Lyle, justice of the i^eace ; John H. 
Wendle, constable; L. LT. Abbers, George Meyer, 
Andreas Fruhling and William Hanna, trustees. 
This organization gave the town very sood 
authority for police regulations, which had be- 
come a matter of necessity for the safetj^ and 



34° 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



health uf all law-ahidinu' citizens, and the in- 
corporation soon showed the benefit of such a 
cov^rse in the gradual but steady improvement 
of the moral attitude of the population. 

This form of government continued in force 
until i\Iarch, 1873. when the board of trustees 
called an election to vote upon the new state 
law, authorizing the town to relinquish their 
special organization acts and to adopt the u'en- 
eral method of organization of cities and vil- 
lages. The result was a unanimous vote to nudce 
such a change. The next April, according to the 
plan adopted, an election was held, and the new- 
ly elected Iward of trustees proceeded to or-- 
ganize and execute the village govermnent ac- 
coi'ding to the new state "Village and Organi- 
zation Laws," which course is still in full effect. 

While the moral aspect of the village has so 
vastly improved, the physical has not been neg- 
lected. Previcms to the building of the i-ailroads, 
the middle of the village was actuall.v the middle 
of a vast malarial pool, so wet. in fact, that in 
early summer, even persons on hoi'seback, were 
obliged to avoid this portion when jiassinu' from 
side to side of the prairie. Now a system of 
thoroiigh drainage added to a fair degree of san- 
itary regulations, secures the resident popul- 
ation a greater immunity from pestilence than is 
afforded to many of her sister towns. 

The caiise of the settlement of a mercantile 
community in such a seemingly unfavorable spot 
being the location of two very imi)ortant rail- 
road lines, it is naturally a matter of interest to 
turn a few moments to the local o|)eration and 
management of those twn i-oads. On the 21st 
of November, 186.3, the first teleuram passed 
from this station. From that time until the pres- 
ent immense stocks of merchandise of all descrip- 
tions have been received at this station for sale 
or ti-ans-shipraent. while, at the same time, large 
quantities of gi-ain and live stock have been 
shipped from the depot to be scattered through 
all the markets of our own, and probably many 
foreign countries. 

Religious services were held here first in the 
depot and wei-e conducted alternately by the 
Methodists and the Presbyterians. Later the 
Methodists, about 1869, erected a new church 
building. The German Lutheran church has 
since been organip;ed, and other denominations 
have come. 

The cause of education received marked at- 
tention from the first. Perhaps few towns can 
produce as many permanent residents who have 
been school teachers. The village organized a 
special school district for themselves and built 
a new school house at a cost of .^3,000, about 1869. 
Some four or five years ago, this building proved 
inadequate to the demands, and a larger, fine 
modern structure, more in keeping with the 



growth of the village, was erected, su tliat the 
youth of this vicinity have satisfactory educa- 
tional advantages. There are parochial schools, 
also, in connection with the Lutheran churches 
here. 

About the year 1869, came temperance refoi-m. 
^Vt first (Hily a few private citizens took much 
interest in it, but a very bitter, violent spirit 
was aroiLsed against one or two strenuous re- 
form advocates. 

This spirit was put down by the calmer heads 
of the community, and later, in 1877, a public 
organization was formed. This organization has 
been productive of much good. 

The name of Keokuk Junction was changed 
later to the village of Golden, after the organi- 
zation complying with the general law enacted 
for uniform government. This was to avoid con- 
fusion of names as used by postofRce depart- 
ment and express and railroad companii s, a dis- 
tinct designation. 

The village of LaPrairie was laid out in 1855 
liy Harrison Dills, Benjamin Bacon and others. 
A village organization was effected in 1855. The 
railroad, the Northern Cross, afterward the C, 
B. and Q.. was built through and beyond what 
is now called LaPrairie. and a staticm house was 
erected in the fall of 1855, and at first it was 
called Gibbs or Gibbstown, after a settler who 
located there before the building of the road, 
but afterward it was changed to LaPrairie. 

It is a beautifid little village located about 
thirty miles from Quincy. It has gained quite 
a reputation as a shipping point, from the 
amount of merchandisi' which jjasses through 
here. 

An elegant school building adorns the south- 
ern ])art of the village and the educational re- 
quirements are carefully looked after. 

The establishment of telephone lines connnuni- 
eating with nearly every permanent residence 
in the township, the rural free mail delivery, 
the great improvement in agricultural methods, 
in cultivation, as well as in machinery, improved 
road-making, better school houses, and the nu- 
merous churches that have sprung up in the last 
twenty-five years, have made this township pros- 
jierous and progressive. 

PAYSON TOWNSHIP. 

(By H. F. Scarborough.) 

Payson t()wnslii]> is one of the south tier of 
town.ships in Adams County, lying about five 
miles east of the IMississippi river and contain- 
ing some of the richest lands and also .some of 
the poorest in the county. The two small vil- 
lages of Payson and Plainville are located with- 
in this territorv. Pavson is situated fifteen 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



341 



miles southeast of Quincy and twelve miles 
northeast of Hannibal. 'Mo. 

In the year 1833 the land upon which Paysou 
now stands was entered at the general land of- 
tice by Hon. John Wood, E. B. Kimball and 
Brackett Pottle. Prior to this date .some pioneers 
had settled in the adjoining vicinity. Andrew 
MePeterie settling on section 32 in the spring 
of '30. Woodward Lawrence came in ^lay, 1831, 
and the following fall taught the tirst subscrip- 
tion school in this vicinity : it was conducted in 
a log stable with puncheon tloor and very large 
cracks between the logs for windows. John Ed- 
monds' family arrived July 3d, 1831; E. S. 
Nichols in September, 1832: Robert G. Kay in 
October, 1833. In the fall of 1834 Deacon Al- 
bigence Scarborough, of West Harvard, Conn., 
settled in the township, having made a prospec- 
tive trip in 1833. He purchased the land on 
which Payson now stands and in the spring of 
'35 laid out the village of Payson, having it 
platted and recorded ; he afterward associated 
with himself in the laying out and sale of lots, 
P. E. Thompson and James C. Bernard. The 
village was named by Deacon Scarborough for 
the Rev. Dr. Edward Payson of Portland, Me. 
In 1836 Deacon Scarborough, Deacon David 
Prince and Captain John Burns commenced the 
building of the stone wind mill, which was com- 
pleted about three vears aftci'ward. at a cost of 
$13,000. 

The first sale of town lots took place on the 
7th day of August, 1836; and twenty per cent 
of the purchase money of the lots sold was do- 
nated by the founders for the purpose of build- 
ing a seminary. Four acres of land were given 
by Deacon Scarborough upon which to erect the 
said building. This educational interest led to 
the erection of a building, which for a few years 
was used for an academy, and afterwards rented 
by the school district for a public .school. This 
building was finally sold and moved oil" the lot: 
but through the patient efforts of Joel K. Scar- 
borough and his associates, a new and commodi- 
ous public school brick building was erected on 
the same beautiful lot. The school has ever been 
good, and today is an honor to thi> town, rank- 
ing second to none in the county. The intluenee 
of her scholars is evinced by numerfms distin- 
guished people of various vocations, who were 
born and reared in the town. Among these were 
Dr. David Prince, a famous physician and sur- 
geon; Mrs. Anna Scott and others who devoted 
their lives to mission in foreign tields: Prof. Ed- 
ward Perry, the head of an oratorical .school in 
St. Louis: and Miss ilary F. Leach, once a pro- 
fessor of chemistry' in Mt. Ilolyoke. now a Ph. D. 
in Ann Arbor, Jlich. There may be found emi- 
nent representatives of the Payson schools in 
the ministry, the law- and in business professions. 



The first school within the village of Payson was 
conducted by Jliss Emily Scarborough in 1837 
in a school lioiise located at the northeast corner 
of Edward.s and Fulton streets. 

One of the most prominent characteristics of 
the early settlers of the village of Payson was 
their regard for religious institutions, and while 
the commiuiity yet consisted of but few families, 
the.y regularly met for worship in one of their 
cabins and as early as the fall of 1835 they se- 
cured the services of Rev. Anson Hiibbard. On 
the Stli of ^lay, 1836, the Congregational Church 
of Paysou was organized, with twenty membei'S. 
They met for worship in a school hoxise for a 
time, but in 1840 built a church, at that time 
one of the best and most expensive in this coun- 
try. It was dedicated in March, 1841, and the 
society enjoyed this fine house of worship only 
a short time, as it was consumed b.y fire, Nov. 
18th, 1842. This loss, in conjunction with the 
hard times and consequent depression of busi- 
ness, was a terrible blow to the church. But 
services were held in such rooms as could be pro- 
cui-ed until a much smaller building was erected 
in 1844. The present commodious building was 
finished and dedicated in the fall of 1865. 

The M. E. Church of Payson was incorporated 
as a society ]\Iarch 18th. 1840, and the lot on 
which the present church building stands was 
obtained and the construction of the first church 
begun in the spring of 1841 and completed in 
the fall of 1842. The first (pxarterly conference 
of the Payson circuit was held in Payson Nov. 
13th, 1847. In 1854 a second church building 
was erected on the same lot. The increasing 
strength of the society demanded still a larger 
and more modern house of worship, and conse- 
quently the present beautiful structure was 
erected in 1878. 

The Payson Ba])tist Church was organized in 
Burton township :\lareh Sth, 1834, under the 
name of "Bethany Baptist Chiireh:"' removing 
their society to the village of Payson in 1838, 
where they had ei-ected and dedicated a new 
h(mse of worship. This society was strong for 
many years, ancl in 1865 the more commodioiis 
church edifice they now occupy was built; but 
the society was afterwards nnich weakened by 
the drawing off of many of its members to foi-m 
Baptist churches in Newton and Plainville. 

The Christian church wa.s oragnized Feb. 15th, 
1868. with twenty-six members ; they have a neat 
church building 'and have increased in numbers, 
becoming a strong society. 

Payson has three .secret societies: the A. F. 
and A. :\r. is the oldest, being chartered in Octo- 
ber. 1863; they own a fine hall. There is an 
I. 6. 0. P. society : and a society of the order of 
Eastern Star. There are three mutual insur- 
ance societies: the :\r. W. of A.; Royal Neigh- 



342 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



bors and Court of Honor. The Payson 
Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance Company was 
organized in 1873 and has increased its busi- 
ness till at the present time the company has 
over one and a lialf million dollars of insurance 
in force, ranking as the sixth towiLship insurance 
company of the state. The ofScei-s are: J. K. 
Scarborough, president ; Horace Bernard, secre- 
tary, and 11. L. Tandy, treasurer. 

Payson supports a flourishing weekly news- 
paper, edited liy E. P. Maher, who has a, power 
plant installed. There are five stores, two hai'- 
ness shops, a tin shop, two implement houses and 
four blacksmith shops in the town. 

The thriving village of Plaiuville has grown 
up on what was originally known as "Stone 
Prairie", so called for one of the first settlers 
in the southeast part of this township, Sanuiel 
Stone, who settled in the year 1822. Plainville 
is located two miles from the east line and two 
miles from the south line of the township. Al- 
though a much younger village than Payson, it 
is a fast rival in the amount of business trans- 
acted. Among the early settlers in the vicinity 
of Plainville were Ilenrv Wasv, settling in the 
fall of 1832 : Wyman mitcomb, October, 1833 : 
A. B. Vining, Nov. 6th, 1833, and Solomcm 
Shinn, ilay 5th, 1836. A. B. Vining and John 
Delaplain were prominent in the early histoi'y 
of the village. It was incorporated as a town 
May 1st, 1896, with the name of Plainville. 
There are two thriving churches in Plainville — 
the Baptist chui-ch, organized in 1890 with forty- 
six niembere ; they have a neat church and have 
regular church services and Sunday school. The 
M. E. church was organized in the year 1875. 
They have a commodious church building and 
are prosperous. Those that have had the "pleas- 
ure of attending conventions held in Plainville 
can vouch for the cordiality and hospitality of 
her people. There are five or six stores, a weekly 
newspaper, the "Plainville Messenger." wagon 
shops, blacksmith shops, etc., in the town. 

Plainville has four secret societies: the A. F. 
and A. M. ; Order of Eastern Star; I. 0. 0. F. 
and Rebekahs. There are thi-('e mutual insur- 
ance societies, the "SL W. of A. being quite 
strong. 

The two towns are connected by telephone 
lines and are both well equipjied with that serv- 
ice and have hopes of an electric railway con- 
necting them with the cities of Quincy and Han- 
nibal. Payson township took its name from the 
village of Payson and was organized in the year 
1850. The first supervisor was Robert G. Kay. 
The .succeeding supervisors were Wvman Whit- 
comb, J. 0. Bernard, J. W. Vickers.'A. T. Cook, 
S. E. Hewes. G. E. Hupert. T. S. Elliott and II. 
F. Scarborough. Space will not permit the men- 



tion of many others who have taken great inter- 
est in the welfare of Paytou township. 

RICHFIELD TOWNSHIP. 
(By J. C. Baker.) 

Three years after the organization of Adams 
County the first settlement of this township was 
made, having been first settled by Jacob Franks 
and A. N. Penrod, in the fall of 1828. On Dee. 
6, 1831, David Locke and Joseph Linthicum 
came ; Dixon Tungate and N. D. Harris came 
in 1832 : Alierdeen ilallet came in 1833 ; Henry 
Lile was also one of the first settlers. These all 
brought their families, and soon the township 
began to be filled up with a class of good and in- 
dustrious people, among whom were Goldsbury 
Childers, John B. Atherton, Sanford Harris, 
Solomon Cusic, Henry Cleveland, James and 
Ji'tfci'son Long, Nathan Harris, I. Hunsakei-, 
Alvin Hartshorn, Sr., and others. The fii-st child 
born in the township was a daughter to David 
Locke; her.s also was the first death. The first 
.iustiee of the peace was Jesse Evans who was 
also the first supervisor of the township. The 
succeeding supervisors were Ira Tvler. A. H. 
Pettit, J. T. Hull, William Evans, L. il. :\Ior- 
rison, F. M. Behymer, Alvin Hartshorn and P. 
J. Daniels. The first school was conducted in a 
log cabin on section 6, by Erastus Rice, in 1836. 
The first school house Avas built in 1839. on .sec- 
tion 19. The fii'st church was situated on sec- 
tion 30, and was of the Methodist Episcopal 
denomination. The church building was erected 
in 1850, and is known as Shiloh Chapel. The 
first preacher was the Rev. Northcutt. At the 
time of organization the board of trustees con- 
sisted of William Gooding, Joseph Linthicum, 
Henry Lile. William Ilolcomb, Jacob Baker and 
Benjamin Fahs. The fir.st mill was built on ile- 
Crany creek, about 1840, by David Locke. In 
1843 the first .saw mill was built. 

'i'lic village of Richfield, which has never been 
inc<ir|)<ii-ated, was platted about 1842. The fir.st 
store in the place was built about 1845, by Nahma 
Tyler, who conducted a general merchandising 
Imsiness. The village is located on the line of 
sections 8 and 17 ; it contains a number of small 
dwellings, an M. E. church, l)lacksmith and wagon 
shop and two stores. The first secret society was 
a camp of the Modern Woodmen of America, 
organized here in 1899. 

The township contains four chui'ches, one 
Baptist and three IMethodist Episcopal. The peo- 
ple of Richfield are intelligent and industrious, 
a-s is evidenced by their well kept homes and im- 
proved farms. The surface of the country is 
quite rolling and somewhat broken. It was orig- 
inally about three-fourths timber. Much of the 
soil is quite ])roductive. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



343 



Richfield has the honor of having furnished a 
representative to the General Assembly of the 
State fi'om this district, in the person of Hon. 
Ira Tyler, who served three terms. He was a 
member of "Palmer's famous 101." 

RIVERSIDE TOWNSHIP. 

Riverside township is directly north of Quiucy 
and is bounded on the north liy Ursa, east by 
Ellington, south b.y Quincy, and west by the 
Mississippi river. 

It was formerly a part of Ellington, but in 
1887 was organized as a town. 

Two creeks, with their branches flow through 
River.side, Cedar creek and Homan's or Leon- 
ard's creek, thus atfording good drainage for 
this township. Much of Riverside was formerly 
bottom land, but it is in the Indian Grave Drain- 
age district, and thus has been made among the 
most valuable farm lands iu the county. 

I. J. Earl is the jiresent sul5el"^'isor : the first 
was Thomas Siuuock, and he was succeeded by 
Charles Pool, Josiah Barnes and AV. E. Chap- 
man. 

The Illinois Soldiers' and Sailors' Home is lo- 
cated in this township. 

URSA TOWNSHIP. 

(By Tom B. Smith.) 

This is the largest to«iiship in Adams County. 
It embraces parts of the two congressional to^vn- 
ships, 1 north. 8 west, and 1 north. 9 west, hav- 
ing an area of about tifty-six square miles. The 
Mississipjii marks the western lioundary, a dis- 
tance of about seven miles, and f ui'nishes a means 
of transportation for the products of the town- 
ship. The devious course of Bear creek marks 
the northern boundary. The beautifi^lly undu- 
lating uplands are among the very finest farm- 
ing lands of the state, and comprise about two- 
thirds the area of the township. An abundance 
of water is supplied by numerous springs and 
several creeks, chief among the latter of which 
are : Rock, which flows across the to^^^lship from 
the east, a mile or so from the base line : Ursa, 
which rises in ilendon and flows west through 
the center, and Bear, forming the boundary 
line on the north. The rich bottom lands have 
become among the most valuable in the township 
through the oi-ganization of the Indian Grave 
Drainage District in April. 1880. This district, 
including that portion in Riverside township, 
comprises 18,200 acres, aboTit 14,000 aei'es of 
which is in Ursa township. These lands are 
now being brought to a high state of cultiva- 
tion which will add very materially to the landed 
wealth of the town.ship. The Indian Grave Drain- 
age District celebrated the new year. Jan. 1, 1904, 
by burning, in front of the courthouse in the 



city of Quincy, some $400,000 of cancelled bonds 
of the district, the landowners having purchased 
the same through a committee previously ap- 
pointed for that purpose. There remains out- 
standing only .$4,000 of bonded indebtedness 
against the whole district — a fraction less than 
twenty-two cents per acre. 

George Campbell, William Worley and Samuel 
Groshong, who came in 1825, were the first white 
settlers in Ursa. Mr. Groshong settled on Rock 
creek in the south part of the township, where 
he built the fir.st cabin; George Campbell, on 
the northwest quarter of section 31, and Mr. 
Worley on section 18. These were followed the 
next year by Robert Beatty, and in 1827 by 
George Prazier and his son, James B. Stedman 
Smith and John Denson came in 1828, and I. G. 
Smith and Stephen Ruddell in 1829. The second 
marriage license issued in Adams County was 
to George Campbell and Mary Groshong. They 
were married Aug. 18, 1825, by AVillard Keyes, 
county eomrai.ssioner. The first marriage was 
that of David Ray and Rachel Thomas, which 
oeeuri-ed July 26, 1825, by Peter Journey, coun- 
ty commissioner. The first birth in Ursa wa.s 
Andrew J., son of George Campbell, an the 
summer of 1827. The first death was that of 
Thomas Campbell, George Campbell's father. 
Peter Vannerst opened the first store in what 
is now known a.s "old Ursa," in 1828. Joel 
Frazier, brother of James B., taught the first 
school in the fall of 1828 in a little log school 
house, erected that year, the first in the town- 
ship, on the northeast quarter of Section 31, 1 
north. 8 west. The first school house within the 
bounds of the present village of l^rsa was also of 
logs. It was built iu the early thirties near 
where the Christian church now stands, and the 
first teacher was Hans Patten. The present mod- 
ern three-room building acconunodates a. fine 
grade school presided over by Prin. C. W. Col- 
lins. 

The first religious society in the township was 
of the Christian denomination, organized in 
1833 or 1834 by the Rev. Stephen Ruddell and 
Rev. Jesse Bowles, grandfathers, respectively, of 
J. T. Ruddell of Ursa, and Holman Bowles of 
Rivei'side. This society was organized at the 
residence of Elder Ruddell, on section 18, the 
first house of worship being built two years sub- 
sequent to organization on land donated by him 
near what is now the fine farm residence of 
George McAdams. The seven charter members 
of this church were Stephen Ruddell and wife, 
Jesse Bowles and wife, Sarah Crawford, Jlary 
Riddle and Elizabeth Stone. 

The fii-st mill was a grist mill that ground corn 
only, operated by David Metcalf in 1829. on the 
Gabriel Keath farm. This mill was built after 
the sweep fashion and is said to have been pro- 



344 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAJVIS COUNTY. 



pelled by oxen. The first mill that ground both 
wheat and corn was built by David Campbell a 
year or so later on section 25, 1 north, 9 west, on 
Rock creek, and run by water power. The first 
frame building was erected by Peter Vannerst, 
the merchant, in 1830 ; he was also the first post- 
master when the postoffice was established by 
Hon. Richard M. Johnson, who gave it the name 
of Ursa. "Old Ursa," however, was never or- 
ganized as a village, that distinction remaining 
for its namesake, or "new Ursa'", founded in 
1875, less than a mile north and now organized 
as Ursa. In 1875 William B. Smith sold off 
acre lots at the crossing of the Quincy and War- 
saw public road and the C, B. & Q. Railroad, 
Carthage branch, to several persons who erected 
residences, store buildings, shops, etc.. and moved 
their families and their business from "old 
Ui'sa". The village has continued to grow. Qtiite 
a number of fine cottage residences have been 
erected during the past few years. General 
stores and other business interests usually found 
in a thriving railroad town are well represented. 
Comjjaratively speaking it is one of the best 
shipping points on the Carthaue branch of the 
C, B. & Q. Railroad. 

The Christian, the Lutheran and the ileth- 
odist Episcopal churches each have prosperous 
societies here. The ^Methodist Pi'otestant church 
is also represented. 

The village of ArarcelHne. laid out by S. M. 
Jenkins, in 1842, is sitnated in the northern ex- 
tremety of Ursa township, three miles north of 
Ursa, on section 31. 2 north, 8 west. Thomas 
Payne of Ellington, made two additions to the 
original plat, the last in 1849. A man named 
Wade, who came there as early as 1830, was the 
first settler on the original site. John W. Me- 
Faddon settled thei'c and begun business with a 
general stock of merchandise some years before 
the place was platted. William Price and Thomas 
Pa\aie also sold goods there years ago. Besides 
a number of good substantial residence build- 
ings there are now two general stores and a 



building used as a school house, whose iipper 
story is a Masonic hall. There are also wagon 
and blacksmith shops. The Christian society, 
organized in 1879, with eighty-nine members, 
now has a fine new modern house of worship 
and is in a flouri.shing condition. 

The first supervisor of Ursa after township 
organization, April 2, 1850, was John M. Rud- 
dell. Succeeding supervisors, in order of their 
terms of service, were W. W. Beam, J. C. An- 
derson, J. M. Ruddell, Henry Newcomer, W. D. 
Riiddell, Henrv Newcomer, J. ]\I. Ruddell, Lee 
R. Campbell, W. D. Ruddell, G. H. Walker, J. 
M. Daugherty, G. H. Walker, J. M. Ruddell, G. 
H. Walker, Tom B. Smith, Elijah Shepherd, 
George McAdams, J. L. Denson and Tom B. 
Smith, the i>resent incumbent. 

The first secret society organized in Ursa town- 
ship was Marcelline Lodge No. 114 A. F. & A. 
M., at ]\Iarcelline. The date of organization was 
Oct. 7, 1851, and J. C. Ander.son was the first 
Worshipful Master. I\Iareelline Lodge No. 127 
I. 0. 0. F. was organized Oct. 14, 1853. The 
Masons of Ursa still meet with IMarcelline, but 
the Odd Fellows have their own organization. 
Besides these, there are in the village of Ursa 
organizations of Woodmen, Rebekahs and Royal 
Neighbors. There is a Court of Honor at Mar- 
celline. 

While Ursa township is not excelled by the 
same area of territory in this part of the state 
in the jjroduction of wheat, more attention is 
being given in recent years to the culture of In- 
dian corn and fruits, and the raising of live 
stock as well as to dairying interests. The soil 
is exceedingly fertile and well adapted to a varie- 
ty of crops. This township is thickly settled. 
There are seventy miles of the best roadway 
in the county taken care of by town authorities, 
besides the six miles of railway traversing diag- 
onally from northeast to southwest. These, 
"with its fine improvements and varying land- 
scape of smiling fields and inviting woodlands 
])reseut a scene of rare beauty and wealth." 





/r^^^^/ 




BIOGRAPHICAL 



LORENZO BULL. 

Lorenzo Bull, whose efficient labors have 
touched almost every department of activ- 
ity bearing upon the substantial develop- 
ment and permanent improvement of Quincy, 
and who is therefore one of its early promoters 
and builders, is descended from Puritan ancestry 
in both the paternal and maternal lines. The 
progenitors of both branches of the family be- 
long to a colony that under the leadership of the 
Rev. Thomas Hooker founded the city of Hart- 
ford, Connecticut, in 163-1. Through successive 
generations the members of the Bull family con- 
tinued their residence in Hartford, and it was in 
that city that Lorenzo Bull was born, March 21, 
1819, his parents being Lorenzo and Elizabeth 
(Goodwin) Bull. At the usual age he entered 
the district school, but though his scholastic 
training was somewhat limited he managed, 
through reading, observation and investigation 
to gain considerable knowledge in his boyhood 
years that formed an excellent foundation for 
the mental development tliat has come with his 
entrance into the business world and his active 
labors therein. 

Interested in the west aiul its development he 
was about fourteen years of age when he deter- 
mined to seek a home in the ^Missi.ssippi valley, 
arriving in Quincy on the 11th of ilay, 1833. 
after a journey covering more than a montli. He 
was dependent entirely upon his own resources 
and early manifested the self-reliance, laudable 
ambition and strong determination which have 
been salient features in his career and have made 
him a leader of men in the great business con- 
cerns which have contributed to Quincy 's devel- 
opment. His first emjiloyment was that of office 
boy in the services of Judge Henry H. Snow, 
W'ho then held most of the county positions, being 
at one time recorder, clerk of the eirciiit court, 
clerk of the county commissioners court, judge 
of probate, notary public and justice of the 



peace. Judge Snow soon recognized the capa- 
bility of his new clerk and the salary of sis dol- 
lars per month, which he paid him the first year, 
was increased to ten dollars during the second 
year of his employment. To him was assigned 
the task of keeping almost all of the records and 
he also prepared nearly all of the papers for these 
various offices. 

j\Ir. Bull entered mercantile life when a youth 
of sixteen as an emplo3^e in the general store of 
Holmes, Brown & Company, at that time one of 
the foremost mercantile enterprises of this por- 
tion of the state. Changes occurred in owner- 
ship but Mr. Bull was continuously retained in 
the service of the house, his close application, 
energy and fidelity winning him recognition in 
consecutive promotions. His service as salesman 
and manager continued for about ten years, from 
1835 to 1845, when at the age of twenty-six he 
embarked in business on his own aecoimt as a 
partner of his brother under the firm style of 
L. & C. H. Bull, this step being made possible 
through his own labors, the capital having been 
largely acquired while with the above firm. ]Mr. 
Bull and his brother secured a stock of hardware 
and crockery, which they opened at a location 
formerly occupied by the firm of Holmes & 
Wood, and in 1849 they erected the building now- 
occupied by Clark & Morgan. At that time they 
extended the field of their enterprise by adding 
a stock of agricultural machinery and farming 
implements, which for the first time were intro- 
duced for sale in Quincy. From the beginning 
they enjoyed a profitable trade with a constantly 
increasing patronage, drawing their support 
from a wide territory on both sides of the river 
as Quincy was then the market for a broad area. 
The firm name of L. & C. H. Bull figured for 
more than a half century on the pages of 
Quincy 's business history. 

Wlien the brothers decided to retire from mer- 
cantile life in 1861 to engage in the banking 
business at the corner of Fifth avenue and 



348 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



Maine streets the old firm name was retained 
and tliey became the promoters of what devel- 
oped into the most extensive banking house in 
the state outside of Chicago. Never for a mo- 
ment was the reliability of the banking firm of 
L. & C. H. Bull called "into question. They fol- 
lowed a safe, conservative policy that was not 
without its progressive spirit and yet was based 
upon such firm business standards that in the 
stormiest periods of the financial history of the 
country the bank stood as a great rock, breasting 
the tempest. In 1893 the institution was reor- 
ganized vtnder state charter as the State Savings, 
Loan & Trust Company, with a capital of three 
hundred thousand dollars. Mr. Bull was the 
first pi-esident of the reorganized bank and con- 
tinued in that office until the consolidation with 
the First National Bank, when he relinquished 
the cares of the position and withdrew from 
active business. Under his administration the 
present bank building, one of the finest in the 
entii-e west, was erected, and the assets of the 
bank during his management were increased to 
over three million dollars. 

Had Mr. Bull's activity touched no other line 
of business development in Quincy he would be 
entitled to rank with its foremost men, yet his 
efforts have been a controlling factor in many 
leading enterprises that have proven of direct 
arid permanent good to the city as well as a 
source of desirable profit to the stockholders. 
With the growth of Quincy his powers have 
seemed to expand and he has with remai-kable 
. foresight anticipated the needs of the city that 
have arisen through its increase of population 
and its developing bu.siness interests. He was 
one of the promoters of the street railway, assist- 
ing in the organization of the company and act- 
ing as its president for about twenty years. He 
was also one of the early promoters and managers 
of the present water works system of the city, 
conceded to be one of the best in the entire coun- 
try, all of the water being filtered and chemically 
pure. 

His eflForts in the promotion of railroad build- 
ing have likewise been of the utmost benefit to 
Quincy and the state. Under the internal im- 
provement system inaugurated by tlie state in 
1837, various lines of railroad were prescribed by 
the state legislature, among them the Northern 
Cross Railroad, extending from Quincy to Dan- 
ville. Under this system the construction of 
several roads was commenced by the state, but in 
the course of three or four years the system was 
abandoned by the state as a failure, about four- 
teen millions of dollars having been expended, 
or lost, with not one mile of completed road to 
show for it. Then followed other failures, until 
in 1851, when Messrs. Nehemiah Bushnell, 
Lorenzo Bull, Hiram Rogei-s, James N. Pitman 



and General Morgan, as directors of a new com- 
pany, took hold of the Northern Cross Railroad. 
The new board of directors soon found it more 
desirable to build a road toward Galesburg to 
connect with a railway extending from Gales- 
burg to Chicago. They devoted themselves to 
this project for five years, and in the latter part 
of January, 1856, the line from Quincy to Gales- 
burg was finished, the road from Galesburg to 
Chicago being completed in the meantime. Mr. 
Bull made the first trip ever made from Quincy 
to Chicago in twenty-four hours. Before the 
road was completed, pending negotiations re- 
quired his presence in the east at a given time. 
He rode on a special engine to Hills Grove, went 
from there to Galesburg in a bi;ggy and from 
Galesburg to Chicago by train, making the re- 
qiiired connection in Chicago for the east. 

Many of the public enterprises of Quincy have 
felt the stimulus of Mr. Bull's enterprise and 
business sagacity. He was one of the early 
trustees of the Woodland Orphan Home and has 
been active in the Associated Charities, the Hu- 
mane Society and other organizations that have 
had for their ol^ject the amelioration of the hard 
conditions of life, and there was one period of 
his life when he was president of five different 
l)usiness corporations. When the public library 
association was formed in 1840 he became its 
secretary and has always stood as the champion 
and friend of the public library of Quincy. He 
is a gentleman of broad humanitarian spirit, 
giving freely yet unostentatiously of his means 
to the poor and needy, and he stands to-day in his 
old age, when clothed with successes, honors and 
the dignity of years, just where he stood when a 
young man as the advocate of labor and of char- 
acter, recognizing that these are the two elements 
which ai'e worthy of development and which 
must ever command respect. His has been a 
record that has "won golden opinions from all 
sorts of people," and to-daj' there is no more 
honored citizen of Quincy than Lorenzo Bull, 
who having reached the eighty-fifth milestone on 
life's joTirney, has for more than the Psalmist's 
allotted span of three score years and ten been 
a i-esident of this city. 



GOVERNOR JOHN WOOD. 

John Wood, the first actual settler in Quincy, 
was born in Moravia, Cayuga county. New York, 
December 20, 1798, and was the only son of Dan- 
iel and Catherine (Crouse) Wood. Dr. Daniel 
Woo<:l, his father, was an officer in the war of 
the Revolution and a man of large attainments 
as a scholar and a linguist. After the Revolu- 
tionary war, he settled in Cayuga county, where 
he died at the age of ninety-two years. His 




GOVERNOR JOHN WOOD. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



351 



body ■\\'as afterwards exhnmed by his sou and 
now lies in Woodland cemetery, Quiney. 

When about twenty years of age, John Wood 
left home for the west, November 2, 1818, with 
the half-formed intention of settling in the Ten- 
nessee or Tuscnmbia Valley of northern Ala- 
bama. He passed the following winter in Cin- 
cinnati, came to Shawneetown, Illinois, in the 
summer of 1819, and spent the succeeding win- 
ter in Calhoun (then part of Madison) county. 

In March, 1820, in companj- with Willard 
Keyes, Mr. Wood located in Pike county, thirty 
miles southeast of Quiney, and farmed for two 
j^ears. During the fall of 1821, Mr. Wood first 
visited the present site of Quiney, then unin- 
habited, and soon afterward purchased a quarter 
section of land nearby. In the following fall, 
1822, he erected a cabin eighteen by twenty feet 
— the first building in Quiney, though not within 
the original town. Major Rose and family re- 
sided in this house with Mr. Wood for some 
time. 

Mr. Wood originated a project for the organi- 
zation of Adams county and stood by the move- 
ment until it was completed. In 1827, he tem- 
porarily resided at the lead mines at Galena, Illi- 
nois, but substantially he resided in Quiney from 
1822 till his death "in 1880, or for fifty-eight 
years. 

In 1849 Mr. Wood, with his two eldest sons, 
Daniel C. and John, Jr., visited California, on 
the discovery of gold, where they staid nearly 
a year. Twenty years later J\Ir. Wood took an 
overland trip to the Pacific Coast, witnessing its 
wonderful development. 

Governor Wood 's first wife was iliss Ann M. 
Streeter, daughter of Joshua Streeter, formerly 
of Washington county. New York. The wedding 
occurred at Quiney, January 25, 1826. Mrs. 
Wood died October S, 1863. These were the sur- 
viving children : Mrs. Ann E. Tillson, who mar- 
ried Colonel John TilLson and died in Omaha, 
Nebraska, March 25, 1905 ; Daniel C. Wood, whose 
wife was Miss Mary J. Abbernethy ; John Wood, 
Jr., whose wife was Miss Josephine Skinner; and 
Joshua S. Wood, whose wife was Miss Annie 
Bradley. Governor Wood's second marriage oc- 
curred at Quiney, June 6, 1865, the lady being 
Mrs. Mary A. Holmes, widow of Joseph T. 
Holmes. Mrs. Wood was born in Gloustei-bury, 
Connecticut. IMarch 5, 1806, and died at Quiney, 
January 20, 1887. 

Through all the suceeding years after the fir-st 
settlement, Mr. Wood was necessarily promi- 
nently identified with every measure of Quiney 's 
progress and history and almost constantly kept 
in public positions. He was one of the volun- 
teers in the Black Hawk war, in 1832, when 
nearly every able-bodied man in Quiney went 
to the war. He was one of the earlv town trus- 



tees, though not one of the first ; was often a 
member of the city council ; many times elected 
mayor of Quiney; in 1850 was elected to the 
state senate, and in 1856 was chosen lieutenant- 
governor. On the death of Governor Bissell, in 
1859, Mr. Wood siicceeded to the chief executive 
chair. He was selected by Governor Yates, who 
entertained the highest admiration of "this old 
Koman," as he often called him, as one of the 
five delegates from Illinois in February 1861, to 
the peace convention in Washington. On the 
breaking out of the Rebellion, Mr. Wood was 
appointed quartermaster-general of the state, 
which position he held through the war and the 
excellent, devoted services that he rendered to 
the nation in that arduous and responsible post 
are proverbial and on record in the war history 
of Illinois. 

Governor Wood commanded and went to the 
field with the One Hundred and Thirty -seventh 
One-Hundred-Day Infantry, leaving Quiney 
with his regiment June 9, 1864, and proceeding 
to IMemphis, Tennessee, and on the 9th of July 
was assigned to the Third Brigade, he command- 
ing, and stationed on the Hernando road on 
picket duty. His regiment was attacked by Gen- 
eral Forrest and his followers and lost some men, 
with a few taken prisoners. During the attack 
Colonel Wood was confined to his headquarters 
by sickness, but he rallied the forces and repelled 
the onset. Dui'ing the earlier period of the war 
his services to the state as quartermaster-general 
were invaluable. 

Among the numerous good and wise things 
done by Mr. Wood for the local public benefit 
was the laying out and creation of Woodland 
cemetei'y, that beautiful home of the dead, which 
well commemorates his judgment and taste. An- 
other instance of his public spirit was his large 
contribution toward the partial building of the 
Northern Cross railroad across the state, which, 
unfortunately for the projectors, was never com- 
pleted. Mr. Wood also contributed largely of 
his means toward the building of the Palmyra 
branch of the railroad. He was one of the char- 
ter members of the Quiney Bridge Company, re- 
si;lting in the bridge that now crosses the Mis- 
sissippi river at Qiiincy, connecting Illinois and 
Missouri, to which structure in recent years the 
Chicago, Burlington & Quiney has added a wagon 
bridge. 

These are but instances of the public spirit of 
John Wood, Avhose liberality and benefactions 
were boundless. His public generosity is prover- 
bially known, but no account can be made of the 
private open-handedness that ran through his 
fifty years of affluence. In his town, his city, 
feeling it almost his own, his interest was always 
deep and his pride ever strong. His nature was 
bold and frank, as became such a pioneer. He 



352 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



had uo disguises, no dissiinulatious, no fears. 
"Wliat his lieart forgets that his tongue must 
utter, and being armed he even does forget there 's 
such a thing as death," could never be applied to 
one better than John Wood. Singularly suscep- 
tible to physical suffering, the least pain being 
to him acute agony, his spirit nevertheless was 
intrepidity itself. This led him in his matured 
age, which might well have excused him there- 
from, to long with patriotic ardor for personal 
participation in the sad sectional strife when the 
nation's life was threatened. 

And likewise did the liberality of his disposi- 
tion continue even unto the end. In fact, so 
strong did that spirit remain, so active his desire 
to contribute to the well-doing of others and to 
objects and enterprises of public value, that but 
little of his once large fortune remained when the 
final summons eame, June 4, 1880. 

Yet to the city of which he was the principal 
founder, of which he was the first actual settler, 
the city for which he did so nuieh, in which he 
lived for fifty-eight years and in which he died, 
to that city now so large and prosperous and with 
such a proud future, did John Wood leave a 
legacy that is beyond all money and beyond price. 
And in the preservation of that beautiful legacy, 
the memory of John Wood's dauntless courage, 
foresight, privati(.)ns, public spirit, benevolence 
and kindly heart will the people of Quincy and 
their descendants in perpetuity reverently unite. 

[Note. — In this connection, the following en- 
dorsement by Mr. Daniel C. Wood will be of in- 
terest. — Ed.] 

This is to certify that the foregoing biographi- 
cal sketch of my late father, John Wood, the 
sketch of my late brother-in-law, John Tillson, 
and the sketch of myself, have all been submitted 
to me, and the facts stated therein are correct. 
Danl. C. Wood. 

Quincy, III, January 30, 1905. 



HON. HOPE S. DAVIS. 

Hon. Hope S. Davis, in law and politics a 
recognized leader in Quincy and active most of all 
for the city's improvement and substantial de- 
velopment, has for more than half a century re- 
sided here. He is to-day the nestor of the Quincy 
bar and long since gained a place foremost among 
the profession. His life record is so closely inter- 
woven with the legal history, the political prog- 
ress and and the growth and development of his 
adopted city that the annals of Quincy would not 
be complete without mention of H. S. Davis. Born 
in Parma, Monroe county. New York, on the 2.3d 
of November, 1828, he was a son of Hope and 



Betsey E. Davis, early residents of that county. 
In the paternal line his ancestry can be traced 
back to Hope Davis of Lee, Berkshire county, 
Massachusetts, who lived and died in that state. 
He served his country as a patriot in the Revolu- 
tionary war, being very active in supporting the 
cause of the colouists. His son, Samuel Davis, 
grandfather of Hope S. Davis, was born and 
died in Massachusetts, but his five sons moved 
to New York and eventually all settled on farms 
in Monroe county, that state. Among the eleven 
children of Samuel and Priscilla Davis was Hope 
Davis, who was born in Lee county, ^Massachu- 
setts, March 29, 1784. In early manhood he 
wedded Betsey Elizabeth Scott and they became 
early residents of Monroe county. New York, 
removing in 1810 to the Empire state and settling 
on a farm about nine miles west of the city of 
Rochester. Later Hope Davis enlisted for ser- 
vice in the war of 1812, commanding a company 
of troops as its captain. His death occurred 
upon his farm in the vicinity of Parma, New 
York. September 29, 1843. 

Hon. Hope S. Davis, but fifteen years of age at 
the time of his father's death, pursued his early 
education in the district schools and later be- 
came a student in the Brockport and Lima Semi- 
naries near Rochester. In the winter in which 
he attained the age of seventeen years he began 
teaching in a country school and followed that 
profession through four consc^eutive seasons. 
Intelligent, studious and industrious, he made 
continuous advancement along educational lines 
by his reading and investigation and, determin- 
ing to enter upon the practice of law as a life 
work, he became a student in the office of Bown 
& Benedict, leading attorneys of Rochester, on 
the 25th of March, 1850. Thus he began his 
preparation for admission to the bar, applying 
himself with assiduity to the mastery of the 
fundamental principles of jui'isprudence. He 
alsoatteudedthe Bolstou Law School for two full 
terms and on the 7th of September, 1852, before 
Judges Strong, Harris and Cxarduer at Rochester 
he successfully passed the required examination 
and was admitted to practice in the courts of 
New York. 

Believing that the west would oft'er him a 
broader field of activity and that advancement 
was more quickly secured in the new and growing 
country he left the home of his youth in Septem- 
ber and on the 11th of October, 1852, located 
permanently in Quincy. He desired to see the 
Mississippi valley country and to locate some- 
where within its boundaries. Making his way 
westward to Chicago he proceeded thence to Rock 
Island, Illinois, traveling over the prairie coun- 
try by stage. He had hoped to find a friend at 
this point, who a year before had come to the 
west, but on reaching his destination, Mr. Davis 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



355 



was greeted with the news that his friend had 
died two moutlis before liis arrival. He theu 
pi'oeeeded down the river by boat to Keokuk, 
whicli place had just been laid out into town 
lots. Not feeling assured of success there he 
continued on his way to Quiney and after look- 
ing over the situation decided that the embryo 
city offered excellent inducements for a young 
man and that he would here have opportunity to 
win fame and fortune for himself. Aeeorciingly, 
as stated above, he made a location here on the 
11th of October, 1S52, and opened a law office. 
He has since then been a member of the Quiney 
bar — honored and distinguished by reason of 
his capability as a lawyer, arising from close 
application, a thorough mastery of the principles 
of jurisprudence, a eai-eful preparation of cases 
and clear presentation of his cause before court 
or jury. In those days Abraham Lincoln, 
Stephen A. Douglas and other eminent attorneys 
of the earlier days were practicing before the 
Quiney courts. In 1858 he formed a law part- 
nership with Judge Philo A. Goodwin, which 
continued until the latter 's death, seventeen 
years later, the firm being known as Goodwin 
& Davis and maintaining a foremost place at the 
Quiney bar throughout the entire period. Fol- 
lowing the death of Judge Goodwin ]\Ir. Davis 
entered into partnership relations 'with Theo- 
dore C. Poling, which continued until llr. Poling 
withdrew to devote his energies to the distinctive 
branch of mortgage, banking and loans. With 
the growth of the city and the increase in the 
complexity of its business, professionally and 
socially, his practice has grown in volume and 
importance. The work of the legal profession is 
to formulate, to harmonize, to regulate, to adjust, 
to administer those rules and principles that 
permeate and underlie all government and so- 
ciety and control the varied relations of man. 
As thus viewed, there is attached to the legal 
profession a nobleness that cannot but be re- 
flected in the life of the true lawyer, who, rising 
to the responsibilities of the profession, and 
honest in the pursuit of his purpose, embraces 
the richness of leai-ning, the effectiveness of 
integrity and the purity of morals, together with 
the graces and modesty and the general ameni- 
ties of life. Of such a type Hope S. Davis is a 
representative. He had a natural ability for 
hard work and continued in active practice until 
his seventieth year, when he closed his down 
town office, but retained his office adjoining his 
residence at the corner of Lind and Fifth streets. 
He, too, has never undertaken a case unless satis- 
fied that he had a fair legal defense, after which 
he became one of the most persistent fighters and 
no defeat was accepted as final until the decision 
was reached in the court as the last resort. 
Aside from his profession he has performed 



many important public services for the city of 
Quiney, having been allied clo.sely with the varied 
interests, which have contributed to its material 
upbuilding, its intellectual and moral welfare 
and which have upheld its political and legal 
status. In 1856 he was appointed by the city 
council superintendent and ex-officio treasurer 
of the public schools of Quiney, which office he 
filled for six years. During that time he se- 
cured the passage of a special act of the legis- 
lature creating a board of education for the city 
and establishing the first high school under a 
graded system. In 1862 he was elected county su- 
jierintendent of schools for a term of four years, 
discharging the duties of the position with dis- 
tinguished ability, resulting in great and per- 
manent benefit to the system of public education 
in Quiney. In 1863 he was elected city alderman 
to represent the sixth ward in the council. IMr. 
Davis has been a tireless worker in behalf of the 
park system and other public improvements in 
Quiney and in this regard may well be termed 
a public benefactor. He named and obtained 
beautiful iladison Park, pui-ehasing it for the 
city from Deacon Kimball for a sum of eight 
hundred dollars, drafting the deed and closing 
the same in behalf of the city. Through his 
instrumentality Jladison school was obtained 
from district No. 1, and presented to the board 
of education. Pie had notes presented to the 
property holders to raise funds to finance the 
Quiney Horse Railway and Carrying Company 
for the extension of its line through Slaine 
street to Thirtieth street. He personally can- 
vassed for signatures on notes, thiis secured 
eleven thousand dollars and made the enterprise 
possible. Mr. Davis was again called to public 
office in 1876 when elected a member of the 
general assembly of Illinois from the Quiney 
district. He became the author of an important 
general law of the state known as the Voluntary 
Assignment, fully given in chapter two of the 
revised statutes of Illinois. He was also closely 
associated with other important legislation en- 
acted during the period of his incumbency and 
his career reflected honor and credit upon the 
district that had honored him by choosing him as 
its representative. A member of the Quiney 
Bar A.ssociation, he was elected its first vice 
president in 1903. He is also a member of the 
historical society. 

Mr. Davis had been a resident of Quiney for a 
little more than two years, when in January, 
1885, he returned upon a visit to his old home 
in New York and while in Monroe county he 
married Miss Persis C. Root, a daughter of 
Edwin S. Root, of Chili, Monroe county. He 
then returned with his young bride to his own 
home, where he entered at once upon the active 
practice of his profession. They traveled life's 



356 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



journey together for more than thirty-one years, 
when in July, 18S6, Mrs. Davis was called to her 
final rest, leaving her husband and eight ohildren. 
The sons and daughters of the family are as 
follows: Lottie V., the wife of Nelson R. Mc- 
Clain, of Milwaukee, Wisc(msin; Celia, the de- 
ceased wife of George W. Waterhouse, of Tpsil- 
anti. Michigan; Hope S., of Kansas City, Kan- 
sas: Persis C, the wife of Prank E. Tryon, of 
Savannah, Georgia ; 'Shwy B., of Los Vegas, New- 
Mexico; Irma G., who became the wife of W. G. 
Gortner, of Los Vegas, New Mexico, and died 
in 1900; Philo G., of Topeka, Kansas; and Wait 
H., of Los Vegas. In 1895 Mr. Davis married 
Melissa J. Ward, a daughter of Lewis Ward, of 
Qtiiucy. 

YicAved in a personal light Mr. Davis possesses 
qualities which have surrounded him with 
warm friends. He has ever been a man of keen 
discernment, recognizing opportunities in his 
profession and citizenship. His correct prin- 
ciples have been the guide to a life that has ever 
lieen faultless in honor, fearless in conduct and 
stainless in reputation. His scholarly attain- 
ments, his statesmanship, his reliable judgment 
and his charming powers of conversation would 
have enabled him to ably fill and grace any 
jiositiou and yet he has felt the diities of his pro- 
fession and his obligations of citizenship to be 
worthy of his best efforts and has concentrated 
his energies upon professional service and bore 
an effective effort for the city of his adoption. 



COLONEL JOHN THjLSON. 

John Tillson, long a re.sident of Quincy, was 
born at Hillsboro, Illinois, October 12,' 1825. 
He was educated at Hillsboro Academy and Illi- 
nois College, but did not graduate. He was 
graduated from the Transylvania Law School in 
Kentucky in 1847 and was admitted to the bar 
at Quincy, Illinois, the same year. He practiced 
law two years in Galena, when he returned to 
Quincy. 

Colonel Tillson married Miss Ann Eliza Wood, 
daughter of John Wood, one of the founders of 
Quincy, who became governor of Illinois on the 
death of Governor Bissell. 

In 1861, Mr. Tillson enlisted and after three 
months' service became the lieutenant-colonel of 
the Tenth Illinois Infantry. On the promotion 
of Colonel James D. Morgan to the position of 
brigadier-general, Mr. Tillson M'as made colonel. 
In July, 18fi5. he was mustered as a brevet briga- 
dier-general. For two years he held a commis- 
sion as captain in the regular army. In 1869-70 
he was editor of the Quincy Whig. 



In 1873, he was elected representative in the 
twenty-eighth Illinois general assembly to suc- 
ceed Nehemiah Bushnell, who died in office. Dur- 
ing the .same year Colonel Tillson was appointed 
collector of internal revenue for the Quincy dis- 
trict and served till 1881. 

Colonel Tillson died August 6, 1892. His 
wife, who was born at Galena, Illinois, in 1827, 
died at her home in Omaha, Nebraska, March 25, 
1905, and was buried in Quincy. Three chil- 
dren survive, namely, the Misses Nannie and 
Ada Tillson, and one son, John Tillson, all of 
whom reside in Omaha, Nebraska. The son is 
connected with the engineering department of 
the Union Pacific Railroad Companj'. 



HENRY DUKER. 



The Duker family has from an early period in 
the business development and progress of Quincy 
figured jjrominenfly in its commercial circles. 
Ilenry Duker, a, worthy representative of this 
family was connected Avith his brother, John H. 
Duker, in the furniture and undertaking busi- 
ness under the firm name of Frauk Diiker Sons. 
?Ie displayed the sterling characteristics of a 
reliable business man and his worth to the city 
was therefore recognized. He was born in 
Quincy, ilarch 12. 1870, his parents being Frank 
and Caroline (Smith) Duker, both of whom were 
natives of Germany. The father came to the 
United States at an early age and settled in 
Quincy. Here he turned his attention to the fur- 
niture business, in which he engaged for several 
years and then extended the field of his enter- 
prise by adding an undertaking department. To 
this pursuit, as well as the sale of furniture, he 
devoted his energ.y until he retired from active 
business life. He continued, however, to make 
his home in Quincy until his death. His widow 
still survives him and resides at the family resi- 
dence at No. 1022 ilaine street. 

Ilenry Duker acquired a good education, at- 
tending first the common schools and afterward 
continuing his studies in St. Francis College. 
Later he pursued a thorough business course and 
entered upon his active business career as a clerk 
for his father, with whom he remained for several 
years. He was then married to Miss Clara 
Schwab, who was born in Quincy, August 13, 
1868, and is a daughter of Casper and Anna 
(Heinlen) Schwab, both of whom were natives 
of Germany, whence they came to Quincy at an 
early day. The father was engaged in the meat 
market business here until his later years, when 
he retired to private life in order that he might 
enjoy the fruits of his former toil. He continued 
to make Quincy his home until his death, which 





COL. JOHN TILLSON. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



359 



occurred on the 24th of September, 11)04. His 
first wife had died May 13, 1879, and he was mar- 
ried again, his second union being with Miss Jo- 
hanna Kunkel, who is also deceased. Mr. and 
jMrs. Duker became the parents of two children : 
Lawrence, born August 6, 1893 ; and Harry, 
born August 1, 1895." 

After his marriage Henry Duker entered into 
partnership with his brother, John H. Duker, 
in the furniture business under the firm name of 
Frank Duker Sons, their store being located at 
No. 712 ]\raiue street. Later they turned their 
attention to the undertaking business, which 
they conducted at No. 717 I\Iaine sti-eet, and the 
brothers continued in both lines of trade until 
the death of Plenry Duker, which occurred on 
the 6th of September, 1902. His political sup- 
port was given to the men and measures of the 
democracy. Socially he was a member of sev- 
eral insurance orders, but he preferred to con- 
centrate his energies upon his business affairs 
whereby he won very desirable success. He held 
membership in St. Boniface Catholic church. 

]\Ir. Duker was a young man, who, in his busi- 
ness career displayed a broad outlook and keen 
discrimination. He was very energetic and 
overcame all obstacles and difficulties in his path 
through resolute purpose and strong will. His 
responsibility was also one of the salient features 
of his career and gained for them the trust of the 
business world. In his home life he manifested 
a kindly, generous spirit, which endeared him 
greatly to his friends as well as to his inunediate 
family and made him a popular man. Mrs. 
Duker still owns one-half interest in the furni- 
ture and undertaking business and has a nice 
residence at No, 824 Vine street, where she and 
her children reside. 



WILLIAM S. WAEFIELD. 

William S. Warfield, the extent of whose con- 
nection with business enterprises of magnitude 
and importance makes him one of the foremost 
factors in the industrial and financial circles of 
Quincy, has through his inherent force of char- 
acter and acquired ability developed the powers 
that have enabled him to recognize conditions of 
the present day and utilize them in the success- 
ful control of large business concerns. 

William S. Warfield, president of the War- 
field-Pratt-Howell Company, of Iowa, and Well- 
man & Dwire Tobacco Company, of St. Louis, 
was born at Uniontown, Belmont county, Ohio, 
in 1836, a son of John Warfield, who for many 
years was a successful business man of that state. 
Following the acquirement of good practical ed- 
ucation the son entered business life in connec- 



tion with the wholesale grocery trade at Bridge- 
port and his identification with Quincy dates 
from 1866, at which time he became the founder 
of the business conducted under the name of the 
Wai-field ({rocer Company until about five years 
ago when he sold. Under his guidance this 
connnereial enterprise continuously developed 
until its extent made it one of the foremost con- 
cerns in this line of trade in the middle west. 
For over thirty years Mr. Warfield has been con- 
nected with the Thompson Taylor Spice Com- 
pany, of Chicago, and in February, 1901, he 
bought a controlling interest, his son being now 
president and manager of the same. 

With a ready recognition of business opportuni- 
ties and with an understanding that has enabled 
him to foresee conditions that would arise and 
prepare to meet the demands of a growing popu- 
lation Mr. Warfield became the organizer and 
president of the Warfield-Pratt-Howell Com- 
pany, of Iowa, one of the strongest concerns in 
this line of business in the west, with a paid-up 
capital of one million dollars and operating lead- 
ing houses at Des ]\Ioines, Cedar Rapids and 
Sioux City, Iowa. The presidency of the Well- 
man & Dwire Tobacco Company at St. Louis, 
with its attendant duties and responsibilities, 
also claims a part of his time and attention. He 
is likewise actively interested in other important 
enterprises. For many years Mr. Warfield was 
president of the First National Bank and when 
it was consolidated with the State Savings, Loan 
& Trust Company, he became president of the lat- 
ter institution which has assets exceeding three 
million dollars and it is the strongest financial 
concern in the state outside of Chicago. 

]Mr. Warfield purchased the street railway sys- 
tem of Quincy, rebuilt and extended its lines and 
introduced one of the best managed and most 
thorovighly equipped electric street car systems 
to be found in any western city, thus giving to 
Quincy a rapid transit whose value in the business 
life of Quincy is inestimable. Every movement 
for the extension of its railway lines has received 
his co-operation and endorsement; nor have 
his efforts been confined alone to interests re- 
sulting in personal benefits for he has been the 
champion of many movements that have con- 
tributed to Quincy's upbuilding and improve- 
ment and to the promotion of its benevolent and 
educational interests. He co-o{)erated with other 
leading men in securing the Soldiers & Sailors 
Home, in the building of the Newcomb Hotel and 
the Empire Theater, also in the building of the 
public library and in the maintenance of Bless- 
ing Hospital, the Woodland Orphans Home and 
other worthy charities. 

The business record of Mr. Warfield is such as 
any man might be proud to possess, for he enjoys 
the unqualified confidence of his associates and 



36c. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



co-laborers, having never made an entiagement 
that he has not met or menrred an obligation 
that he has not discharged. He has gradually 
worked his way n]5ward in harmony with the 
progressive spirit of the tiiiies and with ideas of 
modern biTsiness development and to-day he is 
prominent not only in banking and financial 
circles of the west, but also in the jobbing trade 
and manufacturing business as well. He is, 
moreover, pi;blic-spirited and Quincy has found 
him one of its promoters. He has. too, a genial, 
kindly nature that makes itself at once felt in 
the courtesy and consideration which he shows 
to those who ask an audience with him on 
business or public affairs and to those whom he 
meets in social relations. 



I. W. RANDLES. 



I. W. Randies, occupying a beautiful home in 
Loraine, is well known in business circles as a 
representative farmer and stock-raiser. He was 
born in Oxford, Ohio, May 25, 1850, and is a son 
of Abraham and Sarah J. (Taylor) Randies. 
The father died in 1856, but the mother, who 
was born about 1823, is still living, making her 
home in Columbus, Ohio. 

I. W. Randies obtained his early education in 
the public schools of Adams county and after- 
ward pursued a course in a commercial school 
in Quincy. He worked by the month as a farm 
Junul in early life and afterward began the 
opei'ation of a farm, which was inherited by 
his wife from her parents. On the 13th of 
Jinie. 1872. he was married to Miss Emma C. 
Grosh. who Avas boni May 24, 1851. in Keene. 
and is a daugther of E.L.andAmerica (Roberts) 
Gro.sh. Her father was bom in Pennsylvania. 
January 9. 1817. and in 1818 came to Adams 
county, settling on the farm on section 26, Keene 
township, where his daughter, ]\Irs. Randies, was 
reared. There he carried on agricultural pur- 
suits until his death, which occurred October 
8, 1876, His wife, who was born in Kentucky, 
,Tune 7, 1825, died January 15, 1889. Unto Mr. 
and ^Irs. Randies have been born two sons: 
Louis E.. who was born December 28. 1873. re- 
sides upon the home farm, on scrtion 26. Keene 
township: Lawrence I., boi'n .\ugust 6, 1875, 
resides on section 23, the same township. 

Mr. Randies and his sons are associated in 
business and as the boys grew in years and 
strength, the father assigned to them more and 
more of the work and resjionsiliility of the farm. 
They own together four hundred acres of val- 
uable land and are extensively engaged in stock- 
raising. Father and sons are men of excellent 
liusiness ability, executive force and keen dis- 
cernment and in their ojieratious as farmers and 



stock-dealei's have met with very gratifj'ing 
success. Each is an excellent judge of stock 
and they have thus been able to make judicious 
purchases and profitable sales. Thej- are now 
feeding two thovisand head of sheep, one hundred 
head of cattle and about four hundred head of 
hogs annually. The father, now living retired 
since his sons have relieved him of much of the 
management and care of the farm, makes his 
home in Loraine in a residence which he built 
in 1904. and is the finest home in that town. He 
has well earned his rest and is now enjoying the 
fruits of his former toil. 

Louis E. Randies was married November 14, 
1904. to ]Miss Sadie Forsee, who was born August 
27, 1880, and is a daughter of Dr. B. W. and 
Lithia (Tate) For.see, who came to Illinois from 
Lewis county, ]\rissoui-i. The father was born 
in 1841, and the mother's bii'th occurred in 
1844. Dr. Forsee engaged in the practice of 
medicine for a number of vears and died in 
August, 1883. 

Lawrence I, Randies was married December 
24, 1902, to Miss :\Iary L. Swain, whose birth 
occurred September 12, 1880, and who is a 
daughter of Charles and Rosa (Samuels) Swain, 
the former born in 1841. and the latter in 1844. 
They are now residing at Cam]i Point and Mr- 
Swain is engaged in farming. The Randies 
families are well known in Adams county, and 
the various representatives of the name have a 
large circle of warm friends, while the hospital- 
ity of the best homes of the locality is heartily 
extended to them. The sons are worthy repre- 
sentatives of the farming interests of this por- 
tion of the state and as stock-dealers have oper- 
ated along extensive lines, doing a business 
which reaches a large annual figure. 



JOHN SCHMIDT, M. D. 

Dr. John Schmidt, who is now living a retired 
life in t^uincy, enjoying the respect and con- 
fidence of all who know him, was born on the 
22d of November, 1822, in a small village in the 
province of Bavaria, Germany, and was the only 
child of Nicholas and Margaret (Handscher) 
Schmidt, who were also natives of Bavaria, 
where the father practiced veterinary surgery 
for some years. Deciding to try his fortune in 
the new world, Nicholas Schmidt and his little 
family boarded a sailing vessel at Bremen, Ger- 
many, and after a long voyage of eight Aveeks, 
during which they encountered some very 
rough weather, they landed in Baltimore. They 
located at Harrisburg. ilaryland. Avhere the 
father embarked in the practice of his profes- 
sion, but he Avas not long pei'mitted to enjoy his 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



361 



uew home, liuwever, as he died cue )nonth after 
his arrival in this eoiiutry. 

After the death of his father, Dr. Schmidt of 
this review went to Pitt.sbnrg, Pennsylvania, 
where he obtained employment on the river boats 
running down the Ohio and up the IMississippi 
to St. Louis. He spent some time in the latter 
city and from there went to New Orleans, where 
he at length left the river. After spending 
about two years in the west, he returned to the 
east to visit his mother, and finally located a1 
Louisville, Kentucky, where she joined him, keep- 
ing house for him. While a resident of Pennsyl- 
vania the Doctor had learned the shoemaker's 
trade and when living in Louisville he followed 
that occupation. 

In early life he became identified with the 
German ilethodist chui-ch and he later devoted a 
number of years to the ministry. For a time he 
had charge of the Washington street chiirch of 
St. Louis, which was then the largest clrareh in 
the city, and was pastor of the church of his 
denomination at Belleville, Illinois, for two 
years and at Quincy for the same length of time. 
He was the first minister of the German IMetho- 
di.st church at Bloomington. Illinois, and also 
took charge of the first church at St. Paul, ilin- 
nesota. 

^Vliile preaching in Quincy, Dr. Sclunidt's 
health became impaired and his friends ad- 
vised him to enter the medical profession. Ac- 
cordingly he matriculated at Rush Medical Col- 
lege, Chicago, where he was a student for one 
year. Before leaving Germany he had studied 
medicine to some extent under his father 's direc- 
tion and after leaving college he successfully 
engaged in practice at Galena, Illinois, for two 
years. His health having improved, he tueE 
went to St. Paul and devoted the following year 
to the work of the ministry at that place. Dur- 
ing the succeeding year he was pastor of the 
German IMethodist church at Quincy, but while 
thus engaged his health again failed and at the 
end of the year he entered the St. Louis Homeo- 
pathic College, where he Avas graduated with 
the degree of M. D. After his graduation he 
returned to Quincy and was successfuly engaged 
in the practice of medicine until 1904, when he 
laid aside all business cax'es and is now living 
retired, enjoying a well earned rest. 

Dr. Schmidt was fir.st married at Louisville, 
Kentucky, but his wife died during their resi- 
dence at Belleville, Illinois, leaving one son, and 
in 1852, he wedded i\Iiss Paulina Meise, of 
Quincy, a daughter of Frederick Meise, an early 
settler of Adams county, and a sister of A. Meise 
at the Soldiers Home. By the second imion 
there were four children, namely: Edgar, who 
was a graduate of the College of Physicians and 
Surgeons at Philadelphia and died at St. Paul in 



1!»()4, leaving a wife and four children: Albert 
A., also a physician, who was graduated at an 
Allopathic school in St. Louis and is married and 
has four children; William, who is a gi-aduate 
of the same college and is now engaged in prac- 
tice in Quincy, where he is living with his wife 
and one child ; and Alice, who is keeping house 
for her father. There is also an adoptecrdaugh- 
ter. Melinda Rothert, who became an inmate 
of the Schmidt home during her infancy. 

After a happy married life of forty-seven 
years, Mrs. Schmidt was called to her final rest 
in 1899, at the age of sixty-eight years. From 
childhood she was an earnest and consistent 
member of the Jlethodist church and her many 
noble traits of character gained her the friend- 
ship and love of all with whom she came in 
contact. 

Dr. Sclunidt is a splendid type of the self-made 
man. for he started out in life for himself with 
no advantages or capital to aid him, but he 
steadily overcame the many obstacles and diffi- 
culties in his path, working his way upward until 
he attained a prominent position in the medical 
profession and also acquired a competence that 
now enables him to spend the evening of life in 
ease and quiet, free from the cares of business 
life. He is now the owner of some valuable prop- 
erty, including a four-story building on Maine 
street, known as the John Schmidt" block. In 
politics he was first a democrat but affiliated with 
the whig party when Henry Clay was practically 
at his head and joined the republican party at 
its organization, though he generally votes' for 
the man whom he believes best qualified for office 
regardless of party lines. In eai'ly life he was 
a member of the Sons of Temperance and he has 
always supported any measure which he believed 
would advance the moi-al welfare of the com- 
munity, so that his career has ever been such as 
to command the respect and confidence of all 
who Imow him. 



FRANK M. BISHOP. 



Frank M. Bishop, whose enterprise and indom- 
itable energy have made him one of the leading 
representatives of the fire insurance busin&ss in 
Quincy, his native city, was born April 27, 1862, 
his parents being James IM. and Elizabeth N. 
(Cleaveland) Bishop. His father was born in 
Redfield, ilaine, June 24. 1835, and came to this 
city in Aug-ust, 1855. For many years he was 
pi'ominent in the business life of the city as an 
insurance agent and was also a leading factor 
in political circles, his efforts having been 
dii-ected toward the welfare and progress of 



362 



I 'AST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



Quiiicy. In polities a stanch republican, he was 
twice elected mayor of Quincy. During his ad- 
ministration the present beautiful city hall was 
erected, streets paved, and a franchise was given 
to the street railway company whereby its motive 
power was changed to electricity. Many other 
progressive measures received the endorsement 
and official support of Mr. Bishop, and his efforts 
proved of a most practical and helpful character 
along the line of public progress, improvement 
and substantial upbuilding. Following his re- 
tirement from office he removed to Omaha, Ne- 
braska, in 1891, and entered the insurance busi- 
ness, residing there for a \(-ar, after which he 
was called to his final rest. While in Qiiincy he 
conducted a very extensive and profitable in- 
surance business representing eighteen compa- 
nies, both native and fcn-eign, with aggregate as- 
sets of one hundred and fifty-four million dol- 
lars. He married Miss Elizabeth N. Cleave- 
land on the 30th of May, 1861. She was born 
in this city. They became the parents of two 
children: Frank M. and Edgar, the latter born 
December 26, 1867. 

In the public schools of Quincy Frank Bishop 
began his education, which he continued until he 
had completed the high school course here. He 
was also for a time a student under Professor 
Morrison in his private school. Later he was 
two- terms a student in the Gem City Business 
College and was graduated therefrom when 
twenty years of age. He was thus employed 
by his father in the insurance business until 
about twenty-four years of age, when he went to 
Omaha, Nebraska, where he spent two years in 
the employ of the wholesale shoe house of Kirk- 
endahl, Jones & Company, and also of other 
business houses. Then i-etui-ning to Quincy he 
took charge of the insurance business, which 
had been built up by his father, who had been 
elected mayor of the city. A short time after- 
ward the firm was re-organized under the name 
of James j\I. Bishop's Sons and the business was 
conducted under that style until 1898, when 
Frank INI. Bishop took entire charge. He is 
to-day one of the most energetic insurance agents 
of the state, thoroughly understanding the busi- 
ness in every department and so presenting his 
subject to hi.s clients that they cannot fail to 
recognize its value and importance. For two 
years he was special agent for the Liverpool, 
London and Globe Company for the state of 
Illinois. He is still its agent, also represents the 
German- American Company of New York; the 
Penn Fire Company, of Philadelphia ; the West- 
chester Fire Com])any, of New York ; the Detroit 
Fire and Marine Company, of Detroit; the 
Hamburg-Bremen Company of Germany; the 
Franklin Fire Insurance Company, of Phila- 
delphia ; the London and Lancastershire and the 



London Assurance Company, of England. He 
conducts a purely fire insurance business and 
the policies which he writes annually represent 
a large investment. 

On the 7th of June, 1888. Mr. Bishop was mar- 
ried to Miss Fannie Luella Reichel. a daughter of 
A. D. Reichel, one of Qiiincy's early settlers, 
who having spent some time in Germany and 
Russia came to America when a young man. 
There are two children of this marriage : Mel- 
ville Reichel, who was born October 31. 1889, 
and is attending the public schools; and Eliza- 
beth Catherine, also a public school student, 
born in 1896. The parents attend the Unitarian 
church and ^\i\ Bishop is a Mason, holding mem- 
bership in Lambert lodge. No. 659, A. F. & A. M. 
In ])olitics he is a stanch republican. Pie has 
resided continuously in Quincy with the excep- 
tion of the brief period passed in Nebi-aska and 
has a wide and favorable acquaintance here. The 
name has figured prominently in the business 
circles of the city for many years and like his 
honored father Mr. Bishop commands the respect 
and i-onfidence of his fellowmen. 



EDWARD J. PARKER. 

E. J. Parker, who is leaving the impress of his 
individuality upon public life of Quincy in its 
material, social, intellectual and moral develop- 
ment, has so directed his energies that his pow- 
ers have gained more than local recognition and 
he is accounted one of the distinguished i-epre- 
sentatives of the banking business in Illinois, with 
an influence that has also been felt to some extent 
in national affairs, although he has never sought 
to figure before the public in no light save that 
of a business man. 

Edward J. Parker, a native of Hartford, Con- 
necticut, was born in 1842, pursued his education 
in the public schools there and in Boston and 
continued a resident of Hartford until 1863, 
when with some previous business experience he 
came to Quincy to associate himself with the 
banking firm of L. & C. H. Bull. Since that 
time he has been closely associated with financial 
interests in this city and his connection with the 
banking house of L. & C. H. Bull and its suc- 
cessors has been eontinuoiis save that for the 
period of six years, extending from 1873 until 
1879, he was conducting a private banking house 
on his own account. His institution was con- 
solidated with the banking business of L. & C. H. 
Bull in the latter year, Mr. Parker becoming a 
member of the firm, and when the State Savings, 
Loan & Trust Company became the successor of 
the banking business established by Lorenzo and 
C. II. Bull, Mr. Pai-ker was chosen cashier and 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



365 



has since been retained in that position. He has ' 
contributed his full shai-e to the development of 
this strong financial institution and is still one 
of its active managers. The State Savings, Loan 
& Trust Company is the largest banking institu- 
tion of Illinois outside of Chicago under state 
charter and is one of the most important in 
voliune of business in the entire west. 

A man of resourceful business ability, possess- 
ing keen insight that enables him to anticipate 
business opportunities and to utilize the means 
at hand toward the successful accomplishment of 
desired results, he has extended his efforts into 
many fields of activity, which have had impor- 
tant bearing upon the substantial upbuilding 
and promotion of Quincy and at the same time 
have resulted profitably for the investors. For 
some time he held the office of treasurer of the 
Quincy, Omaha & Kansas City Railway Com- 
pany and was until' within a few years cashier 
of the successor road, the Omaha, Kansas City 
& Eastern Railway, now an adjunct line of the 
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy. He was identi- 
fied with the extensive business of the Quincy 
Paper Company as director and secretary up to 
the time of the formation of the American 
Strawboard Company and through a long period 
was one of the directors of the Street Railway 
Company, acting as a member of its board when 
the present splendid system of rapid transit was 
introduced. In his business life he has always 
manifested a keen discernment that has enabled 
him to anticipate conditions growing out of the 
rapid increase in population and the demands 
that would be made for concerns of public util- 
ity and benefit. He forms his plans readily, is 
determined in their execution and yet his actions 
are the result of cai-eful and mature delibera- 
tion. 

The benefits which Quincy has enjoyed from 
the eiforts and labors of Mr. Parker have been 
many and far-reaching. His name is very closely 
associated with the development of the magnifi- 
cent park and boulevard system of the city. He 
was one of the organizers of the Pai-k and Bou- 
levard Association and from the beginning has 
served as its president. He has been tireless in 
his efforts for the promotion of the work and 
although by reason of the limited resources of 
the city the revenues available for the work have 
been small, yet through his energy and deter- 
mination Quincy now has one of the most beau- 
tiful public park sy.stems in the entire country. 
The commanding sites along the river north and 
south of the city have been preserved for public 
parks. South Park and River View Park have 
been created and the older parks liave been 
greatly beaiitified. Broad boulevards encircling 
the entire city and connecting parks have also 
been provided. To this work Mr. Parker has 



given very largely of his time and his artistic 
genius and he has accomplished seeming impos- 
sibilities with the limited resources at com- 
mand. An active and prominent member of the 
American Forestry Association and of the Amer- 
ican Park & Outdoor Art Association, it is 
particularly fortunate that Quincy should enjoy 
the benefit of his genius in park development. 

Mr. Parker, while controlling extensive busi- 
ness enterprises, has kept in touch with the best 
thinking men of the age, and the questions of 
sociology, political economy and the financial 
and other political problems have been to him 
matters of keenest interest and of broad investi- 
gations. His public addresses have displayed a 
thorough mastery of the subject of which he has 
treated as have his writings, and he wields a 
facile pen. As orator and speaker he has been 
the champion of many public progressive move- 
ments and in recent years he has been actively 
connected in this regard with the subject of 
sound currenc.y and the corn propaganda. He 
was vice president for Illinois of the Indianap- 
olis IMonetary Conference, is a recognized factor 
in the National Business League and a promi- 
nent member of the Illinois and the National 
Bankers Associations. Plis counsel and many 
times his personal co-operation have contributed 
to the successful condiict of Quincy 's business 
interests and he has been particularly helpful to 
young men starting out in life for themselves, 
aiding many to secure emplojTiient and also giv- 
ing to them assistance in a substantial way. 
The militia and naval organizations here have 
also received his active co-operation and his 
assistance has been extended to many benevolent 
and charitable movements tending toward the 
general good and to the relief of many conditions 
which work hardships and privations to his fel- 
lowmen. From the organization of the Blessings 
Hospital Association he has been one of its gen- 
erous supporters and is now serving as its treas- 
urer and he is likewise actively identified with 
other charitable associations devoted to the pub- 
lic good. 

A permeating influence of his life and his 
activities has been his belief in the doctrines of 
Christianity as exemplified in the Episcopal 
church. lie was one of the organizers of the 
Church of the Good Shepherd in Quincy and his 
donations thereto have been most liberal. He 
was instrumental in causing a division of the 
diocese of Illinois, resulting in the creation of 
the diocese of Quincy, and the home church has 
found him a co-operant factor in many of its 
lines of aetivitj'. He aided largely in the organ- 
ization of the Woodland Cemetery Association 
and he is a valued representative of various social 
clubs and societies, including the Quincy Country 
Club and many of the leading clubs of Chicago 



366 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAJIS COUNTY. 



and the eastern cities. With expanding powers 
that have come with the advancing of the years 
he has been involved in great affairs, being re- 
sponsibilities that have acted and reacted upon 
his nature, that a large and varied experience 
has modified, educated and developed. He has 
amply lived the life of his times, has known 
humanity in many phases and has had wide 
sympathies and many interests, and his multi- 
form experiences have made him a man among 
men, living a life that has been of direct benefit 
to his co-laborers and his city. 



JUDGE JOSEPH N. CARTER. 

Joseph N. Carter, lawyer, jurist and statesman, 
whose career reflects honor upon the state that 
has honored him and who in 1898 became chief 
justice of Illinois, comes of a Virginia parentage, 
whose ancestral history is traced back to Eng- 
land. His grandfather, James Carter, was a 
native of Virginia, as was William P. Carter, 
the father of the Judge. His mother, who bore 
the maiden name of Martha Mays, likewise be- 
longed to one of the old families of that state. 
William P. and Martha (J\Iays) Carter became 
the. parents of ten children, of whom Joseph N. 
was the fourth. They were residents of Hardin 
county, Kentucky, at the time of his birth, which 
occurred in 1843, and when he was a youth of 
thirteen years they removed with their family to 
Illinois, settling at Charleston, Coles county. 
After a brief residence there of a year they 
established their home in Douglas county, Illi- 
nois, and Judge Carter remained under the 
parental roof save for the periods in which he 
was attending college. He began his education 
as a student in a private school at Big Springs, 
Kentucky, and continued his studies in the pub- 
lic school at Tuscola, Illinois. Later he engaged 
in teaching in a district school for three years, 
but ambitious to enjoy further educational privi- 
leges himself, he matriculated in Illinois College 
at Jacksonville in 1863 and completed a course 
there by graduation with the class of 1866. 

Attracted to the profession of law, Jiidge Car- 
ter determined to make its practice his life work 
and to this end became a student in the law 
department of the University of Michigan at 
Ann Arbor. Close application, resulting in the 
ready mastery of the fundamental principles of 
jurisprudence, enabled him to graduate with 
the class of 1868, and in 1869 he located for 
practice in Quincy, being admitted to the bar in 
the same year. Advancement in the law is pro- 
verbially slow and yet no dreary novitiate 
awaited him, owing to his strong determination 



to win success, his capability and his close appli- 
cation in his preparation of any legal interests 
intrusted to his care. During the second year 
of his residence in Quincy he became a law part- 
ner of William H. Govert, which connection was 
maintained without change until 1879, when 
Judge Sibley became a member of the firm, con- 
tinuing therewith until 1884. Four years later 
Theodore Pape became the junior member of the 
firm of Carter, Govert & Pape and no change 
then occurred for six years or until Judge Car- 
ter's election to the supreme bench of Illinois in 
1894. 

From early manhood Judge Carter had mani- 
fested a deep interest in politics, and althoiigh 
his father had been a slaveowner in Kentucky, 
the son on reaching his majority became an 
active supporter of the republican party. He 
made a close and earnest study of the questions 
and i.ssues of the day and because of his thor- 
ough understanding of the party platform, com- 
bined with his gift of oratory, he became an in- 
fluential factor in the political circles of Adams 
county. His patriotic spirit and his fitness for 
leadership won him recognition in 1878 in an 
election to the thirty-first general assembly of 
Illinois. He became an active working member 
of the body connected with the constructive 
legislation that is carried on in the committee 
rooms and his service was so acceptable to the 
public that he was re-elected in 1880. In 1882 
he received his party nomination for state sen- 
ator and although the normal democratic major- 
ity was fifteen hundred he ran more than one 
thousand votes ahead of his ticket, being defeated 
by a majority of less than five hundred — a fact 
which indicated his great personal popularity 
and the confidence reposed in him by the people 
of his home locality. In 1894 he was accorded 
the republican nomination for judge of the 
fourth supreme judicial district as the successor 
of Judge Simeon P. Shope. The district, com- 
prising twelve counties, was acceded to be a dem- 
ocratic stronghold, usually giving a plurality of 
twelve thousand. Judge Carter's abilities were 
so fully reeogTiized that this majority was over- 
come and he was elected by a vote of fort-five 
hundred more than was given to the opposing 
candidate. The campaign attracted attention all 
over the country and Judge Carter at once 
sprang into national fame. For nine years he 
continued a member of the supreme court and 
in 1898 was chosen chief justice. On his retire- 
ment from the court at the end of his term in 
1903, he resumed the practice of law at Quincy. 
At the bar and on the bench he has won marked 
distinction. A man of unimpeachable character, 
of unusual intellectual endoAvments, with a thor- 
ough understanding of the law, patience, urban- 
ity and industry, Judge Carter took to the bench 




JOSEPH N. CARTER 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



369 



the veiy highest qualifications for this responsi- 
ble office of the state government and his record 
as a judge has been in harmony with his record 
as a num and a lawyer, distinguished by un- 
swerving integrity and a masterful grasp of 
every problem which has presented itself for 
solution. 

In 1879 Judge Carter was married to Miss 
Ellen Douglas Barrell, of Springfield, a daugh- 
ter of George Barrell, who was for many years 
a sea captain and visited every habitable por- 
tion of the globe. Judge and Mrs. Carter have 
three children : Henry B., a graduate of Prince- 
ton College ; "William Douglas, a graduate of the 
Leland Stanford University of California; and 
Josephine. Their home in Quincy, while the 
center of a cultured society circle, is equally 
noted for the brilliance of its functions and its 
cordial hospitality. Judge Carter is a typical 
American citizen in that he has advanced to a 
high position through his own efforts and in the 
fact that he has retained the pure democratic 
spirit that recognizes the true worth of an indi- 
vidual without regard to his ancestral heritage 
or his environment, judging merely the charac- 
ter of the man. 



THOMAS B. SMITH. 



Thomas B. Smith is the owner of ;i valuable 
farm of two hundi'ed and eighty acres on sec- 
tion 13, Ursa township, and is one of the ener- 
getic and prosperous farmers of his community. 
He was born June 13, 1S53, and is a son of W. 
B. and Susan L. (Lowry) Smitli. The father 
was born February 16, 1823, in iluhleiiburg 
county. Kentucky, and was the son of James G. 
and Sarah (Cundiff) Smith, also of that county. 
The grandfather came to Adams county, Illinois, 
on the 5th of October, 1829, driving over land 
with an ox team. On reaching his destination he 
pre-empted tlie southeast quarter of section 24, 
Ursa township, and lived there until his death, 
which occurred in 1853. His wife died about 
1840. 

W. B. Smitli remained at home with his par- 
ents until 1848, when he was united in marriage 
to Miss Susan L. Lowry, who was born in Ijon- 
donderry, Ireland, November 22, 1830, and came 
to this country in 1836. After his marriage Mr. 
Smith purchased one hundi'ed and ten acres of 
land on section 18, Ursa township, and to that 
farm he added from time to time until at his 
death he was the owner of nine hundred and 
sixty-eight acres of valuable land, making him one 
of the extensive realty holders of this part of 
the state. His land at that time extended to 



and included a part of the village of Ursa. He 
laid out that village. Pie died March 26, 1882, 
respected by all who knew him, not only because 
of the success he achieved but also owing to 
the honorable business methods he ever followed. 
He left four children, namely: Sarah E., born 
October 17. 1849, was married in 1871 to Wil- 
liam ]\IcCoriiiick, wlio died in 1878, and in 1883 
she wedded Otto Keim, now a resident of South 
Bend, Indiana. Isabelle L., born June 5, 1851, 
became the wife of Dr. W. A. Byrd, and subse- 
([uent to his death married George H. Walker 
and is now living in Quincy. Thomas B. is the 
next of the family. W. J., a resident of Quincy, 
who was born July 26, 1870, first married Flor- 
ence Kellermeyer and after her death wedded 
J\lavid Brazier. 

Thomas B. Smith was born on his father's 
farm on section 18, Ursa township, and in his 
youth assisted in the labors of the fields and 
meadows. He continued to aid his father on the 
farm up to the time of his marriage, which oc- 
curred when he was twenty-three years of age, 
the ladj' of his choice being Miss Josephine 
Frazier, who was born February 27, 1856, and is 
the daughter of Lemuel G. and Eva A. (Ahalt) 
Frazier, the former a native of Kentucky and 
the latter of IMaryland. ilr. Frazier, who was 
a farmer and lived on section 29, Ursa township, 
died October 5, 1880, and his wife passed away 
December 7, 1902. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are 
the parents of five children, all of whom are now 
living, namely: Edna, who was born January 24, 
1878, and was married ^lay 1, 1900, to D. C. 
Hill and lives upon a farm near her father's 
home : Jessie B., who was born September 17, 
1882, and is the wife of Arthur Bittleston, of 
Quincy: Thomas B., Jr., who was born July 
22, 1888, and lived at home : Boyd F., born 
August 27. 1890, and Nellie ]\I., born June 
14,1892. 

In 1877 Thomas B. Smith purchased the farm 
upon which he now lives. He first bought one 
hundred and sixty acres and since that time has 
added to the tract one hundred and twenty 
acres adjoining the original farm on the south. 
He also owns eighty acres on section 26, Ursa 
township. He and his sons are cultivating all 
the land, carrying on general farming and rais- 
ing considerable wheat, hay and other grains. 
His home is about one mile and a half west of 
Ursa and his postoffice is at Quincy, receiving 
mail on the rural free delivery route No. 2. 

Mr. Smith is a member of Ursa camp. No. 995, 
JI. W. A. ; of Quincy lodge, No. 44, K. P. ; and 
also of Marcelline lodge. No. 127, I. 0. 0. F. In 
politics he is a democrat and is now serving as 
supervisor of Ursa town.ship. He has held the 
offices of town clerk and assessor and is always 
true to every public trust reposed in him. He 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



370 

has been secretary of the ]\Iutual Iiisuranee 
Company of Ursa township for ten years and 
was its president for twelve years prior to tliat 
time. His wife belongs to the Christian church. 
Mr. Smith is an earnest and interesting worker, 
active and energetic in all that he does, and that 
he is the possessor of a fine farm property is 
due to his untiring efforts and honorable busi- 
ness dealings. 



JUDGE SAT^rUEL ALEXANDER HUBBARD. 
Judge Samuel Alexander Hubbard, engaged 
in the'praetice of law in Quiney and in IMount 
Sterling, was born near Goreville, Ilhnois. His 
father William J. Hubbard, was a native of 
Alabama, born October 2, 1837, and removed 
from that state to Tennessee, tvhence he came tc 
Illinois in the '40s with his parents, locating on 
a farm near Goreville. where he has since lived, 
devoting his entire life to agricultural pursuits. 
He is now one of the prosperous fanners of that 
locality. In his religious faith he is a Baptist 
and fraternally is connected with the Odd Fel- 
lows and the Masons, while in his political view? 
he is a democrat. He served for a short time 
in the Civil war and has always been loyal to 
the best interests of his community in all matters 
of citizenship. He married Rhoda Ann Esken, 
who was born in Tennessee, in 1839, and her par- 
ents were also natives of that state. Mr. and 
Mrs. Hubbard became the parents of eleven 
children, eight sons and three daughters, of 
whom eight are yet living. 

Samuel A. Hubbard, the eighth member of 
the family, aeriuired his early education in the 
public seiiools and afterward entered the state 
normal school at Carbondale. He was there 
graduated with the class of 1893 on the comple- 
tion of the English and Latin courses. At- 
tracted by the practice of law he entered the 
office of Judge F. M. Youngblood, of Carbondale, 
with whom he continued his preliminary read- 
ing for three years and was then admitted to 
the bar in 1895 at Mount Vernon. He entered 
upon the active practice of his profession at 
IMount Sterling, Illinois, in February of 1896 
and has there remained to the present. At 
various times he has been associated with George 
H. Lee. Wilson M. Reid and former States At- 
torney W. I. Manny, of Mount Sterling. In 
January, 1904, he entered into partnershi]) with 
F. J. Penick, of Quiney, with whom he is now 
associated in the practice of his profession, with 
offices in the Stearns Building in Quiney. He 
has made gratifying progress in his profession 
and his devotion to his clients' interests is 



proverbial, while his careful preparation of his 
ca.ses makes him a formidable adversary in tlie 
courtroom. 

j\lr. Hubbard was married in Redfield, Iowa, 
October 11, 1898, to Miss Phoebe Hammond, 
who was born in Earlville, Illinois, ]\Iarch 14, 
1876, a daughter of Professor II. E. Hammond, 
principal of tlip public schools. Her mother 
was Azelia Richardson in her maidenhood. ]Mr. 
and :\Irs. Hubbard are the parents of three 
children, but lost their youngest in infancy. The 
others are Carl and Vera. 

Mr. Hubbard belongs to the Masonic frater- 
nity in which he has attained the Royal Arch 
degree and also holds membership relations Avith 
the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the 
Knights of Pythias, the Modern Woodmen, the 
Mutual Protective League and the Rebekahs. In 
his political views he is a democrat and in 1902 
was elected county judge of Brown county, which 
office he is still filling. He belongs to the State 
Bar Association and to the County Judges As- 
sociation. He brought to the bench superior 
iiualifications for this important position and 
has ever been fV.and strictly fair and impartial 
in his rulings, winning high encomiums because 
of his correct application of legal principles to 
the points in litigation. 



HENRY D. HILL. 



Henry D. Hill is a representative of one of 
the pioneer families of Illinois, his birth having 
occurred in Adams county, on the 14tli of De- 
cember, 1844. He is a son of Davis and Nancy 
C. Hill, who are natives of Kentucky. The 
father came to Illinois, in 1829, and introduced 
the first Ben Davis apple that was ever brought 
to this state, that apple being named for his 
brother-in-law, Ben Davis. Mr. Plill was a 
farmer by occupation and carried on that pur- 
suit throughout his entire life in order to provide 
for his family. He died April 27, 1871, at Lima, 
vind his wife passed away in July, 1880. He had 
borne his full share iii the work of pioneer de- 
velopment, for when he came to the county it 
was a wild and unimproved region, much of the 
land being still in its primitive condition. He 
aided in reclaiming this for the purpose of civili- 
zation and was the advocate of all progressive 
measures that he believed would prove of benefit 
to the county. Henry D. Hill has one sister 
living, Mrs. Sarah Harris, who is a resident 
of Lima. 

Henry D. Hill acquired his education in the 
schools of Lima and was reared to farm work, 
early gaining a practical knowledge of the best 
methods of cultivating the fields and earing for 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



371 



the stock. In early manhood he rented his 
father's farm, eoutinuiug its cultivation until 
1879, when he purchased land and has since 
owned a farm, the development and improve- 
ment of which has claimed his attention for 
many years. He has, however, made his home 
in Lima for twenty years, taking up his abode 
there in order to educate his children. His farm 
comprises one hundred and twenty acres of good 
land and is situated in Hancock county. In 
Lima he has one acre of ground and a good resi- 
dence. At his town home he has a tine orchard 
and al-so an excellent apiary, containing two 
hundred hives of bees, and these yield to him a 
large amoiuit of honey, which finds a ready sale 
on the market. 

On the 3d of June, 1866, "Sir. Hill was married 
to iliss Adelia Leeper. a daughter of Samuel 
and Laviua Leei)er. l)oth of whom were natives 
of Ohio. ^Irs. Hill has one sister, 'Sirs. Belle 
Ott, who is li\dng in Denver, Colorado. Unto 
our sub.jeet and his wiie have been born seven 
children, four sons and three daughters : Hai'ry, 
who was born ]\Iareh 1, 1867, married Effie Wood- 
worth and lives upon his father's farm in Han- 
cock county: Willie A., born NoA'ember 6, 1871, 
married Mint Meyers and lives in Ursa town- 
ship : Lee, born July 2, 1875, died Febi'uary 7, 
1895 : Albert, born December 1, 1878. is with his 
brother at Ursa : Edward, born August 2. 1880, 
is at home: Bertha, born June 2. 1884, is attend- 
ing school in Quiney: ilary, born February 3, 
1887, is at home and completes the family. 

The parents and two of the daughters are mem- 
bers of the ^lethodist Protestant church. Mr. 
Hill gives his political allegiance to the demo- 
cratic party and has served in several township 
offices. He was commissioner of highways sev- 
eral years, was assessor for some time and has 
been a member of the school board for a number 
of years, and in the discharge of his duties has 
ever been prompt, faithful and imtiring. His 
life has been an active one and his prosperity is 
due to his earnest labors. In all his dealings 
he has been straightforward and honorable and 
thus he has gained the respect and confidence of 
his fello'muen. A resident of Adams county for 
more than sixty years, he has, therefore, wit- 
nessed much of its development and gro\rth and 
has taken .just pride in what has been accom- 
plished. 



DAVID F. WILCOX. 



the west bv his parents in 1S58, the family home 
being established in Jauesville, Wisconsin, where 
his father, Daniel Wilcox, engaged in the news- 
paper business as publisher of the Jauesville 
Gazette. Later he became the publisher of the 
Milwaukee Sentinel, and in January, 1874, re- 
moved to Quinc}', becoming the publisher of the 
Quiney Wliig. He died in May, 1878. At that 
time David F. Wilcox and his brother, Chester A. 
Wilcox, succeeded their father as publishers and 
propi'ietors of the Quiney Whig, being thus 
connected with the paper until July 1, 1898, 
when they sold to the Whig Company. David F. 
Wilcox was appointed postmaster of Quiney, in 
July, 1899, and is still filling the office. 



ZAL^^RTNXA :\IORTON. 



David F. Wilcox, postmaster of Quiney under 
appointment of Presidents ^McKinley and Roose- 
velt, was born in Harford IMills, Cortland county. 
New York, October 27. 1851, and was bi-ousht to 



Althoiigh Zalmunna ilorton has passed the 
seventy-fifth milestone on life's .journey he is 
yet a "hale and hearty man. actively interested 
in farming operations in Adams county, where 
for many years he has carried on agricultural 
pursuits." gaining success through his diligence 
and honorable effort. He was born in Cincin- 
nati. Ohio, September 24, 1830, and is descended 
from ancestors who came to America on the May- 
flower. His grandfather was a native of Ply- 
mouth, Massachusetts, and espoused the cause 
of the colonies at the time of the Revolutionary 
war, rendering valiant aid in winning the in- 
dependence of the nation. He became a success- 
ful contractor and builder and in an early day 
in the development of Cincinnati, Ohio, estab- 
lished his home there and assisted materially in 
its early upbuilding and progress. He became 
well known throughout that locality, where he 
spent his remaining days, and was a loyal mem- 
ber of the :\Iethodist Episcopal church. 

Zalmunna IVIorton, Sr., the father of our sub- 
ject, was born in ilassachusetts and was one 
of a family of five children. In his youth he 
worked at the mason 's trade with his father and 
was associated with him in contracting en- 
terprises in Cincinnati. In 1848 he established 
his home in Quiney. where he spent the winter, 
and then purchased two sections of land in Gil- 
mer township, after which he turned his atten- 
tion to agricultural pursuits which he carried 
on extensively. In whatever he undertook he 
prospered, owing to his close application, keen 
business sagacity and unfaltering enterprise. As 
his financial resources increased he made judi- 
cio^is investments and became the owner of valu- 
able property in Cincinnati. He i.iarried Clar- 
issa jMarshall. who Avas born in New Jersey and 
with her pai-ents removed to Cincinnati. His 
death occurred when he was fifty-two years of 



372 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



age, and his wife passed away in 1852. They 
were members of the ilethodist Episcopal ehurcli 
and were held in the warmest rei;ard by all who 
knew them. Their family numbered six chil- 
dren. 

Zalmnnna ]\Iorton spent the days of his youth 
in his native city and attended its piiblie schools. 
Followinir the removal of the family to Adams 
county he began life on his own account as a 
farmer of (Jilmer township, whci-e he resided 
for eight 3'ears. 

In 1860 he purchased one hundred and sixty 
acres of land in section 21, Honey Creek town- 
ship, and as the years passed he extended the 
boundaries of his farm by additional purchases 
bi;t later divided M'ith his children. He has 
always been a i)rogressive and enterprising agri- 
culturist, cpiick to adopt new methods which 
promise to prove of practical value and benefit. 
He has used the best machinery in cultivating 
his farm and he has excellent buildings upon 
his place, keeping all of them in good condi- 
tion and repair. 

]\Ir. ]Morton has been married three times, J\liss 
Sarah Byler becoming his first wife in 1855. She 
was a representative of one of the old pioneer 
families of this county, her father, John Byler, 
having settled in IIo2iey Creek township at an 
early day. He was born in Hawks county, Ten- 
nessee, April 29, 1708, and received but limited 
educational privilege, for there were no free 
schools in his district at that time. He was 
reared to farm life and he also worked in a 
tannery for six years but his love of nature 
caused him to return to agriciiltural pursuits. 
He remained in his native locality nntil thirteen 
years of age, M'hen he removed to Indiana and in 
1835 he visited Missouri and Illinois, looking for 
a favorable location, where he could find good 
prairie land for farming pursuits. He decided 
to establish his home in Honey Creek township 
and became a leading and enterprising farmer of 
that locality. The land at the time of his ar- 
rival, however, was not in the market and he re- 
turned to Tennessee for his family, coming again 
to Adams coiinty the following year. He then 
purchased his farm and began its improvement, 
paying three dollars per acre for the property. 
This fai'm to-day is worth eighty dollars per 
acre. He made jmi-chase of three hundred and 
twenty acres and afterward added to the proper- 
ty until he had four hundred and fifty acres. 
He was married twice and had fourteen children. 
He was called to fill a number of local offices 
and was prominent in community affairs, as- 
sisting materially in the pioneer development 
of the county and in its later progress. He was 
a beneficiary to the church, a friend to the poor 
and needy, and was a man of unquestioned 
integrity. He died at the age of eighty years. 



His daughter, Mrs. ^lorton, departed this life 
in 18()5, leaving three children ; John W., Joseph 
II. and Silas Z.. all of whom are now married and 
are leading and successful farmers of Adams 
county. 

In 1868 Mr. ^Morton wedded Lydia E. Laugh, 
who was born in Ohio and died in 1878, leaving 
three children : Elmer, Wesley and Annie. For 
his third wife ^Ir. ^Morton chose Olive A. Allison, 
who was born in Clermont county, Ohio, July 13, 
1858. Her parents were William and Hannah 
(Titus) Allison, the former a native of Pennsyl- 
vania and the latter of Ohio, in which state they 
were married, coming thence to Illinois when 
Mrs. Morton was young. By his third marriage 
our subject has five children, namely : Grace 
E., Edwin L., Clara 0., Arthur C. andll. Pearl. 
The parents are members of the Methodist Epis- 
copal church, in which Mr. Morton has served 
as deacon and in the work of which he takes an 
active and helpful part. His political support 
is given to the democratic party and he has filled 
local offices in a most capable and trustworthy 
manner. He is a gentleman of sterling worth, 
connnanding the confidence and good will of all 
who know him and during his residence in Adams 
county he has been classed with its honored 
pioneer settlers. 



WILLIA.AI HENRY CHANNON. 

William Henry Channon, a representative of 
industrialism in Quincy who ha.s been actively 
associated with various manufacturing and com- 
mercial concerns, was born in Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania, in 1844. His father, William V. 
Channon, was a native of Devonshire, England, 
and came to the United States in early manhood, 
locating in Philadel[ihia. He was a paper-maker 
by trade. The year 1848 witnessed his arrival in 
Illinois and he established his home in Quincy in 
August. After some time he became connected 
with the foundry business, engaging in the man- 
ufacture of stoves in this city. He instituted 
the Channon Emery stove foundry in 1881, but 
had been identified with the stove business from 
1S54. During one summer he also engaged in 
the manufacture of brick in St. Louis. As the 
years advanced his business expanded under his 
capable control and enterprise and he became 
an active factor in the manufacturing interests of 
the city. His death occurred in 1893 when he 
was eighty-one years of age. He was a trustee 
of the First United Congregational church, and 
was a warm-hearted supporter of the republican 
party. Prior to the foundation of that party he 
voted for John P. Hale, the abolition candidate 





-d.^.AW>-^^ 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



375 



for president. Zealous and earnest as a champion 
of any cause that he espoused, he rendered etifee- 
tive aid both to the church and to the political 
or^ranization and his co-operation was counted 
upon as a valued factor for the promotion of 
many interests for the general good. His busi- 
ness career, too, demonstrated his ability and 
furnishes an example well worthy of emulation, 
for though he met obstacles and difficulties he 
overcame these by determined and resolute piir- 
pose and gradually worked his way upward imtil 
he had acquired a handsome competence. He 
married Elizabeth Haj-Avard. who was born in 
Devonshire, England, and was married there in 
1835, coming with her husband to the United 
States. They spent their fii-st summer in con- 
ducting a dairy in the state of Delaware, not far 
from Philadelphia. They were the parents of 
three children, but only the sub.ject of this sketch 
is now living. 

William Henry Channon was but four years 
of age when brought by his parents to Quincy. 
He obtained his education in the public schools 
and in a private school, in which he was a student 
for two years, and later he engaged in teaching 
for three months in Pike county, Illinois. He 
then returned to Quincy and in 1863 went to 
Nashville, Tennessee, whei'e for about five montlis 
he was employed in the quartermaster's depart- 
ment under Captain Stewart. On the expiration 
of that period he returned to Quincy and for a 
year occupied a clerical position in the post office. 
In the fall of 1865 lie entered the services of Pope 
& Baldwin, dealers in agricultural implements, 
conducting the first establishment of the kind in 
Quincy. Mr. Channon was a faithful represen- 
tative of that house until 1873. when he formed 
a partnership with S. W. Park, who had been 
traveling salesman for the firm. They besan 
business on their own account and were thus 
engaged until January. 1879, when I\Ir. Channon 
entered the services of the Comstock Castle Foun- 
dry Company as shipping clerk, con- 
tinuing with that house for two years. 
When the Channon Emery Stove Com- 
pany was incorporated, his father being one 
of the principal stockholders, he became shipping 
clerk and bookkeeper and thus continued imtil 
1897, when he withdrew from the active manage- 
ment of the business in order to participate more 
largely in the conduct of the business of the 
Empire Light and Power Company. Of the 
latter he was chosen president and still continued 
to hold the office of secretary of the Channon 
Emery Company, which is his present relation 
with that house" In the fall of 1897 the light 
and power company was sold to the Quincy Gas 
and Electric Company. Three or four years later 
Mr. Channon became interested in the business of 



the Snow-Schmiedeskamp Company, manufac- 
turers and dealers in incubators, fixtures and 
poultry supplies; also manufacturers of a steel 
range body. This concern was incorporated in 
1902 with ^Ir. Channon as president. The plant 
is a yoTing and growing one and the company is 
doubling its business fr*om year to year. Its 
offices are located at 210-212-214 North Fourth 
street and the business has already reached ex- 
tensive and profitable proportions and has won 
a place among the leading productive industries 
of Quincy. Mr. Channon is a man of resource- 
ful business ability, activity and enterprise, and 
in addition to his other interests he is also secre- 
tary of the Quincy Fruit and Produce Com- 
pany, incorporated, making a specialty of the 
shipment of apples by the carload. 

In June, 1868, occurred the marriage of Wil- 
liam Henry Channon and Sarah Taylor, who was 
born in i\Ielrose, Massachusetts, in 1845. Her 
father, Shubael L.Taylor, was a furrier and com- 
ing to Quincy in 1861 here carried on business 
in that line and also conducted a tannery. He 
likewise extended the scope of his powers, con- 
ducting a wholesale saddlery and hardware busi- 
ness. Unto Mr. and jMrs. Channon were born 
three children : Harry 0., superintendent of the 
Quincy Gas and Electric Company : Cora E., who 
is prominent in musical cii-cles and is now mak- 
ing her home in Colorado Springs, Colorado ; and 
Grace, who is with her parents. 

Mr. and ilrs. Channon are leading and in- 
fluential members of the Baptist church. He 
has for many years been very active in church 
work, is now chairman of the board of trustees, 
senior deacon and superintendent of the Sunday- 
school, acting in the latter capacity since 1869. 
He is one of the oldest members of this church 
now living in Quincy and is deeply interested 
in everythinfT that tends to promote the growth 
and extend the influence of the denomination. 
He is moderator of the Bapti.st Association of 
Illinois, president of the Baptist Young Peoples' 
Union, chairman of the missionary committee, 
treasurer of the Bapti.st General Association of 
Illinois and for a number of years has been a 
member of the State Young Peoples' Union and 
al.so of its board. 

His political allegiance is given to the repub- 
lican party and he served two terms as alderman 
of the seventh ward. As a business man he has 
been conspicuous among his associates, not only 
for his success, but for his probity, fairness and 
honorable methods. In everything he has been 
eminently practical and this has been manifest 
not only in his business undertakings, but also in 
liis church work and in his social and private life. 
His activity in business has not only contributed 
to his individual success, but has also been an 



37t 



i'AST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



active factor iu the dcvcloiMijcnt of the city and 
his labors alona' othci' lines have njilield its legal 
aud moral statns. 



AMOS GREEN. 

Amos Green, deceased, was one of the notable 
fi.o-nres in the history of Quincy, so controlling 
his bnsines.s interests as to contribute in large 
measiu-e to the substantial development of the 
city and co-operating so earnestly and eifectively 
in its public movements for the general good that 
for years yet to come the city will enjoy the bene- 
fit of his efforts. There was in him a strong in- 
dividuality, a weight of character, a far-sighted 
discernment that made him a, natural loader of 
men and one who wielded a wide influence and 
yet had never sought the power that comes 
through political preferment, content to do his 
duty to the public as a private citizen. It was, 
however, the character of the man that so en- 
deared him to his friends. Wliile the extent and 
success of his business operations made him one 
of the central tigures in the financial historv of 
Quincy. it was his i-eliability that won him the 
uni|nalified confidence of those with whom he had 
dealings, his consideration for others that gained 
him respect and confidence, his kind, charitable 
spirit ajid ready sympathy that brought him ad- 
miration and love. 

The life record of Amos Green eovei'ed eighty- 
six years. He was born in Wriglitsville, York 
county, Pennsylvania, December 10, 1815, a son 
cf George and Elizabeth (Elliott) Green, who 
were also natives of the Keystone state, having 
been born iu Chester county. The father was of 
English descent, the founder of the family in 
America being Robert Green, who emigrated from 
England at the outbreak of the Revolutionary 
war and had some share in tlie imposing history 
of that period. The family home of George Green 
was upon the bank of the Susquehanna, and there 
Amos Green spent th(^ da>-s of his boyhood and 
youth, receiving a limited education, such as was 
afforded by the public institutions of learning at 
that time. When he had put aside his text-books 
he learned the carpenter's trade and thus became 
([ualified to enter the business world as an artisan. 

l\lr. Green moved to Mississippi, but came in 
contact with the worst side of slavery, which made 
liim antagonistic to that peculiar institution of 
the south, and, after staying a short time in that 
state, he left for the north. 

Attracted by the opportunities of the west, 
where competition was not so great, but where 
there was promise of continuous growth and of 
business development, he came to Quincy, arriv- 
ing in this city in 1836, M'hen a young man of 



twenty-one >'ears. The following year his par 
ents came to the west, settling on a farm near 
Payson, and the father prospered in his agricul- 
tural pursuits there. He continued to make his 
home upon the farm until the death of his wife, 
when he came to Quincy to live with his son 
Amos aud died in this city in 1872, at the ad- 
^'anced age of eighty-six years. In the family 
were nine children, of whom Amos Green \s'as the 
eldest. 

On his ari-ival in Quincy Jlr. Green turned his 
attention to carpentering for several years. His 
laudable ambition, however, led him into larger 
UTidertakings, and in l!i41, with the capital he 
liad acquired through his earnest effort and econ- 
omy, he purchased a hardwood saAXTiiill near the 
foot of Spring street on the site later occupied 
by tlie freight depot of the Chicago, Burlinffton & 
Quuicy Railroad Company. This new undertak- 
irig not proving verv desirable, he found an op- 
portunity to make a change, and, after three 
years, established himself with his brother-in-law, 
James 1\1. Pittnuui. iu a lumberyard at the south- 
east corner of Fifth and Vermont streets. They 
remained co-partners for several years and then 
dissolved, Mr. Green starting another lumberyard 
on his own account at the southwest corner of 
Fifth and Broadway and later on moving to the 
llorth^^•est corner of Maine and Sixth streets. For 
more than twenty years he was actively and sue- 
cessfnlly identified with the lumber interests of 
the state, at one time operating quite extensively 
in Chicago. 

V man of resourceful business ability, as oppor- 
tunity afforded he extended his eft'orts into other 
lines, ind many enterprises that have proved of 
direc* commercial and financial benefit to Quincy 
have been fostered or promoted through his labor-s 
iW'i. co-operatio!a. His name, too, became closely 
associated with railroad building in the middle 
west. Ill lSr)2 he entered into a partnei'ship with 
AVilliam Shannahan and Samuel Holmes for the 
construction of the Iron JMountain Railroad, now 
one of the ' -ading lines entering St. Louis from 
the southwest. This venture proved profitable 
and w(ir: for ^Ir. Green a place among the fore- 
nicst busines" men of the Mississippi valley. Fol- 
lowing the close of the Civil war there arose a 
(lisiMission concerning the feasibility of building 
a railroad from Quincy west to the Missouri river, 
aci'l ^Ir. Green became deeply interested in this 
enterprise. It was called the Quincy, Missouri 
Pacific Railroad, and the work of construction 
was soon begun, but was abandoned before the 
line had been completed to its original destina- 
tion ; in fact, for a number of years the history 
of tlie road was that of adversity. There were 
many changes in the ownership and at one time 
the line was the property of Jay Gould. How- 
ever, it reverted to the original O'WTiers and be- 




AMOS GKEEX 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



379 



came known as the Quincy, Omaha & Kansas City 
Railway. Mr. Green continued with the road 
much of the time, putting fortli every effort pos- 
sible to place it upon a reliable tinaucial basis 
and iiiriiself sinking forty thousand dollars in 
the em er prise, as did a number of his associates. 
Ill 188fc), however, he became the vice president 
and general manager of the road, and, after it 
had again come into possession of the original 
owners, he remained as the active head of the 
road until it was purcha.sed by the (Jilman syndi- 
cate about 1893. At that time ]Mr. Green retired 
to pi-ivate life, giving his attention only to tlie 
supervision of his invested interests. lie had 
keen discernment in business affairs, and the un- 
failing energy which he manifested when a car- 
penter's apprentice continued with him through 
life, being one of the basic elements in his suc- 
cess. It is true that one of his railroad enter- 
prises did not prove profitable, bixt his other busi- 
ness ventures netted him a handsome return, 
Uiaking him one of the wealthy men of Quincy. 
I;i an aeeouni of his death which a|)peared in one 
of the local papers was the following statement : 

"In The Journal of Friday, September 18, 
1900, in the wi'iteup of the business men's excur- 
sion over the O. K. line, the following paragraph 
appeared : 

" 'A touching feature of this tour along the 
O. K. line were the many kind incpiiries made for 
Ainos Green. How the peoj^le along the road love 
that dear old man ! To-day they would carry him 
aroiind in their arms, if he would go over there. 
After all. Amos Green is the heroic figure in the 
history of that railway line. He really is the 
father of that road. How he spent his money 
for it ! How he planned for it ! IIow he worked 
for it ! How he struggled foi- it ! Into that road 
Amos Green put his very life. Through every 
vicissitude he stuck to it : he faced every storm 
that struck it. and hung on. All honor to the 
old hero I Little he knows about the store of love 
that exi.sts for him along the line of the old 
Quincy, Missouri & Pacific' '' 

In early manhood — in the year 1841 — Amos 
Green was imited in marriage to Elizabeth Mc- 
Dade. a daughter of John McDade, a native of 
Kentucky, who removed from that state to 
Quincy. Six children were born of this marriage, 
of whom three are living : George, who married 
IMargaret Thompson and is engaged in the lum- 
ber business in Chicago : Mrs. Mary P. Kelsey, 
who resides in Denver. Colorado, and has one 
son, Charles Burtis. living in Chicago ; and 
Emma, the wife of E. A. Allen, of Chicago, by 
whom she has one son. Amos Green. In April, 
1859. ^Ir. Green was called upon to mourn the 
loss of his first wife, and several years later he 
was joined in wedlock to Susan F. Riddle, who 
was one of the first white children born in Adams 



county, her father being Ebenezer Riddle, who 
came from Kentucky to this county in 1829 and 
settli.'d in the village of ilendon. It was on the 
15ih of January. 1901, that ilrs. Susan Green 
pass.'.} away. They had one daughter, Mrs. Ella 
a. ^I'.Us. viho resides in Quincy, and has two 
ehiidi-eu, Agnes and Kenneth Loekwood. She 
now occupies her father's old home, a large and 
beautiful residence at No. 505 North Eighth 
street. This was one of the first residences of 
Quincy and was built by i\Ir. Green in what was 
then the middle of a cornfield, he having to cut 
away the corn in order to have space on which 
to erecL the house. 

Mr. Green passc-v', awaj- on the 27th of October, 
1901. He was called one of Quincy 's "best loved 
citizens," for his personality had endeared him 
to the hearts of all with whom he came in con- 
tact. His life record covered a long period and 
was mai-ked by the utmost usefulness and honor. 
In his later years, although he retired from busi- 
ness cares, he did not lo.se his deep interest in 
IHiblic affairs and kept thoroughly informed con- 
cerning the affairs of the city and country. He 
had an infectious smile and kindly greeting for 
all and we.s one of those people who shed around 
them muchof the sunshine of life. One who was 
louf IV.miHar w^itli his history and Avho knew him 
well said of him: "He was a person of imposing 
appearance and was a striking figure in any 
group. He stood over six feet in height and in 
his i)ri)ne was a broad-shouldered giant. In his 
later days his facial resemblance to William 
Ewart Gladstone, the grand old commoner of 
PJngland, was striking. But, though large of 
frame, ilr. Green was tender and kindly in na- 
tnre and would gladly temper justice with mercy. 
In every sense in v\hich the term may be used 
he was a splendid citi>.en — a clean-spirited, great- 
hearted, honest American." 



SAilUEL PARLOW. 



Samuel Farlow, living on section 27, Camp 
Point township, is one of the pi-ominent business 
men of Adams county, successfully carrying on 
farming and stock-raising interests. He is the 
owner of very valuable tracts of land, while 
three hundred acres are comprised within his 
home place, which is a valuable and well im- 
proved farm, adjoining the corporate limits of 
Camp Point. Mv. Farlow, moreover, is num- 
bered among the pioneer residents of Adams 
county, for he has made his home within its 
borders since 1843. He is a native of North 



PAST AND PRESENT ()F ADAMS COlNTY. 



Carolina, liis hirth liaving occurred in Randolph 
county, April IS, 1836. His father, AVilliani 
Farlow, was also a native of that county and 
was there reared to manhood. After arriving 
at years of maturity he married Verlinda 
Walker, also a native of North Carolina, and in 
18-t-3 he came with his family to Illinois, settling' 
on the farm now owned and occupied by his son 
Samuel. He was the owner of four hundred and 
eighty acres of land and reared his family on 
the (lid homestead, becoming one of the leading 
and enterprising agriculturists of his com- 
munity. Ih' spent his last days here and died 
suddenly in 1S')X. His widow, long surviving 
him, died in September, 19U2, at the venerable 
age of eighty-eight years. 

Samuel Farlow belongs to a family of six 
sous and four daughters. While a young lad 
of seven lu^ was hi-nught to Adams county and 
reared to manhnod on the old family homestead, 
and in the cdmiiion schools acquired his educa- 
tion. Reading and ob.servatiou have also broad- 
ened his knowledge and he has gained much 
valuable information iu this way since attaining 
his majority. He worked on the farm until 
after he had reached mature age and was then 
engaged in the liote! and livery business for 
seven years. < »ii the cxiiiratinn of that period 
he located on a rarni Udrlli of Camp Point, C(m- 
timiing ils rultivaticm fur several years and 
also engaging in raising, leeding and shipping 
cattle and hogs. In ISCi; lie took up his abode 
upon the old homestead and liere erected a large, 
neat two-story frame I'csiilcnce. He has further 
improved the place and it is n )v, a valualile 
farm, attractive in its a|i|ieai"niee. Air. Fai-low 
was engaged in the purk-packing business at 
Quincy. eontiiniing in that line for twenty-five 
years. At the same time he superintended the 
"farm and carried (in the stock business. 
Being a man of much energy, determina- 
tion and business foree, .Mi-. Farlow started 
out with a farm of about two hundred 
and forty aci-es and as his tinancial re- 
sources iiici-eased he extendetl the boundaries of 
his place until he now has three hundred acres 
in the old homestead and altogether his hnuh.'d 
interests amount to nearly eight hundred acres. 
This is vei'v valuable hnid, making him one of the 
substantial citizens ol' Adams county. 

Mr. Farlow was married in Ohio, in 1858, to 
Miss Rebecca Van Gilder, a native of that state. 
There were ionr children born of this union 
but two died in infancy. The living are : Mrs. 
Hezekiah Henry, who is assistant cashier of the 
People's Bank of Camp Point; and J. Addie, the 
wife of Jerome Christie of Quincy. Mr. Far- 
low was married again in Camp Point township, 
in 1864, his second union being with Mrs. Jeru- 



sha Smith, a native of Indiana, who was reared 
and educated in jMissouri. There are three 
children by this union : Fred, who is married and 
resides upon a farm in Camp Point township ; 
Katie, a yoimg lady at home, and Walter W. of 
Chicago. 

Politically .Mr. Fai'low has been a lifi^-hmg 
rt'iiubiican. lie cast his first presitleiitial ballot 
for Abraham Lincoln, in 186tX and has voted for 
each nominee at the head of the ticket since 
that time. His wife is a member of the Presby- 
terian church and he belongs to the Jlasonic 
fraternity, being the oldest living member of 
the lodge at Camp Point. He is well known in 
(Quincy, and largely throughout the state, as a 
successful business man and stock' dealei'. He 
has a yovy wide acquaintance in Adams county, 
where he has nuide his home for sixty-two yeai's, 
and is familiar with the histoiw of this part of 
the state from the time of its early pioneer de- 
veloi)ment to the present. 



IIIRAAI BLIVEN, 



llii-am Hliven, farmer and threslii'i-. who for 
forty-four years has engaged in the operation 
of threshing machines in Adams county, resides 
on section 20, Burton township, and upon this 
fai-m he was born February 26, 1843, his parents 
being Samnel C and Mabel jM. (Wheeler) Bliven, 
both natives of Renssalear county. New York, 
born in 180!t. The family name is of English 
origin. On leaving the Empire state the father 
removed to Pennsylvania, where his three oldest 
children, Mary J." McVey, Albert and William 
II., wei'e born, and in the '30s he came to Adams 
county. Illinois. His son William, who enlisted 
in the Seventy-eight Illinois Infantry, was killed 
in the battle of Chickamauga. Albert was a mem- 
ber of the One Hundred and Eighteenth Illinois 
Volunteer Infantry and was wounded in a skir- 
mish but recovered and is now living north of 
Barry, Pike county, Illinois. Jefferson was a 
member of the Eighty-fourth Illinois Infantry 
and died during the war at Louisville, Kentucky, 
his remains being brought Inick to Adams county 
for interment. The other members of the family 
tire: Rachel, who married John W. Eppley and 
died in 1875, while her husband is also deceased ; 
Matilda, wife of John J. Gray, a jeweler of Chi- 
cago; Hiram; Charles T., who was left a farm by 
his father but sold out ; Alice, wife of George 
Abel, a retired farmer living in Quincy; Esther, 
wife of William EUermyer, a farmer near New- 
ton, Adams county. 

Hiram Bliven pursued his education in Bur- 
ton and left school at the age of nineteen years, 
after which he turned his attention to farming. 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



3«i 



He also be-raii threshing and is to-day the oldest 
representative of the business in Adams county 
in years of continuous connection therewith, for 
he has been threshing for forty-four years. The 
first machine which he used was an Alton and he 
has had successively a Rice & Swartz. Nichols & 
Shepherd, Buffalo Pitts, Sweepstake, Minnesota 
and Belleville. He is now the owner of one 
hundred and twelve and a half acres of land, 
worth seventy-five dollars per acre. 

ilr. Bliven was married, in 1862. to 'Shuy H. 
Sehwabel. a native of Quiney. Her father was 
born in Germany and came to Illinois about 
1834, settling in Belleville, where he was married, 
meeting his wife while worlving on a farm in that 
neighborhood. IMr. and ]\Irs. Bliven have become 
the parents of twelve children, of whom ten are 
living, Annie, the first, having died in infancy, 
while the second died unnamed. The surviving 
sons and daughters are : William F., who mar 
ried Anna Hagenbaum and lives in Quiney, is a 
carpenter and stone-mason, now acting as fore- 
man in Worst Stove store : Esther is the wife of 
Herman Zeh, a stone-mason of Riverside; Effie 
is the wife of Edward Zeh, a farmer living with 
her father; Samuel G. is a liveryman of Denver, 
Colorado; George A., married Annie Rowsey, of 
Newtown ; Hiram and Arthur a.ssist in the opera- 
tion of the home farm ; and Eleanora, Mary M. 
and Milo G. are at home. 

Mr. Bliven is a republican in his political views 
and has served as road commissioner. His wife 
belongs to the Lutheran church. He has in his 
posse.ssion a madstone which came from the JMi- 
ami river in Ohio, and has been in the family for 
seventy-five years, people coming from all over 
the United States to have it applied. In his busi- 
ness atfairs ]\Ir. Bliven has been quite success- 
ful and he has a wide accpiaintauce in the county 
by reason of the work he has done as a thresher. 
He has made good use of his time and opportuni- 
ties and is now in eomfortabli" financial circum- 
stances. 



GEORGE BAITiHilAN. 

George Baughman, decea.sed, wa-s the pioneer 
carpenter of the city of Quiney and contributed 
in so large a measure to the substantial im- 
provement and upbuilding of the city that no 
hi.story of Adams county would be complete with- 
out mention of his career. He settled here in 
March, 1838, and in the field of his chosen oc- 
cupation did much for early progress here, 
erecting many of the first buildings. He was 
born in Baltimore county, ^Maryland, in 1813, in 
the house in which Ids father's birth had oc- 
curred. His mother was also a native of Balti- 



more county. The parents were farming people 
in Maryland throughout their entire lives and 
George Baughman was there reared iipon the 
home farm. The educational advantages which 
he received were sucli as were afforded by the 
common schools of that locality and when only 
a> boy he went to the city of Baltimore to learn 
the carpenter's trade, serving his regular ap- 
prenticeship. Having mastered the business, he 
afterward worked as a .journeJ^nan for some time. 

Following his marriage ilr. Baughman re- 
moved to Quiney, where he began working as 
a carpenter. He assisted in building the old 
Quiney House, one of the fir.st hotels of this 
city, and later entered into partnership with ilr. 
Littlefield, with whom he erected many of the 
substantial early buildings here. Subsequently 
their basiness i-elations were discontinued and 
in 1860 Mr. Baughman formed a partnership 
with Mr. Hauworth. with whom he was con- 
nected for several years. He then received an 
appointment to act as superintendent of the 
construction of the new courthouse of Adams 
county and to this work directed his energy. He 
continued a representative of the builder's art 
in Quiney until in his later years he retired 
from active business life, enjoying a well earned 
rest until he was called to his final home on the 
12th of January, 1894. 

Before leaving Baltimore ilr. Baughman was 
married to iliss Sarah Kreis, a native of that 
city, where her parents had located at an early 
day. Both her father and mother died there. 
]\Ir. and ilrs. Baughman became the parents of 
ten children, of whom six are yet living. Samuel 
K. Baughman, the eldest, was married to Lavina 
Simpson, who died at Camp Point, Illinois, in 
1890. He afterward wedded Helen V. Roe.seh- 
laub, and they now reside with his mothei'. He 
is one of the old and prominent railroad men of 
this city and is uow filling the office of postal 
clerk on the Chicago. Burlington and Quiney 
Railroad, having a regular run between Quiucy 
and Kansas City. He is well known and popu- 
lar among the railroad men ou his line and is 
one of the trusted employes in the postal ser- 
vice, in which he has had long experience and 
has given excellent satisfaction by reason of his 
promptness and capability. Henry J. is married 
and lives at Denver, Colorado. Jlrs. Emily A. 
King is a resident of Quiney. William E. J. 
Baughman resides in Sacramento, California, 
and is secretary of the Merchants and Mechanics 
Savings Bank. Elizabeth is the wife of Mel- 
ville Clark and resides in Chicago. Those de- 
ceased are Charles, Laura, Alice and George, 

In early life Mr. Baughman gave his political 
support to the whig party and joined the re- 
publican on its formation and continued as one 
of the earnest advocates until his death. He held 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



several niiiKir offircs but. preferred to give his 
attentiou to his l)usiness interests. He always 
took a deep and heliiful interest in church work 
and both he and his wife were members of the 
Congregational church of Quiney. He Avas one 
of the honored pioneers of the city and evidences 
of his handiwork are still seen in some of the 
older and more snl)stantial buildings here. He 
was a man faithful to every trust reijosed in 
him whether of a public or private nature and 
his genuine worth gained him warm friends. 
Quincy benefited by his eiforts in her behalf and 
his name should be inscribed high on the roll 
of leading citizens of Quincy who are now num- 
bered with the lionored dead. His widow and 
son still reside at the old family home at No. 
623 Jersey street, which was built by Mr. Baugh- 
man in 1846 and is one of the landmarks of 
the citv. 



CICERO F. PERRY. 



Cicei'o F. Perry, of Quincy, was born near 
Springfield, Sangamon county, Illinois, Jan- 
uary 22, 1855, and was reared in Hancock 
and McDonough counties. July 15, 1880, 
he was united in marriage with Rebecca K. 
Morey. They moved the same year from Colches- 
ter to Quincy, where ]\Ir. Perry was employed 
several years as telegraph operator and assistant 
train dispatcher. In 1884, Mr. and ilrs. Perry 
moved to California, but returned to Quincy the 
next year. Mr. Perry was police magistrate of 
Quincy from 1886 until 1891, from wliich latter 
year till 1903 lie was engaged in daily newspaper 
work. In the fall of 1903 ho bought a controlling 
interest in The Quincy Optic, a weekly family 
newspaper, of which he has since then been the 
editor and manager. Mr. Perry is an associate 
historian of the "Past and Present of the city 
of Quincy and Adams County, Illinois." Mr. 
and Mrs. Perry have two children, namely : ]\Iiss 
Grace ]\largaret Periy and ^Master Ralph George 
Perrv. 



AVILLTA:\1 II. DeGROOT. 

On the roster of county olTicials in Adams 
coianty appears the name of William II. DeGroot, 
now serving as county supervisor after four 
yeai's spent in the same office in the capacity of 
deputy surveyor. Tie was born at Long Branch, 
New Jersey, in 1832. His fathei', John DeGroot, 
was a native of New York and a farmer by occi;- 
pation. Emiai-ating westward he became one 
of the pioneer settlers of Adams county. Illinois, 



locating in (Quincy in 183(). The following year 
he took up his al)ode upt)n a farm in Northeast 
township, where he continiied to reside until 
his death. He prospered in his i^ndertakings 
in the west and as his financial resources in- 
creased he added to his property until at the 
time of his demise he had over seventeen hun- 
dred acres of land. He was a consisti'ut mem- 
ber of the Christian church and in politics wa.s 
a democrat. He filled the office of supervisor 
and other local positions and was a man of firm 
conviction, of sterling integrity and of strong 
will power. He commanded the uniform con- 
fidence and respect of those with whom he was 
associiited and he lived a long, useful and honor- 
able life, passing away in 1889 at the age of 
eighty-one years. In. early manhood he wedded 
Margaret Harvey, who Avas born in New York 
and died in 1882 at the age of eighty-one years. 
They were the parents of seven children, of 
whom William IT. was the second. His twin 
brotlier died when fourteen years of age and 
five of the family are yet living. 

AVilliam PF. DeGroot acquired his early edu- 
cation in the common schools of Adams county 
and afterward enjoyed the benefit of instruction 
in the Jlount Washington Collegiate Institute 
of New York city and also in Eastman's Business 
College of Poughkeepsie, New York. His edu- 
cation completed, he entered a counting hoTise in 
New York city, where he remained until 1856, 
in which year he was married and then came to 
Northeast township, Adams county, Illinois, 
where he turned his attention to farminsj-, fol- 
lowing that pursuit continuously for forty-six 
years or until 1902. He was an enterprising 
agriculturalist, never dilatory in his work and 
from the time of his early spring planting until 
after crops were harvested in the late autumn 
he gave careful attention to tlie work of the 
fields and thus secured a good return for his 
labors. Since his retirement from the farm he 
lias made his home in Quincy. He was appointed 
deputy county surveyor by Edward C. Wells 
and F. L. Hancock. In 1904 he Avas a candi- 
date for county surveyor, E. A. Grummond be- 
ing his opponent on the prohibition ticket and 
the only other candidate in the field. He is now 
serving in the office, with the duties of which 
he had become familiar during his incumbency 
as deputy. He has filled a number of local of- 
fices, acting as supervisor, assessor and in other 
positions in his town.ship. He held the position 
of supervisor of Northeast township for six 
years, resigning upon his removal to Quincy. 
In politics he is a strong Bryan democrat. 

In 1856 Mr. DeGroot was married to Miss 
Anna C. Beach, a daughter of Elijah and Helen 
(Clark) Beaeh. She was lioi-n in New York in 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



385 



1835 and by lier marriage beeame the mother of 
two children : Charles A., who died iu 1886 ; 
and Fred B., a practicing physician of Rock Is- 
land, Illinois. The parents are members of the 
Christian church and are highly esteemed iu the 
community wliere they make their home, having 
many warm friends in the city and throughout 
Adams county. 



ALBERT P. GAY. 



Prominent among the energetic, far-seeing and 
successful business men of Adams county is the 
subject of this review. Integrity, activity and 
energy have been the cro^^^liug points of his 
success and his connection with various business 
enterprises and financial interests has been of 
decided aid to this section of the state, promoting 
its material welfare in no uncertain manner. 

]Mr. Gay was born in Camp Point to^vnship, 
December" 31, 1840. His father, Vixon P. Gay, 
was born in iluskingum county, Ohio, and was 
descended from English ancestors, who settled 
in the state of JNIaine about 1630. There were 
three brothers that came to the new world at that 
time and one established his home in ^Massachu- 
setts, the second in North Cai'oliua. while the 
ancestors of Albert P. Gay beeame residents of 
the Pine Tree state. 

Vixon P. Gay came to the west in 1837 and was 
numbered among the pioneer residents of Illinois. 
He was hei'e married to Liddy Abigail Knight, 
a native of ]\Iaine. and a daughter of Captain 
George Knight, an old sailor who followed the 
sea for a long period, spending a number of years 
on the Atlantic ocean. At length, however, he 
removed from the sea coast and took up his abode 
in Illinois. 

Vixon P. Gay purchased land and eventually 
owned in this county three hundred and twenty 
acres, becoming a prominent and well-to-do ag- 
riculturist. He reared his family and spent 
his remaining days here. He held various local 
offices of honor and trust, serving on the first 
county board of supervisors and in other public 
offices, wherein he demonstrated his loyalty to 
the general improvement. He was twice mar- 
ried and his first wife died November 5, 1852. 
His death occurred September 20, 1877. 

Albert P. Gay is the oldest of a family of 
two sons and one daughter. His brother. C. V. 
Gay, is a business man of Camp Point, and the 
sister, ilrs. Sophronia A. ]McGill, is living in 
Bowen, Illinois. Albert I'. Gaj- was reared on 
the old home farm and his educational advan- 
tages were those offered by the district schools. 
He pursued his studies iu a little log school 
house such as was common at that time, but he 



possessed a nature ambitious for intellectual de- 
velopment and by reading and observation he be- 
came a well informed man. In this manner he 
prepared for teaching and followed that profes- 
sion for five or six years. He possesses intel- 
lectual talent and worked for years at the car- 
penter's and .joiner's trade. 

On the 20th of April, 1865, IMr. Gay was 
united in marriage in Adams county to Miss 
Harriet L. Strickler, who w^as born in this county 
and is a daughter of W. A. Strickler, one of the 
eai'ly and prominent residents of this part of the 
state. 'Sirs. Gay was reared and educated in 
Adams county and possesses superior business 
qualifications, as well as social attractions and 
has been a faithful companion, helpmate and ad- 
visor to her husband in his business transactions. 
They located on a farm in Houston township, 
yiv. Gay securing a tract of eighty acres of raw- 
land there. This he broke and transformed 
into productive fields. He built substantial 
buildings and good fences and added all modern 
equipments as his financial resources permitted. 
He later bought more laud and owns over two 
hundred and forty acres, carrying on his farm- 
ing operations for a quarter of a century. He 
also raised good grades of stock and was the 
first farmer of that township to own a herd of 
Jersey cattle. In 1888 he retired from the 
farm and removed to Camp Point, where he 
built a neat and substantial residence on Noi'th 
Ohio street. Since locating in this city he has 
been engaged in the banking business, being for 
a time a representative of this line of activity in 
Camp Point. He assisted iu organizing the 
Bowen Bank at Bowen, Illinois, and is also a 
stockholder in the ]Mendon Bank and likewi.se 
has an interest in another bank. On the organi- 
zation of the Camp Point ]\Iutual Insurance 
Company he beeame one of its original stock- 
holders and a director and has served as jaresi- 
dent, secretary and treasurer of the company. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Gay was born one sou, Otho 
N. Gray, who was born in Houston to^vnship, 
June 26, 1862. He is well educated and is a 
man of good business ability. At one time he 
was engaged in the jewelry business at Camp 
Point and for a year was iu the same line at 
Chicago, bvrt later .sold his store iu the latter 
city and returned to Camp Point. He is now 
assistant cashier of the ilendou Bank, iu Meu- 
don, Adams county. He was married in Camp 
Point to Gertrude .\nua Ogle, who was reared 
and educated in Adams county. 

Politically Albei't P. Gay has been a life-long 
republican, always supporting the party since 
casting his first presidential ballot for Abraham 
Lincoln in 1864. He was elected and served for 
two years as supervisor and was a member of 



386 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



the honorary comity board. lie was identified 
with the edneational interests of tlie eonnty from 
the time he left the old sehoolhou.se as a student 
and became a teacher. lie was a member of 
the school board for two terms and has always 
been deeply interested in whatever has tended 
to promote the intellectual progress and develop- 
ment of this part of the .state. He and his wife 
are members of the Christian church at Camp 
Point, in which he has served as elder for many 
years. As a pioneer reside.iit, one who has 
spent his entire life in Adams county he has 
witnessed much of its growth and development. 
He is a man of tried integrity and worth and he 
and his estimable wife are nmch esteemed in the 
community. He has made an untarnished record 
and unspotted i-eputation as a, business man. In 
all places and under all circumstances he is 
loyal to trutli, lionor and right, .justly valuing 
his own self-respect as infinitely more than 
wealtli. fame and positiini. 



O. H. BROWNING. 



Orville PI. Browning, one of Quiney's most 
ilUi.strious citizens, eminent lawyer, state legis- 
lator, congi-essman, United States Senator, 
cabinet minister, and especial friend of Lin- 
coln, was born in Kentucky, Feb. 10, 1806, 
and died at his home in Quincy, Illinois, Aug. 
10, 1881. Mr. Browning received his educa- 
tion in his native state, where he was admitted 
to the bar, and Avhence in 1831 he came to 
Quincy, with whose history he was henceforth 
identified until his death. 

At the meeting of the Quincy Bar Associa- 
tion to take action on his death, of which meet- 
ing Gen. James W. Singleton was chairman, 
the resolution read thus: "Mr. Browning pos- 
sessed those rai-e (jualities of mind and heart, 
bright intellect, deliberate judgment, profound 
and varied learning, quick eomi^rehension, 
vivid and lofty imagination, clear insight into 
human character, tender regard for the rights 
of others, reverence for justice and law, sym- 
pathy for the suffering and charity for all, that 
would have distingui.shed him as a remarka- 
ble man in any age and in any country. With- 
out the aid of college, university or patrimony, 
he attained a po.sition in his profession second 
to no one of his time. For half a century, he 
was a distinguished lawj^er, and for the later 
twent.y-five years of that time, by the univer- 
sal accord of his associates, stood fir.st at the 
bar of Illinois and without a superior in the 
nation. As lawyer, legislator, and cabinet min- 



ister, he ranked among the foremost men of 
the century." 

Jan. 6, 1882, at a meeting of the Illinois 
State Bar Association, of which Mr. Brown- 
ing was president at the time of his death, 
Hon. Chas. B. Lawrence, said in the course of 
his memorial address on Mr. Browning: 

"After his admission to the bar he might 
have commenced what, no doubt, would have 
been a brilliant career in Kentucky, but he 
was decided in the conviction that slavery was 
an incubus iipon the prosperity of the state, 
and that his professional life should begin 
elsewhere. Influenced by this conviction he 
left Kentucky in 1831, and established him- 
self at Quincy, Illinois. 

"Of course he was obliged to go through 
that experience which so many of us have rea- 
son to remember in our own lives — the bitter 
experience which comes in various forms to 
a youthful lawyer who opens, for the first 
time, his modest office in a land of strangers 
with little money in his pockets, and wonder- 
ing every morning how long he will be able to 
keep the wolf from the door. But the hope 
deferred which maketh the heart sick was not 
long the experience of Mr. Browning. His 
handsome face, his fine person, his frank man- 
ners, united to a consciousness of intellectual 
powers and a conviction of final success, made 
his way smooth and his progress rapid. 

"Within a very short period after his settle- 
ment in Quincy, he and Archibald Williams, 
who had preceded him from Kentucky by two 
or three years, were the undisputed leadei's 
of the bar in that portion of the state. 

"He w^as a man of such large and even de- 
velopment of talent that he was fitted to excel 
in any department of the law. Whether deal- 
ing with the technicalities of common law plead- 
ing, the refined justice of courts of chancery, 
or the unforseen difficulties and pitfalls of a 
jury trial on either the civil or criminal side 
of the court, he was always at home, and, as 
far as could be said of any lawyer, 'Master of 
the situation.' At that time there were men of 
uncommon power at the bar of central Illinois. 
Confining myself to the mention of the dead, I 
call back to your memory Archibald Williams, 
Cyrus Walker, Stephen A. Logan, Edward 
Baker, Abraham Lincoln and Mr. Browning, 
a noble array of legal talent. It could not be 
truthfully said of any one of them that he 
dominated the others, but I think it may be 
fairly claimed for Mr. Brow-ning that while 
one of these distinguished lawyers may have 
excelled him in one point, and another in an- 
other, yet he surpassed them all in the many- 
sidedness of his intellectual power and devel- 
opment. 




O. H. BROWNING 



PAST AND PKESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



389 



"His power over a jury was very great. He 
never spoke above the heads of the twelve 
men iii the box. His object was not to com- 
mand the admiration of a critical bystander, 
but to win the verdict. And he did win it 
oftener, I think, than any lawyer at the bar. 
Thoiigh bearing himself with a rather stately 
manner, he was kind and courteous to his 
brethren, and especiall.y so to those just en- 
tering upon their professional career. We may 
well cherish his professional fame as that of 
a brother who has done lis honor." 

In sketching Mr. Browning's service in the 
state senate and the unpopularity of his course, 
Mr. Lawrence said: "I have referred to this 
matter not only because it was his first appear- 
ance in public life, and illustrates the wise so- 
briety of his judgment, but because it also 
illustrates a quality in his character of which 
our public men have far too little, but which 
he possessed in an eminent degree. I refer to 
his calm and absolute independence of popular 
clamor and prejudice, when his judgment told 
him that the path of duty lay athwart the pub- 
lic will. At whatever sacz-ifice of popular fa- 
vor, he would be true to his own convictions. 
This was the jewel of his character in public 
life. 

"There had long been an intimate friendship 
between Mr. Lincoln and Mr. Browning. They 
believed each in the other. There was always 
a gentle touch of affection in the tone of Mr. 
Lincoln's voice as, in the old library room of 
the supreme court, from his seat by -the stove, 
he would call to Mr. Browning to quit working 
at his brief and come and have a talk. 

"Mr. Browning did all in his power to se- 
cure the nomination of Mr. Lincoln in 1860, 
and his success afterwards at the polls, when 
the newly-elected president came to make up 
his cabinet — as difficult a piece of political 
joinei'y as ever a president had — he consulted 
freely with Mr. Browning and was desiroiis 
that he should himself become a member, as 
attorney general." 

Hon. Isaac N. Arnold, in presenting the reso- 
lution of the Illinois State Bar Association be- 
fore the supreme court of the state, says: 

"It would be interesting to follow ilr. 
Browning in his brief but brilliant career 
through the senate. 

He took his seat by appointment of Gov- 
ernor Yates as a successor to Douglas on the 
Fourth of July, 1861, and was succeeded by 
Richardson, who was elected by the legislature 
and took his seat on the 26th of January, 1864. 
Disregarding the eiistom usually followed by 
new members, Mr. Browning took an active 
and conspicuous part in the discussions from 



the beginning. The great topics growing out 
of the war, slavery, confiscation, emancipation, 
finances and the policy of the president were 
the subjects of constant and most earnest de- 
bate, and upon which he spoke with great 
ability. He spoke and voted in favor of ex- 
pelling from the senate Polk of Missouri and 
Bright of Indiana for disloyalty. He met in 
these great debates PoAvell of Kentiicky, 
Bright of Indiana and Saulsberry and Bayard 
of Delaware, and was, I think, fully their 
equal. 

"He was recognized as an especial friend of 
Lincoln, and as one who was as likely to ex- 
press the sentiments of the executive as any 
man in the senate. 

"His social relations at the White House 
were very intimate. I remember at the time 
of the illness and the death of Mr. Lincoln's 
son Willie, Mr. Browning stayed at the White 
House like one of the family. 

"Let it then be recorded in history and in- 
scribed on the granite which shall rise above 
the remains of Browning as they repose on the 
banks of the mighty river which murmurs by 
his grave: 

" 'Here rests the ever faithful, ever true, 
ever efficient friend of Abraham Lincoln.' " 

Mr. Browning was a member of the Illinois 
House of Representatives for two years, and 
of the state senate four years, ran for Congress 
against Stephen A. Douglas in 1843 and 
against William A. Richardson in 1852. was 
appointed United States Senator in 1861, on 
the death of Douglas, and was succeeded as 
senator by William A. Richardson. In 1866 
Mr. Browning was appointed secretary of the 
interior by President Johnson, which position 
he filled until the inauguration of President 
Grant. 

Mr. Browning erected thi'ee dwellings in 
Quincy, each of which he occiipied. The first 
was a log cabin, which stood on the south side 
of Hampshire street, at the northeast coi'ner 
of what is now St. Boniface school yard. His 
second dwelling was the mansion just north of 
St. Boniface school, near Seventh and Hamp- 
shire streets, which was destroyed by fire in 
1904, being then occupied by the Conservatory 
of Music. The third residence erected by Mr. 
Browning was at Eighth and Sycamore streets, 
the spacious house and grounds and improve- 
ments costing about ,^50.000. The property 
was bought and occupied by the late Henry F. 
Joseph Richer, after I\[r. Browning's death. 

Among the people of Quincy, his home for 
half a century, to the general admiration and 
esteem for Mr. Browning, there was added the 
feeling of warm personal regard and afliection 



39° 



PAST AND PT?P:8EXT OF ADAIMS COUNTY. 



for liis lovable and beautiful tiaits of charac- 
ter, so well known to his neighbors and friends. 
Mr. and Mrs. Browning were noted for their 
hospitality, and their home was often crowded 
with guests, including many distinguished per- 
sons. They had no children of their own, but 
had an adopted daughter, whose marriage Avas 
not fortunate. Mrs. Browning, nee Eliza Hick- 
man, was born near Richmond, Madison Coun- 
ty, Kentucky, in October, 1807, and died in 
Quincy. Januai'y 23, 1885. 



CHRISTIAN II. AUJIANN. 

Christian H. Aumann, deceased, whose busi- 
ness identification with Quincy, covering many 
years, made him one of the representative men 
connected with its trade relations, was born in 
Hanover, Germany, July 9, 1835, his parents 
being I\Ir. and ^Mrs. Henry C. Aumann, both of 
whom were natives of Germam-. They came to 
America in the '50s, settling in Quincy, but they 
were not long permitted to enjoy their new home 
for both died soon afterward. 

Christian H. Aumann acquired a good educa- 
ti<^!i in the schools of his native country and en- 
tered upon his business career as an underwriter 
in the king's court in Hanover, being in the ser- 
vice of many prominent men there. He was 
thus engaged until he emigrated to the new 
world. Attracted to this counti\y through the 
favorable reports which he heard concerning its 
business conditions and opportunities for ad- 
vancement, he landed in New Orleans and made 
his way direct up the river to Quincy. Here 
he began learning the tailnj''s trade and M- 
lowed it for some time as a jourueyinan. He 
was employed at different places for a few years 
and afterward turned his attention to handling 
ready-made clothing, opening a clothing stoi-e 
in the jiublic s<|uare in Quincy. He conducted 
the business until about 1860, when he sold out 
and accepted a jiosition as cutter for the gov- 
ernment at the beginning of the war. making 
suits for the soldiers. He was thus enijiloyed 
for a year, when he again entered the clothing 
store. After a brief period, however, he sold 
out and turned his attention to the saloon busi- 
ness, purchasing the old Jo Adams saloon, which 
he conducted with success until 1886, when he 
once more disposed of his business and then 
joined his son-in-law, Mr. Barnard, in establish- 
ing and conducting a photographic gallery, Mr. 
Aumann continued in that business for a year 
or up to the time of his death, which occurred 
in July, 18S7. 

Mr. Aumann wedded Jliss Amelia Smith, a 
native of New York city, born May 7, 1836, 



and n daughter of Frederick Williaui and Fred- 
cricka, ( Keis) Smith, both of whom were natives 
of ^Vurtemburg, Germany. He was also a tailor 
by trade and after crossing the Atlantic to the 
new world worked at his trade in New York 
city until 1841. He then removed to Wheeling, 
\N'^est Virginia, and opened a grocery and cloth- 
ing store, which he conducted until 1844. In 
that year he arrived in Quincy, bringing with 
him his stock of clothing and here he embarked 
in business. However, he largely worked at his 
trade to the time of his death, which occurred 
in 1859. His wife also passed away in this city. 
Mr. and Mrs. Aumann were the parents of three 
children: Clai-a, the widow of Fred Barnard, 
is now employed in the Duker dry-goods store 
and nuikes her home with her mother, Mrs. Au- 
mann. She has three children. Ora is the wife 
of Allen Schuntz, a resident of Chicago, who is 
employed as a salesman in the Marshall Field 
dry-goods store. Alwiii Arthur dii'd at the age 
of three weeks. 

Mr. Aumann voted with the republican party 
and socially was connected with the Ancient 
Order of United Workmen, the Masrinic frater- 
nity, the BreAvers Association and the Turner's 
Society, all of Quincy. He was a member of 
the German Lutheran church and always was 
a leader in the musical circles of the church, 
possessing a fine voice that rendered him a fa- 
voi'ite not (mly as a church singer but also in 
social circles. His life w-as characterized by 
marked industry and in all of his biisiness deal- 
ings he was successful. He was very prominent 
among the German people of Quincy and proved 
a worthy son of his native land and of his adopt- 
ed country as well. Mrs. Aumann and her 
da,ughter are members of the Presbyterian 
church of Quincy. She owns a nice residence 
at No. 515 North Thii'd street, whei-e she and 
her daughter reside. 



CHARLES W. LINN. 



Charles AV. Linn, who is conducting a black- 
smith and wagon-making shop in Ijil)('rty. was 
born in this place, February 28, 185:i. His 
father, Amos J. Linn, is a native of Indiana, 
boi'H December 5. 1836, and was brought to 
Illinois in ISlll. the j(mrney being made across 
the country in wagons. The family located in 
Hancock county and in 1841 came to Adams 
county, their home being established about two 
and a' half miles east of Columbus. There Amos 
J. Linn remained until 1857, when he was mar- 
i-ied and came to Liberty. He wedded Angle C. 
Caldwell, who was lioi'n ncnr Cini'innali. Ohio, 
and came to Illinois with her pai'cnts. They 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



391 



made the trip liy way of the water route, pro- 
ceeding down the Ohio and up the ^Mississippi 
rivei's to Qniney. The niarriasie of ilr. and 
Mrs. Linn was blessed with six children, namelv : 
Charles W. : Ida May, the wife of E. S. Graff, of 
Plainville : James A., who is living at Camp 
Point. Illinois; Rolla E., a resident of Qniney; 
Eva Blanch, now deceased ; and Elsie W.. tlie 
wife of W. E. Plowman, of Quincy. 

Mr. Linn act(uired his early education in the 
public schools of Liberty and afterward attended 
school at Abingdon. Illinois. When his educa- 
tion was completed he returned home and en- 
gaged in fai-ming for a time with an nucle, but 
after a year, desiring a still better preparation 
for life's practical and responsible duties, he 
entered the Gem City Business College, which 
he attended in 1877-8. Later he went to Great 
Bend. Kansas, where he remained for a short 
time and following his return to Liberty he 
learned the trade of blacksmithing and wagon- 
making, which pursuits he has since followed, 
still conducting a shop of his own, in which he 
has acquired a good patronage becau.se of his 
excellent workmanship and reasonalile prices. 
On the 29th of Deeemlier. 1880, ;\Ir. Linn was 
married to iliss Priscilla Naylor, a daughter of 
Mr. and ilrs. Samuel Naylor. of Carthage, 
Illinois, who were among the pioneer residents 
of Adams county, coming to this part of the state 
sixty years ago. Unto ilr. and IMrs. Linn have 
been born eight children: Gertrude D.. who is 
the wife of Edward Husaken. of Quincy; David 
H.. who is living in ]\Iarion. Illinois: Jennie C, 
Sanmel A. J., Angle G.. Carl W.. and A. Fay, 
who are all at home. 

iMr. Linn exercises his right of franchi.se in 
support of the men and measures of the republi- 
can party and keeps well informed on the ques- 
tions and issues of the day so that he is able to 
support his position by intelligent argument. 
He is a member of the Independent Order of 
Odd Fellows, belonging to the lodge at Liberty, 
and is also a member of the Presbyterian church. 
He is a worthy representative of a pioneer family 
and his own commendable characteristic also en- 
title him to representation in this volume. 



ja:\[es t. ruddell. 



James T. Ruddell. who is numager of the 
Ursa Creamery Company, was born November 
4, 1855, and is a son of J. M. and iMartha A. 
(Dunlap) Ruddell. the former a native of Bour- 
bon county, Kentucky, and the latter of ilercer 
county, that state. His parental grandfather. 
Stephen Ruddell, removed from Kentucky to 
Pike countv, iMis.souri, in 1817, and in 1829 he 



came with his family to Adams county. Illinois, 
settling in Ursa. 

J. il. Ruddell. the father of our subject, ac- 
companied the family on their removal to Mis- 
souri and later to Illinois. He was reared to 
farm life, early becoming familiar with the 
duties and lalnu's that fall to the lot of the auri- 
eidtnrist. He entered land from the govern- 
ment on section 18, Ih-sa township, and after 
living on that place for a short time removed 
to section 16. Later he bought land on section 
I, where he and his wife resided for half a 
century, spending their la.st days upon that 
farm. It was in 1832 that he married Miss 
^lartha A. Dunlap. whose parents removed from 
Kentucky to Callaway county, iMissouri. in 1826 
and soon afterward came to Adams county, 
Illinois. Unto ;\lr. and ,Mrs. Ruddell were born 
eleven children but only three are now living: 
^largaret R.. who was born November 22. 1838, 
and married Jacob W. Wiester ; George H., who 
was born May 2, 1810. and was married in 1866 
to Josephine Featheringill ; and James T.. of this 
review. Those deceased are William D., and 
John D., who were both soldiers of the Civil 
war. the fonner dying in 1884 and the latter in 
1877; Mary C, who died in 1898: and five who 
died in infancy. The mother of these children 
died April 28, 1896, and the father survived her 
only three nsonths, passing away on the 25th of 
August of the same year. He was an elder in 
the Christian church for about forty years and 
officiated at many funerals. At his death he 
left one brother. Dooley Ruddell. who passed 
away shortly afterward. 

James T. Ruddell was born on section I, Ursa 
township, and remained thei-e until the death of 
his father. No event of importance occurred 
to alter the routine of farm life for him in his 
youth, attending the public schools and working 
in the fields when not busy with his lessons. He 
was married December 20, 1876. to iliss Sarah 
E. Jenkins, a daughter of William A. and Rachel 
(Price) Jenkins, who came to Adams county at 
an early date. She "was born November 30, 1858, 
in this county, and has four brothers and one 
sister living: Charles Jenkins, who resides at 
Marcelline : William, who is living in Lima town- 
ship : J. M., who is living at Marcelline; Jlrs. 
Martha Orr, a resident of Lima township ; and 
Harry, who makes his home in California. Mr. 
Jenkins died in July, 1894. and his wife died in 
ilay. 1900, both passing away on the old home- 
stead farm. 

James T. Ruddell continued to engage in 
farming until his father's death and then re- 
moved to Ursa, where he conducted a store for 
two years. For several years he has been 
manager of the Ursa Creamery, and as an enter- 



392 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



pi'isiiig business man has huilt u|> a good trade 
hei'e and has made this one of 1he in-ofitable en- 
terprises of the town. 

Unto ilr. and Blrs. Ruddell have been born 
five children : Charles A., who was born in Oc- 
tober, 1877, and was married, in December, 1898. 
to iliss Loiiise Andrews, is now living on a farm 
in Ursa township and his two children, James D. 
and Eunice. J. ^I.. born in September. 1880, 
married Edith Smith and is now engaged in mer- 
chandising in T'^rsa; Frank, born in December. 
188-t. ilaggie, born in November, 1889, and 
]\Iartha, born in April, 1897, arc the youngei' 
members of th(^ family. 

Politically, Mr. Ruddell is a democrat, be- 
lieving in the principles of the party. He has 
held the office of assessor for nine years, collector 
for four years, and has eontinuouslj' served as 
school director since he attained his majority 
with the exception of a bi-ief period of one year. 
Pie has been vei-y loyal to the public interests 
entrusted to liis care and his official recoi'd is 
above reproach. He belongs to several fraternal 
organizations, being a member of the ^Modern 
Woodman camp No. 995; the Court of Honor; 
and the :Marce]line lodge No. 127. I. 0. 0. F. ; 
and he is a past noble grand of the last 
named and has twice been i-epresentative to the 
grand lodge. lie and his wife are members of 
the Christian <'hureli. with which they liave 
been identified from early life. They have a 
fine home in Ursa, noted for its generous hos- 
pitality, and their circle of friends is very ex- 
tensive. In his business career Mr. Ruddell has 
advanced steadily and the success which he now 
enjoys is due entirely to his cajiablo manage- 
ment and his busiiK'ss al)ili1\'. 



IIER:\r\N IIEIDBREDER. 

Herman lliMdlnvdcr, known as the "south side 
banker." has been conncctecl with the business 
interests of Quiney i'or a half century, and his 
record ha,s been such as any man niiglit l)e proud 
to possess. Labors crowned with success and 
business methods that have gained him an un- 
tarnished name, have been the salient features in 
a career that is well worthy of emulation. 

]\Ir. Heidbreder was liorn on the 7th of ]\Iarch, 
1842, upon a farm in thi' vicinity of Herford, 
Westphalia, Gernnuiy. he licing one of a family 
of eight sons and one daughter. In 1852 the 
parents came with their family to America, set- 
tling at Quiney, and a month later the father 
|)urchased a tract of land covered with a dense 
growtli of timber. This land, then about a mile 
south of Quiney, now l)orders Twelfth street. 



(Jn it the father erected a small house, which was 
soon occupied by the family. There he and his 
wife and three of their sons died within a brief 
[)ei'iod ui three months. 

Herman Heidbreder was then but a youth and 
up to this time had remained with his parents, 
a.ssisting them, in as far as possible, in the work 
of the home fai-m. AVhen but ten years of age 
he drove an ox team for about three months and 
was very proud that the work was entrusted to 
him. At the time of his parents' death C. H. 
Bastert. then proprietor of a store on State street 
and who had been appointed administrator of 
(lie cslatc, adopted ilr. Heidbreder, who re- 
mained with him until 1856, when Mr. Bastert 
sold his store, but Mr. Ileidbredi'r I'emained as 
an employe in the store through three successive 
changes in ownership, working for six dollars 
per month until I860, when he entered the em- 
jibiy of F. II. Kehlenbrink, as clerk, at thirty- 
fivi' dollars per month. This was a grocery and 
dry goods store, in which 'Sir. Heidbreder was 
employed for two and a half years, when he 
Itought out the business, on the 1st of September, 
1863. Thus he became a merchant of Quiney, 
and for twenty-seven years was thus connected 
with conuuercial jnTrsuits in the city, maintain- 
ing an unassailable reputation by i-eason of his 
straightforward methods. In 1885 he engaged 
in the real estate business at Eighth and State 
streets, and five years later, with other prominent 
men, he established the State Street Bank, which 
from the beginning has had a successful career, 
winning soon an extensive patronage because of 
the reputation which ]\Ir. Heidbreder has always 
sustained in the business connuunity. He has 
continuously served as cashier, and his executive 
force has been an imj^ortant factor in the .suc- 
cessful control of the enterprise. 

In October, 1866, ]\Ir. Heidbreder was married 
to Jliss Anna Jumker, a niece of F. II. Kehlen- 
brink. his former employer. They became the 
parents of seven children. William, the eldest 
son, is assistant manager and director of the Gem 
City Foundry ; Clara is the wife of H. C. Sprick, 
])art owner and assistant cashier of the State 
Sti'eet Bank: Walter and Harry are engaged in 
ch'rking in the liank; ^Minnie aiul Alma are at 
home ; and Arthur is at :\lidlan(l ( 'olh-gc at Atclii- 
son, Kansas. 

An interesting event in the life of Mr. Heid- 
breder was his celebration of the fortieth anni- 
versary of the commencement of his business 
career, held on the 1st of September, 1903, at 
which time he held a reception for all his old- 
time patrons who were still living. There were 
thirty i)i'esent, their average age being seventy- 
seven years and five months. After an appropri- 
ate address by ]\Ir. Liese and a response by Mr. 
Heidbreder, l^hev all talked ovei- old times whili' 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAJIS COUNTY. 



395 



partaking of a bountiful repast, and it proved a 
most enjoyable occasion to all. 

Deeply interested in public affairs relating to 
the welfare and progress of Quincy. IMr. Heid- 
breder has given support to measures for its ma- 
terial upbuilding and its intellectual and moral 
progress. He is one of the directors of the public 
library and was one of the founders of the Young 
Men's Christian Association, of which he has 
served as a director for many years, contributing 
most generously toward the erection of its fine 
building on Ninth and State streets. One of his 
salient characteristics has ever been his deep in- 
terest in young men and the helpful attitude 
which he maintains toward them. He is always 
ready to counsel or advise them when his opin- 
ions are sought, and to many he has given more 
substantial assistance, remembering the unfavor- 
able conditions of his own youth, when, without 
capital or friends, he had to start out to make 
his own way in the world. His life record is a 
splendid commentary on the fact that labor- 
persistent and honorable — will eventually win 
success, and such a course also develops a char- 
acter that commands uniform respect and ad- 
miration. 



JOHN S. CRFTTENDEN. 

John S. Cruttenden, who is engaged in the 
real estate and loan business, has through ex- 
tensive operations contribiited in large measure 
to the material improvement of the city of 
Quincy, which is the place of his nativity, his 
natal day being February 8. 1858. His parents, 
J. Smith and Frances (Noakes) Cruttenden, 
were natives of England, whence they came to 
the new world, establishing their home in Quin- 
cy, where they now reside. 

John S. Cruttenden pursued his education in 
the public schools of this city and entering iipon 
his bu.siness career at the comparatively early 
age of thirteen years was for four years in the 
employ of Biukert Brothers, grocers. He spent 
the succeeding year in the service of the firm 
of Kingsbury, Blasland & Company, wholesale 
dealers in boots and shoes and when but nine- 
teen years of age he accepted a position as 
deputy county treasurer, continuing in the of- 
fice for five years. He was then elected county 
treasurer in 1882 for a term of foxu- years, being 
the only republican elected on the county ticket 
that year, his majority being 1698. This fact 
certainly indicates in unmistakable measure his 
personal popularity and the confidence reposed 
in him by his fellow citizens. 

In the same year of his election to office he en- 
tered into partnership with Anton Binkert and 
John J. Siepker. under the firm name of 



Binkert. Cruttenden & Siepker. They began 
dealing in loans and real estate and de- 
veloped a constantly growing business, with 
which jMr. Siepker was connected until fovir 
years had passed, when he retired. The firm 
of Binkert & Cruttenden had continuoiis 
existence until 1897, after which Mr. Ci'ut- 
tenden was alone until August, 1898. He 
was then joined by Gustave A. Bauman under 
the firm style of Cruttenden & Bauman, a rela- 
tion that has been maintained until the present 
time. Theirs is mostly a real estate and loan 
business and they have negotiated many im- 
portant realty transfers which have contributed 
to business activity and have had direct bearing 
upon the permanent improvement of the city. 
In the placing of loans IMr. Cruttenden has also 
conducted a business of considerable extent and 
importance. He has been interested in building 
several additions to the city, including the 
Binkert & Cruttenden addition, Riverview, 
Lawndale. Park Place, Walton Heights, Lin- 
coln Heights and Poling and Cruttenden 's 
first and second additions. Thoroughlj' in- 
formed concerning realty values, with ready 
recognition of business possibilities com- 
bined with an earnest desire for the city 's sub- 
stantial improvement as well as his individual 
success, he has so operated that his labors have 
been a factor in Quincy 's growth and develop- 
ment and in the beautifying of various residence 
portions. He is a director of both the Gem 
City Building Association and the Rieker Na- 
tional Bank. 

On the 14th of December. 1882, :\Ir. Crutten- 
den was married to iliss Anna A. Williams, the 
eldest daughter of John II. and Rebecca (Wal- 
ton) Williams, of Quincy. They have one son, 
John W., ancl^they occupy an attractive home on 
the corner of I\[aine and East avenue. 

Mr. Cruttenden is a communicant of St. 
John's Cathedral, the leading church of the 
Episcopal diocese and socially he is connected 
with the Royal Arcanum and the Benevolent 
Protective Order of Elks. Politically he en- 
dorses republican principles and has for two 
terms represented the fifteenth congressional dis- 
trict on the board of equalization and has been 
elected for a third term. Active in the manage- 
ment of the political interests of the county he 
is now serving as a member of its centr-al com- 
mittee and his opinions carry weight in the 
party councils throughout this portion of the 
state. He has been the promoter and sup]iorter 
of various public enterprises, was one of the 
organizers of Graceland cemetery and his prom- 
inence in the business circles of Quincy is in- 
dicated by his election to the presidency of the 
chamber of commerce in IMa.y, 1904, as successor 
to J. W. Emerv. Entering business life when 



396 



PAST AND rUESEXT OF ADAMS COIXTY 



Imt thirteen yeai's of aizc witlsout special tinn\- 
ifieations for any particular line of endeavor 
he has carved out ;iii lionorahlc name and place 
for himself, winning' success that classes him 
with the leading' representatives of the business 
life of his citv. 



ALBERT HUGHES. 

Albert Hughes, -who is now one of the most 
venerable citizens of Adams county, now 
lives at Ursa, is ninety-five years of age, 
and until about the last two years remained 
actively engaged in business. He was for many 
years a leading agriculturist of his township, and 
his well-managed farming interests brought to 
him .success. He was born in Jefferson county, 
Kentucky, January 20. ISIO, a son of Robert 
and Elizabeth (Strother) Hughes, the former cf 
Scotch descent, born May 21, 17C9, and the latter 
of Welsh lineage, born about 1774. They were 
born, reared and married in Culpeper county, 
Virginia, and soon after their marriage removed 
to tlie vicinity of Louisville. Kentucky, where 
Mr. Hughes was engaged in farming. The mem- 
bers of the family were as follows: Benjamin, 
born July 15, 1795 ; Sarah, who was born Z\Iarch 
19, 1797," and married George Howard; Nancy, 
who was born December 15, 1798, and became 
Mrs. Applegate ; John, born September 4, 1800 ; 
Drueilja, born June 2, 1802 ; Lorenzo, who was 
born July 17, 1805, and married Elizabeth 
Wright; Covington, born December 15, 1806; 
Minerva, born April 18, 1808 ; Albert, born Jan- 
uary 20, 1810; Adelaide, born September 12, 
1811 : Azarias, born April 24, 1813 ; Robert, born 
September 10, 1815 ; Eliza, born August 14, 1820 ; 
and one that died in infancy. 

Albert Hughes practically received no oppor- 
tunity for acquiring an education in school — a 
fact which he has always regretted— but in the 
school of experience he has gained many valuable 
lessons. He removed from Kentucky to Jeffer- 
sonville, Indiana, when that was a pioneer dis- 
trict, and in 1835, when twenty-five years of age, 
he came to Illinois, settling in Ursa township, 
Adams county, in the spring of that year. Here 
he raised one crop and then returned to Indiana, 
where he was soon afterward married. In the 
spring of 1836 he retui-ned by boat to Quincy 
and again took up his abode in Ursa township, 
where he has since remained. He began farming 
on about one hundred acres of land, which he 
purchased at a low figure, and to this he grad- 
ually added until he had two hundred and forty- 
seven acres, part of which is now in possession 
of his son Robert, while the remainder he has 
sold. 



On the 19th of November, 1835, Mr. Hughes 
was united in marriage to jMiss Sarah Ann Tay- 
lor, a daughter of Robert and Jane (Gilliland) 
Taylor. Her parents, natives of Ireland, were 
Subseciuently they went to Kentucky and after- 
ward to Indiana, locating near Jeffersonville. 
The father was a weaver by trade. The children 
of Mr. and Mrs. Hughes are as follows: Eliza 
J., born October 29, 1836, lives with her father 
in Ursa ; Minerva, born December 7, 1838, is the 
wife of J. G. Johnson, the inventor of the shuck- 
ing peg. and a resident of Carthage, Illinois; 
Robert C, born June 11, 1841, married Mary A. 
McNay, a daughter of Andrew and J\Iary (Webb) 
McNay, and they had seven children, of whom 
six are living: Bessie, born September 8, 1867, 
is the wife of Carl P. Markwood, of Ursa, and 
unto them have been born four children : Albert, 
eleven years of age; Robert, Lydia and Ilerschel, 
aged, respectively, nine, five and two; Nellie, 
born February 22, 1869. is tlie wife of John W. 
Griines, living on a farm north of her father's 
home, and they had three children, one of whom 
died in infancy, while the others are Blanche 
and Cora Alice, aged fifteen and ten years; 
Harry B., born September 13, 1872, married 
Louisa Walker, daughter of Peter and Chri.stina 
Walker, November 29, 1893, and they have two 
children, Erling B. and Vera Viola; Lilly E., 
born August 27, 1875, died September 7, 1878 ; 
Daisy A., born September 12, 1877, Sallie E., 
born November 29, 1880, and Lucy F., born June 
20, 1886, are at home. Robert Hughes follows 
general farming, raising both stock and grain. 
He has eighty acres of land, the greater part of 
which is under cultivation, and he is accounted 
one of the enterprising farmer.s of his com- 
munity. He has held public office, having been 
road cojnmissioner and tax collector. In his 
political views he is a democrat, but at local elec- 
tions where no issue is involved he considers only 
the capability of the candidates. The family at- 
tend the Christian church. 

While rearing his family Albert Hughes re- 
sided on the old homestead, but in his later years 
took up his abode in the village of Ursa, where 
he now makes his home. In politics he has always 
been a democrat and for one term served as 
school director. Imt has never sought or desired 
office, although he has always been interested 
in the questions of the day and the progress of 
his country. He has always been an excellent 
shot with the rifle, and even in his later years his 
aim is true and his hand steady. Not long since 
he saw a rabbit out in his yard, and, calling for 
his rifle, he raised himself in bed and through the 
open window killed the rabbit. His memory 
goes back to the time when it was no unusual 
thing to see herds of deer in Indiana and Illinois 



m 



#Mfi^0^^ 




4 




ALBERT HUGHES 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



399 



and when small game was to be had in abun- 
dance. His mind forms a connecting link be- 
tween the pioneer past and the progressive pres- 
ent and he can relate many interesting incidents 
of the early days. For the past three years he 
has been a constant care, having a nurse for 
about nine months, under the direct supervision 
of his daughter Eliza, who has in her devotion 
sacrificed every pleasure in order to take care 
of her father in his last days. His mind is as 
clear as ever, he recognizing every old friend as 
they come to his bedside. In this hi.s last sick- 
ness his friends say of him : He is a man of 
strict integrity, honorable in all his transactions, 
acting always from principle rather than policy, 
generously benevolent and public-spirited, al- 
ways ready to encourage and assist any enterprise 
calculated to result in good or to advance the 
true interests of the community in which he 
lives. These qualities in which he excels, were 
characteristic of the early settlers of Ursa, and 
have left their impress never to be obliterated. 
The residents of Ursa cannot let such a man be 
taken away without the thought, Who will take 
his place? In his declining days Mr. Hughes 
and hi.s family have the sympathy of every resi- 
dent of IJr.sa. 



GEORGE S. REYNOLDS. 

George S. Reynolds is numbered amont the 
native sons of Adams county, his birth having 
occurred in ]\Iendon township, January 10. 
1866. The ancestry of the family can be traced 
back to the IMayflower. The paternal great- 
grandfather of Charles Reynolds was a native 
of Connecticut and served for seven years in the 
Revolutionary war, subsequent to which time 
he followed blaeksmithing. His son, Horace 
Reynolds, was born in East Hartfoi'd, Connecti- 
cut, January 27, 1790, and was one of a family 
of four daughters and four sons and for some 
years was the only survivor of the family. He, 
too, became a blacksmith and worked at the 
forge for a half century. Leaving Winsted, 
Connecticut, he removed to Houston, Adams 
county, Illinois, in 1835, and there purchased 
land and established his home, being one of the 
pioneer residents of that locality. Not a fur- 
ro^\■ had been turned nor an improvement made 
upon his laud, lint he soon broke the prairie and 
after turning the sod, planted his seed and in 
due course of time gathered rich crops, ulti- 
mately improving and cultivating two hiindred 
acres. The usual experiences of pioneer life 
were familiar to the family. Wolves were fre- 
quently heard howling around the cabin at 
nisrht and it was no unusual thing to see a herd 



of deer, while venison was a frequent dish upon 
the family board. Horace Reynolds reached the 
advanced age of ninety-six years, passing away 
February 5, 1883. He had been married on the 
11th of October, 1815, by the Rev. Dr. Lyman 
Beecher, to Miss Annie Culver, who was born 
in Litchfield, Connecticut, in 1792. Their mar- 
ried life covej'cd sixty-eight years and she sur- 
vived her husband two years. She held mem- 
bership in the Congregational church and was 
an able assistant to her hiisband, carefully man- 
aging the household affairs while he devoted 
his attention to the improvement of the farm 
and to working in his blacksmith shop. As the 
years passed they prospered and they always 
maintained a high position in the regard and 
esteem of their neighbors and many friends. 
In their family were ten children. 

George Reynolds, the youngest of this fam- 
ily, was born in Litchfield, Connecticut, Mai'ch 
6, 1834, and was only a year old when brought 
by his parents to Illinois. During the winter 
months he was a student in a log schoolhouse, 
which, however, in course of time was replaced 
by a neat frame structure. He learned the 
blacksmith's trade with his father and during 
the winter months followed that pursuit, while 
in the summer season his attention was given to 
the cultivation of the fields and the care of the 
ci'ops. In the spring of 1855 he formed a part- 
nership with his brother Henry for the conduct 
of a blacksmith shop and in 1860 the brother 
went to California, while George Reynolds con- 
tinued blaeksmithing for three years longer. In 
1863 he removed to Hancock county, Illinois, 
where he gave his undivided attention to farm- 
ing, having purchased one hundred and ninety 
acres of land there. In I\Iarch, 1865, however, 
he returned to Adams county and for four years 
resided near Mendon, while in 1870 he took up 
his abode in Houston township. Here he had 
four hundred and thirty acres of land in one 
body on section 4, Camp Point township, and 
three hundred and thirty -five acres of land in 
Houston township, his farm bordering each side 
of the Camp Point road that divides the two 
townships. He was also extensively engaged in 
the raising of cattle and hogs and his business 
affairs were most capably conducted. For the 
last thirteen years, however, he has lived a re- 
tired life but remained upon the farm until 
about three years ago, when, in 1902, he and 
his wife removed to Camp Point, where they now 
make their home, being among the most honored 
and respected pioneer residents of the county. 

Unto Jlr. and ilrs. George Reynolds were 
born five children, the brothers and sisters of 
our subject being John O., who married ]Miss 
Stella Kessler and lives in Houston township; 



400 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAIMS COUNTY. 



Henry II.. who married Lola, JIcAnulty and re- 
sides in Camp Point : Anna il., who is living 
with her parents: and Elodie, also at home. 

In taking' up the personal history of George 
S. Reynolds we present to onr readers the life 
record of one wlio is widely and favorably known 
in Adams county. His eai-ly educational ])rivi- 
leges wci-e supplemented by study in the high 
school at Camp I'oint, and he was reared to 
farm life, early becoming familiar with the best 
methods of cultivating the fields and caring for 
the stock. When he had put aside his text- 
books he continued to work on the home farm 
until his marriage, which was celebrated No- 
vember 25, 1891, the lady of his choice being 
Miss Artie Groves, wlio was born July 31, 1872, 
in Houston townshij), her parents being Stephen 
and Mary Jane (Campbell) Groves. Her father, 
now deceased, was at one time the owner of one 
of the pioneer farms on what is known as Big 
Neck prairie on section 30, Houston township. 
He represented one of the old families of the 
east, his grandfather, Jacob (iroves. having been 
a native of Pennsylvania, while the great-grand- 
father, John ({roves, came from Prussia to 
America, and settled in this country with Wil- 
liam Penn. fi'om whom he I'eeeivetl a grant of 
land. His home was on what is known as (Ji'af 's 
Run, in Penns.vlvania, where he lived the cpiiet 
and peaceful life of the Quaker colonist. His 
son, Jacob Groves, renuived from Peimsylvania 
to Virginia, where he follewed weaving as a life 
work and died at Reading in that state. He 
had a family of seven children, including Joseph 
Groves, whose birth occurred in Jefferson coun- 
ty, Virginia, and who was reared in what is now 
Cabell county. West Virginia, whei'e he resided 
until 1828. That year witnessed his arrival in 
Sangamon county, Illinois, and after three years 
he removed to Brown county, this state, where 
he ptirehased land and developed a pioneer fai-m, 
making it his home mitil he passed away in his 
seventy-third year. He married Catherine Sta- 
ley, also a native of Jefferson county. A^irginia, 
and descended from Pennsylvania ancestry. She 
died when fifty years of age, leaving ten chil- 
dren. 

Stephen Groves, the tliii-d of lliat family, was 
born February 22, 1818, in Cahell comity. West 
Virginia, and accompanied his pai'cnts to the 
west when a lad of ten years, traveling in an 
old-time prairie schooner drawn by horses. He 
had little opportunity to acquire an ediication 
and the schoolhouse in which he pursued his 
studies was built of logs with an immense fire- 
place in one end of the Iniilding, the smoke hav- 
ing egress through the chimney built of clay 
and .sticks. He was desirous of obtaining a good 
education and early began working that he 
might earn the means to pay his tuition in other 



schools, liowi'ver. he had the oppoi'tunity of 
attending school in Brown county for only one 
month but a scholarly old gentleman of the 
neighborhood a.ssisted him in his lessons and 
guided his reading so that he laid the founda- 
tion for broader knowledge in later years. His 
fath(^r gave him liis time when he was eighteen 
years of age on the condition that he would 
never ask foi- financial assistance from his father. 
He then left home and entered the employ of 
an uncle, living about fifteen miles from Spring- 
field, Illinois, where he worked in a distillery 
for two years. He then turned his attention to 
farm work and soon received twenty-five dollars 
per month. In 1837 he again became a resi- 
dent of Brown county, Illinois, where he en- 
tered from the govenuiii'ut oiic hundred and 
twenty acres of laud, on which he built a cabin 
and made otliei' improvements, but later left 
the farm in charge of his brother-in-law and 
went on a trapjiing expedition, joining a party 
proceeding up the Illinois river and spent the 
winter on Duck Island. They were successful 
in this venture and in the spring to<ik their furs 
on a raft to St. Louis, selling to the American 
Fur Company. A few years later Mr. Gi'oves 
exchanged his fai-m in Brown county for land in 
Houston township, Adams county, and later sold 
his interest in that place and purchased another 
farm in the same township. He at once built 
a log cabin and then, desiring a companion and 
helpmate for life's journey, he was married De- 
cember 28, 18-16, to Mrs. Nancy Stricklei-, nee 
Witt. Her first husband, Abrani Strickler, had 
ilied a few months after their marriage. Her 
father. Daniel Witt, was one of the pioneer set- 
tlers of this state. :Mrs. Groves died June 26, 
1850, and their two children, Jacob and Mar- 
tha, are still living. Later IMr. Groves was again 
married, the second union being with Mary Jane 
Camplxdl, a native of Tennes.see. born Decem- 
ber 2, 1845. Her death occurred May 20. 1884. 
There- were seven children born of this mar- 
riage : Emma ; Joseph ; John : Stephen ; Dan- 
iel : Artie ; and one who died in infancy. 

IMr. Groves continued to engage in farming 
throughout his entire business career, making 
his home on section 30, Houston township, where 
he owns six hundred and forty-four acres of land 
all in one body, and he likewise had a farm of 
forty acres in Andrew county, Missouri. He 
gave particular attention to the raising of Poland 
China hogs, which he sold for breeding purposes, 
and his shipments amounted to about two car- 
loads each winter. He was a man of excellent 
business ability, enterprise and industiy, and all 
who knew him entertained foi' liim hio-b respect 
and regai'd. Mr. (iroves j)assed away April 3, 
1904, while his wife's death oecui'n'd Mav ''0 
1884. 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



401 



Unto Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds have been born 
six children: Clyde E., born April 16, 189-1:; 
George W., born August 2, 1896; Nellie Irene, 
born September 8, 1899 ; Mary Edith, born July 
25, 1901; Mildred G., bom June 2. 1903; and 
John Stephen, born October 5, 1904. 

Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds own two hundred and 
nine acres of land and their home is located on 
section 33, Houston township, about tive miles 
west of Golden. Here J\Ir. Reynolds carries on 
genei-al farming and also raises cattle and hogs. 
His life has been quietly passed and yet he has 
displayed all the elements of good citizenship 
and sterling traits of an honorable, upright man. 
In polities he is a repiTbliean. Both Mr. and 
Mrs. Reynolds enjoy the friendship of many 
with whom they have come in contact and both 
are representatives of worthy iiiimecr families 
of this part of the state. 



URIAH H. KEATII. 



Uriah H. Keath, with one exception the old- 
est practitioner at the Quincy bar, was born in 
Jacksonville, Illinois, November 3, 1831. His 
father, Gabriel Keath, was born in Montgomery 
county, Kentucky, October 13, 1807, and died 
in 1865. He was a farmer and stock-raiser, con- 
ducting his bu.siness along progressive lines. 
He first visited Illinois in 1828, but afterward 
returned to Kentucky and it was not until 1832 
that he became a resident of Adams county, lo- 
cating at Columbus. There he i-emained until 
the spring of 1834, when he removed to Ursa 
township, where he purchased a farm, residing 
thereon until his death. There he reared his 
family and in the management of his farming 
interests he displayed good business ability. He 
was a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
chui'ch, in which he served as elder and in the 
work of which he took an active and helpful 
part. His eai-ly political support was given to 
the whig party and upon its dissolution he 
joined the ranks of the new reiniblican party. 
He married Lucinda Randolph, daughter of 
James Randolph and a cousin of John Randolph 
of Roanoke. She was born in Kentucky and it 
was in 1879 that she was called to her final rest 
at the age of seventy-eight years. Gabriel and 
Lucinda Keath were the parents of eight chil- 
dren, four sons and four daughters. 

To the public-school system of Adams county 
Uriah H. Keath is indebted for the early edu- 
cational privileges he enjoyed. In 1849 he en- 
tered McKendree College, at Lebanon, Illinois, 
and on leaving that institution in 1852 he went 



to Kentucky, where he was engaged in teaching 
school for several months. Following his return 
to Adams county, he again taught school 
for a time and tlieu took up the study of 
law in the oiRce of Archibald AVilliams and C. B. 
Lawrence of Quincy, being admitted to the bar 
on the 5th of February, 1855. He began prac- 
tice at Sigourney, Keokuk county, Iowa, and 
was thus engaged at the outbreak of the Civil 
war in the spring of 1861. He was then com- 
missioned by Governor Kirkwood as a recruiting 
officer and assisted in raising three regiments. 
He was made first lieutenant of Company F, 
Fifth Iowa Infantiy, under the connnand of 
Colonel W. H. Worthington, and a year later 
was promoted to the rank of captain in Septem- 
ber, 1862, having connnand of his company until 
nuistered out of the service on the 27th of Octo- 
ber, 1864, at Atlanta, Georgia. He served in 
all of the campaigns in Missouri under Gener- 
als Fremont, Pope, Hunter and others and dur- 
ing the greater part of his connection with the 
army was with the Fifteenth and Seventeenth 
Corps. He was in twenty-one battles, among 
which may be mentioned New Madrid, Island 
No. 10, luka, Corinth, Vicksburg, Knoxville, 
siege of Corinth, Missionary Ridge and the At- 
lanta campaign, and he did his full duty as a 
soldier, being most capable and loyal in the dis- 
charge of every task that devolved upon him. 

On leaving the army Mr. Keath returned to 
his home in Iowa, but in 1865 became a resident 
of Quincy, where he at once opened a law of- 
fice and has since practiced in all the courts. It 
was not long before he was recognized as one 
of the most prominent members of the bar of 
this county, which includes men of keen and cul- 
tured intellect. He enjoys the enviable reputa- 
tion with court, counsel and client of a practi- 
tioner scrupulously accurate in statement and 
in every action or position governed by the 
nicest sense of professional honor. 

Mr. Keath was married in 1855 to Miss Car- 
rie Turner, a daughter of Ebenezer Turner. 
She was born in Adams county, eight miles north 
of Quincy, on the 5th of January, 1836, and died 
March 19, 1889. They were the parents of two 
children : Clarence R., deceased ; and Kate, the 
wife of Rev. L. J. Duncan, now of Butte, Mon- 
tana. The family residence was at No. 1211 North 
Sixth street for thirty-five years. 

Mr. Keath is a member of the Unitarian 
church and belongs to John Wood post. No. 96, 
G. A. R. His political support is given to the 
republican party and he has exercised consider- 
able influence in political circles. He served as 
United States deputy collector of revenue under 
President Harrison, being appointed to that po- 
sition in 1889, and was assistant superintendent 



402 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



of the public schools of the coiiuty froni 1865 
until 1869. He served for several terms as ehair- 
iiian of the repiiblican executive committee of 
Adams eoiinty and has been a member of the 
state central committee. In fact his labors 
and influence have been a potent factor in mold- 
ino- the policy of his part.v in county and state. 
Ilis time and attention, however, have been prin- 
cipally devoted to the practice of law and he is 
today the oldest member of the Quincy bar in 
continuous practice with the exception of Hope 
S. Davis. He has maintained a foremost place 
amona; his professional brethren, having abil- 
ity that has gained him distinction and pres- 
tige. As a man he is of genial nature and social 
tastes and these ctualities have won him a host 
of warm and devoted friends. 



WILLIA:M ALEXANDER RICHARDSON. 

The colleague and co-laborer <(f such distin- 
guished men as Lincoln, Douglas, Browning, 
Shields, Baker, McDougall, Hardin, Williams, 
Trumbull, IMcClernand, Yates and the other mas- 
ter minds and giant intellects that shaped the 
early destiny of Illinois, William Alexander 
Richardson left the impress of his individuality 
upon the history of the state and nation and 
through many years largely aided in molding the 
public policy of this commonwealth and in guid- 
ing national issues. 

]\Ir. Richardson was the oldest child of James 
L. and Mary (Edmondson) Richardson and was 
born on his father's farm seven miles from Lex- 
ington in Fayette county, Kentucky, on the 16th 
day of Januaiy, 1811. Ilis education was ob- 
tained in the log school house, the Walnut Hill 
preparatory school, the Centre College at Dan- 
ville, and the Transylvania University at Lex- 
ington. After his junior year at this latter insti- 
tution he tai^ght a country school for one year. 
and then entered the office of Allen & Simjison 
at Winchester, where he studied law. He was 
admitted to practice before the courts of Ken- 
tucky, in March, 1831. 

Mr. Richardson came to Illinois and located 
at Shelbyville in May. 1831, and commenced 
the practice of the law. In April of the next year 
he volunteered as a ])rivate in Captain Daniel 
Price's company for the Black Hawk war; was 
appointed assistant quartermaster May 5, 1832 ; 
and mustered out of service IMay 28, 1832. 

In November, 1832, Mr. Richardson moved to 
Ruslivillo in Schuyler county, having taken a 
fancy to that locality when there as a soldier. On 
the ioth day of February, 1835, the legislature 
of Illinois elected him state's attornev for the 



fifth .judicial circuit, his oi)ponent being O. II. 
Browning. He received the highest vote of any 
of the five state's attorneys that day elected, al- 
though S. A. Douglas, J. J. Hardin, John Dough- 
erty, O. B. Ficklin and other prominent men 
were voted for. This old circuit was composed of 
the counties of Pike, Adams, Schuyler, Hancock, 
McDonough, Fulton, Knox, and Warren — Schuy- 
ler then comprehending Brown county. 

The first term of the Adams county circuit 
court that ]Mr. Richardson attended convened in 
the old log courthouse at the northea.st corner of 
Fifth and Maine streets in the city of Quincy, 
on the 11th day of September, 1835, with the 
Hon. Richard ;\I. Young on the bench. Earl 
Pierce as sheril'f, Henry II. Snow as clerk, Lor- 
enzo Bull as deputy clerk, and John Wood as 
the foreman of the grand .jury. Doubtless, too, 
that quaint old-time court habitue Mike Dodd 
was in attendance with his wiy observations and 
comments, he certainly was at the April term, 
1836, of this court when there was a murder trial 
— an early local cause celebre— when ^Iv. Rich- 
ardson was assisted by Mr. Archibald AVilliams 
in the prosecution, and Mr. J. H. Ralston by ilr. 
0. II. Browning in the defen.se — resulting in a 
verdict of guilty, after a hai'd fight. 

In the summer of 1836 Mr. Richardson was 
nominated as a candidate for the lower house of 
the state legislature and innnediately resigned 
his position as state's attorney. In Auuust he 
received the highest vote of any one on his ticket 
in Schuyler county and took his seat on the 5th 
day of December. 1836. This was the tinu» when 
^Iv. J. W. Whitney, of Quincy, as "Lorde Coke," 
was still holding his celebrated "lobby assem- 
blages"' at Vandalia— that early school of parlia- 
mentary practice, oratoi-y and statesmanship. At 
this session of the legislature Txlr. RichardKi>n was 
one of the few who opposed the "internal im- 
provement measures," which afterward played 
such a disastrous part in Illinois history, and 
one of the ma.iority that voted for Springfield 
as the permanent capital. It was duriilg this 
session that Mr. Jeff Oatewood, a senator from 
Gallatin county, insisted upon calling ]Mr. Rich- 
ardson "Old Dick," in spite of correction, be- 
cause he had never known a clever fellow whose 
name was not Dick — and "Old Dick" it was with 
Mr. Richardson's political friends and admirers 
up to the day of his death. 

In August 1838, Mr. Richardson was elected 
to the state senate for a term of four years. At 
the end of his term he declined a re-nomination 
and election, desiring to give his undivided at- 
tention to his profession. In 1841 he was chosen 
by his party convention as one of the democratic 
presidential electors, and while engaged in an 
active canvass as such elector was nominated for 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



405 



the leg'islatui'e. He accepted the nomination very 
reluctantly — owing to his desii'c to give all his 
time to his profession — and made the fight 
against General James W. Singleton, the most 
popular whig in the district. In Angust, 1844, 
he was elected to the lower house, and, on the 
convening of the legislature, was made speaker. 

In 1S45 'Sir. Richardson was associated with 
Mr. 0. 11. Browning. Mr. 0. C. Skinner, and Mr. 
C. A. Warren in the defense of the ring leaders 
of the mob that killed the iMormon leader, Joseph 
Smith, in the Carthage jail, procuring an accjuit- 
tal much to the displeasure of Governor Ford. 

At the breaking out of the Mexican war in 1846 
Jlr. Richardson was in a position politically 
where everything favored his further rise in 
power and influence, but. putting aside all per- 
sonal ambition and consideration, he raised a 
company and went to the front. On the field of 
Buena Vista, by the choice of his regiment, the 
First Illinois, although the fifth captain, he was 
promoted to the rank of major in recognition of 
meritorious and heroic conduct. Aftei'wards the 
Illinois legislature voted him a sword, on which 
is inscribed: '"Presented by the State of Illi- 
nois to Lt. Col. William A. Richardson for ser- 
vices in the late war with i\Iexico and especially 
for irallantrv at the battle of Buena Vista, Febru- 
ary 22, 1847." 

WHiile still in the army Colonel Richardson re- 
ceived the nomination for congressman from his 
district and was elected in Aiigust, 1847, to fill 
the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Sen- 
ator Douglas. He served continuously for nine 
years in the council chamber of the nation. Those 
were troublous times in the nation's histoi-y, when 
matters of great moment were claiming public 
attention and whatever estimate time shall put on 
the measures he advocated his party and constit- 
uency ever sustained him in his positions b.y 
electing him over such adversaries as Browning 
and Williams. 

In December, 1849, when the Thirty-first Con- 
gress met — having then served but half a term 
— Colonel Richardson received a very compli- 
mentarj' vote for the speakership. In 1850 the 
congressmen from Illinois — Richardson, McCler- 
nand. Harris, Wentworth, Yoiuig, Bissell, Baker 
— succeeded in carrying thi'ough the house the 
senate bill granting to the state each alternate 
section of land six miles wide on each side of the 
survey for the Illinois Central Railway. In 
1852 Colonel Richardson made another attempt 
to retire from politics, but was prevailed \ipon to 
give up his plan of moving to Chicago — where he 
had options on property that would have made 
him rich — and again accept the nomination for 
congress in order to harmonize the factions in his 
party. He was the democratic leader of the 



hou.se at the time of the passage of the famous 
Kansas-Nebraska bill. Jlay 24, 1854, and was 
vindictively assailed by the opposition for his 
part in repealing the Missouri Compromise. So 
bitter was the attack made \ipon him that his 
party chose to make him the champion of that 
measure, and to this end. although he had de- 
clined to be considered a candidate, the demo- 
cratic convention that met at ]\It. Sterling in 
August, 1854, nominated him again, the other 
candidates withdrawing in his favor. Every 
element of opposition that could be brought to 
bear against him was .summoned from every 
quarter. He was threatened with the overwhelm- 
ing indignation of the people. Instead, however, 
of being rebuked and rejected, he was elected 
with an increased majority — the only instance of 
the kind in the north at this election. After the 
election. Colonel Richardson published a card 
in the Quiney Herald, November 30, 1854, in 
which, after thanking his friends for their loy- 
alty, he said: "At the end of the term to which 
you have elected me I shall retire from public 
life." There is something pathetically fatalistic 
in the continued and ineft'ectual efforts that Col- 
onel Richardson made to get out of politics and 
back to his profession. We will see more of it 
anon. 

The Thirtj'-fourth congress met in December, 
1855. In the house the democratic majority had 
been swept away, but the opposition was a motley 
crowd. "There were whigs, anti-Nebraskas, 
know-nothings and republicans, all commingled, 
and while they were easily able to prevent the 
election of a democratic speaker, they found it 
difficult to concentrate on a choice of their o'mi. " 
Colonel Richardson was the democratic caucus 
nominee and got full support of his party's 
strength for one hundred and twenty-two roU 
calls, when, on the 23d of Janiiary. 185(i. he asked 
to have his name di-opped. The contest lasted 
for two months. Finally a majority voted that 
a plurality should elect, and on the one hundred 
and thirty-third ballot N. P. Banks was chosen, 
February 3, 1856. 

In May, 1856, Colonel Richardson was nom- 
inated, without his consent and against his pro- 
test, as the democratic candidate fen- governor 
of Illinois. In June of that year he was one of 
the most conspicuous figures in the democratic 
national convention at Cincinnati and none com- 
manded more respect or attention. He it was who, 
as chairman of the Illinois delegation, cham- 
pioned Judge Douglas's caiise and who, after 
the principles that Douglas fought for had been 
adopted as a platform, read the Judge's letter 
asking that his name be withdrawn for the sake 
of harmony. Colonel Richardson finally con- 
sented to accept the nomination and sent in his 



4o6 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



resignation as a iiK'iuber of cougress. The gub- 
ernatorial campaign of 1856 was a very bitter 
one, and upon Colonel Richardson was "con- 
centi'ated and i)oured out all the pent up rage of 
the opposition," and although he ran ahead of 
Buchanan, who earrietl the state, he was defeated 
hy a small plurality— the anti-slavery know- 
nothings leaving their own candidate to vote for 
Colonel Bissell. while Colonel Richardson's very 
pronounced opposition to the whole ' ' American " ' 
movement prevented him from getting any 
strength from that party. 

p]arly in 1857 Colonel Richardson's name was 
pi-ominently mentioned as a member of President 
Buchanan's cabinet, but never with his consent 
or sanction, and when the appointment of the 
governorship of Nebraska was tendei-ed him he 
promptly declined it, telling the president that he 
did not ■ ' agree with him as to some of his policy. ' ' 
The offer being again made in December, 1857, 
and the appointment being confirmed by the sen- 
ate, he accepted and took uji the duties of the 
office of the governoi' of the tiM-ritory of Nebraska 
on the 10th day of .lanuary, 1S58. In Septem- 
ber, 1858, after the administration made its open 
war on Douglas, Colonel Richardson asked to be 
relieved and left Omaha, the then capital of 
Nebraska, on the (ith day of December, 1858. 

Colonel Richardst)n was one of the most con- 
spicuous leaders of the northern democi'ats in the 
memorable Charleston convention of 1860, and, 
according to Hon. S. S. Cox, "lie made a strong 
iiiiju'ession there and endeavin'cd to reconcile 
the party with a view to avert disunion and war. ' ' 
In a letter to the Quincy Herald. May 31, 1860, 
Colonel Richardson most emphatically declined 
to allow his naiiie to be considei'ed as a candidate 
for governor at the approaching democi-atic state 
convention, after the Chicago Times and many 
other pronnnent democratic papers throughout 
the state had urged his nomination. In June, 

1860, Colonel Richardson as the leader of the 
northern forces at the Baltimore convention re- 
fused to read Douglas's letter, wherein he had 
asked that his name might be \vitlnlrawii for the 
sake of peace and harmony. He refused to treat 
Avith the seceders from the Charleston convention 
and forced the nomination of Douglas, after 
which he read the letter. In July of the same 
year he was forced, again, to accept the congres- 
sional nomination, owing to some disagreement 
among the candidates befoi-e the ronvention. In 
August he attended a deiiHu-i'atic mass meeting 
in Boston and spoke in Faiieuil Ihdl. In the en- 
suing election he defeated (ieneral B. M. Pren- 
tiss by a majoi'ity of nearly three thousand votes. 

In speaking of the congress that met July 4. 

1861, Blaine, in his Twenty Years in Congress, 



sa\s that Colonel Richardson was the most con- 
spicuous democrat in the lower house. At the re- 
quest of President Lincoln he was named by the 
Illinois delegation as one of the four who were 
to lie nuide brigadier generals — the list standing 
(irant. McClernand, Richardson, Prentiss. After 
the other three had been appoiuted and after his 
name had been passed over, he asked the presi- 
dent not to consider his name in connection with 
the subject. After the adjournment of congress, 
he returned to Illinois and addressed a meeting 
in his congressional district upon the subject of 
the war and the duty of patriotic citizens. In 
October, 1861, he received an appointment as 
bi-igatlier general in the army, dated September 
3, 1861. In a letter to the president, dated :\Iarch 
1, 1862, he said: 

"Some time since, M'ithout solicitation on my 
part, you did me the honor to tender me the ap- 
pointment of brigadier general in the anny. I 
signified then m\' determination to accept the 
same as soon ;is my health woidd pernut. Not 
having accepted the position before I deem it 
improper to do so now."" Etc. 

In 18()2, as the time for the election of con- 
gressmen approached, the republican papei's 
thi-oughout the country advocated the dissolution 
of the democratic iiarty on the ground that all op- 
])osition to the administration was disloyal. In 
May of that year. Colonel Richardson drafted an 
address to the people, which was signed by all the 
democratic members of congress. The address be- 
gan by asserting that party oi'ganization was es- 
sentia] to the jireservation of public liberty. It 
recited that the administration hadbeen chosen by 
a party, and that in all its civil acts and appoint- 
ments it had recognized its fealty and obligations 
to that party. It asserted that the public good and 
safety demanded an opposition. It reviewed the 
duty as patriots to support the government in all 
constitutional, necessary and proper efforts to 
uuiintain its safety and authority." It called at- 
tention to the fact that after the rebellion had 
been jint down the woi-k of restoration nuist be 
done through a |iolitiea] organization, which nuist 
be watched carefully and jealously lest it be done 
oppressively and malignantly; and that no i)lea 
of "embai-rassiiiii' the admini.sti'atiou" should 
lii-e\('iil tile opposition from exercising "the an- 
cient and nndiMihted prei'ogative of Americans to 
c-anvass |inlilic measures and public men" — a eon- 
stitiilional ])rivilege which Daniel Webster de- 
clared he would "defend within the house and 
out of the house and in all places, in time of war 
and in time of peace and in all times." 

In this same year, in committee of the whole 
on the tax bill, he proposed that two per cent de- 
rived fi-cim the bill be set apart to buy or obtain 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



407 



territory ou which to colonize the tree blueks. At 
a war meetinjr at Mt. Sterliiiii' in July of this 
year, he said : 

"We owe it as a duty to our country, duty to 
the memories of the past, duty of those now in the 
field, duty to the future, to send at once the quota 
asked. The sons of Illinois need no draft to make 
them discharjiC their duty. Let Illinois respond 
promptly ancl at once to the call. L(>t her be the 
first that presents her ranks filled to maintain 
constitutional liberty." 

In the fall elections of 18G2 the democrats 
were .successful in many of the northern states, 
Illinois among the rest. On the oth day of Jan- 
uary, 1863, the twenty-third general assembly 
met at Springfield, on the 10th Colonel Richard- 
son was chosen by the democratic caucus as its 
candidate for the United States senate, and on 
the 12th was duly chosen by the assembly for the 
imexpired term ending ]March 1, 1865. lie im- 
mediately resigned his seat in the lower house, 
but, owing to the death of a little daughter and 
sickness in his family, was not able to leave home 
for his new duties in Washington \intil January 
27. 

After the death of Judge Douglas Colonel 
Richardson was looked upon by his party as its 
leader, and in 1863 most of the prominent demo- 
cratic papers Avere urging his nomination as the 
democratic candidate for the presidency in 1864. 
After the ad.journmeut of congress in the sjiriug 
of 1863, Colonel Richardson, at the rei|uest of 
the democratic leaders, visited New England and 
spoke in the principal cities. June 17th, 1863, 
he was made the chairman of the famous demo- 
cratic mass convention in Springfield — the much 
abused and much traduced "peace meeting." 
Colonel Richardson was not a candidate before 
the democratic national convention of 1864. 

In 1868 Colonel Richardson was iirged to allow 
his name to be used as a candidate for congress 
from his district, but he positively refused to be 
considered. In April of this same year he at- 
tended the state democratic convention at 
Springfield and was instrumental in having it 
instruct its delegates to the national convention 
in favor of the candidacy of George II. Pendle- 
ton. Later on he attended the national conven- 
tion in New York city, was made ehainiian of 
the Illinois delegation, and made a hard tight 
for Pendleton. 

In 1869 Colonel Richardson ileclined to be con- 
sidered as a delegate to the convention called 
to amend the constitution of Illinois. In 1870 
he opposed the adoption of the new constitu- 
tion because it extended the suffrage to the 
negroes; abandoned the state rights feature; and 
contained other featiires which compromised 
democratic principles. 



In ilay. 1873, Colonel Richardson took charge 
of the editorial columns of the Quincy Herald in 
the interest of Judge Joseph Sibley's candidacy 
for the judge of the Fifteen judicial district of 
Illinois. On the 9th day of November of this 
same year he was made the assignee of the pro- 
prietors of this paper and conducted the editorial 
department from that time until May 5, 1874, 
when he turned over the paper to its old owners 
with its business affairs all straightened out. 

In 1874 he was urged as a candidate for con- 
gress on the "greenback" issue, but he declined 
to run. In the fall of 1875 he was appointed a 
member of the board of supervisors of Adams 
county in the interest of the new courthouse site 
and building in Quincy. 

On the 18th day of January, 1838, Colonel 
Richai'dson was married to iliss Cornelia H. 
Sullivan, of Quincy, the ceremony being per- 
formed at the house of the bride's mother, ilrs. 
Helen LeRoy. situated on a lot at the southeast 
corner of Sixth and Hampshire streets. On the 
24th clay of January, 1849, Colonel Richardson 
bought a house and lot at the southwest corner of 
Fourth and Broadway, and in the following 
summer he moved his family from Rushville to 
Quincy. This city and this house continued to 
be the family home until his wife died on the 22d 
day of April, 1864. Here Colonel Richardson 
died from the effects of a stroke of apoplexy on 
the 27th day of December, 1875. He left surviv- 
ing him the following named children : Helen 
Richardson Dwight. (ieorge J. Richardson, Wil- 
liam A. Richardson, Jr., and John S. Richardson. 

At a memorial meeting of the members of the 
Quincy bar held December 29, 1879, Hon. 0. H. 
Browning — that old-time opponent — made this 
estimate of Colonel Richardson as a public man : 

"He became highly distinguishecl as a poli- 
tician, and at the time the great democracy lost 
control there was no man, excepting Senator 
Douglas, who was more powerful with his party 
or who wielded so great an influence as Colonel 
Richardson. No man unless he possessed great 
ability and powers could have attained such dis- 
tinction in a party famous for its able men. His 
position in his party was such that had Senator 
Doiiglas been elected president he would have oc- 
cupied a prominent place in the cabinet and 
would have gone there with the enthusiastic ap- 
proval of his party and the confidence of his op- 
ponent. ' ' 

No one who ever knew Colonel Richardson in- 
timately ever doubted his con.scientious sincerity, 
and few had more devoted friends and political 
followers. At the sam.e time, owing to his bold 
and aggressive way of fighting, few have ever had 
more bitter political enemies — enemies who found 
no terms of reproach too bitter to hurl at him. 



4o8 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



He was frequently called a traitor and a "eop- 
perhead. " Colonel Richardson had no synii)athy 
or patience with that wave of sentimentalisiu 
that swept over the workl in the middle of the 
19th century and fiuiud in the negro the "new 
brother." He helped to repeal the Missouri Com- 
promise. He would have left shivery a matter 
of local option. He would have tried to avert the 
■war by adopting the Crittenden compromise, 
wdiieh would have divided the territories between 
the two sections. Pie was for keeping the dem- 
ocracy intact as a needful and necessary oppo- 
sition" party during the war. He measured the 
right of emancipation by the powers of the con- 
stitution. In the latter part of the war he ad- 
vocated peace upon the "basis of a restoration of 
the union as it was:" and "the securing, by 
constitutional amendments, such rights to the 
several states and the jienplc thereof, as honor 
and .justice demand." lie would have colonized 
the freed slaves. He opposed the extension of 
the franchise to the lilncks. lie lliought the war 
was fought to say that the south had no right to 
go out of the union: that the victory meant that 
it was not out of the union : and he could not ap- 
prove of the policy that nuide the southern states 
so much acquired territory. He lost heart and 
almost his faith in human nature and in a demo- 
cratic form of government when that welter of 
col-ruption and vindictive knavery came with 
the "carpetbag rule" during the reconstruction 
period. This was the record he made, and, of 
course, all these things can .justly be charged 
against him : and yet, he never took a position 
or advocated or opposed a measure that he did 
not think lie was doing so under the authority 
of the constitution — the constitution was the war- 
rant and authority for eveiy act and every 
thought of his whole political life. If loyalty to 
the "constitution as our fathers made it and for 
the union born of that constitution" was treason 
then was ( 'olonel Richardson a traitor, for there 
never was a man that w-as more devoted to that 
ciinstitution. If critising the acts and policy of 
an administration is treason then was Colonel 
Richardson a traitor, for he frankly and fear- 
lessly compared the acts and policies of adminis- 
tration with the powers of that constitution. But 
if treason consists in giving aid and comfort and 
sympathy to the enemy — but even Colonel Rieli- 
nrdson's most implacable enemy never charged 
him with this. The ideals to which he gave his 
life have been submerged. The "higher law" 
than the old constitution has prevailed. The 
moral sense of mankind will never again sustain 
slavery. And yet, we are hearing many ac- 
knowledge that ' ' the negro is not merely a white 
man with a colored skin": that "there are mil- 
Iciuiiums of natural dtn-elopmeut between the 



two races": and that it was a mistake to have 
given the franchise to the blacks. 

The man back of this record of offices, acts, 
uie;isui-es, positions and opinions — the man that 
his eiinlemporaries saw and knew — stood six feet 
,-ind two inches in height, with broad shoulders 
mill n large angular liody. lie had a large head 
llial was covered with a wealth of unkept dark 
brown hair. His countenance was open and 
frank, and expressive of his every feeling. His 
features were large but regular. His eyes, 
uiuhn" shaggy eyebrows, w-ere dark gray in re- 
pose, black when he was excited, and all kinds 
of colors when he smiled. His voice was low 
and its Kentucky modulations most musical. It 
was a strong and flexible voice and could be heard 
by large bodies of men on the hustings, wrhether 
it was used to express some tender feeling, to 
playfully repeat some amusing incident or anec- 
dote, to drolly or aptly answer some pert inquiry, 
to weave the threads of his argument about his 
sub.ject, or to challenge opposition and send 
forth the note of defiance. He was a combative 
and aggressive fighter, yet he had a saving grace 
of conniion .sense and humor that kept him from 
fanaticism. He was honest, honorable and up- 
right, and despised anything that was mean. He 
was a man of ^Yarm and generous impulses, of a 
large and ready sympathy and a generous heart, 
lie was cheerful, uncomplaining, kind and toler- 
ant. He had a genial interest in jieople and a 
racy humor which made him a delightful com- 
paiiiiui. "He was always ready to appreciate 
a good story and always able to tell one as good 
or better." He was a democrat to the core and 
eminently social, peculiarly careless about his 
personal appearance, with manners, though sim- 
lile. that had a certain courtlin(\ss about them. 
The keynote of his character was loyalt\'. He 
was loyal to his friends : loyal to Douglas : loyal 
to his party ; loyal to his principles : loyal to the 
traditions of patriotism that came down from 
his revolitionary sires: loyal to the constitution; 
loyal to the union : loyal to his country. 



ROBERT J. CHRISTIE, JR.. M. D. 

Dr. Robert J. Christie, Jr., who is actively 
engaged in the practice of medicine and is ac- 
corded a position of prominence by the members 
<if the medical fraternity of Adams county, was 
liorii in Loudoun county, Virginia, February 
22, 1864. Plis parents, Robert J. and Sarah 
(Nixon) Christie,, were also natives of Virginia 
and the former was a son of James Christie, who 
was born in the same state and belonged to a 
family that settled there shortly after the Revo- 
lutionary war. Our subject's maternal grand- 




DR. R. J. CHRISTIE 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAilS COUNTY. 



411 



father, Jonathan Xixon, was also a native of the 
Old Dominion and a representative of an old 
colonial family. 

During his infancy Dr. Chri.stie of this review 
accompanied his parents on their removal to 
Lewis county, Missouri, and there he acquired 
his elementary education. Latin- he took a sci- 
entific course at the State University of ]\Iis- 
souri. When he was eighteen years of age the 
familj' removed to Quiuey. His pi-eliminary 
professional reading was directed by his father 
and after his arrival in Quincy he matriculated 
in the medical department of Chaddoek College, 
where he spent two years, graduating in 1888, 
and then entered the medical depai'tment of the 
University of Pennsylvania, from which his 
father was graduated in 1858. There our sub- 
ject completed a two years' course and was grad- 
uated in the class of 1890. 

Returning to Quincy Dr. Chri.stie .joined his 
father in practice and they have since been a.sso- 
ciated in business, though he has subsecpiently 
attended polyclinics in New "^"ork. Success 
came soon because his equipmriit was unusually 
good and because of his earnest devotion and 
conscientious regai'd for the duties that devolve 
upon him in this connection. For four years he 
was surgeon in charge of Blessing Hospital and 
is still a member of the medical board of that 
institution and one of its consulting surgeons. 
In his practice he has made a study of surgery, 
in which he is pai'tieularly skilled and he now 
holds the position of local surgeon at Quincy of 
the Hannibal & St. Joseph Eaih'oad, and also 
the St. I;Ouis, Keokuk & Northwestern Railway 
Companies. He is likewise surgeon of the Old 
People's Home of the German ISIethodist Episco- 
pal church and physician and .surgeon of the 
Travelers' Protective Association and for the 
United Commercial Travelers of America. 

Dr. Christie's standing in professional circles 
in Adams county is indicated that he was hcm- 
ored with the presidency of the Adams County 
Medical Society. He is also a member of the 
American IMedical Association and was secretary 
of the Quincy board of pension examiners dur- 
ing President Cleveland's second administration 
and the first half of President ]\IcKinley's ad- 
ministration. Evcr\i;hing that tends to bring to 
man the key of that complex mystery which we 
call life is of deep interest to him and by zealous 
study, investigation and upright professional 
conduct he has sought to be worthy of the honor 
conferred on him bv his alma mater. 

On the 26th of 'October, 1903. Dr. Christie 
was luiited in marriage to i\Iis.s E. E. (Leila) 
Txirner, a daughter of Otis and Mary (PaiUlin) 
Turner, the former a son of Avery Turner and 
one of the pioneers of Adams county. Her 



mother came of an old Philadelphia family. 
The Doctor and his wife have one son, Robert J. 
Christie, the third. 



R. B. ECHOLS. 



R. B. Echols, who is residing in Loraine. fig- 
ures prominently in political circles of his dis- 
trict and is now representing Adams county in 
the state legislature. He was born December 
5. 1854, near Washburn, in Washington county, 
Illinois, and throughout his entire life has mani- 
fested the enterprising spirit so characteristic 
of the west, this being evident in his political as 
well as business activity. He has been a resi- 
dent of Adams county since June, 1892, and is 
accorded a place among prominent and repre- 
sentative men. His early education was .sup- 
plemented by a course of study in a business 
college in Colorado. He spent fifteen years 
in that .state and then returned to Illinois, while 
for thirteen years he has b(>en a resident of 
Adams county. 

On the nth of December, 1893, ilr. Echols 
was united in marriage to Miss Lizzie M. Para- 
more, who was born :May 25. 1867, and is a 
dautrhter of Je.sse and Susan E. (Burr) Para- 
more. The father was born June 28, 1824, in 
Richland county, Ohio, and his wife's birth oc- 
curred in New Orleans, November 19, 1834. ^Ir. 
Pararaore became a resident of Adams county, 
Illinois, in 1870. and established his home in 
Keene township, where he resided until his 
death, which occurred May 30. 1889. His widow 
is now making her home with Mr. and 'Sirs. 
Echols. She is especially interested in bee 
culture and has a fine apiary containing thirty- 
one hives, which produces a large amount of 
honev annuallv. :\Ir. and Mva. Echols have two 
children: Anna A., born :\Iarch 12. 1895: and 
Charles R., born February 27, 1900. 

Mr. Echols owns a nice home in Loraine. where 
he has five and one-quarter acres of good land. 
The grounds around his house are well kept and 
it is one of the attractive residences of the town. 
Jlrs. Echols is now teaching in the primarj' 
school in Loraine. She is a member of the 
:Methodist Church, while ilr. Echols belongs to 
the Christian church. Fraternally he is con- 
nected with the Independent Order of Odd 
Fellows and :\Iodern Woodmen of America. His 
political allegiance is given to the republican 
party and his fellow citizens recognizing in him 
the value of his labors in promoting public in- 
terests, have called him to office. For four years 
he occupied a position under the appointment of 
Governor Tanner, and is now representing his 
district in the state legi.slature, having been 



412 



PAST AND PEESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



elected in November, 1904. lie has a l)i'(iad and 
eompz-ehensive knowledge of the political ques- 
tions and issues of the day and his course in the 
legislature has been marked by unswering fidel- 
ity to the best interests of his constituents and 
of the commonwealth at large. 



EGBERT W. GARDNER. 

Robert W. Gardner, the well known founder 
and proprietor of the Gardner Governor 
AVorks, of Quincy, is numbered among the 
leading American inventors. No country on the 
face of the globe has made such rapid progress 
along inventive lines or has given the world as 
many useful devices as has the United States. 
In fact, the machinery and mechanical devices 
which she has placed upon the market have revo- 
lutionized the world of trade, and her pre-emi- 
nence in this regard is acknowledged in all coun- 
tries. Among those whose inventive genius has 
been a factor in bringing about this condition 
is Robert W. Gardner, of Quiney. 

A native son of London, England, Mr. Gard- 
ner was born February 18, 1832, a son of James 
Gardner, of Edinburgh, Scotland, who for many 
years was prominent and influential in the gov- 
ernment service of Great Britain and was the 
associate of many of the leading scientific men 
of his time, including such eminent personages 
as Robert Stevenson, Colonel Cubit, Sir Roderic 
Murchison and also Lieutenant Maury, of 
America. He had charge of the first complete 
trignometrieal survey of Great Britain, and later 
was agent of the ordnance department of the gov- 
ernment, with headquarters in the Tower of Lon- 
don. He was also employed on scientific work 
by the French government during the reigu of 
Louis XIX., and was universally acknowledged 
one of the greatest scientists of his day. 

Robert W. Gardner, although born in Loudon, 
largely spent his youth in Scotland, and his pre- 
liminary education was supplemented by two 
years' study in the University of Edinburgh, his 
attention being given to scientific branches. Dur- 
ing that period he was also a student in the Royal 
School of Design. In 18-49, having been disap- 
pointed in receiving an expected appointment, 
he came to this country, hoping that the new 
world would afford better bvisiness opportunities. 
Advised to go west, he made his way to the 
vicinity of Rushville, Illinois, where he secured 
a position as teacher in a district school, and 
thus he began life in America. In 1851 he re- 
turned to Scotland, but soon came again to the 
United States, bringing with him little money 
and but one recommendation, this having been 
given him by the professor of mathematics in 



the University of Edinburgh. It was dated May 
13, 1849, and read as follows: "Edinburgh, 
May 13, 1849.— I hereby certify that Mr. Robert 
Gardner attended my mathematical classes from 
IMay, 1847, until August, 1848, during which 
period he prosecuted his studies very diligently 
and successfully. He is well acquainted with 
the elements of geometry and algebra and with 
their more important application to mensuration, 
surveying and euaineering. His abilities as 
draughtsman are of the highest order, and con- 
sequently his plans of surveys are executed with 
great accuracy and elegance. It is also consistent 
with my knowledge that he has shown promise 
of becoming an able landscape painter, from 
the specimen I have seen in the exhibition 
of jiainting in the Royal Institute hcn-e. He 
therefore in my opinion cannot fail to be suc- 
cessful in any profession where a knowledge of 
Buch branches of a finished education are re- 
quired. I can only add tliat I have every reason 
to be satisfied with his general good conduct 
while he was under my tuition, and wish him that 
sueci'ss in the world to which his abilities justly 
entitle him. 

"William G.\lbraith, M.A., P.B.A.S. 

' ' Teacher of Mathematics, Etc. ' ' 

Mr. Gardner has resided continuously in 
Quincy since September 1, 1852, but was, on 
reaching the city, unsuccessful in his eft'orts to 
obtain a position as draughtsman or teacher of 
art, and necessity demanding that he find imme- 
diate employment, he determined to master the 
practical side of mechanics mikI entered upon an 
apprenticeship to Edward G. Turner, who was 
conducting a small machine shop in Sixth street. 
Thus it is that fate seems to play at cross pur- 
poses with what nature seems to have intended, 
and yet, in almost every instance, as in the case 
of Mr. Gardner, what appeared to work a hard- 
.ship at first, has turned out advantageously, and 
latent powers were developed whereby he has 
won both fame and fortune. 

In 1854 Mr. Gardner secured an excellent 
position with an engine-building firm in Alton, 
but soon returned to Quincy and with Henry 
Mitchell purchased the Turner shops. His sec- 
ond partner, following the death of Mr. Mitchell, 
was John Robertson, and eventually Mr. Gard- 
ner became sole proprietor of the business, which 
formed the nucleus of the present extensive gov- 
ernor works. His love of scientific research and 
experimenting were continually alert for oppor- 
tunities of improvement, and in 1859 he concen- 
trated his attention upon the task of improving 
the governor of th.e steam engine, securing his 
first patent August 14, 1860. He continued his 
labors in this direction, each experiment bringing 
him nearer perfection, and since 1870 he has 
made a specialty of the manufacture of steam 






v^^/ 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



415 



engine governors. In 1883 the Gardner Gov- 
ernor Company was incorporated, and there is 
in the company's offices a complete record of 
every governor sold, with full details of particu- 
lars. These governors have been introduced and 
sold in nearly' every country in the world, and 
even some of the less civilized districts of the 
globe, while large agencies are maintained in the 
leading cities of Europe. The plant in Quiney 
is the largest of the kind in the world, is fully 
equipped with the latest improved machinery 
and a large force of workmen is employed. 

In many directions has Mr. Gardner's ability 
as an inventor been demonstrated, while each 
machine that leaves his shop is a proof of his 
skill and his mechanical and business ability. 
Plis position as one of the foremost American in- 
ventors is widely recognized, and because of this 
he has been elected to membership in some of the 
leading mechanical societies of Europe. 

Important as have been the life work and 
business interests of Mr. Gardner he has yet 
found time to devote to public interests and those 
ameliorating the conditions under which many 
unfortunate classes labor. He has been president 
of the Blessing Hospital, a trustee of the "Wood- 
land Orphan Home and the Associated Chari- 
ties, and has also been connected with other char- 
itable societies and organizations, to the support 
of which he has contributed unostentatiously but 
liberally. He aided in founding the Free Public 
Library of Quiney. and has been particularly 
active in encouraging and aiding all movements 
having for their object the welfare, substantial 
improvement and material, intellectual and 
moral progress of the city. An earnest church 
worker, his membership is with the Vermont 
Street Baptist church, of which he has long been 
an officer, while in its Sunday-school he has 
served as superintendent for almost forty years. 
His life has been an important element in the in- 
dustrial and commercial development of Quiney. 
but no less important in those departments of 
activity which uplift mankind and work for the 
upbuilding of character. 



MRS. NELLIE SEALS. 

ilrs. Nellie Seals, who is the owner of a 
fine farm comprising fifty-two acres on section 
22, Keene township, was born September 26, 
1865, in Lincoln county, Missouri. She is a 
daughter of Joseph L. and Julina (Pollard) 
Woodson. Her father was born in Virginia, 
June 11, 1818, and her mother's birth occurred 
in the Old Dominion. June 14, 1823. Mr. 



Woodson was a farmer by occupation and re- 
moved to Missouri at an early period in the de- 
velopment of that state, spending his remaining 
days there. He died December 24, 1900, while 
his wife's death occurred August 13, 1898. 

Jlrs. Seals spent her girlhood days under the 
parental roof and obtained her education in the 
public schools of Lincoln county, Missouri. On 
the 19th of February, 1885, she gave her hand 
in marriage to James N. Seals and with him 
came to Adams county, Illinois, where she has 
since lived. Mr. Seals was born April 1, 1856, 
and was a son of Joseph and Catherine (Cecil) 
Seals, the former born March 27, 1819, and the 
latter "March 4, 1830. Both were natives of 
Ohio. They came to Adams county, however, 
at an early day, settling in Keene township 
among the pioneer residents of this portion of 
the state and the father bore an active and use- 
ful part in the early development of what was 
then a frontier region. In 1849, attracted by 
the discovery of gold in California, he made the 
overland trip to the Pacific coast, where he 
spent some time. He was very successful while 
in the far west and with a goodly sum of money 
he returned to Illinois. He afterward worked in 
Quiney at the stonemason's trade, which he had 
learned in his early manhood and he erected 
several of the stone houses that are still stand- 
ing in Quiney. Later, however, he returned to 
Keene township, purchasing a large tract of 
land and continued to engage in farining 
throughout his remaining days. He died Sep- 
tember 5, 1902, but his widow is yet living and 
makes her home with her daughter in Quiney. 

James N. Seals was indebted to the public 
schools of Adams county for the educational 
privileges he enjoyed in his youth and when 
he had put aside his text-books he turned his at- 
tention to the tilling of the soil, gaining practi- 
cal knowledge of the bpst methods of carrying 
on a farm so that when he began business on his 
own account he was well qualified for the work 
which he undertook. He was the owner of a 
farm in section 22, and made it a valuable prop- 
erty, placing the fields under a very high state 
of cultivation and added all modern equipments 
to his farm. He was also prominent in local po- 
litical circles and he served for several years 
as collector, while for a long period he filled 
the office of school director, the cause of educa- 
tion finding in him a warm friend, who was the 
champion of all progressive measures for in- 
telleetiial development. His fellow townsmen 
were endeavoring to get his consent to nomi- 
nate him for supervisor at the time when he was 
thrown from his horse and killed. His death 
occurred April 7, 1892. and the community 
mourned the loss of a valued citizen, his neigh- • 



4i6 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



liors a faitliful frii'iid, and his iaiiiily a di'V{i1c(l 
and loving husband and fatiuT. 

Unto Mr. and Mr.s. Seals wcfc Ixn-n four chil- 
dren: Joseph C, the eldest, born JMareh 27, 
1881, was the fir-st grandchild in the Seals fam- 
ily in Adams county and was born on the anni- 
versity of the birth of his parental grandfather. 
He is now engaged in teaching school. Glenn 
W., born November 21, 1883, is at home and as- 
sists in the operation of the farm. Lillian D., 
born May 23, 188-4, died April 11. 1904. Julina 
]\I.. born January 29, 1891, is at home. 

I\Irs. Seals resides in Loi'aine and is the ownei- 
of a good farm of iifly-two acn-s on section 22, 
Keene townsliip, i;i addition 1o hci- residence 
]3roperty. She is a meniber of the t'hi'istian 
church and is lu^ld in high regard by » large 
circle of friends. 



(!E()i;(iK W. SMITH. 

George W. Smilh, wiio owns and operates a 
farm of forty acres on section 19. Keene town- 
ship, where he is engaged in the raising of tine 
blooded hoi-ses and good stock, Avas born in Han- 
cock county. Illinois, in lS4fi, and became a res- 
ident of Adams county in 18().">, settling in Keene 
t(iwnship. His father. Dennis Smith, was a na- 
tive of Clermont coiuity, (Miio, whence he came 
in an early day to Illinois. He married Miss 
Mary A. Gillham, a native of this state. They 
settled near Warsaw, in Hancock county, being 
among the early settlers of western Illinois. 
There were only a few white settlers in this part 
of the state when they located here and the 
greater number of the now thriving towns and 
villages had not yet sprung into existence, and 
the district was almost an unbroken wilderness 
and uncultivated prairie. Unto Mr. and !Mrs. 
Smith were born nine children; Annilla, the 
wife of G. W. Ewiiig. of Hancock county; 
George W. : Sarah, the wifi' of John Riley, of 
Keokuk, Iowa; Gertrutle, the wife of Mr. Bird, 
of Keokuk, Iowa: Ennna, deceased; Jane, the 
wife of Mr. Parsons, a native of Minnesota; R. 
D., resident of Loraine; and Delia, wife of John 
Moore, of Warsaw, Illinois: and one who died 
in infancy. 

George W. Smith was edu<-ated in the pul)lic 
schools of Hancock conntx- and after putting 
aside his text-bool<s began farnjing on his own 
account at the age of sixteen years. He has 
always carried on agricultural pursuits and his 
practical methods and business activity have 
resulted in making him one of the substantial 
agriculturists of his connnunity. As before 
stated, he became a resident of Adams county 
in 1865 when nineteen years of age and has since 



made his home in Keene township, where he to- 
day owns a farm of forty acres on section 19. 
His fields are well tilled and he gives much of 
his attention to stock-raising, having some fine 
blooded horses and also sonic high grades of 
cattle. 

.Mr. Smith was married to .Miss Charity H. 
.McClung, who was born in Warren coimty, 
Ohio, in 1847, and came to Illinois with her pa- 
rents in 1851, the family settling in INIendou 
townshiii. Her parents had a family of six 
childivn: Samuel H., now living in Mendon, 
Illinois: Mrs. Smith; Clara B., the wife of Henry 
Zei-u. of Colusa, Illinois; and three sons who 
have departed this life. The father died in 
189(i, and the mother passed away in 1904. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Smith have been born nine 
childi'cn : AVilliam, who was born in 1869 and 
li\-cs in this county; Mary C, was born in 1871 
and is the wife of John Lee, of Hancock county; 
Etta B., who was born in 1875 and is the wife 
of H. J. Chant, of Burlington, Iowa ; Cassie L., 
who was born in 1873 and died in 1874; (Gertie 
E., who was born in 1879 and died in 1880; 
Charity Florence, who was born in 1882; George 
Francis, in 1884; Clarence M., in 1887; and 
Orville R., who was born in 1890 and died in 
1894. The younger living members of the fam- 
ily are at home. The parents are members of 
tlie iMethodist E|)iscopal churc'h and are highly 
esteemed in the locality whei-e the\- rcsidi\ 



JUDGE CHARLES B. jMcCRORY. 

Charles B.lMcCrory, present .judge of the Adams 
county court, was boi'n February 7, 1874, on a 
farm near the village of Payson in this county. 
The ancestry of the IMcCrory family in America 
is traceable to three brothers, who being in 
sympathy with the American colonists, emigrated 
from the northern part of Ireland to Charleston, 
South Carolina, and engaged with the American 
army until the close of the Revolution. The 
Judge's parents, Brice and Amy McCrory, came 
to this county from the east, the former being a 
native of Penns.ylvania and the latter a native 
of New York. The father was an extensive and 
successful farmer and his son had the good for- 
tune to be reared in the pure and wholesome 
atmosphere of country life, where like most 
farmer boys, he learned the value of labor and 
perseverance, a lesson so essential to success and 
development in professional life. 

His early educational advantages were such as 
were furnished by the local public schools. After 
graduating from the Payson high school in ]\Iay 
1894, he entered college, in preparation for his 
study of law. His professional education was 




JUDGE C. B. McCRORY 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



419 



obtained in the Chaddock Law School of Quincy 
and as a student in the law offices of Judge John 
C. Broady. He was admitted to the bar of the 
state of Illinois, June 16, 1897, and subsequently 
to practice in the United States courts. 

Mr. McCrory, at the age of twenty -three years, 
began the practice of law as a member of the 
firm of Coffield & ileCrory. Two years later 
he became associated with Homer D. Dines, under 
the firm name of JlcCrory & Dines, which firm 
continued successfully ;intil Mr. ileCrory was 
elected to the bench of the county court, Novem- 
ber 4, 1902, and Mr. Dines was appointed secre- 
tary to Judge Guy C. Scott, of the Illinois su- 
preme court. It was while a member of this lat- 
ter firm that Judge McCrory was married. April 
22, 1901, to JMiss Lena C. Johns, of Quincy. 

Judge McCrory is a good citizen, a successful 
lawyer, and an able .judge. As a lawyer he is 
studious and industrious, and his success in the 
courts has proven him an attorney of ability. 
He is loyal to his clients' interests and honest 
and frank in his counsel. In politics he is a 
democrat and has always been loyal to his party. 
As a judge he displays a thoroiigh knowledge 
of the principles of law and such qualities of 
honor and fairness that he commands the respect 
aud confidence both of the public and the pro- 
fession. 



CHARLES H. ACHELPOHL. 

Charles H. Achelpohl is proprietor of a drug 
store in Quincy and in the conduct of this en- 
terprise his business capacity and energy are 
constantly manifest. While he thus figures 
prominently in commercial circles he is akso a 
valued citizen of Quincy because of his activity 
in public aft'airs along lines of practical improve- 
ment and progress. Especially as a member of 
the council Ills energies have so constantly lieen 
exerted in behalf of the genei-al good that his 
fellow citizens have come to regard him as a 
faithful ciistodian of the public interests and 
one in Avhom they may place pxplicit trust and 
confidence, knowing that his labors are char- 
acterized by public spirit and unfaltering de- 
votion to the general good. 

He was born August 13, 1872. in Quincy and 
is a son of August H. and Fredei'irk-;i ( Behi'ens- 
lueyer) Achelpohl, the latter tlir daughter of 
H. P. Behreiismeyer. August 11. Achelpohl, a 
native of Germany, came to America with his 
l)arents when thii'teeu years of age, arriving 
about 1855, at which time he became a resident 
of Quincy. In early life he learned the wagon- 
maker's trade and after completing his appren- 
ticeship he turned his attention to the grocery 



business, which he conducted on Jersey street, 
between Fifth and Sixth streets. At length re- 
tiring from that field of laboi- he formed a pack- 
ing company, of which he was president and 
treasurer, his partners being Chris Tuffli and 
H. P. Behrensmeyer. ^Ir. Achelpohl was en- 
gaged in that business for about eight years and 
then disposed of his interests on account of ill 
health. About two yeai-s later he joined his son 
Charles 11. in the establishment of a drug stoi-e 
at No. 1005 State street under the fii-m style of 
A. H. Achelpohl & Son. They opened the store 
in 1893 and continued its management up to 
the time of the father's death, which occiirred 
November 20, 1902. His long connection with 
business affairs in Quincy had gained him a 
wide acquaintance in trade circles and his 
sti-aightforward dealing had commanded for 
him the unqualified confidence of all with whom 
he was associated. His wife came to America 
with her parents at an earlj^ day and is now 
living in Quincy. 

Charles H. Achelpohl was a public-school 
student in his early boyhood days and put aside 
his text-books when fifteen years of age, after 
which he served an apprenticeship in a drug 
.store of H. Germann, there remaining for four 
years. He received a certificate from the Chi- 
cago College of Pharmacy at the age of twenty 
years, after which he went to Chicago and when 
twenty-one years of age he purchased a drug 
store on the north side of that city, continuing 
its conduct from 1891 until 1893. In that year 
he sold out and returned to Quincy to enter into 
partnership with his father under the firm 
style of A. H. Achelpohl & Son, with headquar- 
ters at 1005 State street. Following the father's 
death the son became sole proprietor of the 
store, which is now conducted tinder his name. 
The business is carried on in a handsoiue two 
story pres.sed brick building at No. 1201 State 
street, where he located October 25, 1903. He 
has a well equipped store, tastefully arranged 
aiul the large stock of goods which he carries 
is indicative of the liberal patronage which is 
accorded him. In addition to his other business 
interests Mr. Achelpohl, who is a man of marked 
enterprise and resourceful ability, is now serv- 
ing as vice president of the Quincy Regalia Com- 
pany and is president and manager of the Lahan 
Stove Company, which has recently been organ- 
ized for the purpose of manufacturing a soft 
coal base heating stove. The business has al- 
ready been placed upon a good basis aud the 
factory is on Payson avenue between Third and 
Fourth streets. He likewise conducts the Physi- 
cians & Surgeons Supply Hcmse at No. 1201 
State street and has three salesmen on the road. 
He is also interested in the International 



420 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



Lcathfi- Coiijpauy nf St. Louis and several other 
''uterprises which have profited by his wise eoiin- 
.sel and sound .iudgnient in Ijusiness matters. 

Mr. Achelpohl is active in political circles in 
his native city and in 1902-3 represented the 
fourth ward in the city council, being elected on 
the repuljlicari ticket. He was elected by the 
largest republican majority ever given in the 
fourth ward, having a plui-ality of over three 
Inuidred. While in the eitv council, on Feb- 
ruary 15, 1904, Ml'. Achelp'ohl inti'odueed the 
following resolution : 

Whereas, the modern and most impi'oved 
methods for conducting electrical currents in 
cities from place to place have demonstrated 
that the underground service is the liest and 
safest means by which electricity can be deliv- 
ered to the citizens ; and 

Wliereas, The electrical wires stretched 
overhead along and in the .streets and alleys 
of the city of Quiney and the large poles along 
and over which said wires are attached, mar the 
beauty of the city and greatly annoy the ])nblic 
and often interfei-e ^vitll the convenience of 
pedestrians and siu'li wires greatly inci'ease the 
danger of fii'e. and very often hinder the fire- 
men while trying to perform their duty at a 
fire; and, whereas, such overhead electrical 
wires increase the danger of communicating the 
electrical power and force cimtained in live wires 
to persons passing along or near such wires and 
poles ; therefore, l)e it 

Resolved by the city council of the city 
of (^niney that the ordinance connnittee be 
and the same is hereby instructed to draft 
an oi'dinance compelling any company or 
companies, person or persons owning or controll- 
ing an overhead light, telephone, or telegraph 
Avires in the city of Quiney to remove them all 
and any wire ot' wires, pole or poles, that are 
now iu and along and over the streets and al- 
leys of this eity, within the fire limits, within 
one year from April 1, 1904 ; and also providing 
that no company or companies, per.son or per- 
sons shall hereafter be permitted to stretch 
electrical wire or wires overhead in and along 
the streets and alleys of the city, nor be permit- 
ted to erect any such poles in and along such 
.sti-eets and alleys within the fire limits; and 
that all such electrical wires be laid under- 
ground, and that said ordinance contain a 
proper and sufficient penalty for its violation to 
insure its observance. 

Alderman Achelpohl moved that the ordi- 
nance committee be instructed to prepare and 
present an ordinance in conformity with the 
resolution by the second meeting in March. 

In his social relations he is an Elk and is 
prominent in Masonry, belonging to Lambert 



lodge. No. 549, A. F. & A. .M., while in the Scot- 
tish rite he has attained the thii'ty-second de- 
gree, belonging to Quiney consistory. He also 
belongs to Pruexblioiler lodge, K. P., to Min- 
newawa chapter. No. 159. I. O. R. i\L, the Court 
of Honor and the Knights of the IMaccabees. 
His religions fiiitli is indicated by his member- 
ship in the (ierman ^Methodist church. 

On the L'dlh of May, 1897, Mr. Achelpohl was 
united in man-iage to Miss Medora Miller, a 
daughter of Christopher IMiller, one of the old- 
est .settlers of Quiney. Her mother is still liv- 
ing and she has two brothers and one sister. The 
children of 'Sh: and ^Mrs. Achelpohl are ; W^al- 
ter J., who is cashier for the Galesburg Gas & 
p]lectric Light Company, of Galesburg, Illinois, 
and married Laura Hagen, a daughter of Wil- 
liam Hagen, of Quiney; and Selnia, at home. 

!Mr. Achelpohl is a man of marked business 
enterpri.se and in the commercial and industrial 
circles of Qnincy has found a wide field in which 
to give full scope to his ambition and industry — 
his dominant qualities. He possesses the reso- 
lution, perseverenee and reliability so charae- 
tei-istic of his German ancestry and through his 
activity in business has not only contributed to 
his individual prosperity but has also been a 
jiromoter of the city's development and material 
uplmilding. As a citizen his loyalty to the pub- 
lic good is above ciuestiou and his political in- 
tegrity stands as an unrfuestioned fact in his 
career. His work in behalf of the ordinance 
quoted above is certainly worthy of the high- 
est commendation and along other lines, too, 
his labors have iiroved far-reaching and bene- 
ficial. 



THEODORE BENEDICT PAPE. 

Theodore Benedict Pape, corporation counsel 
for the city of Quiney and a memlier of the law 
firm of rjovert, Pape & Govert, was born in 
(,>uincy, September 17, 1860, his parents being 
.1. II. Nicolaus and Mary A. (Duker) Pape. 
They Avere natives of Germany and became resi- 
dents of Quiney in 1846. Here the father, fol- 
lowing his ti-ade established a cooper shop, 
which he conducted for many years, but lioth he 
and his wife are now deceased. 

SuppletnentiiiL; his early educational privil- 
eges by an ad\aneeil course of study, Theodore 
B. Pape mastered the classical branches and was 
uradiiated from St. Francis College, of Quiney, 
and then, desirous of becoming a member of the 
legal profession, matriculated iu the law depart- 
ment of the Michigan State University at Ann 
Arbor, where he was graduated with the class 
of 1883. Thus qualified for the bar he has 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



421 



]ii';iclic('d (■(iiitimuiusly in Qiiiiicy since 1884, 
.nul has long ranked with the leading attorney's 
of the city, the extent and importance of the 
legal interests intrusted to his care bearing evi- 
dence of his ability and the position which he 
holds as a lawyer in the public regard. He was 
first a law partner of the late Judge Joseph 
Sibley and in 1889 he became a member of the 
law firm of Carter & Govert. which relation was 
maintained until the elevation of Josejih N. Car- 
ter to the supreme bench of the state. The 
firm of Gofvert & Pape then continued and later 
became Govert, Pape & Govert. 

The official honors which have been conferred 
upon ^Ir. Pape have also been in the line of his 
jirofession. He was city attorney of Quincy in 
the years 1887 and 1888 and he is now cori^ira- 
tion counsel of the city, having held the position 
continuou.sly .since -May 1, 1895. In this posi- 
tion he has carefully guarded the legal intere.sts 
of the city and in his official capacity he origin- 
ated the plan under which the city is now paying 
its debt, and also the plan under which the 
Quincy waterworks have been transferred to the 
("itizens' AVaterworks Company ujion condi- 
tions which insure the ultimate city owncrshii) 
of the plant. 

In religious faith IMr. Pape is a Roman Cath- 
olic. He has pleasant .social relations in his 
native city, and his professional prominence 
is the deserved recognition of ability that has 
l)een fostered through close application, earnest 
eft'ort and the exercise of strong meiitalitv. 



JOSEPH ^\. CALDWELL. 

Joseph "W. Caldwell, one of the substantial 
citizens of Adams county, living in ]\Ieyer. a 
tiiwii which he platted and surveyed in the fall 
(if 1905. Embraced in the territory surround- 
ing Meyer are fifty thousand acres of reclaimed 
land, considered the most fei'tile area in the 
state, and which never fails to produce the fin- 
est wheat and corn on the market. Meyer is lo- 
cated three and one-half miles south of the 
noi-thwest corner of Adams county, Illinois. 

Joseph W. Caldwell was born in Canton, ]\Iis- 
souri, October i. 1855. He is a son of John C. 
and Harriett Caldwell, the former a native of 
AVilliamsport, Pennsylvania, and the latter of 
Liverpool, P^ngland. In the spring of 1861, they 
came to Adams county. Illinois, settling on a 
farm near what is now the town of Clever, where 
they spent their remaining clays. Jlr. Cald- 
well died in 1882, at the age of seventy-nine 
years, while his wife died in 1873, at the age of 
forty-five years. They left three daughters, 
namely: ^Irs. Lizzie Leeper. who resides in 



Lima township; .Mi's. Ida Lloyd, living in 
Meyer; and ilrs. Dora Edison. 

Joseph W. Caldwell is an energetic business 
man, having been engaged in the real estate 
business for about twenty years, and has nego- 
tiated many important real estate transfers. He 
is the owner of three farms in the ilississippi 
bottom and a large portion of the town of 
ileyer. As a real estate agent he has done nnieh 
to improve that part of the county, and as a 
business man he has gained the success which is 
the goal of all endeavor. He is enterprising and 
progressive, possessing keen sagacity and strong 
determination, and whatever he undertakes he 
carries forward to a successful completion if 
it can be accomplished with diligent, honorable 
effort. 

On December ti, 1882, in Cleveland, Ohio, :\Ir. 
Caldwell was married to Miss jMettie Hughes, 
who was born November 24, 1864, and was a 
graduate of Canton College, of Canton, Mis- 
souri. She died December 6. 1892, leaving four 
children: ]\Iamie, Nellie, Fred and Earl. In 
Quincy, Illinois, on the 17th of iMarch, 1902, 
;\[r. Caldwell was again married, his second 
union being with Ella Jenkins, a school teacher 
of Loraine, Illinois. She was a popular, ener- 
getic teacher, having taiight in the public 
schools near her home for seven years previous 
to her marriage. She was born September 25, 
1877, and is a daughter of James B. and Jane A. 
Jenkins, ilr. and Mrs. Caldwell are members 
of the Episcopal church at l\Ieyer. They have 
one child, Alice Lillian, born July 6, 1903. 

'Sir. Caldwell has .served as levee commis- 
sioner for three years and during the high water 
of 1903 made a trip to New Orleans with a view 
to gaining information in regard to levees and 
pumping plants. On this trip he traveled more 
than seven thousand miles over the southern 
states. This trip was partly made in connection 
with his real estate business. He gives his polit- 
ical support to the republican party. His genial 
manner, kindly disposition and deference for 
the opinion of others, as well as his sterling 
worth, have made him jiopular with a large num- 
ber of the citizens of Adams county. 



ALOIS J. BLICKIIAN, :\L D. 

Dr. Alois J. Blickhan, physician and surgeon 
of Quincy, was born in this city, June 25, 1866, 
his parents being John and Louise (Lambood) 
Blickhan, whose mai'riage was celebrated in 
Quincy. The father was born in Pittsburg, 
Pennsylvania, and in the early '40s came west- 
ward to Quincy, where he engaged in business 
as a carriagemaker inuler the name of the Blick- 



422 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



luin Carriage jMannfacturiiiL;- Ciiiiipaiiy. lie 

was thus identified with the iiuhislrial iiilerests 
of the eity for a lUuiihi'i- e.i' yr:irs, li.ii siihse- 
(|iieiitly siild out. His earet'ul HiaiiaucineHt of 
liis uiauufaeuring intere.sts })r()uyht to him very 
desii-ahle siieccss and he is now livings retired, 
jiierely giving his attention to the supervision 
of his i)roperty interests, for in former years he 
made judicious investments in real estate. 

Dr. Blichhan was a jiuhlie school student and 
afterward entered th<' tiein City Business Col- 
lege, where he completed a course at tlie age 
of twenty-two. On leaving the public schools 
he learned the printer's trade in the office of the 
Job Printing Coni])any and later spent several 
years upon the road, working in various states. 
While in St. Joseph, Missouri, about 1887, being 
there engaged in work at his trade, he became 
intei'ested in some medical works and while read- 
ing these formed the deternunation to lieeome 
a mendier of the medical fraternity. Accord- 
ingly he Went to Chicago and mal riculated in 
the Rush Meilical College, working in a i)rint- 
ing office in ordei- to pay his ex[)i'nses there foi' 
two years. In ISIIO he entered the Keiikuk 
]\Iedical College at Keokuk. Iowa, -uid was 
graduated from the latter institution in the 
spring of 1S91. For a time, pj'ioi- to goinu' to 
Keokuk, he \\as clci-k in Hotel Duncan at Bur- 
lington, Iowa, and tlius as a,^])rinter and hnte] 
clerk he earned the funds necessaiy to meet the 
expenses of his college course and ]ii-epai'e him 
foi' the practice of his <'hosen jii-ofession. Cmn- 
iliu' to (^)uincy he opeiiecl .'ill ol'lice ,i]id h:is since 
been engaged in general pi':ii-t ii-i\ liaviii'.; a large 
business. lie manifests in the discharge of his 
daily duties a conscientious i)nrposi' and a de- 
votion to his work which have been stilient 
featui'cs in his prosperity and have won hiin a 
])Iace among the leading meiidiers (d' the medical 
fraternity in this city. 

Dr. Blickhan is independent in his ])olitical 
views, although he rather favors the democratic 
))arty. He is interested in various enterprises of 
the city, particularly in tho.sc measures and 
movements which have for their object the iren- 
eral good. His entire life has been pa.ssed here 
and that his has been an upright career is indi- 
cated by the fact that many of his stanchest 
friends are those who have known him from his 
.vouth to the present time. 



TIIO:\IAS BAILEY. 



Thomas Bailey, a capitalist of Camp Point, 
who has been pronnnent in many business enter- 
prises and in advancing jirogi'essive measures 



that prove of much benefit to the county, has 
been a resident of Illinois since March 20, 1840. 
He has now passed the eight.y-seventh milestone 
on life's journey, and his cai-eer has been one of 
usefulness and honor. He was born in Poland, 
Cumberland county, ilaine, on the 8th of (Octo- 
ber, 1S17, and is a son of Levi Bailey, whose 
birth occurred in the same locality, in April, 
1791. He I'epresents one of the old New Eng- 
land families of English ancestry that was 
founded in America in August, 1635. Thomas 
Bailey, his grandfather, was born in Newlinry, 
^Massachusetts, Feliruary 14. 174(i, and removed 
from that state to l\Iaine. He was married to 
Elizabeth Kindjall. Levi Baile.v was drafted as 
a soldier in the war of 1812. He was a farmer 
by occupation and established his home in Cum- 
berland county, ]\Iaine. He was there married 
to ]\Iiss Naliby Haskell, who was born in the Pine 
Ti-ee state in 1794. There they reared their 
family and sjient their entire lives. 

Thomas Bjdley is one of a family of eleven 
chiliii'cn, ten of whom reached mature years, 
while three are yet living. His youth was passed 
in Maine, where he was afforded good connnon- 
^ehool advantages and after he ceased to be a 
student he became a teacher in the public schools 
there. Attracted by the business opportunities 
of the growing west, he left New England on the 
lltli of March, 1839, and went to Boston, where 
he worked on a market farm for three months 
and also worked four months in a lirickyard to 
get money to go west. He then went to Park- 
man, Ohio, and later to Troy, that state, where 
he taught one ti-rm of school. In JIarch, 1840, 
he continued on his westward journey until he 
reached Adams comity, Illinois, where he fol- 
lowed the profession of teaching for five years. 
Later he was engaged in teaching at intervals, 
although his time was largely devoted to farm- 
ing interests, iniiiroving two quarter sections of 
land wiici'e he now lives. In 1843 he luirchased 
one hundi'cd and sixty acres of land here and 
began the develo]iment of a fai'm. The tract was 
villi and nnim|iroved Init he soon placed it »ui- 
tler a high state of cultivation and carried for- 
ward the work of improvement, adding all mod- 
ei'ii ei|uipnients and accessories as the.v were 
inti'oiluccd. He erected a residence and con- 
tributed in a suiistantial measure to the growth 
iind upbuilding of Camji Point l).v laying out 
several additions to the town, which has bene- 
fited materially by his etforts. Prom time to 
time he has purchased land and has been the 
owner of several hundi-ed acres. His attention, 
however, has not been confined entirely to agri- 
cultural pursuits, for he engaged in merchandiz- 
ing and nulling in Camp Point for a nundier of 
years. He has also figured in'ominently in finan- 
cial circle -i and in 1867 was the founder of the 





z^o-f^cL^ /^ a. 



// 




ci^ ^-nJi^ol^ . 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



427 



Bailey Pank, a private banking institution which 
he conducted with success for thirteen years. 
Throughout his entire life he has been a very 
active and enterprising business man, quick to 
note and utilize opportunities. He has made the 
most of the advantages which have surrounded 
iiim and as the years have passed has become one 
of the capitalists of Adams county through his 
judicious investments and his careful manage- 
ment of his business affairs. About 1873, in 
company with George W. Cyrus, he established 
the Camp Point Journal and continued its oper- 
ation for three years, when he sold out to Jlr. 
Cyrus, present editor. 

Public interests have received the co-operation 
and Mippoi't I if ;\lr. Bailey, who in office has 
l>riivrd his lnyalty to the general good. He was 
I'lected, in LS.jO, as the first supervisor of his 
township and served for five years. In 1858 he 
was elected for a term of three years, and about 
1S75 was once more chosen for that office. F'or 
two years he served as chairman of the })oard of 
supervisors and altogether acted as chairman 
for about five years. He is now the only survivor 
of the first county board. For forty years he 
filled the office of justice of the peace in Camp 
I'oint township and his decisions were strictly 
fair and impartial, being based upon the ecjuity 
of the case and the law applicable thereto. He 
has been a delegate to county, state and national 
conventions and has ever been luifaltering in his 
support for the principles of his party. 

ilr. Bailey was married in Camp Point, March 
]3, 1845. to iliss Rebecca Seaton, who was born 
in Kentucky but was reared mostly in Illinois. 
Her father was Richard Seaton, who came from 
Kentucky in 1835. Unto 'Sh: and "Sirs. Bailey 
was born a daughter, Eleanor, who became the 
wife of A. B. Kelley, a jeweler of Camp Point. 
She died in December, 1881, and ^Ir. Kelley has 
also passed away. In the spring of 1894 ^Ir. 
Bailey was called upon to mourn the loss of his 
first wife. He was married again in 1895 to 
Pamelia' J. Johnson, the widow- of George R. 
Johnson. She was born in Kentucky but was 
reared in Illinois, coming to this state in 1831. 
By her fii-st marriage she had ten children, eight 
of whom are yet living. 

]\Ir. Bailey is a member of the lodge and 
chapter of the ^Masonic fraternity at Camp Point. 
He has served as master of his lodge and has 
also been its representative to the grand lodge. 
He was made an Odd Fellow in 1858 and a ^la- 
son shortly afterward. He has likewise filled all 
of the chairs in the Odd Fellows lodge, is past 
grand and is a member of the encampment. He 
has started a number of lodges and he gave most 
liberally toward the building of the Odd Fel- 
lows lodge hall in Camp Point. His fellow mem- 
bers showed their appreciation of his services 



and personal worth, in 1892, by presenting him 
with a fine star medal, indicating a membership 
of a quarter of a century. In his political views 
Mr. Bailey was an old line whig and cast his first 
presidential ballot for William Henry Harrison 
in 1840. In 1856 he supported John C. Fre- 
mont, the first candidate of the new republican 
pai'ty, and has since voted for each of its presi- 
dential nominees with the exception of the years 
1872 and 1876, when he voted for Horace Gree- 
ley and Samuel J. Tilden respectively. 

Mr. Bailey gave to the town of Camp Point a 
tract of land of twenty acres adjoining the cor- 
poration linnts on the north, which is known as 
Bailey Park. He also built and gave to the town 
its opera hovise and the income derived there- 
from is given to the woi-thy poor of the town. 
He is a man of benevolent and kindly spirit, gen- 
erous to the poor, and indeed he cannot listen to 
a tale of distress unmoved. His sympathy is 
manifested in substantial assistance and many 
i:ave reason to bless him for what he has done 
for them in their hour of need. As a pioneer 
settler he is familiar with the history of the 
county from the period when it was just emerg- 
ing from its primitive condition and taking on 
the evidences and changes of civilization. In 
1844 he broke prairie here with four yoke of 
o.xen, commencing this work with teams of wild 
steers which he continued driving until they 
were well broken to the work. He has seen great 
cliang(^s along agricultural lines, and in fact all 
dejiartnients of activity in Adams county, and 
has always favored progress and improvement. 
His name has been a synonym of integrity in 
business affairs, and he is to-day one of the most 
honored and respected residents of this portion 
of the state. 



THEODORE C. POLING. 

Theodore C. Poling, for a ninnber of years a 
general practitioner of law in Quiucy and since 
i885 engaged in the conduct of a savings and 
loan office and mortgage banking business, was 
born in ^Middletown, New Jersey, January 10, 
1840. his parents being Charles W. and Ann 
(^Kelsey) Poling. In the paternal line he comes 
of English, "Welsh and Holland ancestry and 
in the maternal line is of English and Irish de- 
scent. The Poling family dates its origin in 
America back to the middle of the eighteenth 
century, when representatives of the name set- 
tled in New Jersey, Richard Poling, great- 
grandfather of Theodore C. Poling, was born 
at I\Iiddletown Point, New Jersey, as was his 
son, Richard Poling, Jr., and his grandson, 
Charles W. Poling. The last named was there 



428 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADA.MS COUNTY. 



reared and educated and in his native state wed- 
ded Ann Kelsey, also a native of New Jei'sey. 
He was a farmer by oeeux)ation and upon his 
removal to Illinois in 1856 he seeured a tract 
of land near ^Tendon, where he earried on gen- 
eral agricultural pursuits up to the time of his 
death, which occurred about 1858, when he was 
forty-two years of age. His wife died in 1863 
at the age of forty-nine years. They were the 
parents of eight children, of whom Theodore 
C. Poling was the second in order of birth. Three 
of the sons, George W., Theodore C. and James 
K. P. Poling, were soldiers of the Civil war and 
the first named died of disease contracted in the 
army, while the last was killed when participat- 
ing in the battle at jMemphis, Tennessee. 

Theodore C. Poling spent the first sixteen 
years of his life in New^ Jersey, Ohio and Iowa, 
and during that pei-iod acquired a good conmion- 
school education, which was afterward supple- 
mented by study in Knox College at Galesburg, 
Illinois. His course there, however, was inter- 
rupted by his service in the Civil war, for, 
aroused by a spirit of patriotism, he enlisted on 
the 30th of August, 1862, as a member of the 
Seventy-first Illinois Regiment, with which he 
remained for three months. At the conclusion 
of that term he re-enlisted for one hundred days' 
service in the One flundred and Thirty-seventh 
Illinois Infantry, .ioining Comi)any C, and re- 
ceived an honorable discharge on the 24th of 
Septembei-. ]S(i4. He was corpoi-al in both reg- 
inieiils ;ind was always true to his duty, .so that 
he rcturui'd to his home with a creditable mili- 
tary record. 

Following his military .service ilr. Poling en- 
gaged in teaching in the district schools near 
Mendon, Adams county, for some time and was 
also principal of the graded schools at Payson, 
Illinois, his labors as an educator covering nine 
yca]'s. During his leisure hours he entered uiion 
the reading of law and in 1870 he came to 
Quincy, where he entered the law ofifiee of Good- 
win & Davis, well known attorneys of this city. 
The following year he was admitted to practice 
at the Adams county bar and joined his former 
preceptors in a partnership under the firm style 
of Goodwnn, Davis & Poling. After the death 
of ilr. Goodwin, two years later, the surviving 
members of the firm continued in practice to- 
gether under the firm style of Davis & Poling 
until 1885, when their business relations were 
discontinued in order that Mr. Poling might 
give undivided attention to the mortgage bank- 
ing business and to the conduct of a savings and 
loan office. He had only one predecessor in this 
line of activity and has been the pioneer in in- 
augurating and building up a business which 
has long since grown to extensive and profitable 
proportions. His clientage is large and he has 



done nuicli service in the settlement of impor- 
tant estates and in holding positions of honor 
and trust. In the business of loans whicli he 
has placed he has never had a client w'ho has been 
obliged to take a jiiece of pi'operty on a loan of 
his nmking and not one of his customers has lost 
a dollar in principal or interest on his loans. 
This exceptional i-ecord, in itself a guarantee of 
the greatest security, has not been a matter of 
accident. It has been brought about through 
the utmost care exercised by Mr. Poling in the 
coiuluct of his business affairs. He carefully 
examines all titles and investigates the value 
<if every piece of property on which a loan is 
to be made and by assuring himself of every con- 
dition affecting the loan protects all of his 
patrons. He lias been interested in several of 
the more important improvements projected in 
(Quincy in the last tw-o decades and has himself 
made judicious and extensive investments in 
property. In connection with Joseph N. Car- 
ter, William PI. Govert and G. A. Bauman, he 
built the Plackstone building in 1889 and in this 
buildinu' ln' maintains his offices. He has also 
assisted in the erection of other buildings and 
has recently completed the third residence in 
which he has successively made his home and 
has also erected three additional residences, one 
for each of his children. With others he was a 
pi'omoter of the addition to Quincy known as 
Lawndale, where his comfortable home is sit- 
uated and with others he laid out and promoted 
the interests of the industrial addition k'nown 
as Walton Heights in East Quincy. 

Public enterprises in no way associated with 
his business affairs and resulting in no personal 
benefit to him have received his support, aid 
and allegiance. He has been especially active 
in this direction, now connected with worthy 
charities of the city, and is a director and treas- 
urer of the Anna Brown Home for the Aged. He 
drew the will by means of which this institution 
was founded and in many ways he has figured 
among those who have fostered it. He is also 
one of the trustees of the Blessing Hospital and 
is a director of the Graceland Cemetery Asso- 
ciation of Quincy, of which he is treasurer. 

In June, 1867, ;\lr. Poling was married to 
iliss Ella A. Wharton, a daughter of Benjamin 
and Amy Wharton, of Payson, Illinois, and they . 
have three children: Florence P.. the wife of 
James G. Nielson, of St. Paul, ]\Iinnesota ; Otho 
C, associated with his father in business; and 
Theodore Chester, attending Colorado College 
at Colorado Springs. They also lo.st two chil- 
dren. The beautiful family home in Lawndale 
is one of the most pleasing and attractive resi- 
dences of Quincy. 

]\lr. Polinu' is a member of the John Wood 
l)ost, G. A. R., also the Modern Woodmen camp 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



429 



and tile Aueieut Order of United Workmen. In 
politics, while his sympathies are more strongly 
with the principles of the repiiblican party, he 
often votes independently of part.y ties. Plis 
attention has been largely given to business af- 
fairs and liis advancement has been secured en- 
tirely througli his own efforts, through strict 
attention to the duties that daily have devolved 
upon him and tlirough honoi'able business meth- 
ods and dealings. To some he seems reserved, 
yet those who know him best speak of a kindly 
nature and social disposition that form the basis 
of strong and enduring friendship. 



HENRY P. LmiMIS. 



Henry F. Lummis. whose intense and well di- 
rected activity has made him one of the fore- 
most representatives of trade interests in 
Quincy, stands to-day at the head of the Lum- 
mis Implement Company, controlling a business 
of large and profitable proportions that owes its 
development in a great measure to his discern- 
ment, enterprise and business sagacity. At the 
same time he has never been unmindful of the 
duties of citizenship and has contributed to pub- 
lie progress along many lines but notably in 
educational circles. 

Henry F. Lummis was boi'n October 25, 1856, 
upon a farm in Adams county, which was the 
property of his father, Joseph Lummis, then a 
resident of Gilmer township and one of the hon- 
ored early settlers of this part of the state. Pre- 
viously a resident of Ohio he had come to Illi- 
nois in 1844 and east in his lot with the early 
settlers of Adams county, where he successfully 
conducted agricultural interests and where he 
also became known for his activity and helpful- 
ness in public life. His efforts in this direction 
found recognition in his election to the office of 
county treasurer in 1868 for a term of two years. 
He married a IMiss Lawless, a daughter of John 
Lawless, one of the pioneer residents of Adams 
county of 1835. 

Henry F. Lummis. reared to the (iccnpatioii 
of farming, was also provided with excellent 
educational privileges and after completing a 
course in the graded schools he attended Chad- 
dock College, later became a student in a com- 
mercial college and afterward matriculated in 
the Illinois Normal University. Thus qiialified 
for educational work, he entered the school- 
room as a teacher and for seven years followed 
the profession. Deciding, however, to enter the 
field of commercial activity, he resigned his po- 
sition as teacher in 1885 and became connected 
with mercantile interests in Quincy as a member 



of the firm of Schafer, Lunnnis & Company, 
dealers in agricultural implements. Subse- 
(juently changes occurred in the ownership of 
the business, the original firm being succeeded 
by Lummis, Rump & Company and later by 
Lummis, Earhart & Company. The business 
was incorporated in 1895 under the name of the 
Lummis Implement Company and Heni-y F. 
Lmnmis was chosen secretary and treasurer, 
which has been his connection with the business 
to the present time. lu 1896 the company re- 
moved to their present quarters on Sixth aven\ie, 
where they have the largest and best arranged 
agricultural implement house in the city. Under 
careful management and in accordance with 
modern progressive ideas the business has been 
developed to extensive proportions and is to- 
day one of the leading commercial concerns of 
Quincy. The policy of the house has always been 
such as would bear the closest investigation and 
scrutiny and the company sustains an unassail- 
able reputation in commercial circles. ]\Ir. Lum- 
mis is also manager of the mercantile depart- 
ment of the Collins Plow Company of Quincy 
and thus occupies a prominent place in connec- 
tion with the trade interests of his native county. 
As a citizen Jlr. Lummis has ever displayed 
a most public-spirited interest in the welfare 
and progress of Quincy, lending active co-op- 
eration and aid to many measures which have 
been of direct benefit in promoting the substan- 
tial upbuilding and improvement of the city. 
Retaining a deep interest in the public schools 
he was appointed a member of the board of edu- 
cation in 1897 and was made chairman of the 
committee on buildings and grounds, and a mem- 
ber of the committee on rules and on teachers. 
His previous experience as an educator well qual- 
ified him for the active work which he undertook 
and which made him one of the most valuable 
members of the citv .school board. 



EDOAR ('. SIVERTSON. 

Edgar C. Sivei-tsoii, a well known farmer of 
Honev Creek township, was born on his present 
farm." April 8, 1853. His father. Christian F. 
Sivertson. now deceased, was for many years a 
prominent farmer of Adams county, living for 
a long period in Honey Creek township. He 
was a native of Denmark, born in 1809, and 
when a young man he came to the United States, 
attracted by the business opportunities of the 
new world. Locating first in Cincinnati, Ohio, 
he removed in 1840 to Quincy and soon after- 
ward located in Honey Creek township, where 
he secured a tract of land and successfully car- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



430 

ried on famiiiiii- for a luunbcr of years. His 
death occurred in Paloiua. August 26, 1891. He 
was married, October 22, 1840, to ^Marcia Lakins, 
a native of Ohio, and they became the parents 
of four chiklren, of whom two are living: Wil- 
liam F.. a resident farmer of H.)ney Creek town- 
ship: and Edgar C. 

In the schools of tliis township Edgar I. 
Sivertson was educated and throughout his en- 
tire life he has followed farming, gaining prac- 
tical experience in the best methods of cultivat- 
iiio- the fields during his early boyhood days, 
thnumh the assistance which he rendered his 
father in the suimiier months. He is now the 
owner of eighty acres of land on section 22, 
Honey Creek township, and forty acres of tim- 
ber land on section 21. The place is devoted 
to general farming and to the raising of cattle, 
hoo-s and horses. His crops are mostly corn, 
oats and hay, and the well tilled fields give prom- 
ise of good harvests, while his stock-raising busi- 
ness is also a profitable source of income. ^ 

In 1889 occurred the marriage of Mr. Sivert- 
son and IMiss llary Lumiiiis, a native of Gilmer, 
Illinois, and a daughter of Joseph Lmnmis, now 
deceased, who for many years was a prominent 
farmer of Gilmer township. Mr. and Mrs. 
Sivertson have one child, Ruby :M. The hos- 
pitality of many of the best homes of this lo- 
cality is cordially extended to them. Mr. Sivert- 
son "is a republican in his political views, but 
the honors and emoluments of office have little 
attraction for him and he pi-efers to devote his 
energies to his business affairs. 



WILLARD KEYES. 



Willard Keyes, the eldest son of Ashley Keyes 
and Anna (Willard) Keyes, was born in New- 
fane. Windham county, Vermont. October 28, 
1792". His father was a farmer who removed 
from Shrewsbury, :Massacluisetts, where the fam- 
ily had long lived, to Vermont about 1790. Wil- 
lard, having received the usual practical school 
education of New England, worked on the farm, 
also learned the business of woolen dyeing, and 
taught school for several winters, until, at the 
age Of twenty-five years (quoting his own words 
from the commencement page of his diary), "On 
the second day of June, A. D. 1817, being im- 
pelled by curiosity and a desire to see other 
places than those in the vicinity of my native 
town, I, Willard Keyes, started from Newfane, 
Vermont, intending to travel into the western 
parts of the United States." Traveling by vari- 
ous means through Canada and by the northern 
lakes, he reached Prairie du Chien on the 30th 
of August, 1817. There he remained, engaged 



in teaching, milling and other jmrsuits, until 
the spring of 1819, when, with one companion, 
he started on a raft for St. Louis, fioating by the 
site of Quincy, ilay 10, 1819. 

In March, 1820, to quote again from his diary : 
"John Wood and myself formed a partnership 
to go on the frontiers and commence farming 
together: accordingly, prepared ourselves with 
provisions, farming utensils, etc., as well as our 
slender means would permit; two small yoke of 
steers, a young cow, and a small though promis- 
ing- lot (if swine; our whole amount of property 
did not iii-olial)ly exceed two hundred and fifty 
dollars. Paid fifty dollars and sixty dollars per 
yoke for small four-year-old steers, seventeen dol- 
lars for a small lieifer, six and a C[uarter cents 
jier pound for fresh pork, seventy-five cents per 
bushel for corn, eight dollars per barrel for flour, 
four dollars per bushel for salt, and other things 
in proportion." At this place, in Pike county, 
thirty miles southeast of Quincy, he remained 
until the si>ring of 182-1, wlien he removed up to 
(Quincy and liuilt the second cabin of the city — 
sixteen by sixteen feet in size — which was after- 
ward used as the first courtroom. On the forma- 
tion of the county, in 1825, he was chosen one of 
the county commissioners and acted earnestly 
and usefully for the interests of the infant settle- 
ment for many years. He was one of the first 
iiiemliers of the first church association formed 
in Quincy, in 1830, of which he was made deacon, 
a position faithfully maintained for forty-two 
years. He died on the 7th of February, 1872. 
He was married December 22, 1825, to Miss 
Laura Ilarkness, who died I\Iay 8, 1832: and 
again to ]Mi.ss Mary C. Folsom, who died Novem- 
ber 1, 1864. 

In the latter part of a Quincv directory for 
1864-5, published by S. B. Wyekott', is aOrief 
"History of Quincy," written by Willard Keyes, 
The important historical facts stated by Mr. 
Keyes are given in Colonel Tillson's History of 
Quincy, but the following account by Mr. Keyes 
of Quincy 's fir.st pioneer festival is worth pre- 
serving : 

"We sometimes hear nowadays of splendid 
parties in Quincy; but, surely, we think they 
cannot (to use a homely expression) 'hold a can- 
dle' to some that are chronicled in the primitive 
times in Quincy. Take one that came off in the 
month of May, 1825, All the elite of the county 
were present: some eight or ten pair of unmai-- 
ried and enough married ones to preserve de- 
corum. The day was beautiful, and the most 
ample feast was provided by the liostess, Mrs. 
Jeremiah Rose. John Wood was Master of Cere- 
monies — the 'Feast of Reason and the Flow of 
Soul' presided over the festive board. After 
dinner a pleasure excursion up ' Boston Bay ' was 
the order of the exercises. Two large canoes 




WILLARD KEYES 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



433 



were firmly secured, side by side Avith transverse 
timbers, and the whole party embarked. The 
way they enjoyed the excursion can only be real- 
ized by those who M'ere participants. Landing 
at a famous spring and rambling through the 
verdant groves, the first consciousness they 
seemed to realize was the low-descending sun 
and a black, ascending cloud in the west. It was 
.some time before all could be rallied and aboard, 
and then more frolic than fear ju'evailed, until 
the sky was overspread with darkness, the thun- 
der rolled, and the winds roared in the distance. 
The boys then began to pull the oars in right 
good earnest. 

"But the wind, the rain and the darkness all 
came on their devoted heads at once. The waves 
began to intrude: 'To shore' was the word; the 
bo^v strikes land, and the boys jump OA^erboard to 
hold the craft, while the girls (we mean the 
ladies) were helped ashore. They had about a 
mile to run, following a deer path, made visible 
only by vivid flashes of lightning : the rain 
poured in torrents, and the white dresses flut- 
tered in the wind. The cabin which at last shel- 
tered them had two rooms and a loft in the peak 
of the roof. Mrs. Rose and the other ladies re- 
siding with her brought forth their ample ward- 
robes, and the saturated ladies ascended to the 
loft and were soon arrayed in dry clothing, some 
perhaps not so nice a fit as fastidious milliners 
of the present day might desire. It was feared 
that serious eon.sequenees might result from such 
a drenching and the tea kettle was placed over 
the fire to prepare some 'herb drink' to counter- 
act the 'malaria,' and report says that the blaster 
of Ceremonies (whether by mistake we cannot 
say) filled the tea kettle mostly with aqua vitae; 
but, to make amends, he put in an ample supply 
of sugar. This beverage was dealt out to the 
ladies in the loft to keep them from 'cotehin' 
cold.' And the 'ilajor' says their chattering soon 
resembled a flock of blackbirds in a cornfield. 
Suffice it to say that none took cold, and some 
that had the ague were completely eui'ed. 

"The next morning they formed a cavalcade 
with buggies, horses and such conveyances as 
were at hand, and took a grand excursion about 
two and a half miles northeast to the 'big spring' 
on the prairie, from which point, in the course 
of the forenoon, the party diverged to their re- 
spective homes. But the end is not yet ; 'tall oaks 
from little acorns grow. ' So here observe : ' Great 
events from little causes flow ! ' This Pioneer 
Festival did not end in smoke. Twice six con- 
genial minds here found their mates, and most 
of them tied the hymeneal knot within the j^ear. 
After the lapse of thirty years, we trust to be 
pardoned for the liberty we take of enrolling 
their names in the order of 'events' as near as 
recollected : 



"Amos Bancroft married Miss Ardelia Ames. 

"Truman Streeter married Miss Maria Jack- 
son. 

"Willard Keyes married iliss Laura Hark- 
ness. 

"John Wood married ]Miss Ann M. Streeter. 

"Fernando Slavton married iliss Louisa Had- 
ley. 

" Jothani Streeter married J\[iss Olive Whipple. 

"There were three or four misses as the festi- 
val whose 'mates' we presume were unfledged at 
that time or, in plain prose, were schoolboys, but, 
as they have since married, we give their names 
in order 'seriatim': 

"^liss Nancy Groshong married to George 
Campbell, of Ursa. 

"]\Iiss Jane Streeter married to Samuel Holmes. 

" Mi.ss Lucy Rose married to George Brown. 

"The question has been asked and may be 
asked again : ' What did you do for a minister 
to solemnize the nuptial ceremony?' Well, neces- 
sity is said to be th.e mother of invention, and 
the civil magistrate 'yclept' justice of the peace 
(of which we had a small sprinkling) was put 
in requisition, and, so far as we knoAv, made a 
tolerable substitute: we shall briefly recount but 
one as a specimen of weddings in those days: it 
was the second in the foregoing catalogue; the 
first had already been quietly eon.summated. It 
Avas but a few short weeks after the festival be- 
fore signs and indications were manifested that 
a wedding was in the wind and likely to come off, 
near what is now the village of 'Chili,' in Han- 
cock county, which, recollect, was attached to 
Adams county for judicial purposes. Aceord- 
ingl\', aboiit two o'clock in the morning of the 
appointed day, some of the 'larks' about Quincy 
were ready mounted at the dormitory of the more 
staid 'Justice,' rallying him for not rising earlier. 
However, he was soon in the saddle, and the way 
they skylarked over the prairies was a caution 
to horseflesh. The distance was about thirty 
miles. The.y arrived about nine A. M., to the no 
snuill annoyance of the 'Chilians,' who did not 
expect or desire their presence until the aftei'- 
noon : and the good landlady, Mrs. Whipple, gave 
them a severe reprimand for their premature 
intrusion. She was in the very midst of her pies 
and puddings, and now she need expect no 
further aid from the girls. However, to propiti- 
ate, the young men jiroffered their services in 
any way they might be serviceable. 

' ' In due course the wedding was consummated 
with all the solemnity the occasion would com- 
mand, 'invoking God and the assembly present 
to witness their mutual obligation to love, honor, 
cherish, sustain and comfort each other through 
life : to this you each solemnly assent, and now, 
by the authority invested in me by the state of 
Illinois, I pronounce you hu.sband aiul wife. 



434 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



"What God hatli jt)ined togetlu-r let no iiiaii put 
asunder, " closing' by thi' tuiie-lKinorrd custom oi 
kissing the bride and wishing her iiiueh felieity 
and happiness in her new condition of life. The 
feast that followed wa.s worthy the hostess and 
the occasion. Fort Edwards (now Warsaw) was 
the nearest point of settlement, about twenty 
miles. A garrison was stationed there at that 
time for the protection of the frontier, com- 
manded by iIa.jor Marston. And the 'infair, ' or 
bridal tour, took that direction. The oflieers 
were \i>ry courteous, said they had especial in- 
structions to hospitably entertain travelers and 
extend aid to those who wei'e in need, and they 
were ever ready to greet visitors with great cor- 
diality, as it served to diversify the monotony of 
a garrison life; and on an occasion like this the 
IMajor, Captain Stowe and lady and Lieutenant 
Wilcox gave a suitable entertainment, and the 
close of the week brouglit the progress of events 
around into their accustomed channi'l." 



PROFESSOR D. L. MUSSELMAN. 

The position which Harvard and Yale occupy 
in connection with the professions, the Gem City 
l-5usiness College of Quincy occupies in relation 
to commercial circles. It is an institution which 
is a credit alike to the city and to its president, 
Professor D. L. Musselman, who for thirty-five 
years has been owner of the institution and has 
stood at its head, molding its policy and shaping 
its progress. Long has it maintained a fore- 
most place among the institutions which prepare 
the young for entrance into business life and in 
this direction Professor Musselman has had 
direct bearing upon the development and con- 
trol of important business enterprises. 

Without favorable environment in his youth 
and unaided by inheritance or the influence of 
friends, he started out to make his own way in 
the world at an early age. He was born in a 
log cabin in Fulton county, Illinois, April 21, 
1842, of humble parentage. The opportunities 
of a district-school education were largely de- 
nied him and instead of spending the days of 
his youth with his text-books, he labored in the 
fields upon his father's farm or at the carpenter's 
bench, thus assisting his father in the support of 
a large family. He early manifested a love of 
books, however, and eagerly embraced every op- 
portunity for reading and study, often poring 
over such books as he could secure through the 
evening hours, sitting by a lard lamp or by the 
blazing open fire. He attended the district 
schools when it was possible for him to do so. 



and later he enjoyed the advantages of several 
winters of instruction in the Fulton County 
Seminary, meeting the expenses of his education 
with funds saved from his meager earnings in 
the summer months. 

Thus toiling on year after year, he continu- 
ously broadened his knowledge until his mental 
equipment equalled that of many a college-bred 
young man. His great ambition seems to have 
been to gain a thorough knowledge of penman- 
ship and business and he made rapid advance 
along the former line, so that his skill in this 
direction caused him to be chosen orderly ser- 
geant of the company after his enlistment, in 
1862, as a member of the Eighty-fifth Illinois 
Volunteer Infantry. He was twenty years of 
age when he joined the army. He soon won 
promotion to the rank of lieutenant and at the 
battle of Kenesaw ]\Iountain, he commanded the 
company and, later in the service, receiving a 
captain's commission, served until after the ces- 
sation of hostilities in 1865, when he received an 
honorable discharge. 

The money which Captain Musselman saved 
during his military service enabled him to carry 
out his long-cherished ambition of pursuing a 
course of study in a business college, and going 
to Chicago he entered such an institution and 
[lursued his studies with such assiduity that he 
finished the course in less than the jirescribed 
time. 

For a year thereafter Professor Musselman 
engaged in teaching in Eastman's Business Col- 
lege and then accepted a position as teacher of 
penmanship in the schools of Messrs. Bryant, 
Stratton and Bell, who sent him first to Spring- 
field, Illinois, and then to Quincy. After the 
death of Mr. Stratton and the consequent change 
in the management of tlie school. Professor Mus- 
selman engaged to teach penmanship and book- 
keeping in the old "Quincy English and German 
College," with which he was connected until 
1870, when he purchased the Gem City Business 
College, of Quincy, of which he has since been 
proprietor and president. His undivided time 
and attention have since been given to the de- 
velopment and upbuilding of the school with the 
result that it has hardly a peer in the country 
in regards to attendance and efficiency. In writ- 
ing of Professor Musselman, Rev. David Gay 
said: "What he desired and determined to do 
he has accomplished. He has so arranged his 
studies, improved methods and devised plans that 
now, without question, he has the most successful 
school of the kind in the western states, if not in 
the Union. The people of Quincy are justly 
proud of a college that has no peer in the land. 
A school which numbers twelve hundred students 
yearly, representing no less than thirty-three 




^^^^-^/-^ 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



437 



states and territories, is an honor to the man 
whose energy and genius built it up and a 
credit to the city where it is located. In every- 
thing pertaining to a business ediieation he is 
xuiequaled. For superior penmanship he has 
received the silver medal from the Cincinnati 
Industrial Exposition, medal and diploma from 
the Omaha Exposition, 1898, and from the 
Illinois and Iowa State Fairs, from the St. Louis 
Fair and at the World's Exposition in New 
Orleans in 1885. 

The Gem City Business College owns its own 
building, which is constructed in the Romanesque 
style of architecture, is fifty-one by one hundred 
and eighty-eight feet and five stories in height. 
It is the largest and most elegant edifice erected 
in the United States for business college work, 
with splendid equipments of every character for 
the convenience and comfort of the students and 
for facilitating their work. There are three dis- 
tinct courses of instruction : that of the business 
department, the shorthand and typewriting de- 
partment and the normal penmanship depart- 
ment. There is a faculty of experienced teach- 
ers, and with their assistance Professor IMussel- 
man has compiled and published all the commer- 
cial text-books for the business department, and 
these have been adopted and used in hundreds of 
other business colleges, as well as in his own. 

Professor I\russelman has succeeded in his 
w(u-k beyond his most sanguine expectation. He 
has not only made a financial success of his enter- 
prise and succeeded in thoroughly equipping 
thousands of students for the responsibilities of 
a business career, but has also left iipon them 
the impress of his own individuality and high 
moral character. He is a member of the Ver- 
mont Street ilethodist Episcopal church, of 
Quincy, and was chosen a lay delegate to the 
general conference of the church which met in 
New York city, in :May, 1888. 



HON. WILLIAM SCHLAGENIIAUF. 

Hon. William Schlagenhauf, for three con- 
secutive terms a member of the general assembly 
of Illinois with a strong constituency expressive 
I if his high standing in public regard and his 
unfailing devotion to the general welfare of his 
conununit\- and of the commonwealth, was born 
in Belleville, Illinois. :\Iarch 8, 1867. His father, 
the Rev. John Schlagenhauf, of the German 
^lethodist Episcopal conference of St. Louis, 
was for over a quarter of a century actively 
engaged in the work of the ministry, but now 
holds supernumerary relations with the church. 
He filled many important charges, exerting 
strong influence in the building up of the 



various church oi-gauizations with which he was 
connected and he now makes his home in 
Quincy. He married ilargaret Rohn and in 
their family were four sons : Henry, a practic- 
ing physician of St. Louis; William; Edward, a 
denti.st of St. Louis; and Philip, who is en- 
gaged in the practice of law in Quincy. 

Owing to his father's removals in connection 
with his ministerial work William Schlagenhauf 
spent his youth at various places, pursuing his 
studies as oppoi-tunity offered in the public 
schools and eventually entered the German Col- 
lege at ]\Iount Pleasant, Iowa, from which insti- 
tution he was graduated. Becoming imbued 
with a desire to enter upon the practice of law 
he prepared for the profession as a student in 
the law department of the ^Michigan State Uni- 
versity and after the completion of his course 
there was admitted to the liar and in June. 1890, 
entered upon practice in Quincy. Here he 
opened a law office in connection with Colonel 
Berry, now deceased, and soon made for himself 
an enviable reputation as a legal pi-actitioner. 
His preparation of cases is most thorough and 
exhaustive : he seems almost intuitively to grasp 
the strong points of law and fact, while in his 
brief and arguments the authorities are cited 
so extensively and the facts and reasoning there- 
on are presented so cogently and unanswerably 
as to leave no doubt as to the correctness of his 
views or of his conclusion. No detail seems to 
escape him : every case is given its due prom- 
inence and the case is argued with such skill, 
ability and power that he rarely fails to gain the 
verdict desired. 

Wliile well known as a lawyer of Adams 
county ]Mr. Schlagenhauf has perhaps formed a 
wider acquaintance in the state through his po- 
litical service- His first office was in connection 
with his profession, he acting as assistant city 
attorney under Homer Swope. Deeply inter- 
ested in the issues and questions of the day and 
taking an active part in the work of the republi- 
can party he was in 1892 chosen president of the 
Southside Republican Club, the largest political 
organization ever formed in Quincy, while in 
1896 he became secretary of the organization. 
In 1899 he was elected to the state legislature, 
where he served so capably that in 1901 he was 
re-elected, and again in 1903. In 1901 he re- 
ceived the popular democratic vote and had no 
opiiosition when his name was presented for the 
third term, thus being elected by a constantly 
iucreasing ma.jority. He soon became recog- 
nized as a leader of the house, winning promi- 
nence first through the defeat of the Jewell bill. 
He gained further fame by his opposititm to 
over thirty iiseless bills, among them being the 
lew tax bills. He instituted and secured the 
passage of a bill providing for the selection by 



43« 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



the people oi (^iiincy of its board of education; 
also a bill •whereby the inmates of the Soldiei's 
& Sailors Home were entitled to vote without 
leaving the grounds. This bill went before the 
.supreme court but ;i mandamus was served 
under which eonditiotis the soldiers and sailors 
enjoyed the voting privilege. He has had the 
liouor of voting for two I'nited States senators, 
Shelby if. Culiom and Albert J. Hopkins, both 
now holding office. In the house he has been a 
member of the connnittee on claims, elections, 
judiciary, revenue, municipal corporations, state 
institutions and fish and game and was chair- 
man of the connnittee on Soldiers' Home and 
Soldiers' Orphans Home. He was invited as a 
guest of Governor Tanner to attend the dedica- 
tion of the soldiers' monument at Chattanooga, 
Tennessee. He oppos(>d the nomination of Gov- 
ernor Vates in l!)l)4 and is recognized as one 
of the influential nirii of tin- republican party. 
^Ir. Schlaaenhauf was married in Quincv in 
18H12 to .Miss Lillie ]\I. I.Tecke. of this city. 'and 
they had three children : William J. ; j\Iargaret. 
who died October 1, 1901, in her eighth year ; 
and Lily E. 'Sir. Schlagenhauf was made a ila- 
.son in 1901, holding membership with Herman 
lodge at Quiney. In conununity affairs he is 
deeply interested and is now serving his fourth 
year as assistant secretary of Blessing Hospital, 
lie is a man atf'able in dcmeanoi', of strong de- 
termination and winning iiianni'i-, and he usu- 
ally accomiilishcs all 1liat he iiiidei'takes. At the 
bar lie has a dislincl i\ely I'cpi-csentative client- 
age and he is now ably and capably serving in 
the state legislature, liikint;' an active part in tlie 
business that is transacted in the conncil chaiii- 
liers of the commonwealth. His course has ever 
lieen above suspicion, the good of the state he 
places before partisanship and the welfare of his 
con.stitueney before personal aggrandizement. 
He commands the respect of his fellow members 
of the house and at home — in the city of his resi- 
dence — where he is best known, he inspires per- 
sonal friendships of unusual strength and all 
who know him have the highest admii'ation for 
his good qualities of heai't and mind. 



WILLIAM IIHI;TZ()(; COLLINS. 

William Hertzog C.illins was Imrn ilarch -20. 
1831, at Collinsville, Illinois. an<l received his 
early education in tlie public school of that 
town. He was a mcmlier of the class of 1850 
at IlHiiois Colleci. ;it Jacksonville. He after- 
ward served as trustee of the college for sev- 
eral yeais. After leaving college he took a 



post-graduate course at Yale ('ollege in jihilos- 
c.pliy and theology. For six years he was pas- 
tor of the Congregational church at La Salle, 
Illinois. In 1858 he bought and conducted the 
Jacksonville Journal. In 1861 he beeame'chap- 
lain of the Tenth Illinois Infantry, but later lie 
resigned this position and assisted in raising 
the One Hundred and Fourth Illinois 
Infantry. He comnumded Company D of this 
regiment in the battles of Elk Kiver, Chicka- 
mauga. Lookout ]\Iountain and Mission Kidge 
and Ringgold. In the spring of 1864 he was 
appointed on the staff' of Major General John 
^1. Pahiiei' and served during tiu' camiiaign, 
wliicli ended with the fall of Atlanta. In De- 
cember he was appointed provost marshal of 
the twelfth district of Illinois and served in 
that office until December 31, 1865. 

In 1866 Mr. Collins engaged in the manufac- 
ture of i)lows and agricultural implements an<l 
later organized the Collins Plow Company. 
ill has l);'en associated with this business for 
about a (|uarter of a century. For several 
years he also had an interest in the State Street 
Lank. At the solicitation of friends he has 
sometimes made political ventures in city, state 
and national politics. He has always been an 
ardent republican and his ward, city and 
representative district has been strongly demo- 
ci-atii'. Luring his service as alderman of the 
Infill ward lie was elected by a democratic coun- 
cil to lill till' vacancy caused by the death of 
till' iiiayoi' of (,»iiiiicy. He was twice elected, 
in liSSl and 1888, a member of the .state legis- 
lalure. He was afterwards nominated for con- 
gi-ess in 1S88 and for the state senate in 1902. 
He \vas unsuccessful but the usual heavy demo- 
cratic uiajorilies were reduced. Without a 
canwiss ior I lie positnni he received a heavy 
vi'te ill till' republican convention for lieu- 
tenant eiixernor. He was elected supervisor 
for si.\ vi'ars. jtiii-inu' liis service in the legi.s- 
latiire lie L:a\e liy invitation orations upon 
Decora (ion Day. n|ii)ii the occasion of the me- 
iiioi-ial service of Senator John A. Logan, and 
upon tbe anniversary of the death of President 
Lincoln. These orations were extensively pub- 
lisher in the daily press. 

^Ir. Collins has written a good deal for pub- 
lication. Quiney ])eople know of his literary 
ability cbii'My through his communications with 
the press of the city. Some of these letters 
have been acco\uits of his hunting expeditions 
and his travels. Other newspaper articles have 
been on economic questions of current interest. 
His magazine articles "Elements of Truth in 
all Religions," "Reaction of Law upon The- 
olouy" and the "Logos," show his sympathy 
with a national theology. Since ISOt he has 




_^^lS9i' pw 




^^i^^^ 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



441 



been president of the board of directors of tli^; 
Anna Browu Home for the Aged. Id 1903 lie 
■\va.s appointed 011 the board of education and 
was made its president. He was afterwards 
elected to the same office, his term as director 
expiring in 1901. In the spring election of 
190.'i. without any canvass on his part, he was 
elected alderman of the sixth ward. He has 
always maintained that it is the duty of every 
citizen to serve the commonwealth as he best 
can without questioning the dignity of the of- 
fice or its emoluments. 

In philosophy he is a theistic evolutionist, 
in politics a republican, who holds the welfare 
of the peo|)le as above the success of party. In 
religion he is a believer in the law of love as 
the highest law. His versatility is indicated 
by a toast as announced at a recent literary an- 
niversary: William H. Collins, preacher, poel. 
politician, plow-maker, soldier. 



JOHN O. REYNOLDS. 

John 0. Reynolds, who is now successfully 
engaged in farming on section 33, Houston town- 
ship, was born in this county. January 26, 1873, 
his parents being George R. anci Margaret 
(Simpson) Reynolds. The ancestry of the fam- 
ily can be traced back to the ^Ia\-flower. The 
paternal great-grandfather of Charles Reynolds 
was a native of Connecticut and served for seven 
years in the Revolutionary war, subsecjuent to 
which time he followed blacksmithing. His son, 
Horace Reynolds, was born in East Hartford, 
ConneeticTit, Jamiaiw 27, 1790, and was one of 
a family of four daughters and four sons and 
for some years was the only survivor of the fam- 
ily. He, too, became a blacksmith and worked 
at the forge for a half century. Leaving AYin- 
sted. Connccticiit, he removed to Houston, 
Adams county, Illinois, in 1835, and there pur- 
chased land and established his home, being one 
of the pioneer residents of that locality. Not a 
fiirrow had been turned or an improvement 
made upon his land, but he soon broke the prai- 
rie and after turning the sod, planted his seed 
and in due course of time gathered rich crops, 
ultimately improving and cultivating two Imn- 
dred acres. The usual experiences of pioneer 
life were familiar to the family. Wolves were 
frequently heard howling around the cabin at 
night and it was no i;nusual thing to see a herd 
of deer, while venison was a frequent dish upon 
the family board. Horace Reynolds reached the 
advanced age of ninety-three years, passing 
away February 5, 1883. He had been married 
on the 11th of October, I8I.1. by the Rev. Dr. 
Lvman Beeeher. to Miss Annie Cidver. who was 



born in Litelilield. Connecticut, in 1792. Their 
married life covered sixty-eight years and she 
survived her husband two years. She held mem- 
bership in the Congregational church and was 
an able assistant to her husband, carefully man- 
aging the household affairs, while he devoted his 
attention to the improvement of the farm and to 
working in his blacksmith shop. As the years 
passed they prospered and they always main- 
tained a high position in the regard and esteem 
of their neighbors and many friends. In their 
family were ten children. 

George Reynolds, the youngest of this family, 
was born in Litchfield, Connecticut, March 6, 
1834, and was only fourteen months old and 
Aveighed but fourteen pounds when brought by 
his parents to Illinois. During the winter 
months he was a student in a log schoolhouse, 
which, however, in course of time was replaced 
by a neat frame structure. He learned the 
blacksmith's trade with his father and during 
the winter months followed that pursuit, while 
in the summer season his attention was given 
to the cultivation of the fields and the care of 
the crops. In' the spring of 185.5 he formed a 
partnership with his brother Henry for the con- 
duct of a blacksmithing shop but aboiit 1860 the 
brother went to California, while George Rey- 
nolds continued blacksmithing for three years 
longer. In 1863 he removed to Hancock county, 
Illinois, where he gave his undivided attention 
to farming, having purchased one hundred and 
ninety acres of land there. In ilarch, 1865, how- 
ever, he returned to Adams coiuity and for tour 
year.s resided near Mendon, while in 1870 he 
took up his abode in Houston township. Here 
he h.id four hundred and thirty acres of land in 
one body on section 4. Camp Point township, 
and three hundred and thirty-five acres of land 
in Houston township, his farm bordering each 
side of the Camp Point road that divides the two 
townships. He was also extensively engaged in 
the raising of cattle and hogs and his bvisiness 
affairs were most capably conducted. For the 
last thirteen years, however, he has lived a re- 
tired life but remained upon the farm until 
about three years ago, when in 1902 he and his 
wife removed to Camp Point, where they now 
make their home, being among the most honored 
and respected pioneer residents of the county. 

Unto ilr. and iirs . George Reynolds were 
born five children, the brothers and sisters of our 
subject being George, who married Artie Groves 
and lives in Houston tov.mship : Henry II., who 
married I^ola ]\IcAuulty and resides in Camp 
Point: Anna ^L, who is living with her parents: 
and Elodie, al.so at home. 

John O. Reynolds pursued his education in 
the common schools of Adams county and at 



442 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



Camp Point, sulisequent to which time he at- 
tentled the (rem City Business Collep;e in Quin- 
cy. After ieavini;' school he returned to the old 
home farm and lived with his father for ten 
years, since which time he has carried on general 
agricultural pursiiits on his own account. He 
is to-day the owner of two hundred and five acres 
of rich land on section 38, Houston township, 
which he ha.s placed under a high state of CTilti- 
vation, the fields annually returning his golden 
harvests. He alst) raises high grades of stock and 
this dei)artment of his business is likewise profit- 
able. 

I\Ir. Reynolds was united in mai-riage March 
19, 1902, to Miss Stella Kessler. who was born 
in Adams countv, December 21, 1881, and is a 
daughter of C. 'w. and Belle (Reed) Kessler. 
llei' father was born in Adams county v.liere he 
Mi)\v livi-s and his wife liecame a resident of this 
county ;il)out 1S4U. Both still survive. ]\Irs. 
Reynolds was born in Camp Point township and 
obtained her education in the luiblic schools. She 
has one lu'other and one sistei': Elmer, who mar- 
ried Miss Ida Meyers, of Cohimbus, Illinois, and 
lives with liis jiarents: and Edith E., the wife 
of P. S. Judy, a resident of Paloma. 

.Ml'. Reynolds is a republican in his political 
views but never sought or desiretl office, prefei'- 
ring to concentrate his energies on his business 
a.fiFairs. He is a young maTi of excellent business 
enterprise and executive force and has already 
won success that might well be envied by many 
an older man. 



DANIEL C. WOOD. 

Danii'l C. Wood, the eldest .st)n of Governor 
John Wood and Ann ilaria AVood. was born 
February 9, 1829, in Quincy, Illinois, in a log 
cabin that stood on Delaware street, near Front. 
Mr. Wood was the first white child born in 
Quincy and is the only jjcnson now living here 
who was born in Quincy prior to 1830. 

I\Ir. Wood attended the fii'st village school, near 
Fifth and Jersey streets, taught by ilr. S. F. 
Safford. While on the farm with his father, 
young Wood operated the first ha.y-press built in 
Quincy. About 1847, Mr. Ilaight opening the 
first telegraph ofRee in Qiiincy, on the north .side 
of Washington square, Mr. Wood entered the 
office as messenger and assistant, and soon was 
looking after the lines connecting Quincy with 
Warsaw and Hannibal. Later, lie was given 
temjiorary charge of the office at Hannibal. 
Shortly after this, the gold fever in California 
broke out and Wood, in company with seventeen 
others, went to the "diggings" via Panama, 
most of tile otlicrs being: Dr. Sanniel Rogers, 



Cliarles Brown, Major George Burns, David 
Wood. JoluiMcClintock, D.Guthrie, Icliabod ]\Iii- 
ler, Jordan, Jlessrs. Dorman and Sheldon, Cap- 
tain John P. Mikesell, (ieorge Rogers, John 
Wood and John Wood, Jr. As far as loiown, 
but two of the party are living, namely : .Mr. 
Wood and Mr. Mikesell. Nathan Pinkham con- 
tracted to take the party by sled to the Illinois 
river, whitlier they started Febnuiry 1, 1849. 
They did not reach San Francisco till the nuddle 
of July, and did not get to the mines till August 
1st, or six months after leaving Quincy. .Mr. 
Wood and others returned to Quincy from Cali- 
f(n-nia. 

In 1S55, Jlr. Wood formed a iiai-tnei'slii]) in 
the linnber business with Charles 11. llowland. 
the place of business being on Hampshire and 
Vermont streets, on the site now known as Mol- 
ler & Vanden Boom's lumberyard. The firm 
bought ground south of Jefferson street on the 
river to enable them to draw in their rafts of 
lumber coming from the jtineries. Northeast of 
the yard they erected a planing mill and dry 
house. In the fall of 1868, Wood entered into 
]iai"tnership with Alexander Stobie, in the ice 
business. The firm liought land on the Missouri 
side of the river and there bnilt two houses, the 
first ice houses built on the river north of St. 
Louis. The firm did a large wholesale business 
with firms in St. Louis. ]\[r. Stobie withdraw- 
ing from the firm later, j\Ir. Wood sold his inter- 
est to Mr. Frederick Whipple and united with 
~S\r. James W. Stewart, and the firm built two 
new hoTTses at the foot of the island and con- 
tinued the ice business till in the '80s, when 
.some incendiary burned their ice houses. 

In 1880 I\Ir. Wood became associated with ]\Ir. 
Shelly in the lime business, and kilns were 
located north of the city, on Whipple's creek. 
The business was not successful, owing to the 
quality of the stone and to other cireumstanees. 
Mr. Wood has also been identified with a num- 
ber of other enterprises in this city. 

Mr. Wood was married August 26. 1858, at 
Denmark, Lee county, Iowa, the lady being Miss 
ilary Jane Abbernethy. Their surviving chil- 
dren are: ]\Irs. W. F. Sapji, of Gralena. Kansas; 
Airs. II. F. Porter, of Fei-gus Falls, Alinnesota; 
James T. Wood, of AVhite Sulphur Springs, 
Montana; and Airs. Thomas F. Dunn, of Car- 
thage, Illinois. 

At an early date Mr. Wood was a member of 
the "Quincy Blues," a military organization, of 
which Benjamin F. Prenti.ss was captain. For 
many years Mr. Wood was a member of the old 
"Water Witch" or No. 2 hand fire engine, one 
of tlie most efficient fire companies of the city, 
under the captaincy of E. K. Stone and E. i\I. 
Alillei. The only other fi)'e engine at that time 
was the No. 1. Mr. AVood I'i'presented tlic fourtli 




DANIEL C. WOOD 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



445 



wanl for one terjii in the city council. lie has 
always been greatly interested in the gi-owth and 
prosperitj' of the city from its earliest period to 
its present beautiful propoi-tions. I'ersonally. 
ilr. Wood is a man of excellent charactm- and 
agreeable address, who is held in cordial esteem. 



EEV. JAMES ROBERT S:\IITII. 

Rev. James Robert Smith, pastor of the First 
Congregational church at Quiney, was born near 
Canton, Fulton county, Illinois, February 15, 
1862, a .son of Rev. Oscar F. and Esther Ann 
Smith. His father, a minister of the United 
Brethren church, was one of the pioneer circuit 
riders of Illinois and a man of considerable influ- 
ence in that day, sowing the seed of gosjiel truth 
that in time brought forth good fruit. His wife. 
too, was an earnest and devoted Christian, and 
her influence proved a potent element in the life 
of her .son James. In their family were four 
sons who entered the ministry, the others being 
Frank 6. Smith, D.D., who is pastor of the War- 
ren Avenue Congregational church of Chicago, 
Illinois; Rev. 0. 0. Smith, who is pastor of the 
First Congregational church at Council Bluffs, 
Iowa ; and the oldest son, Rev. W. II. Smith, who 
died some years ago, being a minister of the 
United Brethren ehiirch for sevei-al years before 
his death. The paternal grandfather of Rev. 
James R. Smith was of English descent and sev- 
eral generations of the family resided in Vir- 
ginia, lie married a native of France. In the 
maternal line Rev. Smith is of Scotch-Irish 
lineage. 

In his youth a student in the district graded 
and high schools and later for a brief period in 
Knox College, at Galesburg. Illinois, Rev. Smith 
afterwai-d continued his studies in the IMorris 
Normal at jMorris. Illinois, where he was grad- 
uated in 1883. His childhood was largely passed 
oTi a farm or in the variolas villages in which 
his father was perfoi-ming pastoral duties. After 
completing his education he engaged in teaching 
school for three years and devoted his leisiire 
hours diiring that period to the study of law, 
thereby jareparing for admission to the bar at 
•Ottawa. Illinois, in 1886. He began practice in 
;\Ioline, Illinois, and subsequently removed to 
Kansas City, Missouri, where he continued in 
the practice of law until 1892, when he left the 
coui'troom for the pulpit, identifying himself 
with the ministry of the Congregational church. 

After preaching his first sermon in Hennepin, 
Illinois, he was called to the pastorate of that 
chni-ch in 1892 and in the following year he ac- 
(•e]ited a call from the church at Blue Island, 
Illinois. In 189.5 he removed to Superior, Wis- 



consin, to become pastor of Pilgrim church, at 
that place, and eight years later he came to 
Quiney. where since September, 1903, he has re- 
mained in charge of the First Congregational 
church of this city. In church matters he is 
closely identified with the larger enterprises cf 
the denomination. He has been chosen delegate 
to the national council of the Congregational 
church for three consecutive terms by the local 
a.ssoeiations where he has been engaged in the 
ministry. In religious thought he is fiberal, but 
sympathetic with all honest and sincere believers 
of whatever name or denomination. He is recog- 
nized as one of the strong preachers of the Con- 
gregational church in the middle west and each 
.successive call he has received has called him to 
a larger and more prominent church, giving him 
greater opportunity for work. 

In his political views Rev. Smith is a repub- 
lican, manifesting the interest of a public-spir- 
ited citizen in the issues of the day atSecting the 
welfare of state and nation. For fifteen years 
he has been a member of the Ancient Order of 
United Workmen and for five years of the Inde- 
pendent Oi-der of Foresters. 

Rev. Smith was married at Gilson.Knox county. 
Illinois. September 1, 1887, to :Miss Jessie Law- 
rence, of that place, who is a graduate of Knox 
College, of Galesburg, Illinois, of the class of 
1886, and has been of much assistance to him in 
his church work. They have two children : Zens 
L., born January 9, 1889, in Kansas City, Mis- 
souri; and Paul, born in Sujjerior. Wisconsin 
March 4. 1896. 

Perhaps no better account of the character 
and ability of Rev. Smith can be given than by 
quoting from the writing of one, who having 
good opportunity to judge of both, .said: "As a 
genial, modest, honest, an earnest and fearless 
hater of evil, a loyal friend and advocate of 
good. People believe in him. admire his ability, 
respect his opinion and willingly co-operate in 
his plan.s. As a preacher he is magnetic and 
strong. In the pulpit he is able, .sincere and 
fearless. He appeals to reason as well as to con- 
science and is eloquent with the simple eloquence 
of the truth. In all relations he endears himself 
to the church and communitv. " 



THADDEUS E. CONOYER. 

Thaddeus E. Conover is the owner of a fine 
farm comprising two hundred and four acres of 
land, which has been acquired through his own 
efforts. This lies west of Lima, conveniently 
near the town so that all the comforts and ad- 
vantages of town life may be easily secured 
while those of rural existence are enjoyed also 



446 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



i)y the family, ^li'. (.'oimvcr was Ikihi Novem- 
ber 2, 1884, ill Adam.s county aud is a sou of 
Jonah aud Hestcn' A. (lioman) Conover, the 
former a native of Little Lake Harbor, New 
Jersey, Avhile the lattei'"s birth also occurred in 
that state. In his childhood days, Jonah Con- 
over went witli his pai'ents to Ohio aud came 
with them to Illinois in 1885, the family home 
being established in Adams county upon a farm 
just south of Lima. Jonah Conover also became 
it farmer of this locality, his place being upon 
sections 11 and 12, Lima township. There he 
remained until his death, which occurred in 
1872. when he was about sixty-three years of 
age, having been boi-n in 180!). His wife was 
born in 1812 and died July 19, 1889, when nearly 
seventy-seven years of age. They were worths- 
pioneer people of the county, having assisted in 
the early di'velo])iii('iit and impi-ovemeut of this 
part of till' st;iti\ I'.nd through tlie long years 
of their residciirr here they had made iiian\- 
friends. 

T. E. Conover pursued his education in the 
public schools of Linsa and after putting aside 
his text-books he responded to his country's call 
for aid, enlisting with the boys in blue of (_'om- 
pauy G, One Hundred and Nineteenth Illinois 
Infantry. He joined the army, August 12, 1862, 
as a dnnnmer, beint;- then but seventeen years of 
age, aud he served faithfully until August 2C, 
1865, when tlii' w.ir having ended, he was mus- 
tered out at M.:!)ilr, Alabama. He still has in 
his possession the di'um that he carried through- 
out the war. Following his return to Adams 
county he worked upon his father's farm until 
1868, when desii'ing to engage in fanning for 
himself, he boui;ht the fai'm on which he now 
lives on section 11, Liiii,M tnwiisliip. As his finaii- 
eial' resources have inci'enscd he has added to his 
property from time to time until he is now the 
owner of two hundred and four acres of rich aud 
arable land, wliieh yields him splendid harvests 
in return for the labor he bestows upon the 
fields. He carries on general farming and in 
addition to the raising of the cereals best adapt- 
ed to the soil and climate, he raises peaches and 
apples, having a fine orchai-d. 

On the 14th of January, 1S(16. Mr. ('(hkivci- 
was married to Jliss jMai'garet Shipe. who tiled 
in August, 1872. leaving two children: Martin 
H.. who was born January, S. I,sti7, and married 
Laura "Ware, their lunnc iiciiig upim his father's 
farm; aud Willi.-im h., w Iki was bdrn ]\Iarch 23. 
1868. aud married Xora Shi|>e. they residing in 
Hancock county. Illinois. On the 17th of Octo- 
ber, 1876, ilr. Conovci' mai-ried Jemima Liud- 
.say, a daughter of Aiidi-ew and IMary (Bragg) 
Lindsay of Hancock cnuuty. She was born June 
2, 1855, and by her maii-iauc became the mother 
of six children: j\laiul IJ., whu was Ixn-n June 2. 



1881: Joseph E., born October 3, 1883; Emma 
L., boi-n March 1, 1887 ; Guv L., born August 28, 
1889; Virgil H., born May 21, 1892; and Marv 
I., born August 30, 1895. 

.Ml-. Conover is a stanch advocate of repub- 
lican principles and although he lives in a strong 
democratic di.strict. he has been elected to the 
office of supervisor, in which he served for four 
years; assessor for two years; and road com- 
missioner, for two years; and at the present 
writing is again supervisor. The fact that he 
has frei(uently been elected is an indication that 
his fellow townsmen repose the utmost confi- 
dence in his abilitv aud fidelitv. He is a mem- 
lier of Lima lodgv" No. 135, A. F. & A. ]M., and 
Lima post, 567, ii. A. R., and his wife belongs 
(•1 ihi- Christian church of Lima. Their home is 
pleas-rintly located two miles west of the town 
anil is noteil for its warm-hearted h(is[iitality. 



CARXAIIAN D. VAN FRANK. 

la the Imsiness history of Quincy the name of 
Carnahau 1). Van Frank figured prominently, for 
he was actively connected with commercial pur- 
suits here for many years, developing a business 
of large proportions and so conducting his in- 
tet-es1s Ih.-it his honorable methods and straight- 
forward dealin" gained for him the trust of the 
business world.' He arrived in Quincy in 1862, 
being then a young man of but nineteen years. 
His birth occurred in Bristol, Indiana, April 27, 
1S43, his parents being Gerrit aud Emily Van 
Frank-, wlm w-ei'e natives of Utica, New York, 
and in an early day removed to Bristol, Indiana, 
where the father eiieaged in farming until his 
death, jiassing away in that place. The mother 
died at the home of her sou James in Dodge 
Center. ^Minnesota. 

Their son ('ai-iiahaii D. Van Frank was iu- 
d(4)te(l t(i Hie cdiiniioii schools of his native city 
for till- e(luca1 ioiial privileges he enjoyed. He was 
oiil\- eiulileeii years of age at the time of the in- 
aueni-atioii of the Civil war, but his ])atriotic 
s]iiril prompted his enlistment and he joined the 
Eighteenth Indiana Infantry, participating in 
a number of engagements, including the battle 
of Stoue River. He was also in several skirmish- 
es and 111! (uie occasion, while carrying his 
WDunded captain from the battle-field, ilr. Van 
Frank was struck by a bullet in the thigh. Be- 
cause of his injuries he was sent to the hospital 
in Quincy. where he remained for several 
months. When he had somewhat recovered from 
his injuries he went to Rock Island, Illinois, to 
join his cdiiipany. but on account of his wound 
;;!i(l (■(inse(|nent ill Ivalth he was not sent to 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



447 



active duty, tmt he was made steward in the 
hospital at Rock Island, where he remained until 
honorabl.v discharged. lie afterward contin- 
ued a resident of that cit.v for a time and there 
pursued a full course in Bryant & Strattou Busi- 
ness College. Later he returned to Quincy, 
where he entered into partnership with his two 
brothers in the fire insurance business, in which 
they continued for several .years. Mr. Van Frank 
of this review subsequently opened a store on 
Front street, where as a wholesale dealer in fish 
and oysters he worked up a good trade and con- 
tinued his sales with profit for a few years. He 
then enlarged the scoj^e of his business by deal- 
ing also in ice and for a considerable period sold 
fish, oysters and ice to the wholesale trade. At a 
later date, however, he disposed of the fish and 
o.yster department and continued in the ice busi- 
ness alone for twenty .years, or up to the time 
of his death. From the beginning his patronage 
.steadil.v increased until it had reached large pro- 
portions and brought to him a ver.v gratifying 
eompetenc.y. 

Mr. Van Frank was married in (Quincy to Miss 
Abbie Martin, a native of Salem, Washington 
county. New York, and a daughter of James L. 
and Ann (Hanks) i\Iartin. Her father was a 
farmer throughout his entire life and both he 
and his wife resided at Salem, New York, until 
called to their final rest, though the latter died 
at the home of her daughter in Quinc.v. Mr. Van 
Prank died February 26, 1901, his death being 
the occasion of deep regret among his business 
associates and social acquaintances. While he 
carefully controlled his commercial interests and 
so directed his efforts as to win prosperit.y, he 
also found time to promote public interests and 
was accounted one of the representative citizens 
of Qiiincy. For a number of .years he served on 
the city council and ever exercised his official 
prerogatives in support of those measures which 
he deemed would prove of most value in the 
upbuilding and permanent good of Quincy. He 
was a member of the board of education at the 
time of his death. His political allegiance was 
alwa.ys given to the republican part.y and he 
ever kept well informed on the questions and 
issues of the day so that he was able to support 
his position by intelligent argument. Socially 
he was a member of the Masonic fraternity and 
served as master of his lodge for several years, 
exemplifying in his life the beneficent spirit of 
the craft which has as its basic elements mutual 
helpfulness and brotherly kindness. He at- 
tained the Knight Templar degree. He held 
membership in the Presbyterian church, to 
which his wife also belongs, and his entire life 
in its business, social, political and democratic 
relations was in harmon.v with his professions 
as a member of the church. In 1876 he built 



tile present fine brick residence now occupied 
b.\- his widow at No. 337 Chestnut street. In 
addition to this property Mrs. Van Frank also 
owns five other dwellings in different parts of 
the city, which she leases, the rental therefrom 
bringing to her a good income that supplies her 
with all the necessities and comforts and many 
of the luxuries of life. A most congenial rela- 
tionship existed between her and her husband 
and his death came as a particularly heaw blow 
to her. She has in Quincy many friends who 
extend to her high esteem and she shared with 
her husband in his interest in the work of the 
church and foi- the upbuilding and development 
of the city. 



JOHN C. KIELY. 



John C. Kiel.y. deceased, who was head .ianitor 
at the government building in Quinc.y for many 
.years and was well known among the business 
men of the cit.v, came to Quincy about 1854. He 
was a native of Ireland, born in June, 1834. His 
father, John Kiely, always resided on the Emer- 
ald Isle, where in early life he was a laboi-er and 
afterward engaged in farming there until his 
death. His widow later came to America and 
made her home with her son John in Quincy un- 
til her demise. 

John C. Kiel.y obtained onl.y a common-school 
education in Ireland and when twenty years of 
age he came to the new world, making his way 
direct to Quincy. The Chicago, Burlington & 
Quinc.y Railroad Compan.y was then extending 
its line to this cit.v and he took the contract for 
boarding the men M'ho were laying the track. 
He conducted a railroad boarding house for a 
few years and afterward accepted the position 
of steward of the Occidental Hotel, serving in 
that capacit.y for nearl.y thirt.y years. He then 
took the position as night watehnian in the bank 
of the State Savings, Loan & Trust Company, 
in the employ of Lorenzo Bull, and when three 
years had passed he resigned that position to be- 
come head janitor of the government building, 
in which capacit.y he served until his demise. 

Wlien Mr. Kiely came to America he landed 
at New Orleans and in that cit.v was married to 
]\Iiss Ellen Connell, a native of Ireland. They 
became the parents of seven children, Dennis 
and John, who are residents of Chicago; Annie 
and Alice, at Jiome ; and Thomas, Catherine and 
Alice, who are deceased. Mr. Kiel.y passed away 
Jul.v 14, 1904. He was supervisor in Quincy 
for several yeai's and in all positions of public 
trust he was found faithful and reliable. In 
politics he was a democrat, giving staunch sup- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



port to the pai-ty. He belongt'd to the Catholic 
Knights of America and held membership iu St. 
Peter's Catholic church, of which his wife and 
children are also commnuieants. He became a 
prominent and well-to-do resident of Quincy, 
accumulating a comfortable competence during 
his active business career. He also gave very lib- 
erally to charities for he was a nuin of benevo- 
lent "spirit, his good qualities of heart and mind 
winning him many friends among the business 
men of the city, where he long resided. His 
wife owns a nice hoin(> at No. 913 Jersey street, 
where she and iier daughters reside, it having 
been the familv residence for many years. 



HlCHAi;!) F. XEWCOMB. 

Richard F. Newcojnb, for years one of the 
most distinguished citizens of Quincy by reason 
of the extent and importance of his business 
interests and his activity in i)iil>lic alfairs, 
might well have been elassetl among llie cap- 
tains of industry. He did not belong to that 
class whose paths are strewn with the wrecks 
(if others' fortunes, who go down to gilded 
tombs with the cold regard or the bitter ex- 
eei'atioii of their fellows, for his was a life of 
service. While he iiroiiioted business eiitev- 
in-iscs of magniliule that bi'ought him wealth, 
they were at the same time important factors 
ill the iiiilHiildiiig. progress ;iiid suiistantial 
prosperity of the city whereby all of the citi- 
zens were benefited. He labored to advantage 
along many lines connected only Avith the 
city's iiplniildiiig and having no effect upon 
his iiidi\ii!iial business ('(niceriis. He was end- 
lessly, wisely and intensely interested in 
some of the most imi)ortant enterprises of good 
citizenship, both local and national, and was 
truly one of the builders of his state. 

Tiieluird P. Newcomb was born in liernard- 
ston, Jlassachusetts, on the 20th of September, 
1S"^7. and w'as the youngest of uine children, 
born unto Zebina H. and Jlaria L. ((.ioodale") 
Xewcoiiii). His father was for many years 
engage!.! in general niei'cantile pursuits and 
possessed the marked executive force and Imsi- 
ness enterprise that leads to success, while at 
the same time he bore an enviable reputation 
as a most charitable and benevolent gentleman. 
The son olitaiiied his preliminary education in 
the si-luHils 111' liis native town, later attending 
Williston Seminary at Easthampton, ^lassa- 
chusetts. His business life began in 15<iston. 
Avhere he was for a, number of years a valued 
employe of Beiijaiiiin Callendar, at the head of 



a large hardware liouse in that city. On the 
expiration of that period he returned to his 
iiati\e town and became an assistant to his 
father, who Avas engaged in merchandising and 
farming and in the operation of a sawmill. 

His patriotic spirit, however, was aroused by 
the continued attempt of the south to over- 
throw the union, and on the 9th of September, 
1862. he was enrolled as a member of Company 
A, Fifty-second Massachusetts Infantry. He 
went with Banks" expedition, his regiment be- 
ing the first to march into Port Hudson after 
the surrender. For some luontiis he served on 
the Itiigade staff', having charge of the ordi- 
nance supplies and later of the entire medical 
stores. When the nine months" term of his er,- 
listment had expired he received an honorable 
discharge and again assisted his father in mer- 
ehandising in the east. 

.\ttracte<.l by the possibilities of the great 
and growing west Mr. Newcomb resolved to 
investigate conditions of the Mississippi val- 
ley and, if possible, become a factor in busi- 
ness life in that portion of the country. Ac- 
c(U'dingly, in August, IMSti, he located in 
Bcloit, Wisconsin, and secured a jiositiou in a 
mill wherein wia]>ping pa]ier was iiiaiiufa<'- 
tnred. His capability and efficiency won ready 
recognition in successive promotions and he 
was soon admitted to a partnership in the busi- 
ness. The following year the Northwest Paper 
Company was organized, with ilr. Newcomb 
as the vice ]>resident, and an extensive Avhole- 
sale paper house was established in Chicago. 
With their mill at Beloit and their house in 
("hicago this was (Uie of the leading e(Uicerns 
in the pajier trade of the Avest. The company 
lost heavily during the great Chicago fire of 
1S71 and folloA\-ing this Mr. NcAvcomb Avith his 
brother eaiue to (,)nincy and purchased a paper 
mill iieri', Aviiich they placed in operation in 
A|iril. 1S72, iiiidi'r the tirm name of NcAVComb 
Hrotlieis. The iiiill ]iro]ierty Avas located on 
South Front street. Tavo yeai's afterAvard 
liichard F. NeAvcomb sold his interest in the 
.\ortln\-est Paper Company to his brother and 
became sole proprietor of the Quincy ])lant, 
Avhieli he greatly improved, adding new ma- 
I'liiiiery and increasing the capacity of the 
l)lant. It Avas not long until he demonstrated 
to (.^)uini'y his business and execiffive poAver and 
his marked enterjtrise. In 1880 he Avas instru- 
mental in organizing the Quincy Paper Com- 
jiaiiy of Avhieh he liei'ame the head, and under 
Ills guidance the Viusincss d(>A-<'Ioi)ed so rapidly 
tViat it soon became the second largest straAV- 
lioai-d mill in the country. In 1889 it Avas ab- 
sorbed by the American StraAvboard Company 
and ^Fr. Newcomb A\-as retained as one of the 





^^TTT^ 



L 



i^. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADA:\IS COUNTY. 



451 



eontrollinu powers in thi.s ourpoi-atioii. of 
which he eventually became piesideut, acting- 
ill thill (•ai)acity for six years. An era of 
ii-ratifyini;- growtli foUowed, and the develop- 
ment of tliis important industry to its present 
magnihceut proportions is due very largely to 
the rare foresight and unusual executive and 
business ability of Mr. Neweomb. One of the 
first to appreciate the opportunities which this 
branch of business ottered he began to utilize 
the factors at hand for its development and be- 
came closely associated with the control of 
many large paper mills throughout the coun- 
try. The extent and importance of his opera- 
tions also made him a well known figure in 
commercial and financial circles throughout 
the country. By no means was the attention 
of Ricliard P. Neweomb concentrated alone up- 
on this business for his efforts extended to 
other lines with the result that Quincy bene- 
fited by the upbuilding of its commercial and 
indu.strial affairs. He formed his plans readily 
and was prompt in their execution, yet his de- 
cisions were never marked by lack of judg- 
ment, which often follows quick action. His 
celerity of mental action was the basis of his 
later labor and caused the rapidity with which 
he put into execution any method which his 
judgment sanctioned. He became the presi- 
dent of a company organized to build the 
Quincy, Beardstown & Havana Railroad. He 
was interested in building the Neweomb Hotel 
on Fourth and ilaine streets, becoming one 
of the stockholders and a director of the com- 
pany. The hotel was named for him on 
account of the great interest he took in the en- 
terprise and his influence in raising money for 
its erection. He also gave generously toward 
building the public library. In 1891 he erect- 
ed his home, which was one of the jjalatial resi- 
dences of Illinois. 

Mr. Neweomb was married on the 2d of 'Sla.y. 
1860, to Miss Eliza A. Bowman, of Flushing, 
Long Island, who died four years later, leaving 
a daughter. Mrs. Joseph W. Emery. On the 
22d of September. 1869. he married ]\Iiss Anna 
M. Ritchie, of Beloit. Wisconsin, and they had 
three daughters and one son : ilrs. John A. 
Stillwell, Mrs. Frank II. Whitney, Jlrs. E. H. 
Castle and Richard Bernard Neweomb. 

Mr. Neweomb 's political allegiance was usu- 
ally given to the democracy, though he voted 
for President McKinley at both elections, being 
a sound money democi-at. He took an active 
interest in local, state and national politics. 
In fact his was a public-spirited citizenship 
that regards with interest every cpiestion. 
movement or measure that has a bearing upon 
the development of the country, whether com- 



mercial, iiolitical 111- intellectual. lie iield a 
responsible place in large affairs of finance and 
he had the perfect confidence of his financial 
associates. Avorking-men and of the general pub- 
lic. He may well be numbered among the 
builders of Quincy because of the ett'ective co- 
operation which he gave to every movement 
tending toward its benefit. His benevolence 
had the stamp of citizenship. Modesty, devo- 
tion, mental and moral strength were splendid- 
ly combined in his career and his death, which 
occurred ilay 15. 1901, was the occasion for 
deep and uniform regret throughout the city 
of his residence and in every community where 
he was known. 



G. w. (;iRA:\niER. 



G. W. Grammer. who is now serving as super- 
visor of Beverly township and is regarded as 
one of the most influential and prominent citi- 
zens of his locality, was born in that township 
on the 25th of November, 1862. his parents being 
Seth W. and Anna (Phillpot) Grammer. On the 
maternal side he is of English descent, his gi-and- 
parents having come from England in 1837 and 
settled in Pike county, Illinois, where their 
daughter gave her hand in marriage to Seth W. 
(irammer. He was a native of Massachusetts 
and had come to Illinois in 1842. In 1854 they 
removed to Adams county and took up their 
abode in Beverly township. In their family were 
six children, namely: Lizzie, the wife of Fred 
Hill, of Pike county; Charles, now a resident of 
Nebraska; Seth T.. deceased; ilary, the wife of 
James Toalen, of Villisca, Iowa ; John A., of 
Baylis, Pike county, Illinois; and G. W.. of this 
review. 

(t. W. Grammer is indebted to the district 
schools of Adams county for the educational ad- 
vantages he enjoyed in his youth, and after leav- 
ing school he devoted his entire time and atten- 
tion to farming for a few years, but he now 
makes his home in the village of Beverly, where 
he is successfully engaged in blacksmithiug. He 
also operates a mill and is engaged in the thresh- 
ing business. He is a wide-awake, energetic and 
progressive business man and usually carries 
forward to successful completion whatever he 
undertakes. 

In 1884 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. 
Grammer and IMiss Celia Breckenridge, a daugh- 
ter of Mr. and Mrs. William Breckenridge, who 
came to this state from Pennsylvania at an early 
day and located in Adams county. To our sub- 
ject and his wife have been born five children : 



452 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADxVMS COUNTY. 



Lewis Vj.. wild is imw liviiii;' in Ilauiul»;il. ^lis- 
soui-i; Alva W., wild is attending' sclidol in 
(^niiiey; and IVai'l, Earl C. and Artliui- 1j., who 
an' alsii in schodl. 

In his social relations Yiv. Grnmmer is con- 
nected with the Independent Order of Odd Fel- 
lows and the Modern Woodmen of America. By 
his ballot lie supports the men and measures of 
the Republican jiarty and he takes ciuite an 
active part in public afrairs, having been hon- 
ored with a number of local office of trust and 
responsibility. He has served as town clerk, eon- 
stable and collector of both town and township, 
and is now most acceptably serving as supervisor 
of Beverly township. His official duties have 
ever been most faithfully discharired and have 
M-on for him the commendation of all. 



■lOIlX DECATl^R JUSTICE. :\I. I>. 

Dr. .Idhn IJrcatnr Juslice, who, in the ten years 
of his connection with the medical profession of 
Quiney has gained an enviable reputation, was 
born in Scotland county, ilissouri, September 22, 
1854. lie is a son of Henry S. Justice, a native 
of (Columbus. Ohio, who in his boyhood days ac- 
companied his parents to jMissouri. Reared to 
agricultiiral piirsuits, he followed the same occu- 
pation throughout his entire life and died in Mis- 
souri, August 20, 1881, when fifty-two years of 
age. During the Civil war he was a member of 
the ]\Iissouri ^Jfilitia and was also in the regular 
service as a member of the Thirty-ninth ^Missouri 
Volunteer Infantry, with which he remaini'd for 
six months, joining the army at the lasl call. His 
political views were in hariiidny with repul)lican 
principles and he was a resiiectcd citizen of his 
home locality. He married ^lincrva Jane Witt, 
who was born in Estill county, Kentucky, Decem- 
ber 28, 1837. and is now living with her son in 
(^tniiicy. She is a member iif the Presbyterian 
cliii]-<-li. By her marriauc she became the mother 
df two sdiis, but the ydiinj^cr. Ijuther P., is de- 

Dr. Justice, reared under the iiarental roof 
upon the home farm in ilissouri, was a student in 
the public schools and in the State Normal School 
at Kirksvillc. ^lissmiri. He attended the Keokuk 
iledical CoIIclic in 1876 and was graduated from 
the Missouri ,Mi>dical College, at St. Louis, in 
March, 187S. Immediatcl\- aflcrward he began 
practice in Mem])liis, ^lissmii-i. \\liere he re- 
mained until the folldwini; Oddbci-, and fdi- lif- 
Iceii years thereafter hi' was Idcab'd at Belle 
I'laiiic. Kansas. Desiring a broader field of labor 
that wdiild furnish greater scope for his profes- 
sional attainments. Dr. Justice i-ame td (Quiney 
in ;\lai-cli, ISm, and has since iiracticcd licrc with 



marked success. While in Kansas he was the 
local surgeon for the ^Missouri Pacific Railway 
and was a member of the Kansas State and 
County Medical Societies, Diiring his I'esidenee 
in the west he took a post-graduate course in 
microscopy in the laboratory of the late Carl 
Heitzmann in New York and further added to 
his knowledge find promoted his efficiency by at- 
tending the surgical clinics of Thomas H. Manley 
at Harlem Hospital, John A. Wyeth and Paul F. 
jMundie at Mount Sinai Hospital, Charles A. ile- 
Burney of the Roosevelt system and also attended 
the Vanderljilt medical clinics and the clinics of 
the Bellevue Hospital ^ledical College. He has 
succeeded in his practice because his eciuipment 
has been unusually good and because to a natural 
adaptability for the profession he added conscien- 
tious service, arising from a just appreciation 
of the responsibilities which devolve upon the 
physician. 

Dr. Justice belongs to the Adams County and 
Illinois State Medical Societies, also the Military 
Tract ^ledical Association and the National Asso- 
ciation of Railway Surgeons, He was assistant 
chief surgeon at St. IVIary's Hospital and chief 
surgeon of the Fairehild Sanitorium, served as 
secretary of the staff of the former and, when he 
resigned the position, was tendered a handsome 
banquet. 

On the 17th of November, 1888, Dr. Justice was 
married to Miss Sarah Ambrosia Love, a daugh- 
ter of Hon. James M. Love, the dean of the news- 
paper fraternity in ]\Iacon, ^Missouri, which is 
I\frs. Justice's native city. They are members of 
the Baptist church and are prominent socially, 
while Dr. Justice belongs to the IMasonic fra- 
ternity, the Ancient Order of United Workmen, 
the ^Iddern Woodmen of America and the Royal 
Neiglilidi's. His political endorsement is given 
the republican jiarty. 



JAMES S. THORNTON. 

James S. Thornton, who is the owner of nine- 
ty-seven acres of tine land on section 26, I\Ien- 
don township, was born Augu.st 20, 1844, in Pen- 
dleton count.y, Kentucky. He is a son of John 
and Elizabeth ('Smith) Thornton, who came to 
Adams county in 1866. In their family were 
six children: Lewis L., William, Thomas, Hen- 
ry, iTartha, ilary and James S. 

James S. Thornton spent his lioyhood days in 
the state of his nativity, acquired his education 
in the public schools and in October, 1861, when 
only seventeen ye;irs of age, enlisted in the 
Confederate army, with which he served for two 
yi'ars and nine ludiitlis. In his youth he was a 
pupil df Hon. John (1, Carlisle. Avho was then 





/fi^U. O. ^(yV-CH^tuZe!e^^ 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



455 



teachiug his first term of school. After the war 
Mr. Thornton eanie to Adams county, Illinois, 
where he worked for two years, and then went 
to Missouri, where he engaged in farming for 
three or four years. On the expiration of that 
period he returned to this state and has since 
made his home in Adams county, earrjdng on 
general farming. He is to-day the owner of 
ninety-seven acres of rich land, which he has 
placed under a high state of cultivation. His 
farm is equipped with all modern accessories, 
including the latest improved machinery for 
carr.ying on the work in the fields. 

In 1878 ;\Ir. Thornton was united in marriage to 
Mrs. Susan Crandall, of Adams county, who was 
born April 15, 1842, and was the widow of 
David Crandall. There are two children by this 
union : Edith, born October 13, 1879, is now the 
wife of Samuel Pitney, who resides near her 
father, and they have one child, Thornton, born 
in August, 1903 ; Erma M., who was born May 
24, 1883, is living at home. 

JMr. Thornton holds membership in the Bap- 
tist church and gives his political support to the 
democratic party. He has served as school di- 
rector for several years and the cause of educa- 
tion finds in him a warm friend. His wife is 
a member of the Christian church. He has led 
an active life in which energy and perseverance 
have been his strong and salient characteristics. 
Realizing that labor is the basis of all success, 
he has worked persistently and earnestly, and 
his property is a monument to his business activ- 
ity and good .iudgment. 



EDWIN FREEMAN BRADFORD. 

The ancestral historj^ of Edwin Freeman 
Bradford is distinctively American, both in its 
lineal and collateral branches. He is a descend- 
ant of William Bradford, fii'.st governor of the 
Plymouth colony, and a great-grandson of Cap- 
tain Samuel Bradford, of Connecticut. In dif- 
ferent generations the name has figured conspic- 
uously in New England and it was in that sec- 
tion of the country that E. F. Bradford was born 
on the 27th of April, 1841, the town of South- 
bridge, Massachusetts, being his birthplace. His 
father, William Bradford, was a farmer by oc- 
cupation and on the family homestead the son 
was reared, attending the district schools and 
when not occupied with the duties of the school- 
room assisting in the laboi-s of the farm. Finan- 
cial reverses followed b\' the death of his mother 
necessitated his starting out in life on his own 
account at a comparatively early age and he en- 
tered a shoemaking establishment, where he 
served a regular apprenticeship. Ambitious to 



enjoy further educational privileges, however, 
he became a student in Nichols Academy in 
Dudley, Massachusetts, when a youth of sixteen. 
By working at his trade on Saturdays, doing 
farm work in the summer and teaching school in 
the winter he was enabled to meet the expenses 
of an academic course and completed his studies 
there at the end of five years. Learning that 
telegraph operators were needed in Illinois, he 
devoted three months to nuistering the art of 
telegraphy at Nashua, New Hampshire. 

In November, 1863, Mr. Bradford arrived in 
Illinois, bearing with him letters of recommenda- 
tion to A. N. Towne, then assistant superinten- 
dent of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Rail- 
road in Chicago. He was given a position, being 
appointed telegraph operator on the line of that 
road at Kewanee. The following year he went 
to Young America as clerk and operator and in 
1865 he was given the position of station agent 
at Macomb, where he remained until 1881. In 
the year mentioned he was transferred to Han- 
nibal in charge of the business of the Chicago, 
Burlington & Quincy, and the St. Louis, 
Keokuk & Northwestern Railroads. Two 

years later his duties were further in- 
creased by adding to his position the business 
at that point of the Hannibal & St. Joseph Rail- 
road Company, and he was made general agent. 
In 1887 he was transferred to Quincy, where, in 
addition to having charge of the city business of 
the above mentioned lines, he has charge of the 
freight and passenger business of the Burling- 
ton system through Illinois from Louisiana, ]\Iis- 
souri, to Burlington, Iowa. He is to-day one of 
the most trusted representatives of these roads 
with important and onerous duties devolving 
upon him, for which his long experience, marked 
business capacity and executive ability well 
qualify him. It has been during his administra- 
tion in Quincy that the new passenger station 
was built, the new depot and the new system of 
terminals located here, involving the expendi- 
ture of nearly a million of dollars. He controls 
the business Avith marked dispatch, being thor- 
oughly conversant with every detail as well as 
the principal points that come under his charge 
and to-day stands high among railroad men of 
the central ^Mississippi valley. 

Since establishing his home in Quincy. Mr. 
Bradford's efl^orts have proved a resiiltant factor 
in promoting the welfare and progress of the 
city. Public-spirited in an eminent degree his 
co-operation has largely promoted the general 
welfare and yet all of his public service is per- 
formed in a quiet, imostentatious manner, being 
a work of influence rather than aggressive action 
and yet he hesitates not to put foi'th the personal 
efl'ort that result in successful accomplishment. 



456 



PAST AND PKE.SEXT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



He has a force of c-li irarter that enables him to 
carry forward to completion whatever he under- 
takes and yet witlial his manner is qniet and free 
from the display \vhi"!i sei'ks the laudation of the 
public. 

In IStiS Mr. Bradfoi-d was married to :\Iiss 
Emily :\I. I'l'iiicc. of Dudh-y, Massachusetts, who 
was also ediicaled at Nichols Academy. She, 
too. was dc\-:cendetl from an honored ancestry of 
New En.u-land, her grandfather having been" one 
of the minute men at the battle of Lexington. 
Jlr. and Jlrs. Bradford have four daiighters'and 
during their residence in Quincy have gained 
many friends, hiiving here a wide ac((uaintance. 



WTlJJAil TAYLOR. 



"William Taylor, who for fifty-six yeai-s has 
been a resident of Adams county, came to Men- 
don in LS49. He was born near Dublin, Ireland, 
a son of Edward Taylor, who in the year 1849 
crossed the Atlantic to New Yoi-k cit\-.' where he 
remained for six moiith.s On the expiration of 
that period he came to Adams county, settling 
first in ileudon and later taking up his abode in 
Honey Creek township, where he secured land 
and followed farming and stock-raising until 
his death. In his native cnuntry h:' had learned 
and followed the blacksmith's trade but during 
his r(^sidenee in Adams county was always identi- 
fied with agricultural interests. He' nuirried 
ifartha Wilkinson, who was also a native of the 
Emerald Isle, in which country they were mar- 
ried. Three of tlieir son were born in Ireland : 
Thomas; Jam^s, now deceased: and William. 

In taking up the personal history of William 
Taylor we present to our readers the life record 
of one who is widely and favorably known in 
Honey Creek township. His education was 
largely ac(|uircd in the schools of this neighbor- 
hood and lie Ix'r'ame a well-informed man, his 
knowledge httinu' him for life's practical and 
responsible duties. He well remembers the .iour- 
ney from Ireland to the new world and on to the 
West. The family crossed the Atlantic in a sail- 
ing vessel, which was forty-two days in making 
that voyage. Cholei-a broke out among the pa.s- 
sengi'rs and foui-te(-n of the number died, in- 
cluding an aunt of Mr. Taylor, with whom he 
was sleeping, but lie did not become a victim of 
the disea.se. It rei|nii-c'd as long a time for tlie 
family to travel from Ne^v York to the West as 
it had for them to cross the ocean. They made 
their way fii'st to Philadeljjhia by canal and by 
boat on the Ohio and ^[i.ssissijipi rivers to Quin- 
cy. ;;\rr. Taylor continued to assist in the ojiera- 
tion of tlie home farm until after his father's 
death, when lie started out in life on his own 



account. He has always cari'ied on agricultural 
])ursuits and that he has prospered in his under- 
takings is indicated by the fact that he is now 
the owaier of a fine farm of live hundred acres 
in Honey Creek townshij). Iliic he is engaged in 
the raising of grain and stock, having high 
grades of cattle, horses and hogs. His fields are 
also well cultivated and everything about the 
place is neat and thrifty in appearance, indicat- 
ing the careful supervision of the owner. 

^Ii-. Taylor was married in Honey Creek town- 
shiji. in 1894, 1o :\Ii,ss Anna Hewitt, a native of 
this town.ship, and a daughter of William 
Hewitt, now- deceased, wlio came to ;Mcn- 
don in 1850. He lived on a fai'm and for 
many years continui-d its cultivation, but has 
now passed away. :\li-s. Hewitt, however, is still 
livinu'. .Mr. Ta\-lor"s mothei' die<l in November, 
1899, at a very advanced age. He has one broth- 
er and two sisters living in this county. I^nto 
;\rr. and .Mrs. Taylor have been born four child- 
ren: Anna, Painiie, William and Sadie. 

^Ii'. Tayloi- is a democrat in his political views, 
but has jio time nor inclination to seek office, 
preferring to concentrate his energies Tipon his 
business affairs, which having been well directed, 
have brouglit him richlv merited success. 



Er):\iUND :\r. rotsford. 

Edmuiul ;\I. Potsford, one of the i)roprietors 
and managing editors of the Quinc.v Daily Her- 
ald, is a native of Fishkill, New York. His 
father, the Rev. A. P. Botsford, devoted more 
than sixty years of his life to the work of the 
ministry in the Presbyterian church and was 
widely recognized as one of its leading divines. 
The son, accorded liberal educational jirivileges, 
supplemented his early mental training by a 
course in Princeton College, from which he was 
graduated in 1874 with the degree of Bachelor 
of Arts, winning the senior prize medal in a class 
(jf one hundred for the best essay. Plis literary 
tastes and talents being developed have n^ade 
him one of the foremost journal i.sts of the cimtral 
^Iississip]ii valley. While his education had been 
directed toward the legal profession he displayed, 
while in his college days, a natural talent for 
journalism and as a college student did much 
of the editorial wi-iting for the l^irt Jervis (New 
York) Gazette. 

On the completion of his coll(>ge course he 
turned his attention to the iirofession of teaching 
as an initial step toward the study of law, in 
which he later engaged in Rochester, New York. 
Coming to the west in 1879 he located in Rock- 
ford, Illinois, where he devoted some time to the 
further mastery of the jn-inciples of jurispru- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



457 



dcncL' ;ind theu entered permaueiitly tlie field 
of labor wherein he has so directed his energies 
and abilities as to win recognition as one of the 
leading journalists of Illinois. lie accepted an 
editorial position in connection with the Rock- 
ford Register and established the first daily 
newspaper of that city. He soon acqnired a 
financial interest in the paper, which iinder his 
capable management i^roved a profitable invest- 
ment. 

His identification with journalism in Qiiiney 
dates from September 23, 1891. when he became 
one of the owners of the Quincy Daily Herald, 
of which he has since been managing editor. A 
contemporary biographer has said of him: "Jlr. 
Botsford has the faculty of making the kind of 
newspaper the people want and under his direc- 
tion the Herald has become one of the leading 
papers of the .state and a financial success as 
well. A ready and forcible writer, with an un- 
limited capacity for worlv, he combines to an 
unusual degree the qualities that make up the 
live, progressive journalist of to-day. As presi- 
dent of the local board of the Associated Press, 
the telegraph's news business of this section of 
the state is under his direction." 

On the 31st of August, 1881, occurred the mar- 
riage of Mr. Botsford and IMiss Caroline Butter- 
worth, daughter of Hon. Thomas Butterworth, 
of Rockford, Illinois, who at one time was a 
member of the state legislature and again was 
candidate for state ti-easurer. He thus figured 
prominently in politics and his characteristic 
integrity won him the pseudonym of "Honest 
Tom. ' ' ;\Ir. and Mrs. Botsford have a son and 
daughter ■\\ho are prominent in the social and 
literary circles of the city, while as a journalist 
^Ir. Botsford is well known throughout the state, 
having gained the friendship and favorable re- 
gard of many of the leading representatives of 
the profession in Illinois. 



ilRS. MARTHA A. ADAIR. 

]\Irs. ilartha A. Adair, who owns and occupies 
a farm on section 17, Keene township, was born 
June 4, 1843, in Scott county, Illinois, a daugh- 
ter of William and ilartha (Allen) Ross. Her 
father was born about 1796, and the mother's 
birth occurred ilarch 5. 1805. He was a farmer 
by occupation and continued to follow that pur- 
suit thi-oughout his active career. His life's 
labor's were ended in death September 5, 1866, 
and his wife died April 27, 1883. 

ilrs. Adair was eclucated in the public schools 
of Hancock county. Illinois, where her parents 
were li^•ing at that time, having removed from 
Scott county in 18-17. In her girlhood she was 



trained in the duties of the household and on the 
30th of July, 1863, .she gave her hand in mar- 
riage to Richard A. Adair, who was born April 
13, 1839, and was a son of Abiah and Sasannah 
(Isham) Adair. His mother was born Septem- 
ber .5, 1817. They were well known residents of 
Lima township during the first half of the nine- 
teenth century, the father assisting in the pio- 
neer development of the coimtry along agri- 
cultural lines. He died in 18.57, while his wife, 
lonir survivinn- him, passed awav Januarv 18, 
1901. 

Richard A. Adair pursued his education in 
the public schools of Lima and when not engaged 
^\■ith his text-books, assisted in the development 
and cultivation of his father's fai-m. Following 
his marriage he located on a farm in Lima town- 
ship, not far from the boundary line of Keene 
township. AVhen the Civil war was inaugurated 
he had responded to the country's call for troops, 
enlisting in 1861. as a member of Company B, 
Seventy-eighth Illinois Infantry. While en- 
gaged in active duty he was taken prisoner at 
Elizabeth Ferry and paroled. He then returned 
home and it was during this period of his parole 
that he was nuirried. Later he was exchanged 
and rejoined his company and on the 13th of 
August, 1864, he was wounded in the siege of 
Atlanta and becau.se of his injuries he was seut 
to the hospital, where he remained until the 
close of hostilities. He afterward purchased the 
farm upon which his widow now resides, becom- 
ing the owner of this property in 1872. He at 
once began its further development aud as the 
years passed, placed the buildings in good condi- 
tion, kept the fences in good repair, added the 
latest improved machinery, and altogether made 
this one of the model farms of the community. 

Fnto ]\Ir. and Jlrs. Adair were born five chil- 
dren, namely : Nanny W.. who M-as born ^lay 21, 
1864, and died September 13, 1864; Alfaretta, 
who was born August 17, 1872, and became the 
wife of Addison Curliss, her death occurring 
September 29, 1894, while her husband is now 
engaged in the dry goods business in Loraine ; 
Violetta, who was boi-n July 24, 1875, and died 
April 21, 1877 ; William H., who Avas born Sep- 
tember 19, 1878, and is living at home; and Jo- 
seph F., who was born March 1, 1883. and re- 
sides in Keene township. He married Agnes 
Steiner and is a farmer of that community. The 
son William, who resides Avith his mother, is 
also a progressive agriculturist and is now the 
owner of one hundred acres of fine land on sec- 
tion 12. Lima township. Mr. Adair died Janu- 
ary 22. 18S8, aud his death was deeply deplored 
by many friends as well as his innnediate family. 
^Irs. Adair resides on the home farm, where she 
now owns eighty acres of land and also forty 
acres one-half mile west of the town. She is a 



45« 



I'AST AM) PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



iiiciiihci' i)f tlu' ("hi'istiiiii cliiUTh, very Mctive and 
iiilkn'utial in its woi-k and lias served as trustee 
and clerk of the elnireh and was treasurer tor 
thirteen yeai's. Ilcr etforts have largely pro- 
moted the inrlnrii'-i" and uriiwth of the church 
and she dixs all in her power to advance its 
activities alony' various lines. 



ISAAC OCDEX WooDUL'PF. 

Isaac Ouden WoodruH'. deceased. Iiecanie a 
resident of Ouincy when it was a vdlage of 
small proi)ortions but large possibilities, and in 
its ^idwlb and development he became a fac- 
tor, eventually controlling- important and ex- 
tensive business enterprises and also taking 
an active i)art in municipal affairs. He was 
born in New York city, May 15, 181:^, and was 
a son of Thomas Tyson and i\lary (Eiuiis) 
Woodruff', both of whom were natives of the 
east. The father eventually settleci in New 
York city, where he engaged in the real estate 
bu.siness during the latter part of the eigh- 
teenth and early part of the nineteenth centur- 
ies. The size and dc^cloinnent of the city at 
that time may l)e iniagiucd from the fact that 
his home was located on Tenth street and Fifth 
avenue. His last years were spent in retirement 
from active business ]nirsuits and both he and 
his wife died in New York city. 

Isaac (). Woodruff' attended the jiublii- 
schools of New York and acipiircd a good 
foundation knowledge on which to build a sui'- 
cessful business career. He was twenty-one 
years of age when, in New York city, August 
22, 1836, he was married to ]\Iiss Arethusa II. 
Dewey, a native of Albany, New York, born 
December 8, 1814. She was descended from 
old Revolutionary slock and was a daughter 
of Timothy Dewey, who was <i pioneer of New 
England. To the same family Adnnral Dewe> 
belongs. ]Mr. Woodruff' had a brothci living in 
St. Louis, Missouri, and because of this he ami 
his bride made their wedding journey in 18:3() 
to that city, but remained there for only a brief 
period. They then came to Quincy, which had 
not yet emerged ifrom its villa gehood, but 
which was advantageously located, and. be- 
cause of the growth of the west, seemed to 
promise good advantages. Mr. Woodruff 
oi>ened a snudl store and began general mer- 
chandising, which he followecl for a few years 
and then turned his attention to the life insur- 
ance business. He prospered in that undertak- 
ing and later cmbarki'd in the banking busi- 
ness, optMiing a small private bank, which he 



conducted successfully for several years. He 
was also one of the stockholders in the old 
Flagg & Savage Savings Bank of Quincy, with 
which he was connected until its failure. Later 
he lived retired from active management of 
business euteri^rises, but was financially inter- 
ested in many business concerns of importance 
to the city as well as to the individual stock- 
holders. 

Unto ill', and Mrs. W^oodruff' were born 
seven children, four sous and three daughters, 
as follows: Thomas T., who married Sylvia 
Ingersoll, now deceased, is living a retired life 
in La Junta, Colorado; Josephine, deceased, 
was the wife of A. E. Wheat, a prominent at- 
torney of Quincy ; Timothy Dewey, who mar- 
ried Frances E. Godfrey, resides in Quincy ; 
Helena became the wife of Thomas Leeming, but 
both have passed away; Isaac O., who married 
Charlotte Colburn and after her death wedded 
Mrs. Mary Higbee, is now living in New York 
city, where he is engaged in dealing in physi- 
cians' supplies; Jaiiies E., who married Bertha 
Castleberry of Chicago, is engaged in dealing 
in oranges at Redlands, California, and 
Theresa Dewey occupies the old family home in 
Quincv. 

.Mr.' Woodruff died July 16, 1870, and his 
wife's death occurred June 16, 1904. Not only 
had he been active and enterprising in business 
aff'airs, but was also influential in molding the 
jiolicy of the city, and his fellow townsmen 
gave a public recognition of their belief in his 
ability and truthworthiness by electing him to 
the offii'c of mayor and city treasurer. He 
served for one term in each, and he was also 
treasurer of the old Quincy city library and 
the Quincy & Toledo Railroad. He was a 
staunch democrat in politics, unfaltering in 
sui)])(.rt of his principles, and was one of the 
early members of the Odd Fellows lodge in 
(j)Hincy, joining Quincy Lodge No. 12, March 9, 
18.">0. lie was a regular attendant at and lib- 
eral siip|iiirtiM- of St. John's Protestant Episco- 
pal i-luirch. Ill' which he w.-is a charter member, 
and his \vife was also a member from the time of 
its ))uilding until her death. Mr. Woodruff 
had a wide acquaintance among the early set- 
tlers of Quincy, enjoyed the warm friendship 
of many and the respect of all. Many were they 
to wIkuu he gave substantial assistance. In 
18(i8 he erected a commodious and beautiful 
residence at No. 1437 Jlaine street, but lived 
to enjoy his new home for only a year. Dur- 
ing that time a slight stroke of paralysis en- 
feebled his constitution and the following sum- 
mer a severe attack of cholera morbus caused 
his death aftei' an illness of five days. His 
widow there remained mitil her death, dis- 




cj^j^. ^^^-^^^^ 




T^^^^^^T-^J^-C?!^ 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



463 



peiising a warm hearted hospitality, and their 
daughter. Miss Theresa D. Woodrutit', still oc- 
cupies the old home. Like her father, she is 
deeply interested in Adams county and in 
many worthy movements here, and the circle 
of her friends is very extensive in the city 
which has always been her home. 



MRS. A. H. WOODRUFF. 

ilrs. Aretlmsa Helena (Dewey) Woodrufi' 
was born in Albany, New York, December 8, 
1814, her parents being Timothy Dewey (2nd) 
and Sylvia Canfield. The family removed to 
New York city in 1820. Mr. Dewey, who was 
a civil engineer, went to Europe to study the 
manufacture of illuminating gas and built the 
first gas plant in New York eitj about 1823, his 
house on Grand street being the first in which 
gas was used. 

On August 22, 1836, Miss Dewey was mar- 
ried to Isaac Ogden Woodruff of New York 
city and soon afterward they came to Quincy, 
which city became their home. She was the last 
of her family and survived her husband many 
years. She had a wonderful constitution until 
her eightieth year, when she fell the length of 
the staircase in her home. No bones were broken 
and there seemed to be no serious injury. An 
attack of typhoid fever followed, her strength 
lessened, and illness was more frequent, but 
she was interested in everything and enjoyed 
driving. The loss of two daughters brought 
more keen sorrow to her and she felt deeply the 
loss of a long-time friend, Mrs. Lorenzo Bull, 
saying she felt she was the last link of the past. 
On May 24. 1904, she fell upon the stone porch 
of her residence. Though able to walk up- 
stairs, there must have been some internal in- 
jury, for during three weeks she suffered in- 
tensely. The nervous shock was too great, and 
on June 16, 1904, the noble woman passed from 
sleep to rest. Mrs. Woodruff was a member of 
St. John's Protestant Episcopal church (now 
Cathedral) at its organization in 1837. She was 
for some time treasurer of St. John's Guild. 

"Her long life was full of good works. De- 
vout and charitable, 'she stretched out her 
hands to the poor, she reached forth her hands 
to the needy.' In the troi^blous days of the 
Civil war she was unwearied in her work for 
the soldiers, taking a prominent part in the 
woi'k of the women of the coimty. At her sug- 
gestion the remaining funds of the societies 
were expended in the erection of the graceful 
soldiers' monument in Woodland, near which 
her mortal remains lie. I"'ntil the infirmities of 



age increased upon her slie was active and in- 
terested in church work, liberal in giving and 
always loyal to the interests of the church." 

She was president of the Sisters of the Good 
Samaritan. The organization did not disband 
and she was present with the few survivors of 
the society at a reunion of the Fiftieth Illinois 
Regiment a few years since. She was interested 
in the Woodland Home and was for some time 
treasurer of the women's executive board of 
that institution. 



FRANK A. FREUND. 



Prank A. Freund, who for almost a third of 
a century has been a, representative of the build- 
ing interests of Quincy and as a brick contractor 
has erected many of the fine and substantial 
structures of the city, was born in Bavaria, 
Germany, March 14, 1834, his parents being An- 
ton and Rosa (Boeik) Freund, the former a 
brewer of the fatherland. The son pursued his 
education in the schools of Germany and worked 
with his father in the brewery until he came to 
the United States in 1852. He crossed the At- 
lantic to Baltimore, where he worked for ahowt 
three years at the cooper's trade. He arrived in 
Quincy on the 5th of July, 1855, coming on a 
stern-wheel steamer from St. Louis. Here he 
worked at the cooper's trade in the employ of 
John Lea for a .year and then began learning the 
bricklayer's ti'ade, Avhich he followed as a jour- 
neyman for thirty years, when he began con- 
tracting and building on his own account and is 
now one of the leading brick builders of the city, 
enjoying a good patronage. In this way he has 
erected some of the leading structures of the 
city, including the Empire theater, St. Mary's 
church, the Newcomb home and many others, 
which stand as monuments to his thrift, enter- 
prise and skill. He has the entire confidence of 
the business community and his success has been 
worthily won, while his life work shows what can 
be acct)niplished when one has determination, 
ambition and energy in a land where effort is 
7iot hampered by caste or class. 

In 1857 Mr. Freund was married to Miss 
Elizabeth Sehwebel, of Quincy, who was born in 
Belleville, Illinois, near St. Louis, in 1841, and is 
a daughter of William and Dorothy (Loose) 
Sehwebel. Mr. and Mrs. Freund have three liv- 
ing children and have lost two : Mrs. Rosa Mar- 
kus. the eldest, who had four daughters, Edith, 
Elda, Corletta and Olivia, the wife of William 
Seeger: and Frank, who was the fourth in order 
of birth. The others are : Edith, the wife of H. 
A. Yanden Boom aiul has five children, Stella, 
Edith, Ralph. Julius and Oscar: Joseph H., who 



464 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY 



is engaged in the business with his father and 
wedded ]\Iary Uhlein, by whom hi' has two eliil- 
dren, Edith a?id Jovita: and Stella, at hcinie. The 
family I'esidenee is at No. 1301 Spring street and 
is justly celebrated for its gracious and warm- 
hearted hospitality. 

In his political views Mr. Freund is a demo- 
crat and he served as alderman of the city from 
1889 until 1891. He and his family are eoin- 
municants of the Catholic church. Mr. Freund 
is a member of the Firemen's Benevolent As- 
sociation and the AVestern Catholic TTnion. He 
is an excellent type of the self-made man, who 
views the future with good judgment, recogniz- 
ing the difficulties and possibilities of a business 
career, and with resolute spirit overcoming the 
former and utilizing the latter. He owes his 
success entirely to his own labors and his career 
should serve to insjiire and encourage others. 



JOHN MULHEIN EUDDELL. 

.folui .Mulhein Ruddell was for many years a 
resident of Adams county and was prominent 
in pidjlic affairs, exerting considerable influence 
in political circles as well as in other relations of 
life. He was born September 28, 1812, in Bour- 
bon eountv, Kentucky, and his parents wei'e 
Stephen A. and Susaii C. (David) Ruddell. the 
fonner born in 17ti8 and the latter about 1780. 
The father was a farmer by occupation and was 
also a preacher of th(^ Christian church, doing 
missionary w^ork among the Indians. He was 
captured with his family by the red men at 
Ruddell, and Martin's fort in 1780 and they 
were held in captivity until Wayne's treaty, one 
of the provisions of which was that the Indians 
should give up all their captives. Snbsef|uent 
to that time Mr. Ruddell engaged in the milling 
business until about 1817, when he disposed of 
all his business affairs in Kentucky and removed 
to Clarksville, ^Missouri, where he followed farm- 
ing initil 1829. He then came to l^i-ga town- 
shi]), Adams couut.y, Illinois, settling on section 
18, where he remained until a few years prior 
to his death, when he removed to section 7 of 
the same township, there passinti- nwav about 
1840. 

-lohn .M. Ruddell sjient his early life with 
his ])areiits, accompanying them on their various 
removals up to the time of his marriage, when 
he staT-ted out in life on his own account, settling 
upon the southwest half of the section upon 
which the village of Ti-s;i now stands. After a 
few yeai's he removed to section 16, Ih-sa town- 
ship, where he lived Tintil 1842. He then took 
up his abode on section 2. where he re- 



sided until 1851, when the big flood drove 
him from that farm. The following year 
he settled on section 1 of the same township, 
whei-e he remained until his death. AVhile in 
Clarksville, ilissouri, he had attended the com- 
mon schools but his advantages in that direction 
were limited to about nine months' study in 
school. He learned many valuable lessons, how- 
ever, in the school of experience and gained a 
good practical business knowledge. He was al- 
ways a farmer and his encT'gy and capability en- 
abled him to place his land under a high state 
of cultivation, so that his farm became produc- 
tive and returned him a good income. 

Mr. Ruddell exercised considerable influence 
in political circles as a supporter of democratic 
principles. His father and brothers, however, 
were advocates of the whig party. Mr. Ruddell 
was elected to the office of supervisor at the time 
the county adopted tciwnship organization in 
1852 and served the time in that capacity at in- 
tervals for about fifteen .years. He was a mem- 
lier of the state legislature abotit 1846 and w-as 
school treasurer for about thirty-five years. In 
1875 he was a menibei- of the board of super- 
visors when the coiilraet was let for the build- 
ing of the fii'st county courthouse and he lifted 
the first shovelful of dirt on that occasion. He 
always believed in progress and improvement 
and supported every measure which tended to 
advance the welfare of his adopted count.v. He 
was a member of Mai-celline lodge, No. 14, A. F. 
& A. M., joining it at an early day, and in 1852 
he became a member of IMareelline lodge. No, 
127. I. O. O. F, He was also identified with 
Marcelline lodge, S. of T., and throughout al- 
most his entire life he held membership in the 
Christian church, serving ;is elder for abottt 
forty years. 

In March. 1832, Mr. Ruddell was married in 
what is now Mendon township, to Martha Ann 
Dimlap. a daughter of John Dunlap, a well 
k-nowii and jn'osperous farmer of Mendon, who 
{■migrated to this county from Mercer county, 
Missouri, in the fall of 1830. They were the 
liarents of eleven children, five of whom died in 
infancy, while those who lived to maturity are : 
William D., born in February, 1834: John D., 
boi-n in 1836; Margaret, in 1838: George in 
1840: Mary C. in 1843 : James T. in 1855. 

Mv. Ruddell passed away in 1896. He was 
a man of social, genial nature and did not have 
an enem.v in the world. Although he possessed 
]iositive convictions and was firm in the sup- 
poi't of his belief, he never made enemies. That 
he ])rospered in his undertakings is sho'wn by 
i',. F-ef that he often said he never went to bed 
hungry or owing a man a dollar, yet the accumu- 
lation of wealth was not the object of his life. 
He was verv fond of hunting and fishing and 



PAST AND PRESP:XT OF ADAMS COrXTY. 



467 



possessed considerable skill in those directions. 
He took a deep interest in public enterprises and 
for many years Adams county numbered him 
among' its representative and valued citizens. 



P. A. DUKE SCHROEE. 

P. A. Duke Schroer. reporter on the Quiney 
Journal, was born Sejitember 19. 1865, in the 
city which has continuously been his place of 
residence. His parent.s are Herman f". and 
Louisa Schroer, the latter the first child of Ger- 
man parents, born in Quincy. P. A. Duke 
Schroer acipiired his education in the public 
schools of the city and afterward learned the 
printer's trade in the offices of the IManufactur- 
ers' Exchang-e, the ilodern Argo and the Quincy 
Journal, after whith he accepted a position on 
the Journal as a reporter, being connected con- 
tinuously with this paper from its first issue in 
1883 to the present time with the excejition of a 
period of four years, from 1888 until 1S!)2. dur- 
ing' which he served on the reportorial staff of 
the Quincy Herald and for two years, beginning 
in 1890. when he held the position of secretary 
to the Hon. J. Ross Mickey, member of congress 
from the fiftieth Illinois district. 

]\rr. Schroer gives his jiolitical allegiance to the 
democracy and is ])rominent in the social and 
fraternal oro:anizations of the city, belonging 
to the Firemen's Benevolent Association, the 
Gem City camp, M. W. A., the Globe tent of the 
Knights of the Maccabees and the Jefferson 
Club. 

On the 25th of November, 1894, ilr. Schroer 
was married in Quincy to iliss ]\Iaiy Ellen 
Brophy, a dauahter of 'Sir. and Mrs. George 
Brophy. of Quincy. Illinois. They have two 
children : George Carl and Catherine Julia. A 
son and daughter. Paul and Louisa, died in early 
childhood. 



P. 0. DicKE r:\iax. 



F. O. Dickennan occnpies a beautiful Imme in 
]\lendon. where he is now practically living re- 
tired after many years of active connection with 
acricultural interests. He was born in ifendon 
townsliip, October 20, 1851, and is a son of Ira 
R. and Laura E. (Smith) Dickerman. the former 
born in Connecticut. August 7. 1814, and the 
latter in Obio. May 28. 1819. They came from 
Ohio to Adams county, Illinois, in 1839, travel- 
ing acro.ss the country ^\"itb a horse and wagon 
in the primitive maimer of the times. They lo- 
cated Rrst in ^Fendon township i)i a pioneer dis- 



trict, where the home were widely scattered and 
where the work of improvement and progress 
seemed scarcely begun. :\Ir. Dickerman after- 
wards purchased a farm in that township, two 
Hides northwest of the village of :Mendon. There 
he lived for some time but" eventually sold that 
property and bought another farm a mile and a 
half north of Mendon. where he lived until 1891, 
when he retired from active labor and took up 
his abode in the \illag-e, there .spending his re- 
maining: days. He died April 4, 1902. and his 
wife's death occurred on the 29th of February, 
1 904. They left three sons, the brothers of our 
sub.ieet, being D. L. and D. W. Dickerman, both 
of whom reside in ]\Iendon. 

F. 0. Dickerman was educated in the public 
schools of JMendon and afterward engaged in 
farming on his father's land for a nmnber of 
years. In 1876, he purchased a farm on section 
36, Jlendon township and has since owned that 
property. "With characteristic energy he began 
its further development and as the years passed 
placed his fields under a high state of cultivation 
and added to his farm all modern equipments, 
using the latest improved machinery in planting 
and harvesting his crops. In 1901." however, he 
assigned the active duties of the farm to others 
and took up his abode in ilendon, where he owns 
a beautiful residence. He yet maintains the own- 
ership of his farm projierty and of one hundred 
and twenty acres in ]\Iendon township. He has 
been engaged in auctioneering for seventeen 
years and the demands made upon his time 
in this way are constant because of his ability. 
He has gained a wide acquaintance in this way 
and his genial manner in addition to his sterling 
worth has made him popular. 

On the 30th of October. 1872, :\Ir. Dickerman 
was married to Miss Julia A. Smith, who was 
born May 4, 1854. She was a daguhter of Hamil- 
ton and Elizabeth (Conklin) Smith, who were 
natives of New York state, the former born Feb- 
ruary 29, 1824, and the latter July 5, 1823. 
They became residents of Adams county in 1851. 
locating two miles south of Mendon in i\Iendou 
townshi]) upon a farm which is yet the home of 
Mr. Smith. His wife, however, died in March. 
1884. They were the parents of three sons and 
five daughters, who are .vet living: Henry A.. 
who resides in Ferndale. Washington: H. Z. 
Smith, who is living in Ouincy: ilrs. IMary E. 
Gilliland. a resident of ^lendou : Caroline L. of 
Mendon : Emma L.. who is living with her father 
on the home farm : Elmer E.. a resident of I\Ten- 
don: and Mrs. Sarah E. Nutt. also of Mendon. 

^Ir. and ilrs. Dickerman are the parents of 
three children : Laura E., who was born March 
17, 1875, aod is the wife of E. 0. Jarman, of 
Nebraska: Fannie A., who was born March 19. 
1876, and married W. H. Flemming. their home 



468 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



hciuiir ill West Chiciigo; and -Jesse M.. born ;\I;iy 
17, 1886. 

Mr. Diekernian votes with the republican 
party, having always supported its men and 
measures since attaining his majority. He has 
been road commissioner for six years and is 
now justice of the peace and his decisions in that 
office are strictly fair and impartial. Pie belongs 
to Mendon lodge No. 877, I. O. O. F. ; Mendon 
camp. No. 751, M. W. A. ; and the Royal Neigh- 
bors. No. 423, his wife also being a member of 
the last named. Mr. and Mrs. Dickerman hold 
membership in the Lutheran church and both 
are widely and favorably Icnown in the com- 
munity where they reside. Starting out on his 
l:>usiness career with no capital Mr. Dickerman 
has persevered in his attempt to gain a comfort- 
able competence, brooking no obstacles that 
could be overcome by earnest and honorable pur- 
pose. Thus he has made for himself a creditable 
name and at tlie same time has gained a good 
financial reward for his labors. 



GEORGE AV. H. BUTLER. 

George W. H. Butler, whose life record con- 
tained many elements that were worthy of emial- 
ation and commendation, was born in Clay 
county, Tennessee, his parents being Mv. and 
]\Irs. James Butler, both of whom died in that 
county during the early childhood of their son. 
In his youth George W. II. Butler was a student 
in the public schools of his native county and 
acquired a fair education. He afterward started 
out in life on his own account and, thinking that 
he might have better business opportunities in the 
city, he went to Nashville, where he secured a 
position as clerk in a wholesale grocery store. 
He saved all his earnings, living as economically 
as possible, and through his industry won ad- 
vancement from time to time, thus securing more 
remunerative salary. He clerked for several 
years and finallj^ purchased an interest in the 
business of his employer, Mr. McLaughlin, who 
fully appreciating his services and recognizing 
his business capacity and ability, felt that it 
would be an advantageous business combination. 
From that time forward he bent all of his ener- 
gies toward the building up of their store and 
the new firm enjoyed success from the beginning. 
In course of time they had the largest trade of 
any commei'cial house in Nashville and con- 
tinued in business there for more than twenty 
years, Mr. Butler being a representative of the 
mercantile interests of the city from the time of 
his arrival there until his death. His course was 
mai-ked by consecutive advancement won 
throiigh honorable effort and close application. 



He was a man of marked industry, indolence and 
idleness being utterly foreign to his nature, and 
whatever he undertook he carried forward to 
successful completion, brooking no obstacles or 
difficulties that could be overcome by a deter- 
mined, persistent and honorable effort. 

While residing in Nashville Mr. Butler was 
united in marriage to Miss Nannie L. Armstrong, 
a native of Olclen county, Tennessee, and a 
daughter of P. N. Armstrong, who followed 
farming in that county for many years and sub- 
sequently removed to the town of Livingston, 
Tennessee, where he embarked in merchandising, 
continuing in that field of activity until his 
death. ]\Ir. and ilrs. Butler were the parents of 
six children, of whom three are yet living: L. 
Alvia, who resides in St. Louis, Missouri, where 
he is employed by the J. S. Merrill Di'ug Com- 
pany ; Elizabeth, who resides with her mother ; 
and William M.. also at home. Those deceased 
are Georgia, Pleasant and one who died in in- 
fancy unnamed. 

Mr. Butler's death occurred Febrimry 8. 1875, 
and Nashville thereby lost one of its prominent, 
respected and honored business men. His ]50- 
sition in commercial cii'cles there is indicated 
by the fact that at the time of his demise a 
public meeting of the merchants and business 
men of Nashville was called, at which were 
present the leaders in trade circles there, men 
who controlled extensive and important business 
interests. They " met in the counting-room of 
the business house of McLaughlin & Butler on 
Market street at three o'clock in the afternoon on 
the 8th of December." according to a report of 
one of the local papers, "to give expression to 
the feelings of deep svmpathv, heartfelt sorrow 
at the death of G. W. H. Butler * * * * 
Colonel Warson M. Cooke was called to the chair, 
and J. J. Womack requested to act as secretary. 
Colonel Cooke made some very appropriate and 
pathetic remarks, mentioning some of the many 
virtues prominent in the character of the de- 
ceased. He was followed bv Colonels R. F. 
Nevins, A. Tyler, W. H. Webb and B. II. Cooke, 
all of whom bore testimony to the strict integrity, 
fair dealings and general uprightness of the de- 
parted. A committee on resolutions was ap- 
pointed, composed of A. G. Ewing, K. J. Morris, 
A. Tyler and J. J. Womack, who reported the 
following: 

"Whereas, we have heard with unfeigned re- 
gret and sorrow of the death of our worthy 
fellow-citizen, friend and brother merchant, (t. 
W. H. Butler; therefore. 

"Resolved, The merchants of Na.shville in the 
death of G. W. H. Butler have met with a loss 
hard to repair and a void has been created that 
cannot easilv be filled : and that while we mourn 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



469 



his loss, we are satisfied that by a love of strict 
inegritj^ fair dealiiio- and a manly regard for all 
of the good in this life, he has merited a better 
reward in the great future. 

"Resolved, That we attend his funeral in a 
body. 

"Resolved, That a copy of the proceedings of 
this meeting be furnished his family and also 
published in the American." 

ilr. Butler's partner, 'Sir. ^McLaughlin, sur- 
vived him until 1904. 

After her husband's death JMrs. Butler con- 
tinued in the business for a short time and then 
sold out to Mr. ilcLaughlin. Later she removed 
to Lexington, Kentucky, where she resided until 
1902, when through the persuasion of her son 
in St. Louis she decided to remove to the middle 
west. Not liking St. Louis as a city of residence, 
liowever, she came to Quincy, where she now 
makes her liome. In his political views j\Ir. 
Butler was a democrat and he was always the 
earnest champion of any measure, political or 
otherwise, which he believed to be right. He 
was very devoted to his family, doing every- 
thing in his power to promote the happiness 
.•md welfare of his wife and children and he 
left to them an untarni.shed name. He held mem- 
ber.ship in the ilethodist Episcopal church in 
Nashville and his widow and children were also 
members there. They have never united with 
the church here. })ut are freriuent attendants at 
its services and take great interest in the church 
work. i\Irs. Butler has valuable i-ealty and per- 
sonal property and owns a beautiful home at No. 
'^31 Oak street in Quincy and she and her daugh- 
ter are prominent in social cix'cles of the city. 



JOHN ADAMS. 



John Adams, a retired farmer of Camp Point, 
who for a half century was identified with agri- 
cultural interests in Adams coimty, has lived 
here since 1833. Few residents have so long 
remained within its borders and Mr. Adams is 
one whose mind beai-s the impress of the early 
historical annals of the city, at the same time 
having an intimate knowledge of its later de- 
velopment and progress for he has always been 
deeply interested in what has pertained to the 
public welfare. He was born in Jeiferson 

county. Kentucky, near Louisville, October 10. 
182fi. and is a son of Eli.iah Adams, who was a 
native of Virginia and was of English descent, 
his ancestors having been among the early resi- 
dents of the Old Dominion. Elijah Adams was 
reared in that state and married Rebecca Wilks, 
a native of Virginia. He removed to Kentucky, 
settling in Jefferson cimntv, where he engaged 



in the operatictn of a farm and a distillery. He 
spent his remaining davs there and died of 
cholera in 1832. 

His wife survived him and reared her three 
children, of whom John was the eldest and is the 
only survivor. In 1833 she removed to Illinois, 
John Adams at that time being a lad of seven 
years. They settled near Camp Point, where he 
grew to manhood, en.joying only common school 
advantages. However, by close application he 
prepared himself for teaching and followed that 
profession through several winter terms, while 
in the summer months he engaged in farming. 
After renting laud for a few years he bought a 
ti'act of seventy-five acres in Camp Point town- 
ship. This he began to cultivate and improve 
and when his crops brought him a good financial 
return he would invest his surplus earnings in 
more land until he became the owner of two 
hundred and thirty acres. He continued farm- 
ing there uutil 1888, when he sold his property 
and removed to Camp Point. Here he purchased 
a residence to which he made additions and im- 
provements, transforming it into a good home, 
lie has since bought several tracts of land in 
Nebraska and now owns a farm in Harlan 
c(mnty, comprising one hundred and sixty acres 
of improved land, and likewise a farm in Miller 
county, Arkansas, comprising three hundred and 
sixty acres, which is very valuable and is devoted 
to the raising of cotton. His attention is now 
chiefly given to the care of his home place in 
Camp Point. His has been an active and iise- 
ful career — a life of service crowned with suc- 
cess. 

In 1854 Mr. Adams was married to ]\Iiss 
Nancy J. Robertson, a native of Indiana but 
reared in Illinois. She died in 1871. There were 
six children by that marriage, the oldest now 
living being Margaret Jane, the wife of J. H. 
iMcCTill, a resident farmer of York county. Ne- 
braska. The othei-s are Professor William T. 
Adams, of Mena, Arkan.sas. now superintendent 
of the city schools and a well known educator, 
who was formerly principal of the schools at 
Bowen, Illinois: Charles S., who is a farmer of 
Kansas: Mary E., the wife of H. M. Bates, a 
commercial traveler of Oalesburg, Illinois: and 
Martha E.. the wife of Wai'ren C. :\Ieserole, 
superintendent of a lithographing establishment 
in New York city. IMr. Adams was married 
again in 1874. his second union being with ]\Iiss 
Mary Lindenbaur, a native of New York. There 
is one daughter by this union, Jessie Ethel, now 
the wife of Harry 'SI. Clark, a connnercial 
traveler living in North Dakota. 

Mv. Adams' political support was originally 
given to the whig party and he well remembers 
the campaia-n of iS40, when William Henry Har- 



47° 



PAST AM) J'HESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



risoii was the i^resideiitial candidate. He sup- 
ported Zaehary Taylor with his first presidential 
ballot and afterward voted for Abraham Lincoln 
and other candidates of the republican party, but 
for some years has been a democrat and his last 
ballot was ca.st for AVilliam Jennings Bi-yan. He 
has frequently declined to serve in political of- 
fices, preferring to do his best duties as a private 
citizen, but he has been dii'ector of schools and is 
a warm friend of the cause of education, favor- 
ing the employment of competent teachers and 
doing everything in his power to raise the stand- 
ard of education. During almost three-quarters 
of a century he has lived in Adams county, 
settling here when much of the land was still 
in its primitive condition. The prairies were 
covered with their native wild grasses and the for- 
ests stood in their primeval strength but it was 
not long before man made his invasion int(.i the 
district and wrought a transformation which has 
been carried forward with the years until in 
e-\-ery line of development and progress Adams 
county equals the older districts of the Union. 
Mr. Adams has always commanded the trust and 
good will of his fellowmen and well deserves 
representation in this volume. 



HENRY PIJANKLIX CIIITTEXDEN. 

Henry Franklin C'hittenilen, better known as 
Harry Chittenden, has for many years been a 
representative of the farming interests of 
Adams county and is now living on section 36, 
Menclon township. His birth occurred in I\Ien- 
don, November 4, 1853. He is of English line- 
age, the ancestry being traced back to the year 
1638, when William Chittenden, of England, 
emigrated to America, landing near the pres- 
ent site of Guilford, Connecticut. In succes- 
sive generations we have mention of the fol- 
lowing : John Chittenden, a son of William 
Chittenden, was married in December, 1665, to 
Hannah Fletcher. Joseph Chittenden, born in 
1672, was married in 1692 to Mary Kimberley. 
Gideon, born in July, 1698, was married in 1722 
to Abigail Bishop. Abraham, borji in 1723, 
was married in 1748 to Mercy Bergis. Abra- 
ham, second, boi'n August 10, 1751, was mar- 
ried in November, 1774, to Diana Ward, who 
died April 24, 1784, and in May, 1785, he mar- 
lied Lida Rose, who died in October. 1819, 
while his death occurred in March, 1848. John 
B., born January 16, 1790, was married Jan- 
uary 12. 1814. to Elizabeth Robinson, who died 
October 30. 1862, while his death occurred Jan- 
uary 23, 1863. Abraham, born December 15, 
1824. was married December 19, 1852, to Let- 



titia S. Barclay and died May 27. 1904. his 
widow still surviving him at the age of sixty- 
eight years. He was the father of llein-y F. 
Chittenden. 

The grandfather, John B. Chittenden, in the 
year 1831, became so much interested in Illi- 
nois through letters received from Kev. Asa 
Turner and other friends, that he decided to 
emigrate from his native town, Guilford, Con- 
necticut, to Quincy, Illinois, and on the 19th 
of September that year he started for the west 
. in a two-hiu'se wagon, accompanied by his wife 
and four sons: Samuel R., Henry R., Abraham 
and John A., aged respectively fourteen, nine, 
six and three years. They were joined at New 
Haven by five other wagons carrying twenty- 
six people, and on the 11th of October they ar- 
rived at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. There the 
mother and two youngest sons took passage on 
a steamboat, the New Jersey, for Alton, Illi- 
nois, while the father with the two oldest boys 
continued the journey overland. They had a 
great deal of trouble in crossing small rivers 
which were unbridged, so that they were fre- 
quently compelled to swim their horses across 
the streams and take their wagons apart, con- 
veying them over in canoes. Springfield was 
the first town they saw in Illinois and at the 
postoiSce Mr. Chittenden found a letter stating 
that his family was at Alton. He then started 
for that place, where he arrived on the 18th 
of November. The weather was so cold that 
they decided to make the remainder of the 
journey by steamboat and left Alton November 
26, 1831, on the steamer William Wallace. The 
boat was very heavily loaded and because of 
the strong current and the head-winds made 
very slow progress. By the 30th of November 
the ice had become so thick that they could not 
continue their course and they settled at a 
small town named Seipio on the Missoiiri side 
of the river about twenty miles below Quincy. 
After waiting a few days Mr. Chittenden de- 
cided to put his wagon and family on a sled 
and start for Quincy on the ice. His oldest 
boy, Samuel R., drove the team, while he went 
ahead with a heavy staff sounding the ice and 
watching for air-holes. 

The family reached Quincy December 15. 
1831, and spent the first night at the home of 
Governor Wood. This journey of eighty- 
eight days was attended with many unfortun- 
ate incidents and hardships but was completed 
in safety. During the winter the family lived 
in a little log cabin at the corner of what is 
now Foiirth and Jersey streets in Quincy, and 
John Chittenden taught vocal music during the 
winter, being ])robably the first music teacher 
in the militarv trad. He also traveled over 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



473 



Adams couuty duriug the winter, looking for 
a favorable location. He did not think it wise 
to locate near the river on account of malaria, 
and finally purchased the southwest quarter of 
section 11, township 1 north, and range 8 west. 
He moved with his family to this farm ]March 
14, 1832, and in a few weeks a number of New 
England people, wdio had arrived about the 
same time, assembled at his cabin and organ- 
ized the first Sunday-school and Congregation- 
al church located in the state of Illinois. The 
families thus interested in the religious meet- 
ings were the Bi-adley. Shuey, Harrington, 
Crow. Pierson, Bean, Cook, Fowler, Benton 
and Chittenden families. In the year 1833 the 
present site of Mendon w'as purchased and the 
town laid out by Benjamin Baldwin and John 
B. Chittenden, and in that year the citizens 
united in building a log church to be used by 
all denominations. The structure was built of 
round logs and the floor was made of split logs 
resting on the ground. The door was made of 
the same material, opened out, was hung with 
wooden hinges and had a wooden latch on the 
inside, while a buckskin string through a gim- 
let-hole in the door served to open it from the 
outside. There was one window on the east 
side of the building. The fireplace and chim- 
ney were made of prairie sod and the seats 
were built of logs resting on four legs, while 
the roof was made of clapboards. In the 
spring of 1837 the Congregational members 
decided to build a church of their own and 
did so, the building being used until 1852, when 
the present chuch edifice was built, bv^t in 1905 
it was proposed to erect a more modern struc- 
ture at a cost of thirteen thousand dollars. 

John B. Chittenden left his buisiness entirely 
to the management of his sons, while he devot- 
ed his time to religious work, organizing a Sun- 
day-school and doing other home missionary 
work. In 1836 he rode to Chicago on a three- 
year-old colt, while engaged in religious ser- 
vices. Wild animals, including bears, panthers 
and wildcats, were common. There were also 
many deer, and turkeys and prair'ie chickens 
likewise furnished many a meal for the set- 
tlers. Mr. Chittenden of this review remem- 
bers of hearing his father speak of only two 
bears being killed on Mendon prairie. Pan- 
thers, however, were more dangeroiis than the 
bears, and wolves were fi-equently a menace 
to the farmyards. 

Abraham Chittenden, father of Henry F. 
Chittenden, carried forward the pioneer -work, 
assisting more particidarly in the agricidturai 
development of this part of the state. He was 
married December 19, 1852, to Miss Lettitia S. 
Barclay, w^ho was born in Lyons. New York, 



November 9, 1836, and was a daughter of Dan- 
iel W. and Phoebe (Prime) Barclay, who with 
their ten children, removed to Mendon, Illinois, 
in 1850. Abraham Chittenden was a ^lethod- 
ist in his religious belief and a democrat in 
his political affiliation. Throughout his entire 
life he followed the occupation of farming un- 
til well advanced in years and then lived re- 
tired until called to his final rest in his ninety- 
sixth year. His wife passed away on her 
eighty-fifth birthday. They Avere people of 
the highest respectability, enjoying the un- 
qualified confidence and good will of those with 
whom they were associated. Abraham Chit- 
tenden had three children, of whom Henry F. 
is the eldest. Sarah Elizabeth, born Novem- 
ber 29, 1856, married George "W. Shupe, a son 
of Christopher and Mary (Shultz) Shupe, and 
they have two children : Pearl, born April 2. 
1881. and George C., born November 16, 1885. 
They are now living in San Antonio, Texas. 
Abraham I., born November 9, 1864, lives in 
Peabody, Kansas. He married Laiira Eaton 
and has four children: Cora C, born April 15, 
1891: Hazel F.. born July 26. 1894; Fred, born 
ilarch 1, 1896 ; and Olive, born about 1900. 

Henry F. Chittenden, after attending the 
public schools completed the scientific course 
of study at Denmark Academy, in Denmark, 
Iowa, June 20, 1876. In his boyhood he great- 
ly enjoyed hunting prairie chickens, clucks, 
quails and rabbits, using a muzzle-loading rifle 
and nearly always shooting his game in the 
head. He is yet fond of hunting and, as op- 
portunity offers, indulges in the sport. He 
was born and reared on the farm and when but 
eight years of age he dropped nine acres of 
corn by hand in one day. He helped to culti- 
vate this corn w'ith a one horse ploAV and was 
always regarded as one of the hands upon his 
father's farm from this time. When nineteen 
years of age he began teaching in the Prairie 
school, having sixty-seven scholars on the roll. 
He followed that profession for two years and 
then continued his own education in the Den- 
mark Academy. After leaving there he again 
taught for six months in the year for five suc- 
ceeding years. From this time on his farm re- 
quired his entire attention and he has engaged 
in the raising of corn, wheat, oats, hay, hogs, 
cattle and horses. In each of these branches 
he has met with reasonable profit. He began 
handling cattle on his own accoamt when 
twenty years of age, using the money earned 
in teaching as capital. Having no way of 
wintering his stock, wiien the cold season ap- 
proached he Avas compelled to dispose of his 
cattle. He could, however, get no bid for his 
two-vear-old steers and coming to ^lendon he 



474 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



rented .-i butclier-slin]) aiit-l (.■iiiplnyi-cl (';ipt;iiii 
John Eo.seubi'uok to assist him in eouductiug it. 
After killing one beef James Corbin of West 
Point bought the cattle for two and a half 
cents per pound, but having rented the shop 
and hired his assistant, Mr. Chittenden con- 
tinued in the business for three weeks, during 
which time he made a net profit of one hundred 
and twelve dollars. lie has always considered 
Illinois soil the best and safest investment and 
has used his surplus earnings in buying more 
land. In October, 1900, he organized the fii'st 
farmers' telephone company running into Men- 
don. This company had fifteen charter mem- 
bers, which number has lieen increased to 
thirty-seven and the Hues have been extended 
to Loraine, Illinois, and there is now free ex- 
change Avith five hundred 'phoues. 

Mr. Chittenden has ahvays been an admirer 
and supporter of the republican party but has 
never sought or held office. He beeaine a char- 
ter member of ^lendon camp. No. 751, M. W. 
A., October "20, 1888, and has been deeply in- 
terested in its work. In 1903 he attended the 
state camp at Bloomington and also the head 
camp at Indianapolis. He became a member 
of the Congregational chvirch about 1870 and 
fi"om his infancy has attended the Sunday- 
school and always expects to, being an active 
worker in its behalf and one who has done 
much good for the organization. 

Mr. Chittenden was married ilareh 9, 1877, 
in Denmark, Iowa, to Ella S. Mills, a daugh- 
ter of Harlow and Elizabeth (Arnold) Mills. 
The Mills family were New England people 
who came originally from Connecticut and mi- 
grated to Gustavus, Ohio, where Harlow Mills 
was born aboTit 1828. His wife was born in 
New York state, in 1830. In 1850 they re- 
moved to Denmark. Iowa, where they assisted 
in establishing one of the first Congregational 
churches in the state and in founding the best 
academy in the west. In their family were the 
following children: Charles F., born January 
23, 1851, is now living in Ashland, Oregon. 
He was married March 26, 1873, to Ella Atkin- 
son, who died in 1890, leaving two children, 
Eda and Harlow, and he subse(|uently married 
again, having two children by the second 
union, Eoss and Reginald. .\da T., Ixirn July 
31, 1853. was married ]\Iarch 17. 1875, to Edwin 
James, of Denmark, Iowa, and to them were 
born five children, Chai'les, Fred, Otis, Nellie 
and one who died in infancy. The mother died 
April 19, 1889, and later "jlr. James married 
Ella Piatt, by whom he has one child, Lantie. 
Ella S., born" February 27, 1854, is the wife of 
our sub.ject. Mary E., born July 21, 1856, died 
October 11. 1873. Nettie S.. Ijorn December 



2I». 185S, was married December 25, l.SSl, to 
(). 15. Kdgett. living at Moscow, Idaho, and 
I hey had six children: Clarence E., Nettie E., 
Harold, Kuth, Mamie and one who died in in- 
fancy. Ruth A., born September 21, 1860, 
married Edwin Langstatf, of Osage City, Kan- 
sas, and they had four children, Prank, Harry. 
Florence and ilamie, who died in infancy. 
Harry E., born October 30, 1866, lives in Seat- 
tle, Washington. He married Mary Tiljbetts 
and had four children : Florence, who died in 
infancy : Kenneth, Alden and an infant. John 
A., born October 16, 1868, lives at Salem, Ore- 
gon. He married Amie Barnes and has two 
children, Waldo and Harry. 

Unto Mr. and ilrs. Chittenden have been 
born six children: Nellie E., boi'n November 
28, 1877, was married Jidy 25, lltdO. to James 
Norris, a son of William and Hannah (York) 
Norris, and died May 2, 1901 ; Franklin B , 
born December 17, 1878, died of appendicitis 
September 24, 1890, when twelve years of age: 
Ada L., born February 7, 1880, Sadie, born 
September 24. 1882, Mary M., born November 
1, 1887, and Ruth E., born November 14. 1901, 
are all at home. The family is one of promi- 
nence in the community and Mr. Chittenden is 
regarded as one of the representative agricul- 
tui-ists of Adams county. The work of de- 
velopment and improvement here which was 
lieuiin 1)y his grandfather and carried on by 
Ids father he yet follows in accordance with 
modern ideas of progress. 



willia:\i e. gilliland, :\i. d. 

Dr. William E. Gilliland, for thirty-five years 
engaged in the practice of medicine and surgery 
in Coatsburg, was born in Morgan county, 
Illinois, January 1, 1833, and is a representative 
of one of the oldest fanulies of the state, his 
father, William P. Gilliland, having arrived here 
in 1827. He was born in Shelby county, Ken- 
tucky, in 1805, and died at a very advanced age, 
passing away in 1898. Upon his arrival in this 
state he established his home in Morgan county, 
where he followed the occupation of farming. 
He was a tanner by trade, but usually devoted 
his enei'gies to agricultural pursuit. He served 
in the Black Hawk war in 1832 and in other 
ways was actively associated with the early 
history of the state. He canu= to Adams county 
in 18-11, locating in ^Mendon tiiwnship, where he 
opened up and njKn-ated a farm of one hundred 
and sixty acres, upon whieh he spent his re- 



PAST AND PKESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



475 



uiaiiiiiii;' days. In politics he was a deinocrat 
and held various township offiee.s. and he was a 
member and active worker in the llethodist 
Epi.seopal church. Hi.s intiuence on the public 
life of the eoraniuuity was beneficial and he is 
nimibered among the honored early pioneer resi- 
dents of the state. He married Letitia Curry, 
a daii.shter of John Curry, who removed from 
Shelby county, Kentucky, to Illinois in 18"27. 
settling m Morgan county. ]\Irs. Gillilaud was 
born in Shelby county in 1808 and died in 1890. 
By her marriage she had become the mother of 
nine children, of whom five are livina-. 

Dr. Gilliland was a public school student in 
his early boyhood days, but his literary educa- 
tion was largely acquired through self-culture. 
He worked upon the farm until after he had at- 
tained his majority and learned the value of in- 
dustry and enterprise in all departments of 
business activity. Desiring to enter professional 
life, he read medicine in the office of Dr. Joel W. 
Bonne.y, of Columbus. Adams county, having re- 
moved to this county with his parents when a 
youth of nine years. In the fall of 1868 he en- 
tered the St. Louis Medical College and re- 
ceived a phj'sician's and siargeou's diploma in 
1870. after which he entered upon practice in 
Coatsburg. where he has since i-emained, meeting 
with signal success in his professional labors. He 
is now the loved family physician in many a 
household, where he has ministei-ed to the sick 
and suffering for many years, his courage and 
cheery presence in the sick room well supple- 
menting the remedial agencies he administers. 

Di'. Gilliland was married, in 1854. to ]\Iiss 
Sarah E. iloyer, a daughter of Henry and Anna 
Moyer. of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania. 
She was born in that count.y in 1836. They cele- 
brated their fiftieth wedding anniversary ilareh 
22. IDO-t. having for a half century traveled life's 
journey together as man and wife, their mutual 
love and confidence increasing as the years have 
gone by. They have become the parents of five 
children : Annie L., wife of W. S. Gray, a clerk 
in the Chicago grain inspection department ; 
John 0. and Henry L.. both deceased: ^Minnie M.. 
wife of W. T. Elliott, a .salesman of IMadison, 
"Wisconsin; and William ^I.. a mechanical en- 
gineer of Hancock, Michigan. 

Dr. Gillilaud is a member of the [Masonic fra- 
ternity and the Independent Order of Odd Fel- 
lows, while his wife belongs to the ilethodist 
Episcopal church. In politics he is a democrat 
and was a member of the board of supervisors 
from Honey Creek township for one year. Pro- 
fessionally a member of the Adams County 
IMedical Society and of the State Medical So- 
ciety, he has kept informed concerning the de- 
velopments in medical science, thus rendering 
his labors of increased value to his fello\«nen. 



and both professionally and personally he oc- 
cupies an enviable position in public regard. 



JOHN E. WALL. 



John E. Wall, a member of the law firm of 
Wilson & Wall of Quiucy, was born in this city, 
f^ebruary 21, 1864. His father, Edmund Wall, 
is a native of Cumberland county, Maryland, 
and is now living in Quincy at the age of seventy 
years, filling a position as bookkeeper. He came 
to Illinois in 1847. establishing his home in this 
cit\-. where he has now lived foi- fifty-seven years. 
He is a member of the Catholic church and was 
formerly a democrat in his political views. He 
twice represented the fifth ward on the city 
council and at one time was sergeant of the 
Quincy police force. He is always active in 
support of progressive public measures and is 
one of the honored pioneer residents of Quiucy, 
his memory forming a connecting link between 
the primitive past and the progressive present. 
His wife, who was born in Quincy, in 1838, bore 
the maiden name of Catherine Gaffuey. Her 
father, John Gaffney. was one of the victims of 
the memorable cholera epidemic of 1849. Mr. 
and Mrs. Wall were the parents of nine chil- 
dren, of whom seven are yet living : John E. ; 
James D., a mail carrier; Lenoi-e, a librarian; 
Joseph W.. secretary of the Gardner Governor 
Company: George A., cashier of the Gardner 
Govei-nor Company; Thomas H., a machinist; 
and Kate, wife of Neff Wells, an engineer in 
charge of the water works at Great Bend, Kan- 
sas. 

At the usual age John E. Wall began his edu- 
cation in the public seliools of Quincy and after 
putting aside his text-books he worked at job 
printing, Irat he rei;arded this merely as an 
initial step in his career. Desirious of becoming 
a member of the bar he attended the night ses- 
sions of the law department of Chaddock Col- 
lege and after thorough preliminary preparation 
successfully passed the required examination 
which secured his admission to the bar in 1894. 
He then went to Salt Lake City, where he re- 
mained for about nine months. He afterward 
spent some time in the law office of Akers & 
Petri, and in the sunnner of 1895 he formed a 
partnership with Frank Penick. that relation- 
ship being maintained until the 1st of December, 
1896, when he entered into partnership with 
(ieorge H. Wilson, with whom he has since been 
associated in practice. At that time Mr. Wilson 
was elected states attorney and ilr. Wall acted 
as his assi.stant. Before the formation of the 
partnei-ship both men were candidates for the 



476 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



office, but ilr. Wall was defeated. The acquaint- 
ance thus formed, however, resulted in their 
partnership. They have secured a desirable 
clientage, and their legal business has reached 
good proportions. Mr. Wall has won his posi- 
tion through earnest effort. He has a strong, 
logical mind, keen in its power of analysis, and 
he prepares himself with great thoroughness be- 
fore he enters iTpon the trial of a case. 

Mr. Wall was married October 10, 1899, to 
Isabel P. Conley a daughter of William and 
Jeannette (McLaughlin) Conley. She was born 
in Quincy, February 8, 1871, is a member of the 
Congregational church and is well known in 
social circles of the city. Mr. Wall belongs to 
the Masonic lodge, the Benevolent and Protective 
Order of Elks and the Knights of Pythias fra- 
ternity. He is also a member of the Quiney 
Bar Association and in his political views is a 
stanch republican. 



MASON C. VARNIER. 



Mason C. Vaniier. a retired farmer living in 
Ursa, is a native of Illinois, his birth having 
occurred in Gallatin county on the 22d of June. 
1828, his parents being Adin and Jane M. (Craw- 
ford) Varnier. The father was born in Vir- 
ginia, while the mother was a native of Mercer 
county, Kentucky. His death occurred in Gal- 
latin county, Illinois, in 1832, and Mrs. Varnier 
came to Adams county with her family of small 
children, the same year. In 1837 she married 
David Dunlap and they purchased a farm on 
section 7, Ursa township, making it their home 
from 1851 until 1855. They then removed to 
Clayton, Illinois, where they resided for about 
five years, after which they settled in Cass 
county, Missouri, whei'e they spent their re- 
maining days. 

Mason C. Varnier remained with his mother 
and step-father until he was twenty years of 
age and during that time he obtained a good 
common-school education and also received prac- 
tical training in farm work. Between the age of 
twenty and twenty-three years, he was employed 
as a farm hand and at the time nf his marriage 
he purchased forty acres of land on section 12, 
Ursa township, to which he afterward added 
from time to time, as his financial resources 
increased, until he was the owner of one hun- 
dred and eighty-seven acres of I'ieh arable land. 
He continued to cultivate his farm, raising good 
crops, until August, 1895, when he sold his 
place and removed to Ursa, where he built a 
beautiful home. He has since sold all of his 
land and has invested in property in Ursa and 
also owns two residences in Boulder, Colorado. 



In 1851 Mr. Varnier was married to Aehsah 
S. Robertson, a daughter of Cyrus Robertson, of 
Indiana, who was killed by the explosion of a 
thresher a short time before the marriage of his 
daughter. ]\[rs. Varnier was born ilay 14, 1833, 
and became the mother of two children. David 
E,. the elder, was born August 22, 1852, married 
Miss Elizabeth McLaughlin and they reside in 
Ursa with their family of five children, four sons 
and one daughter. The second child died in 
infancy on the 2t)th of September, 1854, and Mr. 
Varnier lost his wife on the same day. He was 
married again to Miss Emily Taylor, a daughter 
of Adam and Barbara Taylor, who, at the time 
of her marriage, were living on section 7, Ursa 
township. Mrs. Emily Varnier was born July 
5, 1838, and by this marriage there were four 
i-hildren, namely: Martina, who was born July 
21, 1859, and is the widow of John S. Wartield, 
residintr with her children in TTrsa ; Cyrus E., 
of Louisiana, Missouri, who was born November 
14, 1863, and married Miss Paulina Campbell, 
of Pike countv, Missouri ; Vinnie, who was born 
September 30, 1870, and died April 12, 1895; 
and James B., who was borii November 14, 1876, 
and is living at home. 

Mr. Varnier is a republican in his political 
views and has always been deeply interested in 
the success of the party, but he has never sought 
or desired office. He is a valued member of 
Marcelline lodge. No. 127, L O. O. F., and be- 
longs to the Golden Leaf lodge. Daughters of 
Rebekah. He likewise holds membership with 
Ursa camp. No. 995, M. W. 2V. ; and Rosewood 
camp. No. 582, Royal Neighbors. He and his 
wife enjoy the unqualified respect and esteem of 
all who know them. He has now reached the 
seventy-seventh mile-stone on life's journey and 
his has been an honorable and upright career, 
characterized by activity in business, fidelity 
in citizenship and trustworthiness in his social 
relations. 



irr. RKV. :\i. edward fawcett. 

Rt. Rev. I\I. Edward Fawcett, bishop of the 
diocese of Quiney, was born near Hartford, 
Iowa, November i, 1865. His father, William 
Fawcett, was born in Canada and coming to 
the Iinited States when seventeen years of age 
located in Iowa. He was of English descent. 
He became a minister of the Methodist Episco- 
])al body and for many years labored earnestly 
fur the upbuilding of his denomination in the 
middle west. He married Sarah Houghton, 
who was a native of the state of New York and 
was descended from Puritan ancestry. Their 
only child who reached mature years is Bishop 




BISHOP M. E. FAWCETT 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



479 



Fawcett of Quincy. The father died in I'JUl. 
at the age of sixty years, and the mother '.s 
(h-ath occurred ou the 3d of April, 188:5. 

Hishop Fawcett began his education in the 
public schools and continued his studies in the 
Northwestern University, which he entered in 
1883. He was graduated from the Upper Iowa 
University, at Fayette, in 1886, and completinu 
a post-graduate course in 1893, the degree of 
Doctor of Philosophy was conferred upon him. 
Becoming identified with the ministry of the 
Methodist body, he remained an active repre- 
sentative of its clergy until 1896. in which 
year, being then a resident of Elgin, he joined 
the ecclesiatical body, known in law as the 
Episcopal church, wherein he was ordained 
deacon May 20, 1897, while on the 15th of De- 
cember, of the same year he was ordained to 
the priesthood, both ordinations being conduct- 
ed by the bishop of Chicago. On the 20th of 
May. 1903, while serving as rector at St. Bar- 
tholomew's church in Chicago, he was elected 
bish(i]i of Quincy. by the diocesan convention, 
then in session at Galesburg. and was conse- 
crated in St. Bartholomew's church, in Chi- 
cago. January 20, 190-i. Immediately after- 
ward he removed to Quincy and was enthroned 
in the cathederal ou the Feast of the Purifica- 
tion, Februray 2, 1904. 

Bishop Fa.wcett was mai'ri(><l, November 3, 
1887. to Esther L. Faul, of Chicago, and they 
have one child. Althea Suzanne. In his politi- 
cal views Bishop Fawcett is independent. He 
belongs to the Phi Delta Theta. is a Mason and 
also holds membership relations with the Uni- 
versity Club of Chicago and the Columbia 
Yacht Chib. finding needed rest and recreation 
fi-om the ;i"du(Uis labor and responsibilities of 
his position, in the social companionship. It 
would be tautological in this connection to 
ei'tei' upon any series of statements as show- 
ing him to be a man of scholarly attainments 
and l>road general culture, for these have been 
shadowed forth between the lines of this re- 
view in the account of his promotion in the 
'•hurch. His broad humanitarian spirit and 
ready sympathy have also made him a man of 
iiitlopticc and of effective labor, and have won 
for liim the resnect of all men. 



.ta:\ies r. gutffrte. 



-Tames R. Guthrie, living on section 22, Camp 
Point township, where he is enlaced in sreneral 
farming and stock-raising, owns and operates a 
well iniproved tract of land of th.-ee hundred 
acres. He is a native son of Adams counfv. his 



|.]"th having here occurred .May S, 18-13. His 
fa'ilicr. Moses Guthrie, was born in Kentucky in 
17;H and there spent the days of his 'i/oyiiood 
and yoiith. When a young man he came to 
Illinois, settling upon a farm near Coliurhus, in 
Adams county, about 1833. He entered the land 
fi'om the government and afterward bought 
other land until he owned over three hundred 
acres. He was married twice, his last w'fe being 
Miss Charity Reaugh, a native of Kentuek-y. 
Here Mr. Guthrie reared his family and spent 
his remaining days, his death occurring in 1871, 
while his wife passed away in 1878. He served 
his country as a soldier in the war of 1812 and 
was always loyal in matters of citizenship. 

James R. Guthrie is the only survivor of a 
family of four children. He was reared in 
Adams county and acquired his education in 
Columbus and also through reading, observation 
and experience after attaining his majority. He 
remained with his father until the latter 's death 
and then continued to carry on the home farm. 
He was married in Camp Point township Sep- 
tember 2. 1882. to Miss Myra Bates, a native of 
this county and a daughter of William I. Bates, 
who was formerly sujierintendent of the county 
farm and was one of the early settlers of this 
part of the state. 

After their marriage ^h: and Mrs. Guthrie 
located in Columbus township, where he con- 
tinued to engage in aericultural pursuits for 
several years and then pt rchased his present 
property on section 22. Ca:Mp Point township, 
having at first one hiind-cd •■nid eighty acres oE 
land here. He built a l-.wv and substantial resi- 
dence, also good barns and outbuildings and 
p'reatly improved the phu.i. He likewise ex- 
tended the boundaries of his lai-m by additional 
purchases until the old I'ome place comprised 
two hundred and fifty aci-es and he owns al- 
together three hundred and ten acres of valuable 
kind. In connection with general farming he 
crirries on the raising and feeding of hogs and is 
a successful agriculturist and stockman. His 
principal cereal is corn and he annually har- 
vests large crops. 

]\Tr. Guthrie was called upon to mourn the loss 
of his wife in 1899, her death occurring on the 
29th of August of that year. They were the 
parents of four children: Maud M.. Myrtle 
Irene, Ethel R.. and James Ralph. Politically 
j\Tr. Guthrie has been a life-long republican and 
his first presidential vote was cast for General 
Grant in 1872. He was elected and served for 
a number of years on the school board, and in 
1902 he was elected supervisor and became a 
member of the honoi-ary county board, serving 
on the claims and judiciary connnittees. He was 
re-elected to same office in 1905 and takes an 
active part in local polities, doing all in his power 



480 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



to piT.mote the yrdwtli ami insure the success of 
his party. He beli)iiy;s to the Kuights of Pythias 
lodge of Camp Point. His entire life has been 
passed in Adams county, and he is classed with 
its active and progressive farmers, while his busi- 
ness dealings have been conducted with .such 
honor and fidelity that he commands the respect 
of all with whom he has been associated. 



WALTER W. MILLER. 

Walter W. ^liller, business uiauager of the 
Quincy Whig, with which paper he became con- 
nected \vhen a young lad as carrier at a salary 
of two dollars per week, was born in Quincy, 
October 27, 1S80, a son of Henry and Emma 
(Eisenstein) Miller, the former a traveling 
salesmazi, now deceased. He acquired his educa- 
tion in the public schools of his native city and 
five years before he had completed his course 
he began carrying papers for two dollars per 
week. He was thus employed until the early 
part of 1898, when he was promoted to the posi- 
tion of superintendent of carriers of the Quincy 
Whig. In May, 1899, he was promoted to circu- 
lation manager of the Whig, and on the 1st of 
January, 1902, to advertising manager and as- 
sistant business manager. Following the death 
of J. B. Ellis, manager and president of the 
^Vlug, on the 18th of March, 1903, he was made 
business manager, which is his present connec- 
tion with the paper. His career is a commentary 
upon itself, indicating his fidelity, business ca- 
pacity and unremitting diligence, whereby he 
has won promotion through consecutive steps 
until he is at the head of one of the chief de- 
partments of the paper, carefully superintend- 
ing the multiform duties which arise in connec- 
tion with the management of the business affairs 
of a leading journal. 

Mr. Miller is a member of the Church of the 
Good Shepherd. On the 18th of May, 1903, he 
nuirried ]\riss Helen ilay Dewell, of Barry, Pike 
county. Illinois, at McLeansboro. this state. 



JOHN HERMAN DUKER. 

John Herman Duker was one of the promi- 
nent and Avell-to-do business men of Quincy and 
for years was closely associated with its finan- 
cial interests as president of the Quincy Nation- 
al Bank, while with its commercial life he was 
connected as a wholesale dealer in wine and 
liquor. He became one of the early settlers of 
this city and so directed his efforts during the 
years of his residence here that he won most 
gratifying success. Moreover he was active in 



('oiiiiiinnity atTnirs and his co-operation could 
al\\a\s Lie counted upon to aid iu all measures 
that tended to promote general progress. 

Mr. Duker was born in Aukum, Hanover, Ger- 
many, ;\Iarch 28, 1833, and was a son of Ger- 
hard and Elizabeth Duker, who were also natives 
of llanovi'r, where the father learned the carpen- 
ter's trade, following that pursuit throughout 
his entire life. He died in Germany and in 1847 
his widow, accompanied by her three sons. John 
Herman, Theodore and Henr.y, came to America. 
They landed at New Orleans, and after spending 
about six weeks in that city they came up the 
Mississippi river to St. Louis, remaining there 
about two months. At the end of that time they 
removed to Quincy, arriving here iu the latter 
part of the year 1847. 

Prior to the emigration of the family John 
Merman Duker had acquired a limited education 
in the counnon schools of his native land and was 
only a boy of fourteen years when he reached 
Quincy, but he was ambitious, determined and 
lesolute. Here he began to learn the saddler's 
trade, which he followed for a few years in the 
employ of others, and then entered into partner- 
ship with John Kuhl. opening a harness and 
saddlery store in Quincy. ilr. Duker continued 
that business until 1859, when he sold out and 
in partnership with his In'other Theodore con- 
ducted a grocery store until 1871, when they 
turned their attention to the wholesale liquor 
trade. Thev carried on business under the firm 
name of J. "H. Duker & Bro. at No. 323 Hamp- 
shire street, and in this new venture prospered, 
securing an extensive patronage. The business 
is still conducted under that name, the brother 
having the active management, while ]\Irs. J. H. 
Duker is still financially interested. In 1887 J. 
H. Duker became one of the stockholders in the 
Quincy National Bank and was shortly after- 
ward elected president, continuing at the head 
of that reliable financial concern until his death. 
He was a man of excellent business ability and 
executive force, capable of controlling extensive 
interests, for he possessed sound judgment and 
keen discrimination. Whatever he undertook he 
carried forward to successful completion and 
his laboi's were crowned with a high measure of 
success. 

In 1856 J. II. Duker was married in Quincy to 
Miss Clara Elizabeth Glass, who was born in 
this city and is a daughter of Simon and Marga- 
ret (Liebig) (jlass, both of whom were natives 
of Germany, in which country they spent their 
entire lives. Her father was a blacksmith and 
bricklayer, and also followed other trades, and 
in his later life he engaged in the saloon business. 
There were ten children born unto Mr. and Mrs. 
Duker. of whom six are yet living: Simon, who 
now carries on the wholesale licpior business of 
the firm of J. H. Duker & Bro. Co., and who 





f^ 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



483 



resides with liis mother and sister in Quincy ; 
Anna M., the wife of John C. Ordiiig. a resident 
of Qniney: Nina M., the wife of Dr. A. J. Blick- 
han, a prominent physician practicing in Quin- 
cy ; Helen 'SI., who is at home with her mother : 
John L., who is teller at the Quincy National 
Bank and resides with his mother; and Clara C, 
who is aLso at home. The members of the family 
are prominent in social circles in Quincy and the 
Duker home is .justly noted for its social func- 
tions. Mrs. Duker owns one of the finest resi- 
dences of the city. It is a palatial home built of 
granite and located at No. (501 Spring street, at 
the corner of Sixth street. 

Mr. Duker died Noveni))er 14. 1903. In poli- 
ties he was independent, althongh he had some 
preference for- the democracy. He held a mem- 
bership in St. Boniface Catholic church, of 
which his wife and children are also communi- 
cants. For twenty-five years he was a member 
of the board of education in Quincy and was 
deeply interested in the development of the pub- 
lic school sy.stem here. He was one of the lead- 
ing business men of the city and also had a wide 
acquaintance througho^it this part of the state. 
His history is notable in that he arose from a 
hum])le financial position to one of affluence and 
his progress was clue entirely to his persistent 
and well directed effort, for reliable Inisiness 
methods and unfaltering purpose. 



GEORGE WELLS BURCH, I\I. D. 

Among the representatives of the medical fra- 
ternity in Quincy is numbered Geoi'ge Wells 
Burcli. who in his professional career has dis- 
played the diligence, energy and adaptability 
whicli have l)een the dominant cpialities in the 
upbuildins of the cities of the middle west. He 
was born in Warren county. Illinois. August 2, 
1866. and is a son of Thomas J. and Louisa 
( Shell enberger) Burch. Several generations of 
the family have been rejiresented in America, 
his great-grandfather having come to the LTnited 
States in 1704. at which time he settled in Vir- 
ginia, and later he was governor surveyor of 
Virginia and West Virginia. The grandfather, 
who was a couti'actor and builder, came 
to the west in 1831. settled in Wan-en 
coiinty, Illinois, and was thus actively con- 
nected with building operations in that part 
of the state in pioneer times. Thomas J. Burch 
accompanied his parents to Warren county and 
under his father's instruction he learned the 
carpenter's trade and assisted in building many 
of the early structures in this section of Illinois. 



He erected the first brick building in Keokuk, 
Iowa, but continued to make his home in War- 
ren county, Illinois, where he remained until 
his death. He was a prominent and influential 
man of his day, ever active in his business life 
and at the same time gave hearty co-operation 
to many measures that tended to its public prog- 
ress and improvement. He was married in War- 
ren county to ^liss Louisa Shellenberger. 

George Wells Burch entered the piiblic schools 
at the u.sual age and step by step passed through 
the consecutive grades imtil he had completed 
the high school course. He also attended ilon- 
moutli College, pursuing a preparatory course 
to the junior year. When twenty-one years of 
age he entered the Keokuk ^Medical College and 
was graduated with the class of 1887. He after- 
ward went to New York city, where he pursued 
a three years' post-graduate course, making a 
specialty of the treatment of- skin and venereal 
diseases during the last year tli-'re s[)eiit. In 
1889 he attended the Belle\nie Hospital Medical 
College and then, returning to the west, located 
for practice in Bui'lington, Iowa, where he re- 
mained for six years. On the expiration of that 
period he removed to Dakota, where for two 
years he suffered from ill health, and in 1892 
he came to Quincy. Here he has since practiced 
with constantly growing success and makes a 
specialty of skin and venereal diseases. He keeps 
thoroughly informed concerning the latest de- 
velopments in the medical science and thus is 
continiially promoting his efficiency and inerea.s- 
ing his ability to handle important cases in- 
trusted to his care. He belongs to the Ameri- 
can IMedical Association, the Illinois State Medi- 
cal Society and the Adams County ^Medical 
Society. 

Dr. Burch was married to IMiss Cora Blanche 
Pease, a daughter of Robert and Sarah Pease, 
her father being at one time a retired capitalist 
of Kirkwood. Illinois. They are now residing 
in Quiuc.v and have one son, Elmer J., born 
April 8. 1864. Dr. and Sirs. Burch were mar- 
ried December 23, 1890, and they have one child. 
Arthur Glenn, who was born in Burlington, 
Iowa. June 30, 1896, and is now attending the 
Webster ]iublic school of Quincy. The parents 
are members of the First Presb\-terian church 
and are prominent socially, the hospitality of 
many of the best homes of the city being cordial- 
ly extended to them. 

Dr. Burch is a republican in his political 
views. He has never had any aspiration for 
office, preferring to give his undivided attention 
to his professional duties, which are eonstantl.v 
increasing in volume and importance. He was 
particularly well qualified for practice bj' ex- 
tensive study ere he entered upon the work of 



484 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY 



the jirofcssidii and has since kept in toueh with 
advanced thought through reading and investi- 
gation. He is never dilatory in the performance 
of any professional duty and has conseientions 
regard for the obligations which rest upon the 
members of the medical fraternity and the con- 
sensus of public opinion places him beyond the 
ranks of mediocrity and among the foremost 
]iraetitioners in Quiney. 



CAPTAIN avillia:\i somerville. 

William Somerville, who in civic and mili- 
tary life has manifested a loyalty to his country 
that is above question and who as the superin- 
tendent of the Soldiers and Sailors Home of 
Qtiincy has become a popular resident of that 
city, was born in Pennsylvania, August 15. 1837. 
His ancestral histtory is one of long and close 
connection with American interests and thi'ough 
successive generations the .same spirit of loyalty 
and devotion to the general good has been shown. 
James Somerville. emigrating from Scotland to 
the new world in 1735, established his home at 
Holidaysburg, Pennsylvania, and became the 
progenitor of that braiich of the family in this 
country. He was accompanied to America by 
three brothers, his brother David also settling 
in Pennsylvania, while John and William Somer- 
ville became residents of Vii\ginia. His descend- 
ants resided in Pennsylvania until 1841. James 
Somerville, the grandfather of Captain Somer- 
ville, at the time of the Revolutionai'y War 
espoused the cause of the colonists and fought 
for independence until the rejjublic was "an 
established fact. He long lived to enjoy the 
fruits of his military service, reaching the vener- 
able age of ninety years and passing away in 

1840. His son, who also bore the name of James 
Sornerville, was born in Plolidaysburg, Pennsyl- 
vania, in 1800, and married Miss Susan Stover, 
a native of Maryland and of Dutch ancestry, her 
father, Michael Stover, being from Holland. 
They continued to reside in Pennsylvania until 

1841, when removing westward they settled in 
Wayne county, Indiana, and in 1851 came to 
Hancock county, Illinois. At the time of the 
gold excitement in California Mr. Somerville 
made his way to the mines, but after a short time 
spent on the Pacific coast he returned to Car- 
thage, Illinois. He died in 1871 at the age of 
seventy-one years, and his wife who was born in 
1809, passed away in 1856. 

Captain Somerville, reared under the parental 
roof, acquired a public school education. His 
birth had occurred at Holidaysburg, Pennsyl- 
vania, August 15, 1837, and when twentv-three 
years of age he responded to President Lincoln's 



call for troops to aid in crushing out the rebellion 
in its ineipiency. Enlisting on the 9th of May, 
1861, he became a private of Company D, Six- 
teenth Illinois Infantry, a regiment famous in 
its service with the Western Army and one 
which made a splendid record because of the 
valor and loyalty of its members. Captain 
Somerville participated in many important en- 
gagements, including the battle of New Madrid, 
the operations before Island No. 10, the siege of 
Corinth, the two engagements at Parmington 
and the many important contests of the Atlanta 
campaign. Brave and fearless in the discharge 
of every duty, his meritorious conduct won him 
successive promotions from time to time and 
also gained him the deserved commendation of 
superior officers. Gradually he arose until he at- 
tained the rank of captain. He was with Sher- 
man on the march to the sea and through the 
Carolina campaign, his regiment constituting a 
part of the division under command of General 
James D. jMorgan, which was some distance from 
the main army at Bentonville, North Carolina, 
and was there attacked by a greatly superior 
force of the enemy. All day long the battle raged, 
and at length the Confederates were repulsed 
through the gallant efforts of the Union troops. 
It was in this battle, on the 19th of March, 1865, 
that Captain Somerville was wounded by a minie 
ball, and ere he had recovered from the injury 
the war was brought to a close. 

No longer needed in the military service of 
his country. Captain Somerville then entered 
upon civic duties in connection with the govern- 
ment, being appointed on the 1st of May, 1865, 
to a position in the internal revenue service, Mith 
which he was identified for twenty-eight years. 
He attained national distinction in that connec- 
tion and was in.strumental in the apprehension 
of many moonshine distillers and crooked em- 
ployes of the government. An officer of tireless 
energy and utterly fearless, he penetrated the 
mountain fastnesses of the south, the favorite 
habitat of the moonshiners, and so successful was 
he in the punsuit of illicit distillers that the 
moonshiners placed a price upon his head and 
vowed to shoot him if they ever got the chance. 
But Captain Somerville only laughed at their 
threats, which, however, were in deadly earnest, 
and there is little doubt but that they would 
have sought vengeance in his death had he given 
them the opportunity. 

Resigning his position in the internal revenue 
department in 1893, Captain Somerville was 
afterward engaged in various business pursuits, 
being for a time insurance agent and also a sales- 
man. In 1897 he accepted the superintendency 
of the Soldiers & Sailors' Home at Quiney 
through appointment of Governor Tanner, and 
in 1901 was reappointed by Governor Yates, so 




CAPTAIN WILLIAM SOMERVILLE 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



487 



that he is still the iueunibent in the ottiee. His 
administration of the affairs of the institution 
has been commendable, demonstrating executive 
ability of the highest order. His interest in 
the veterans of the war is deep and sincere, and 
■while capably managing the affairs of the home 
as a business man he is also contini:ally alert to 
the best interest of the ' ' boys in blue. ' ' 

Captain Somerville is himself identified with 
the Grand Army of the Republic and also with 
the Loyal Legion, and his membership relations 
extend to other fraternal organizations. He 
was made a Mason on the 4th of July, 1869, in 
Hancock lodge. No. 20, and afterwards became 
a member of Lambert lodge. No. 659. A. F. & 
A. j\L, and he has attained the Knight Templar 
degree. 

In 1864 Captain Somerville was united in 
marriage to Miss Helen Alexander, who died in 
1870, and in 1871 he married his present wife, 
Mary J. Thompson. They have a son and daugh- 
ter, the former, James Somerville, being now 
freight terminal agent of the Chicago, Burling- 
ton & Quiney Railroad at Keokuk, Iowa, while 
the daughter, Carrie, is with her parents in 
Quiney, where the family home was established 
in 1870 and has since been maintained, the mem- 
bers of the household occupying an enviable posi- 
tion in social circles. As has been intimated. 
Captain Somerville has always been an inflexible 
adhei-ent of republican principles and has been 
three times chairman of the Adams county re- 
publican central committee. Inis county is re- 
garded as one of the strongest democratic centers 
of the state, but in 1896, the year of his selection 
for the chairmanship, it gave a majority for the 
republican presidential candidate and elected 
the whole republican ticket for the first time in 
its history. Captain Somerville is a man of fine 
social traits and receives that warm personal re- 
gard which arises from geniality, a kindly spirit 
and deference for the opinions of others. 



JOSEPH KNITTEL. 



Joseph Knittel, whose utilization and mastery 
of the opportunities of the business world have 
placed him at the head of one of the most un- 
portant productive industries of Quiney, con- 
trolling an extensive business conducted under 
the name of the Joseph Knittel Show Case Com- 
pany, was born in Colmar, Alsace, December 23, 
1854, his parents being Jean and Elizabeth 
(]\Iantman) Knittel. The father, who was en- 
gaged in the wine business, lived retired for a 
mimber of years prior to his demise, which oc- 
curred in Colmar, Alsace, in 1902, when he was 
seventv-nine years of age. His widow, still liv- 



ing in Alsace, is now seventy-four years of age. 
Jean Knittel twice visited America but retained 
his permanent residence in his native country. 
In the family were four sons and three daugh- 
ters, but two of the daughters died in infancy. 
One of the sons, Emil Knittel, came to America 
about 1874 and after spending about four years 
in New York removed to Quiney, since which 
time he has been connected with the Knittel 
Show Case Company. He was married about 
1882 and has three daughters. Jean Knittel, 
the eldest son of the family, served in the French 
Army at the time of the Franco-Prussian war, 
and following the close of hostilities came to 
America in 1871. He resides in St. Louis, Mis- 
souri, is married and has two daughters. Louis 
Knittel came to America about 1882 and also re- 
sides in St. Louis. 

Joseph Knittel pursued his education in paro- 
chial schools of his native country, completing 
his more specifically literary education when 
fourteen years of age. although later he attended 
the Conservators- of ^lusic at Colmar, Alsace. 
He was graduated therefrom and in earlier 
years was engaged in musical work. He is still 
a fine musician, especially skilled with the fiute, 
and he has deep interest in the musical develop- 
ment of the city in which he makes his home. 
After leaving school he learned the trade of 
wood and stone carving, gaining considerable 
ability in that line, and was thus engaged until 
he came to America. 

Desirous of profiting by the superior business 
opportunities which he believed the new world 
offered and also opposed to living under CTcrman 
rule, which followed the Franco-Prussian war, 
he ran away from home at the age of eighteen 
years and on the 20th of September, 1872, land- 
ed at New York. He remained there for a long 
time and then went to Syracuse, New Yoi-k, 
where he worked in an organ factory, doing the 
designing for the ornamental woi-k on organs. 
He occupied that position for three years and at 
the age of twenty-one he went to Indianapolis, 
Indiana, where he Avas employed as a cai-ver for 
a year. In 1876 he went to Philadelphia, and 
the following year he came to Quiney. In the 
previous winter he had devoted his attention to 
musical interests, and subsequent to his removal 
to Quiney he embarked in his present business, 
the manufacture and sale of show eases with a 
shop on the third floor at No. 520 Hampshire 
street, under the firm style of Widolf & Knit- 
tel. The partners at first did all the work them- 
selves but gradually as their trade increased they 
began to employ others. As the business became 
too larg-e for the original quarters it was re- 
moved, in 1878. to South Fourth street. About 
that time Mv. Widolf died and Mr. Knittel be- 



488 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAIMS COUNTY. 



caiiu' sole owirt. lie was then eiuiilDviiii;' about 
ten men. In 1880 or 1881 he removed to Third 
street, adjoining the Aldo Sommers Drug Com- 
jiany, and when three or four years had passed 
lie again found that his quarters were too liiiiiteil 
and ereeted a plant at Nos. 813 to 339 North 
Third street. One-third of this property only 
was then occupied by the business. At the time 
of the removal to the present location employ- 
ment was furnished to from twenty-five to thirty 
men and later the force numbered almost seven- 
ty. On the 1st of February, 190-1, the entire 
plant was wiped out by fire, but undiscouraged 
by this catastrophe, the partners at once rebuilt 
upon the same site and now have a splendidly 
e([uipped plant, extending over two hundred 
feet on Third street, with a depth of one hun- 
dred feet, while the yard extends back to Sec- 
ond street. The building is four stories in 
height, including liasement. At the present time 
employment is furnished to one hundred and 
twenty-five men. The factory is one of the 
largest, if not the largest. .in the United States, 
and is one of the best equipped, having the most 
modern machinery and every facility for carry- 
ing on the work. In 1896 the Joseph Knittel Show 
Case Company was incorporated with Joseph 
Knittel as president; Henry Jenter, secretary 
and C. Knittel, treasurer. They manufacture 
show cases, wall cases, coimters, desks, drug, 
bank, store and office fixtures. Their goods are 
sold by catalog and Mr. Knittel freijuently goes 
upon the road introducing the product of the 
plant. The house has a wide and enviable repu- 
tation and its goods arc sold throughout the 
country. 

Mr. Knittel was married on the 27th of Au- 
gust, 1878, to l\liss Emuui Steiugrebe, a daughter 
of Carl Steingrebe, of Syracuse, New York, who 
died in 1896. He came to Quincy in 188-4 and 
his last days were spent here. Mr. and i\Irs. 
Knittel have but one child, Carl, who was born 
in 1880, and is a graduate of the Quincy high 
school and the Gem City Business College. After 
leaving school he spent three years in Chicago 
and then, returning to Quinej', joined his father 
in business and is now treasurer of the com- 
pany. He was married in 1904 to ]\Iiss Carrie 
Hallet, of Bloomington, Illinois. 

In polities Mr. Knittel is a stanch republican, 
deeply interested in the growth and success of the 
party but without pei'sonal political aspirations. 
He behmgs to Lambert lodge, No. 659, A. F. & A. 
.M.. also to the chapter and consistory, and thus 
has a wide acquaintance in ilasonic circles in 
Quincy. His residence in the city covers more 
than a quarter of a century, during which time 
he has steadily advanced on the road to success. 
until, in control of one of the leading manufac- 
turing and connnereial interests of Quincy, he is 



accounted to-day a foremost business man. Real- 
izing that labor and efficiency constitute the key 
which t)pens the portals of prosperity, he has by 
consecutive effoi't and concentration of purpose 
made for himself an honorable name in trade 
circles and at the same time won the success 
which is the goal of all business endeavor. 



CHARLES TARR. 



Charles Tarr. who follows general farming 
on .section 33, Meiidon township, was born Sep- 
tember '22, 1850, in Adams county. His father, 
William Tarr, was born in Bourbon, Kentucky, 
January 14, ISIO, and came to Adams county, 
in 1829, when a young man of nineteen years, 
living with his parents in Ursa township. On 
the 23d of April, 1832, he was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Mary M. Adair, who was born in 
Kentucky, December 10, 1813. The young cou- 
ple began their donu'stic life on a farm on sec- 
tion 33, Lima town.ship, their home being one of 
the pioneer cabins in that district. Mr. Tarr 
secured a tract of land, which was largely wild 
and unimproved, but he at once began its de- 
velopment and soon his i)low turned the fur- 
rows, later the seed was planted and eventually 
crops were harvested. Year by year he contin- 
ued his farm work until he has a valuable prop- 
erty, his land being very productive. He con- 
tinued to reside upon his farm until three years 
prior to his death, when he removed to Mendon, 
where he passed away December 10, 1878, his 
wife, surviving him for a number of years, died 
in October, 1892. They left six children : 
Charles, who resides on part of the old home 
place; James F., who resides at the Soldiers' 
Home in Quincy; Mrs. ^lartha E. Barnett, of 
Marcelline, Kansas; Mrs, Mary J. Shields, of El- 
dorado, Missouri; Mrs. Lucinda McGibbons, of 
Sioux City, Iowa, and 'SI. Alice Tarr, of Peoria, 
Illinois. They also lost five childi'en. 

Charles Tarr supplemented his early educa- 
tion, which was secured in the common schools, 
by attending the Gem City Business College of 
Quincy, and afterward engaged in teaching 
school for a year. He then turned his attention 
to merchandising, which he followed for two 
years and since that time has carried on 
farming. Eventually he purchased a farm 
in Ursa township but later sold the prop- 
erty and bought his present farm on section 33, 
ilendon township. Here he owns eighty acres 
of land about four and a half miles northwest 
of the town of Mendon. His attention is devoted 
to general farming and the methods which he 
follows are in keeping -with the advanced ideas 



PAST xVXD PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY 



489 



eoiK-erniiiu aiiricultuiv. ]Ie is dilioeiit and en- 
tei-prisios and his i)rosixTity is du,. to his well- 
directed labors. 

On the 7th of December. 1871. .Mr. Tarr was 
married to Rosa Clark, daughter of Coiistantine 
and CjTithia (Fields) Clark, the former a na- 
tive of Ireland and the latter of Alabama. Her 
father was a farmer and for many years fol- 
lowed agricultni-al pursuits in Lima township, 
but he and his wife are now both deceased. 'Sir. 
and Mrs. Tarr have two children : Eleanora, who 
was born December 3, 1872, and is the wife of 
August Stoekeeke. a resident of ilendon town- 
ship : and Alta May, who was bom November 
17, 1879, and makes her home with her parents. 
She is engaged in teaching school. 

Ml". Tarr belongs to ilendon camp. No. 7.")1. 
M. W. A., and gives his political support to the 
republican party, believing that its platform 
contains the best elements of good government. 
His wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
elnirch. They have a wide and favorable ae- 
cpiaintance in Adams county and en.ioy the 
friend.ship of many with whom they have iteen 
brought in contact. 



EDMUND B. MONTGOMERY. :\r. D. 

Dr. Edmiuid B. Montgomery, physician, sur- 
geon and author, whose skill in practice and 
ability as a writer of many valuable treatises on 
medical and surgical subjects have gained him 
national fame among the representatives of the 
profession, has practiced eontinuoush' in Quin- 
cy since 1878. He was born in St. Louis. Mis- 
soiu-i, May 11, 1858. His father. Robert ilont- 
gomery, was a well known business man of that 
city. Soon after the birth of his son Edmund, 
however, he removed with his family to Shelbi- 
na. ^Missouri, becoming one of the foundei-s of 
the town and erecting thei'e its first brick build- 
ing. He carried on a drug store there iTutil 1864, 
when he located permanently in Quincy, where 
he still resides. He married Elizabeth Wis- 
hart, who was a great-granddaughter of Dr. 
James Wishart, of Cromarth.v. Scotland, a prom- 
inent physician of his day. One of his daug^h- 
ters married the celebrated Dr. Abernethy, of 
Edinburg, Scotland. His son. Dr. David Wis- 
hart. and second in line of descent, was born in 
the pai'ish of Kincardine. Perthshire. Scotland, 
and came to America in 1796. locating first in 
Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, later in 
Washington, that state, and finally in Bedford 
county. Ohio, where he died at an advanced age. 
He was a ver\' successful and prominent physi- 
cian and he had four sons who became repre- 



sentatives of the profession, John. James, Da- 
vid and Thomas, while his daughter, Jeannette, 
married James Lane, and became the mother of 
Dr. Robert Lane, for many years a leading 
physician of Roekford, Illinois. Dr. John Wis- 
hart is deeea-sed, but his son Charles is still a 
prominent physician of Pittsburg, Pennsvlvania. 
Dr. James Wishart, grandfather of Dr. .Mont- 
gomery, gained a wide reputation as a most skill- 
ful medical practitioner of St. Louis. Missouri, 
where he died of Asiatic cholera, in 1849. It 
was his daughter. Elizabeth, who became the 
wife of Robert :Montgomery. She died November 
10. 1894, leaving three sons : Echnund B. ; James 
P.. who for a time was paymaster in the United 
States Army and is now with tlie .Mever Brothers 
Drug Company of St. Louis; and Robert W.. a 
druggist of Quincy, who died in September, 

In his early boyhood Dr. .Alontgomery was 
taken by his parents to Shelbina. Missouri, but 
the greater part of his youth was i)assed in 
Quincy, where he acipiired his literarv educa- 
tion and was graduated from the hiaii .school 
with the class of 18/3. He then attended the 
Philadelphia College of Pharmacy in 1874. after 
which he entered Jefferson Med'ical College, of 
that city, in 1876, completing his course by 
graduation with the class of 1878. Descended 
from an ancestry di.stingnished in the medical 
profession. Dr. Montgomery in his professional 
career has added new laurels to the family rec- 
ord, developing an ability and knowledge which 
place him foremost among the practitioners of 
Quincy and which have won him the favorable 
attention of representatives of the medical fra- 
ternity throughout the country. He located for 
practice in Quincy in 1878. and alons oriainal 
lines he has carried his researches, while his 
practice has grown to proportions that stand in 
unmistakable evidence of the position which he 
holds in the public trust and regard. Careful 
m the diagnosis of a case, seldom, if ever, at 
fault, in determining the outcome of disea.se, 
and correct in his application of his understand- 
mg of the principles of the medical science to 
the needs of the patient, his professional efforts 
have been attended by results certainly gratify- 
ing to any professional ambition. 

In 1884 Dr. :\rontgomery was appointed by Dr. 
John H. Rouch a member of the sanitarv eoim- 
cil of the aiississippi Valley, and attended meet- 
ings at aiemphLs and New Orleans, after which 
he prepared for the Illinois Board of Health a 
sanitary survey of the city of Quincy. From 
1888 until 1893 he was physician in charge of 
Blessing Hospital, and from 1893 until 1897 
surgeon-in-charge of the Illinois Soldiers and 
Sailors Home at Quincy, since which time he 
has been consulting physician on the medical 



490 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



staff of Blessing Hospital. In 1893, in prepara- 
tion for the Pan-Amei"icau Medical Congress to 
be held in Washington, he organized the Adams 
county physicians and served as a delegate to 
that convention. He keeps in tonch with the 
advanced thonght of the profession through its 
membership in the Adams County Medical So- 
ciety, the Illinois State ]\Iedical Society, the 
Mississippi Valley iledical Association, the 
American Medical Association, the Tri-state 
Medical Association and the Military Tract Med- 
ical Society and he was one of the organizers and 
afterward -vice president of the Quiney Medical 
Library Association. Dr. Montgomery has been 
active in medical society work, serving in va- 
rious official capacities. He has been president 
and secretary in the local medical organizations, 
secretary of the Mississippi Valley Medical So- 
ciety and secretary of the Medical Section of the 
Illinois State Medical Society. 

His contributions to medical literature have 
been extensive and valuable, showing wide origi- 
nal research and investigation, resulting in the 
acquirement of knowledge that has promoted 
general efficiency among the representatives of 
the medical fraternity. His writings include a 
report on therapeutics, published in the Trans- 
actions of the Illinois State Medical Society in 
1884, and one in the Transaction of the same so- 
ciety in 1894 on Diseases of Old Age. He has 
also furnished papers on Typhoid Fever in 
Young Children, read before the Mississippi Val- 
ley Medical Society in 1897 and published in the 
Medical News of the same year : a pajier on Pre- 
ventive Medicine and The Higher Medical Edu- 
cation, read before the Illinois State Medical So- 
ciety in 1898 and published in the Virginia Med- 
ical Monthly of the same year; a paper before 
the State Medical Society in 1902 on The Gene- 
ral Practitioner in Relation to Early Surgical 
Operations, published in the iledical News in 
1902 : Symphysiotomy in Persistent I\ lento-pos- 
terior Face Presentation, published in the Amer- 
ican Journal of Obstetrics for September, 1904 ■. 
a Report of a Case of Intestinal Obstruction, 
Treated by Annotomosis with Murphy Biitton, 
published in the Medical Standard for Ausust, 
1904 ; and Report of a Case of Tetanus Treated 
with Anti-tetanic Serum — recovery, published 
in the Medical Standard for November, 1904. 

On the 12th of October, 1881, Dr. Montgom- 
ery married Miss Agnes Cox. a daughter of the 
late Richard Cox, a hardware merchant, who died 
in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1897. Of their chil- 
dren Amelia, Elizabeth, Eleanor and Hosmer are 
living, while Edna died in September, 1898, at 
the age of ten years. Dr. and Mrs. IMontgomery 
are members of the I^nitarian church of Quiney. 
In polities he is independent, while fraternally 
he is connected with several organizations, in- 



cluding (t)iiiiicy lodge No. 296, A. F. & A. M.. 
and Quiney chapter, R. A. I\I. Interested in 
the social life of the city the demands of his 
profession, hoM'ever, leave him little time for 
social enjoyment and it is therefore well for him 
that he derives genuine pleasure from the con- 
scientious performance of the duties of his ]u-o- 
fession and from scientific investigation. 



J. W. CASSIDY. 

J. W. Cassidy, who in his extended busi- 
ness career has wrought along modern com- 
mercial lines, and who in each transition stage 
has found opportunity for greater activity and 
still other advance steps, stands to-day in a prom- 
inent position in the trade circles of Quiney, as 
president and manager of the Cassidy Coimnis- 
sion Company. A western man by birth, train- 
ing and preference, his birth occurred on a farm 
in Kankakee county, Illinois, January 20, 1865. 
His father was a native of New York, but came 
to the west to benefit by the rich agricultural re- 
sources of this great prairie state, and upon the 
homestead farm in his native county the son 
■was reared, being trained to the labors of the 
field and meadow when not occupied with the 
duties of the schoolroom. He did not enjoy the 
advantages of a collegiate education, and at the 
age of nineteen entered upon his business career 
by selling nursery stock. For three years he 
remained upon the road as a traveling sales- 
man, securing many patrons and developing a 
large trade for the house, so that he was enabled 
to command an excellent salary, that enabled him 
within three years to purchase an interest in the 
business, with which he was continuously con- 
nected until his removal to Quiney to enter the 
commission field. 

Organizing the Cassidy Commission Company, 
of which he became president and general man- 
ager, his marked energy, business discernment 
and unremitting diligence have conserved the 
interests of the enterprise until in the extent 
and importance of its operations it stands to-day 
second to none outside of the great commercial 
centers of the country. At the time of the estab- 
lishment of the business the offices were equipped 
with direct private wires to the grain, provision 
and stock exchanges of Chicago, St. Louis and 
New York, and the business proved profitable 
from the start, so that the company was soon 
enabled to extend its field of activity through 
the establishment of branch houses in a number 
of other cities. In 1900 the Cassidy Commission 
Company was incorporated with a capital of one 
hundred thousand dollars, some of the leading 
business men of the city being shareholders, while 




JI.A^ts>- 




PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



493 



J. W. Cassidy still remains at its head as the 
leading member and manager. He has studied 
closely the trade conditions of the country, is 
thoroughly informed concerning the markets of 
the world as affecting trade conditions, and at 
the same time his executive force enabled him to 
manage the financial interests of the house until 
it has developed into one of the profitable com- 
mercial enterprises of the city. 

Mr. Cassidy is also a member of the Chicago 
Board of Trade and the St. Louis IMerchants' 
Exchange, and has an extensive interest in the 
great "Egg-0-See" Company, whose goods are 
knowTi and sold over the entire civilized world. 

In matters of citizenship public-spirited and 
progressive, his .substantial aid, wise counsel and 
foresight have proven valued factors in the pro- 
motion of many public measures, and notably 
has he contributed to the successful establishment 
of the park and boulevard system of Quincy. 
His benefactions to charitable and benevolent in- 
stitutions, although unostentatious, are frequent 
and liberal. He is pre-eminently a man of affairs 
and one who has wielded a wide influence : and, 
although he has hardly yet reached the prime of 
life, he is accorded a distinguished position in 
the business circles of one of the leading trade 
centers of the Mississippi valley. The palatial 
home of Mr. and Mrs. Cassidy is one of the at- 
tractive residences of central Illinois, while its 
gracious hospitality is en.joyed by a cultured so- 
ciety circle. 



REV. LESTER JANES. 

Rev. Lester Janes, for many years a Metho- 
dist minister of Quincy, recognized as one of 
the leading divines of the city, settled here in 
1861, at which time he took charge of the old 
Trinity Jlethodist Episcopal church. He was 
a native of Delaware, Ohio, born in December, 
1812. His parents were natives of New York, 
whence they afterward removed to Delaware, 
Ohio, where the father engaged in agricultural 
pursuits until his death. His wife also died 
there. 

Rev. Janes received no exceptional education- 
al privileges. He attended the common schools 
in his early youth and when but a boy joined the 
Methodist Episcopal church and became imbued 
with a strong purpose of becoming a minister of 
the gospel. His reading and study was directed 
to that end and after a few years he went to 
Erie. Pennsylvania, where he took charge of a 
^Fethodist Episcopal church, remainiuir at that 
point for some time. He afterward went to 
Lvnn. ^fassachusetts. where he occupied a pas- 



torate for several years but the coast winds 
proved detrimental to his health and he re- 
turned to Delaware, Ohio. He was among the 
founders of the ^Methodist Episcopal institution 
of that city, which is now one of the large educa- 
tional centers of the district. He remained there 
for about two years and in 1842 he went south, 
settling in St. Aiigustine, Texas, where he took 
charge of a ilethodist Episcopal educational in- 
stitution, acting as its president for four years. 
He was afterward transferred to Aurora, Illinois, 
where he had charge of the Jlethodist Episcopal 
church for a year and later went to Champaign, 
Illinois, where he again became a teacher in the 
school conducted under the auspices of his de- 
nomination. Pie 7-emained at that point for three 
years and subsequently engaged in preaching for 
a short time in both Warsaw and ilendon, Illi- 
nois. 

In 1S61 he came to Quincy. arriving here only 
a short time prior to the oiitbreak of the Civil 
war. After hostilities had begun he offered 
his services to his country, enlisting as a chap- 
lain in the army and servinii' therewith for four 
years. He still made Quincy his home, but after 
the close of the Civil war he went to Abingdon, 
Illinois, afterward to Galva, later to Monmouth, 
Illinois, and subsequenth' to Kiioxville, serving 
as pastor of IMethodist Ei)iseopal churches in all 
of these places. Pie finally returned to his home 
in Quincy. remaining there a .short time, but as 
he had a daughter residing in California he 
made his way to the Pacific coast. He and his 
wife spent the seven yeai"s in the Golden state at 
Orange and at Pasadena. In 18fi4 he i-eturned 
to Quincy and retired from the active work of 
the ministiy. enterinc: superannuated relations 
with the church. 

Rev. Janes was niai-ried in Danville, [Missouri, 
to Miss Sarah Hall Smith, a native of South Had- 
ley, Massachusetts, and a daughter of Rodney 
and Sarah (Richardson) Smith, both natives of 
Massachusetts. They made their home in North- 
ampton county throughout their entire lives, the 
father being there engaged in farming. He was 
a most prominent and influential factor in public 
aft'airs, holding all of the county offices, including 
that of sheriff. Both he and his wife died in 
Northampton coujity. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Janes 
were born ten children, of whom five are yet liv- 
ing, namely : George, who married Caroline 
Bennison and is a prominent attorney residing in 
Quincy: Pliny S., who wedded Caroline Yociun 
and resides in Quincy, where he is engaged in 
the book and stationery business at No. 635 
Hampshire street; John Lester, who married 
]\liss Connor and is a merchant residins in Fort 
Davis, Texas; Edmund, who married Harriet 
"Wilkins and is now attorney residing in Marys- 



494 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAiMS COUNTY. 



ville, ^lissoiiri; iiiul Kobcrt Kemu'dy, who mar- 
ried Nona Wilkiiis ami is cn^'au'cd in the practice 
of dentistry in Pasadena, California. Those de- 
ceased are Sarali Martha, David Kodney. a sec- 
ond child named David Rodney, Willie and one 
who died nnnamed. 

After his return from California Mr. Janes 
retired from the ministry and continued to make 
Quincy his home until his death, which occurred 
December IS, 1886. He gave his political allegi- 
ance to the republican party and was an ardent 
advocate of the cause of temperance, both he 
and his wife belougins: to the Good Templars So- 
ciety of Quincy. He reared his family in the 
faith of the church and all of his children united 
with the iTethodist Episcopal denomination. 
His sons have become prominent in business cir- 
cles and the family was well known and highly 
re.sjDeeted in Quincy. Rev. Janes' life was one 
of untiring activity, devoted to the intellectual 
and moral development of his fellow men and 
the extent of his inliuenee and labors cannot be 
ineasured b.y any known standard. His memor.y, 
however, remains as a blessed benediction to those 
who knew him and his life work yet bears fruit 
in the character and lives of many with whom he 
was associated. 

Several years ago J. R. Smith, a brother of 
]\Irs. Janes came to Adams county and purchased 
a fariu of one hundred and twenty acres three 
miles east of Quincy, whereon he resided for 
fourteen years or until his death when the farm 
was inherited by his sister, Miss Apphia H. 
Smith, who now resides in Quincy with her sis- 
ter, Mrs. Janes, they makiTig their home together 
for several years. Mrs. Jam^s owns a large resi- 
dence at No. 1310 North Sixth avenue. She also 
has other residence property on North Sixth ave- 
nue between Spruce and Sycamore streets, and 
still other realty on Spruce street near Sixth 
avenue. She always shared with hei- husband 
in his ambitions and efforts for the church, 
largely aiding him by hard work and inspiring 
him bv her council and encouragement 



HENRY RORNMANN. 



I:Ienr^• Boriniiann the well known editor-in- 
chief of the Germania, published at Quincy, 
has risen by consecutive steps and through 
close application and the development of 
his native talents from an ap]ircnticcshiii at 
the printer's trade to his prescnl position in 
connection with one of the leading journals of 
this city. He was born at Quincy, May 1, 1846. 
His father, John Bornniann, was a native of 
TIatzfeld, Grand Duchv of Hesse Darmstadt, 



born on the 14th oE July, 1816. His mother, who 
bore the maiden name of Catharine Bald, was 
born October 3, 1820, near Berleburg in the cir- 
cuit of Wittgenstein, Prussia. They came to 
Amin-ica by way of New Orleans, arriving in 
Quinc.y on the 12th of November, 1845. The 
father engaged in the manufacture of soap for 
many years and was thus closely associated with 
the l)usiness development of the city. He died 
April 21, 1901, while his wife passed away ]\Iay 
5, 1894. Daniel ilizz, a great-uncle of Henry 
Bornniann, was one of the five hundred thousand 
men who took part in the memoi'able march of 
Napoleon on the Moscow campaign and never 
returned. Another great-uncle, Henry Mizz, en- 
listed when eighteen years of age in the English 
army, serving for two years. He then joined the 
Holland army, with which he was connected for 
thirty-four years or until 182li. achieving the 
rank of general. 

Henry Bornniann finished his education in a 
parochial school in Quincy in the year IS'iy. 
After putting aside his text-books he entered 
upon an apprenticeship in the office of the Quincy 
Ti-ibune. a German paper founded in 1852 by 
John Wood, the father of Quincy, who secured 
Gnstav Adolph Roesler as editor and manager, 
]\rr. Roesler coming from New York to take 
charge of the paper. On the completion of his 
third year of indenture Mr. Bornmaim decided 
to relinquish his plan of devoting his energies to 
the printing business and was apprenticed to a 
tinner, with whom he learned the trade. Later 
he worked for a year as a journeyman tiunei', 
but in the meantime became convinced that the 
printing business was more congenial to him 
and resumed work at the case in February, 1868. 
He was employed for six years in the job jirint- 
ing office and he became foreman in the com- 
posing room of the Quincy Tribune. Subse- 
quently he accepted a similar position in the 
office of the Quincy Germania and for tlie i)ast 
twenty yrars has been connected with the edi- 
toi'iai department of the latter paper, acting for 
a number of years as its editor-in-chief. For the 
past four years he has been engaged in writing 
the history of the Gernum Pioneers of (^)nincy 
and Adams County in the interest of the Ger- 
man American Historical Society of Illinois, 
which society has had an existence since 1900 
with head(|uarters in Chicago and of which the 
Hon. William Vocke, of Chicago, is the president. 

During the progress of the Civil war ilr. 
Bornniann enlisted on the 14th of February, 
lS(i."), as a member of Company H. Forty-third 
Illinois Infantry, and served as corporal until 
the 20tli of December, following, when he re- 
ceived an honorable discharge. He was a mem- 
ber of John Wood post, G. A. R., for about five 
vears and then withdrew from the organization. 




HENRY BORNMANN 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY 



497 



His political allegiauce was given to the repub- 
lican party nntil the year 1892, when on accoimt 
of the Edwards school law, which he considered 
an infringement on personal rights and religious 
liberty, he became a democrat. His religious 
faith is indicated by his membership in the Luth- 
eran church. 

On the 16th of May, 1872, Mr. Bormnann was 
married to Jliss Katlierine Uebner, who was 
born in Fall Creek township, Adams county, her 
parents ha\ang come to this count>' from Ger- 
many in 1840. ilrs. Bornmann died March 20, 
1881, and Mr. Bornmann was married again 
May 10, 1883, ]\riss Johanna Niehans becoming 
his wife. She was born in Quincy, where her 
parents are located, emigrating from Germany 
in 1852. Mr. Bornmann has eight children : 
Rosa, the wife of Hemumn Stork: Clara, the 
wife of Henry Budde : Ida -. Hilda : Henry ; 
Alma; Irene: and Ruth. 



^YILLIAAI H. GOVERT. 

William H. Govert, holding distinctive preced- 
ence as a member of the Quincy bar, was born in 
Fort Madison, Iowa, September 10, 1844 Wlien 
very young he came to Illinois and spent his 
boyhood upon a farm, attending a country school 
for a few months each year imtil he entered Illi- 
nois College at Jacksonville, where he was grad- 
uated witii high honors in 1867. Preparing for 
the bar as a student in the law department in 
the ITniversity of ilicliigan at Ann Arbor, he was 
graduated with the class of 1870, and upon ad- 
mission to the bar in that year immediately lo- 
cated for practice in Quincy. Here he entered 
into partnership with Joseph N. Carter, the firm 
name being Carter & Govert, and upon the ad- 
mission of Judge Joseph Sibley, some years later, 
being changed to Sibley, Carter & Govert. Upon 
the retiring of Judge Sibley, Theodore B. Pape 
in 1888 became a member of the firm, aud as 
Carter, Govert & Pape they practiced until Judge 
Carter's elevation to the supreme bench of Illi- 
nois in 1894. The present name of the firm is 
Govert, Pape & Govert, a firm which enjoys a 
practice in extent and importance second to none 
in the city. 

In 1872 ]\Ir. Govert was chosen by popular suf- 
frage to the office of city attorney, occupying 
the position for two terms and was then elected 
states attorney, as the successor of Judge AY. G. 
Ewing, in 1876. He also acted in that capacity 
for two terms, but the ma.ior part of his atten- 
tion has been devoted to his private practice of 
law. He is, indeed, regarded as one of the bril- 
liant members of the Quincy bnr and ranks with 



the eminent representatives of the legal profes- 
sion in Illinois. 

The zeal with which he has devoted his ener- 
gies to his profession, the careful regard evinced 
for the interests of his clients, and an assiduous 
and vmrelaxing attention to all the details of his 
cases have brought him a large business and 
made him very successful in its conduct. His 
argmnents have elicited warm commendation, 
not only from his associates at the bar, but also 
from the bench. He is a veiy able writer; his 
briefs always show wide research, careful 
thought, and the best and strongest reasons which 
can be urged for his contention, presented in co- 
gent and logical form, and illustrated in a style 
unusually lucid and clear. In his careful prepa- 
ration of cases he reaches the very root of the 
matter and is particularly noted as a counselor 
— this characteristic element in his practice be- 
ing, therefore, of great value to those who seek 
legal advice upon matters of deep concern. When 
a legal decision is desired, his influence has often 
been the means of producing a settlement outside 
of the courts. 

With keen business discerinnent he has made 
extensive investments in industrial and financial 
interests of Quincy and has been an important 
factor in the development and control of many 
of these. He is now the president of the Collins 
Plow Company, of the J. R. Little Metal Wheel 
Company and the Quincy Corn Planter Com- 
pany, and a director of the Gem City Stove Com- 
pany, the Quincy Engine Works and of the F. 
W. Menke Stone & Lime Company. He is also 
one of the proprietors of the State Street Bank 
and holds stock in the Ricker National and the 
Quincy National Banks. 

On "the 2.5th of September. 1873. William H. 
Govert was married to Miss Rosa F. Wood, of 
Jacksonville, and their home at 1433 Vermont 
street, is one of the pleasantest in the city. They 
have one son and two daughters, George, Anna 
and Edith. The son, following his graduation 
with honors from Illinois College and Tale Uni- 
versity, pursued the study of law in the T'niver- 
sity of Michigan and is now a partner in the firm 
of Govert, Pape & Govert. 



HOMER D. DINES. 



Homer D. Dines, engaged in the practice of 
law in Quincj' and also one of the active workers 
in democratic ranks in his district, was born in 
Shelby ville, ^Missouri, in 1877, a son of Henry B. 
Dines. In the public schools of his native city 
he began his education, which was continued in 
the schools of Quincj-, where he attended the 
high school and completed the literary course in 



498 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



Chaddoek College. He next entered the law 
department of Chaddoek College and also read 
law in the offices of Homer M. Swope and McCarl 
& Feigenspan, and was admitted to the bar in 
October, 1900, at Springfield. He then entered 
the office of Akers & Swope, where he served as 
law clerk for three months, after which he formed 
a partuer.ship with Judge C. B. McCroiy, in 
January, 1901, this being maintained for two 
years or until Judge MeCrory was called to the 
bench, in December, 1902. Mr. Dines has since 
been alone in practice, and is continually ad- 
vancing in his profession, having now a clientele 
which many an oldei- mau might well envy. De- 
veloping his latent powers through energy, close 
application and diligent study, he has, in the 
courtroom, demonstrated his ability to cope with 
intricate legal problems. He is now private 
secretary to Judge Scott of the supreme court. 

On the 10th of October, 1901, Mr. Dines was 
married in Quinc\- to Miss May Dickson, a 
daughter of John T. and Agnes (Rash) Dickson. 
She was born in Lewistown, Missouri, in 1878, 
and they now have a little son, Ralph, born Oc- 
tober 31, 1903. Fraternally Mr. Dines is a 
Mason and he belongs to the Quincy Bar As- 
sociation. In his political views he is a demo- 
crat and for several years has taken an active 
and helpful part in politics, serving as secretary 
of the Adams county democratic executive and 
central committees. He has also been secretar^^ 
of the Park and Boulevard Association and is 
deeply interested in everything pertaining to 
the welfare and progress of the ci!y in Avhich 
he has resided ever since his boyhootl .lays, his 
aid in its behalf being of a practical and bene- 
ficial character. Personally he has the traits 
of character that win popularity, and he has a 
very large circle of friends in Quincy. 



FREDERICK W. JANSEN. 

Frederick W. Jansen, deceased, was numbered 
amoiig the men who have contributed to the de- 
velopment of Quincy, not along one biit along 
various lines, having been active in the promo- 
tion of political, material and moral interests in 
the city. He was, perhaps, best known in a 
business light as the president and founder of 
the F. W. Jansen Furniture Company. He ar- 
rived in Quincy in 1835, being at that time twen- 
ty j^ears of age, his birth having occurred in 
Prus.sia, CTCrmany, July 19, 1815. His parents 
were also natives of Germany and were farm- 
ing people, spending their entire lives in the 
fatherland. 

Frederick W. Jansen attended the conmion 



schools of his native country until fourteen years 
of age, when he began learning the cabinetmak- 
er's trade, which he followed for about six years. 
He then embarked for America and going to St. 
Louis, Missouri, was for a brief period a resident 
of that city. The same year, however, he came 
to Quincy and in the winter of 1835 he went to 
Natchez, Tennessee, where he worked at his trade 
until the following spring. He then returned to 
Quincy and secured a position at cabinetmaking 
with a Mr. Wood, one of the pioneer furniture 
dealers of tlie city. He continued in his employ 
for several years and found that his diligence and 
enterprise had brought to him sufficient capital 
to enable him to embark in the 'urniture busi- 
ness on his own account. This was the besin- 
nint!' of a prosperous career m?'ked by steady 
development. His trained efficiency in the line 
of his chosen calling proved one of the sti-ong 
basic elements of his success and he was a splen- 
did representative of industrialism in Quincy. 
At the time he embarked in the retail furniture 
Inisiness he also built a large furniture factory 
on Jersey street betw'een Sixth and Seventh 
streets and employed a number of men in the 
niauTifaeture of furniture. He was a man of 
great industry and marked energy and his time 
was devoted between the factory and his st(»re at 
No. 434 Elaine street. He was thoroughly fa- 
miliar with every detail of the business as well as 
its principal operations and owing to his careful 
supervision, thorough understanding of the 
trade and capable management he met with suc- 
c(>ss that numbered him among (.hiincy's substan- 
tial ritizens. 

Mr. Jansen was twice married, lie first wed- 
ded Pauline Pfansehmidt, a native of Cermany 
and a daughter of Godfrey and Eva Elizabeth 
'^Kleinschmidtl Pfansehmidt, both of whom 
were natives of ililhousen, Germany. The fath- 
er was a tanner by trade and in 1834 emigrated 
to America, settling in Adams county, where he 
liurchased a farm in Ellington township, there 
cai-ryins on agricultural pursuits until his death. 
His wife, surviving him, died at the Jansen resi- 
dence in 1877. Mr. Jansen lost his first wife on 
the 9th of July, 1851. and afterAvard married her 
sister. Miss Johanna Matilda Pfansehmidt. also 
a native of Germany. There were six children 
born of the first marriage, of whom four are 
living: Frederick G., the eldest, is now presi- 
dent of the F. W. Jansen Furniture Company, 
controlling the largest I'ctail furniture trade in 
the city, and he married Amanda K. Elliott. 
Charles C, who wedded ^lary Livingston, is now 
living retired in Quincy at No. 2006 Prairie ave- 
mv\ Albert W., also retired, makes his home in 
Ijineoln. Nebraska. Amelia E. is the wife of 
Chi-is. Schultheis, a retired druggist, and they 
resiili> with ^Irs. Jansen. The decejised ehildi-en 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



499 



of the fli'st marriage were jMatikla and Henry. 
There were fonr children hiii-n of the second 
union: iMadora T.. the wife of (Jeorge Postel, 
a large mill owner at Maseoutah, Illinois : and 
George, Laura and Ella, who are deceased. The 
father died January 28, 1871. 

In the eai'ly years of his residence in (^iiiiicy 
Mv. Jansen served as alderman, lie always took 
a very active interest in politics and his early 
political support was given to the whig party, 
while later he became a stanch republican. So- 
cially he was coimected with the Independent 
Order of Odd Fellows at Quincy He held mem- 
bei'ship in the Methodist Episcojial church, being 
a devoted Christian gentleman, zealous and ear- 
nest in the church work. He served as a local 
preacher at an early day and subsequently filled 
the pulpit in various country churches. He was, 
moreover, one of the best known business men 
of Quincy and his success came as the direct re- 
sult of his own efforts. As his financial resoui-ces 
incT-eased he made judicious investments in realty 
and became the owner of a large valuable prop- 
erty. His life stood in exemplification of the 
fact which many deny, that .i successful man 
may be an honest man. His widow now resides 
at 639 Jei'sey street. She has in her possession 
a niunber of boxes and other relics of her hus- 
band '.s early work as a cabinetmaker. Her home 
is a pleasant and attractive one and she has a 
wide and favorable acquaintance in Quincy, 
where she has so long resided. She, too. is a 
member of the Methodist church. 



ISAAC GROVE. 
Isaac Grove, the owner of a valuable farming 
pro])erty on section 20, Payson township, was 
born January 8, 1839. in Licking county. Ohio, 
hi.s parents Ijeing Isaac and Rebecca (Lionber- 
ger"! Grove, both of whom were natives of Vir- 
ginia. The mother, whose birth occurred March 
8, 1804, went with her parents to Ohio in 1811, 
the family settling in Licking county, whei-e her 
father secured land and developed a farm. His 
paT'ents were natives of Germany and had set- 
tled in Virginia in colonial days, so that succes- 
sive generations of the family have been closely 
identified with pioneer development in various 
localities. Isaac Grove and Rebecca Lionberger 
were married in Ohio and the father died there 
in 1838. In 1844 the mother, with her three 
children, came to Adams county, Illinois, and 
settled upon the farm which is now the home of 
Isaac Grove, of this review. No improvements 
had been made upon the land and for one sum- 
mer the mother and her children lived in a ]>ole 
pen or hoi;se. There were many rattlesnakes in 



the district, and their was also much wild 2'ame 
including deer, and the wild fowls furnished 
many a meal for the I'arly settlers. 'Wliile living 
in the little pole pen Isaac (xrove became ill with 
the measles. He was the youngest of the three 
children. The mother obtained her land by buy- 
ing two patents, one of course which was not au- 
thentic, so she had to pay foi- it twice, because 
a man by the name of Schofield. brought up a 
bogus patent, compelling her to pay five hundred 
dollars a second time. Many hardships and trials 
were borne by the little family in their attempt 
to establish a home and gain a living in the west. 
The mother continued to live upon her original 
farm until her death, which occurred in 1880, 
her remains being interred in Payson cemetery. 
Her elder son, Jesse Grove, who resided in Han- 
cock county, Illinois, died in ^lay, 1903, leaving 
a daughter, who lives near Dallas City. Illinois. 
Nancy G?-ove makes her home with her brother 
Isaac. 

In the Sodom school south of his present home. 
Isaac Grove acquired his education and from 
early boyhood worked on the farm, assisting in 
the arduous task of developing and cultivating 
the new land. From the time he was fifteen years 
of age he hired a hand to assist him and operated 
the farai for his mother. He has through his 
industry and careful management acf|uired three 
hundred acres, constituting a splendid property, 
in which he has erected the finest country home 
in the vicinity of Payson. He has added to the 
place all modern eqiiipments. Good barns and 
outbuildiiigs are kept in excellent repair and 
fences divide the place into fields of convenient 
size, in which are annually harvested rich crops, 
the owner being regarded as one of the leading 
farmers of the county. 

Mr. Grove was married, November 24. 1861. 
to ;Miss Sarah Tull. a daughter of John R. and 
Nancy (Langford^i Tull. who were natives of 
Maryland, whence they removed to Ohio and 
thence to Hancock county, Illinois, settling four 
miles east of Fort ]\Iadison, this state. Her fath- 
er entered his land there about 1830 and became 
closely identified with the pioneer development 
of that part of the .state For many years he 
carried on farming and died December 3, 1897, 
wliile his wife passed away in 1889, their remains 
being interred in the famil.v burial lot upon their 
fai"ni, in what is known as the Tull cemetery. Mr. 
Tull was in his ninetieth year and his wife about 
eighty-two years of age at the time of death. They, 
were the parents of five childi'en: Hester Ann, 
born February 26, 1827, is the wife of Lorenzo 
Little, a farmer of Hancock county, Illinois, and 
they have four children. Josiah Tull. boi-n Sep- 
tember 26. 1829. married Sarah Priloy. by whom 
he had one child, and after her death he iiiari-ied 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



Hettie Rank, three children being- born of this 
union. The wife and mother died in 1900 and 
Josiah, March 21, 1870, and his children now 
live in Hancock county, Illinois, just across the 
river from Foi-t ^Madison, Iowa. Elizabeth, born 
March 21, 1833, is the wife of Daniel A. Little, 
who resides on a farm ad.ioining his brother Lo- 
renzo's place, and they have four children, Jen- 
nie, born December 9, 1840. became the wife of 
Dr. J. M. Lionberger, of Dallas City, Illinois, 
and both are now deceased, while their only child 
died in infancy. Mrs. Grove is the next of the 
family. 

Mrs. Grove, who was born June 7, 1843. was 
educated in Hancock county, Illinois, in a coun- 
try school, and after reaching- womanhood gave 
her hand in marriage to Isaac Grove. They have 
one child. Maiid J., who was born August 22, 
1865, and is the wife of W. H. Kay, a farmer in 
Salt river valley, Arizona. Mrs. Grove is a mem- 
lier of the ]\Tethodist church and her father was 
a local minister of the denomination. Mr. Grove 
is a democrat in his political views, and both 
enjoy the esteem of many who know them and to 
whom the hosiiitality of their beautiful home is 
freelv and genemiislv jieccu-ded. 



JOEL KINGSBURY SCARBOROUGH. 

Joel Kingsbury Scarborough, who has at- 
tained the age of four score years and who dur- 
ing a long residence in Adams county has always 
been known as the champion of its material, in- 
tellectual and moral progress, was born Novem- 
ber 12, 1824, in Brooklyn, Wyndham county, 
Connecticut, the sixth child of Joel and Lucretia 
(Smith) Scarborough. The father died before 
the birth of his son and he was left an orphan 
by his mother's death when twelve years of age. 
He early displayed a great love for books, read- 
ing Roliin's Ancient History at the age of eight 
years and studying Latin and geometry at the 
age of ten years. In 1838, when a boy of four- 
teen, he came to the west with his sister Mary 
A., afterward the wife of Rev. C. A. Leach, pas- 
tor of the Congregational church in Payson. 
The first part of the journey was made partly 
by rail, partly by steamboat or eanalboat, and 
partly by stage coach, and from Pittsburg he 
traveled by stage to Cincimiati, for the river 
was too low for the boats to run. At Cincinnati, 
however, he took passage on an Ohio river steamer 
and on reaching the Mississippi proceeded up that 
stream to Quincy. At Cairo, Illinois, it was 
necessary to change boats and he was thus de- 
layed for some hours, thankful, however, to get 
away before night, owing to the reputation that 
the hotel at that place bore. 



After reaching Payson, Joel K. Scarborough 
began working for his uncle. Deacon Albigence 
Scarborovigh, the founder of the town, who was 
then living in a log cabin on the site of the house 
now occupied by his daughter. When seventeen 
years of age Joel Scarborough went to Hudson, 
Ohio, where he remained for two years, a part 
of the time as a student in "Western Reserve Col- 
lege, and a part of the time studying at home, 
after which he returned to Payson and again 
worked for his uncle until twenty-one years of 
age. His evenings during this period were 
largely devoted to reading Latin and he re- 
viewed his geometry as he followed the plow or 
drove the team. He was only fifteen years of 
age when he purchased land where he now lives, 
becoming the owner of a tract of raw prairie on 
which not a furrow had been turned or an im- 
provement made. On attaining his majority he 
began the cultivation of this place and all of thf- 
improvements now found here — and this is one 
of the best equipped farms of the county — have 
been made by him or his son. Even the trees 
which adorn the lawn have been planted by him. 
In his business affairs he has displayed unremit- 
ting diligence, energy and keen discrimination. 
In his early years he devoted his attention to the 
raising of crops on which he realized a fair 
profit and as his financial resources increased he 
invested in land, which he now rents, while his 
attention is devoted largely to the feeding of 
stock. Many years ago, appreciating the advan- 
tages of having a good supply of timber, he drove 
to Pittsfield to attend a sale of swamp land and 
bid in a quarter section at ten cents per acre 
and another at fifteen cents. Since then he has 
acquii'cd several sections of land on the Missis- 
sippi bottom and on Sni Island. He has thus 
been actively interested in building and improv- 
ing the Sni levee. 

In November, 1849, he married Miss Julia 
SeymoTir, who died a few years later, leaving 
one child, who survived her for only a few 
months. In 185fi he married Miss Harriet Spen- 
cer, who was a loving, faithful wife and true 
helpmate. She died in 1903, leaving a son, Henry 
Plagg, their daughter Julia having died at the 
age of seven years. 

Mr. Scarborough, when seventeen years of 
age, united with the Congregational church in 
Payson and has ever since been prominent in its 
affairs, giving it much of his thought and atten- 
tion and co-operating largely in its efforts for 
upbuilding and the extension of its influence. 
He was elected clerk of the church in May. 1844, 
and has been re-elected every year since, so that 
the church records for more than sixty years 
have known no pen but his. He has been super- 
intendent of the Sunday-school since January 1, 
1868, with the exception of little more than a 



/m 




MRS. J. K. SCARBOROUGH, 




M 




t J\ o'6^/i./r>i^i 



{ru9^\ 



PAST AND PKESEXT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



505 



year, and has been greatly iuterested in all mat- 
ters relating to the school and its improvement. 
For nearly forty years he has conducted a most 
interesting teachei's' meeting and has al.so been 
president of the township Sunday-school organ- 
ization for more than thirty years, and he has 
also been president of the Adams County Asso- 
ciation for maiij' years. He has twice been 
elected delegate to the National Triennial Coun- 
cil of Congregational churches and has long been 
a corporate member of the missionary society of 
that denomination. 

He has always felt a deep and active interest 
in educational matters and many times served 
as school director. It was during his incum- 
bency in that oiSce and largely due to his 
patient, persistent effort, that the present sub- 
stantial school building was erected in spite of 
much opposition from those who regarded it as 
a needless extravagance. Mr. Scarborough is 
also president of the Farmers' Mutual Fire In- 
surance Company, eai-rying policies to the 
amount of one and a half million dollars. Jlr. 
Scarborough's activity has thus touched many 
lines which have proven of benefit to the com- 
munity and M'hile he has carefully directed his 
business affairs so as to win success, he has also 
aided largely in the promotion of measures con- 
cerning the general intere.sts of the city. 



HENRY FLAGG SCARBOROUGH. 

Henry F. Scarborough, the only living child of 
J. K. and Harriet (Spencer) Scarborough, was 
born November 7, 1859, in the house which has 
been his home up to the present time. He was 
educated in the public schools at Payson and in 
Knox College, at Galesburg, and during the 
periods of vacation assisted his father in the 
operation of the home farm and when he had 
attained his majority was admitted by him to a 
partnership. They at that time carried on gen- 
eral farming and gradually have confined their 
attention more and more to the business of rais- 
ing and feeding stock, being well known as lead- 
ing representatives of this line of bi;siness. 

In 1885 Henry F. Scarborough was united in 
marriage to Mary Estella ^Yolfe, a daughter of 
Rev. George B. Wolfe, at that time a minister 
of Payson. She died in 1900, leaving a son, 
Joseph Kingsbiiry, and in 1903 Henry F. Scar- 
borough wedded 3Irs. Jennie Thompson Robbins, 
a daughter of the late Philo E. Thompson, who 
was one of the pioneer residents of Payson and 
assisted in laying out the town. He was well 
kno\\-n as one of its trustees and public-spirited 
citizens until his death in 1893. 



]\Ir. Scarborough is a republican in his politi- 
cal views and in 1901 was elected supei'visor of 
Payson township, which office he still holds, hav- 
ing been re-elected in 1903 and again in 1905. 
From early days the name Scarboroiigh has fig- 
ured in connection with substantial improvement 
and progress in Adams county, father and son 
each taking his part in the work of public im- 
provement, while at the same time successfully 
carrying on business affairs and gaining thereby 
honorable prosperity. 



BLESSING HOSPITAL. 

Blessing Hospital, one of the most commend- 
able institutions of Quincy and one whose prac- 
tical value has been demonstrated year after 
year through the period of its existence, was or- 
ganized in 1865 as the Chai-itable Aid and Hos- 
pital Association and was re-organized in 1873 
as Blessing Hospital, the incorporators being 
John Wood, O. H. Browning, H. S. Osborn. H. 

A. Williamson. Gustav Levi. F. S. Giddinss. E. 
K. Stone, W. S. Penfield, R. W. :\Ic:Mahon. W. 

B. Bull, M. B. Finlay and R. AV Gardner. Of 
the original incorporators only R. W. Gardner 
remains an active member. The building was 
erected at a cost of twelve thousand dollars and 
was opened in 1875. Twenty years later an ad- 
dition was built on the west of the original build- 
ing and in 1903 the original structure wa.s torn 
dowai and an elegant new three-story structure 
was erected. Land was also purchased on the 
east and the alley was closed in so as to extend 
the building, the nurses' home now occupying 
the east end of the same. During the fiscal year 
closing May 1, 1901. four hundred and ninety- 
five cases had passed through the hospital. There 
are now fifty beds and jiatients are received with- 
out regai'd to creed, the institution being non- 
sectarian. Since the nurses' school was opened 
forty-nine nurses have been graduated there- 
from. 

The superintendent of the school is Alaiy C. 
^Yheeler, who is a native of Brooklyn. New York, 
and a daughter of Norman W. and Emma S. 
(Van Amringe) Wlieeler. The father was born 
in New York. He was a civil engineer and died 
in 1899, while his wife pa.ssed awa.v in 1876. 
Their daughter Susan married Henry Howard 
and is now living in Bath, Maine. ]Mary C. 
Wlieeler was a student in the public schools of 
New York city and on the death of her mother 
she and her sister went to Wisconsin, where they 
C'lntinuecl to reside for five years, returning to 
Brooklyn in 1881. In 1885 Miss Wlieeler again 
went to Wisconsin, and became a student in 
Ripon College, being graduated from that insti- 



5o6 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



tutioii with the class of 1890. In 1891 she at- 
tended the Illinois Trainiiiii' School for Nurses 
in Chicaoo and was graduated in 1893. From 
that time until 1899 she was superintendent of 
the Sherman Hospital at Elgin. Illinois, and in 
the winter of 1897-8 she took a special course at 
Ann Arbor, Michigan. In 1899 she came to 
Quincy to take charge of Blessing Hospital, 
where she has since remained. She spent the 
winter of 1903-4 in New York at Columbia Uni- 
versity, where she took a special course in hos- 
pital economics, returning in the spring of 1904 
to resume her position at the head of the nurses' 
school in Blessing Hospital. She is a member 
of the Congregational ehurch. She is also a 
member of the American Society of Superintend- 
ents of Training Schools for Nurses, the Illinois 
State Association of Gi'adi^ate Nurses, the Ripon 
College Ahinnii Association, the Illinois Train- 
ing School Ahnnni Association, and is an hon- 
orary member of the Alumni Association of 
Blessing Hospital Training School for Nurses. 



DAVID E. HOWE. 



David E. Howe, deceased, was for many years 
a resident of Quincy, arriving in the city about 
1844, and his activity in business made him 
well known as a representative of industrial in- 
terests. He was a painter and decorator of fine 
woodw(n-k. A native of Lexington, Kentncliy, 
his birth occurred January 5, 1830. his parents 
beine- Edward and Sophia (Bealert) Howe, also 
natives of Lexington. The father was a wood- 
worker by tradi- and followed that pursuit m 
Lexington dni-ing Ihe u'l-eater part of his life. 
He died while en rmite to Quincy and his widow 
afterward came to this city and made her home 
with her son David E. at the corner of Eighth 
and Oak streets. She was married here to George 
Bowers, who was a prominent citizen of Quincy 
and both died in this city. 

David E. Howe began his education ni the 
public schools of Lexington, receiving fair ad- 
vantages. He was particularly fond of music 
and ])Ossessed superior talent in that direction. 
When his mother removed to Quincy he was a 
youth of fourteen years and he soon afterward 
began the trade of a carpenter, at which he 
worked for a short time. Later he returned to 
Lexington. Kentucky, to visit his aunt and while 
there he began learning the trade of painting 
and decorating, doing the fine inside finishing 
work on houses. He continued to reside in Lex- 
ington for a few years and then went to San 
Pi-ancisco. California, where he followed his 
trade for two years. On the expiration of that 
period he returned to the east, but after a short 



time he went lo the south on account of rheuma- 
tism and for a year was employed at painting 
and decorating in New Orleans. He returned to 
Quincy when twenty -four years of age and en- 
tered the business circles of this city as a painter 
and decorator. He continued to follow that busi- 
ness throughout his remaining days and did the 
fine interior work on nniny of the best buildings 
and residences of this city. He possessed an ar- 
tistic skill that enabled him to combine coloring 
and the best workmanship so as to produce the 
be.st results and he continuously had a libera! 
and remunerative patronage. 

In Liberty township, Adams county, ^Ir. 
Howe was married to Miss I\Iary M. (rordon, 
also a native of Lexington. Kentucky, born 
]\Iareh 24, 1843. In her girlhood days .she had 
been a friend and pla>^nate of Mr. Howe. Her 
l)arents Avere George and Margaret (Smoot) 
Gordon, the former a native of Lexington and 
the latter of Alabama. Both died in Lexington 
when jMrs. Howe was very young and she came 
to this county with relatives. Mr. and Mi's. 
Howe had no children of their own, but they 
adopted and reai-ed two daiighters, Lilly, the 
wife of Benjamin F. Schenck, a resident of 
Brookneld. ^Missouri : and Ida M., the wife of 
Frank Jezler. a resident of Quincy. 

Mr. Howe gave his political allegiance to the 
republican party and as every true American citi- 
zen should do, felt an interest in politics and 
kept well informed on the questions and issues 
of the day, but was never an office seeker. Pie 
was successful in his business because of his 
trained efficiency and indefatigable enterprise 
and he continued active in the industrial circles 
of the city until his last illness, which continued 
for some time and was terminated in death Feb- 
riiary 10, 1897. From an early age dependent 
upon his own resources he had with a full reali- 
zation that labor is the basis of all success worked 
on untiringly year after year and at all times was 
straightforward in his dealings with his fellow- 
men. neA'er taking advantage of the necessities 
nf others in any business transaction. He thus 
gained a most enviable reputation and was re- 
spected by all with whom he had come in con- 
tact His widow still residi's in Quincy. 



CHRISTOPHER SEALS. 

Christoiiher Seals, who for fifty-four years has 
been a resident of Adams county and has oper- 
ated land of his own since 1853, was born in Cler- 
mont countv, Ohio, February 22, 1831. his par- 
ents being James and Catherine ( Smith") Seals. 
The father was born November 15. 1786, in Penn- 
svlvania, and the mother, also a native of that 



PAST AND PKESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



507 



state, was burn April KJ. 178'J. His death occur- 
red February 1, 1864, while his wife passed away 
April 15, 1869. iMr. Seals of this review has two 
sisters and two brothers, who are yet living: 
Aben, who was born July 2.3, 1824, and resides 
in St. Louis, ilissoi^ri: Mrs. Sarah A. Ketchiun, 
who was born May 17, 1825, and lives in Lo- 
raine : James, who was born I\Iarch 27, 1833, and 
makes his home in Loi-aine: and Rebecca, who 
was born September 3, 1835, and is livins: in 
Mendon township. 

Christopher Seals pursued his education in the 
public schools of Ohio and remained a resident 
of that state until about twenty years of age, 
when in 1851, he came to Illinois, settling in 
Keene to^vnship, Adams county, where he has 
since lived. He purchased his first land in 1853 
and has since owned good farm property, to 
which he has added as the years have passed 
by iintil he is to-day the owner of a valu- 
able farm of one hundred and seventy acres lo- 
cated on section 28. He also owns a large 
amount of property in Loraine and has always 
carried on agricultural pursuits save for a brief 
period of six years, when he went to Quinc.v, 
building Cedar Creek Hotel on Twelfth street. 
This he conducted for about six years, after 
which he resumed his fanning operations. He 
now lives about one and three-quarters of a mile 
southeast of Loraine. where he has a comfoi'table 
home and a farm that is supplied with all mod- 
ern equipments and accessories. 

On the 17th of August, 1851. IMr. Seals was 
married to Miss !\Iargaret Lukemeyers, who was 
born October 27, 1836, in Clermont county, Ohio, 
and died October 3. 18S4. They had one child, 
Rebecca A., who was born January' 24, 1854, 
and became the wife of Charles Bowles. After 
his death she married Joseph Cubbage and fol- 
lowing his demise became the wife of William 
Richards, her home being now in Quincy. Mr. 
nnd Mrs. Seals have also reared an adopted son, 
who came to their home in infancy and to whom 
they gave the name of Charles H. Seals. He has 
now grown to manhood and occupies the posi- 
tion of foreman in the wheel works in Quincy. 

Mr. Seals was again married February 26, 
1885, his second union being with Kezia McDon- 
ald, who was born in Marshall countv, Indiana. 
February 6, 1836. 

Mr. Seals has been prominent in the Odd Fel- 
lows society and was instntmental in organizing 
the lodge at Loraine. He has served as commis- 
sioner of highways for several years and is also 
interested in the public progress of development 
and improvement. His wife holds membership 
in the Christian church. ]\Ir. Seals well deserves 
mention among the honored pioneer settlers of 
Adams county, for he has long been a witness of 
its growth and upbuilding, taking an interested 



and active part in the work of improvement as 
far as possible. 



JACOB RUDOLPH URECH. 

Jacob Rudolph Urech, editor and publisher of 
the Mendon Dispatch, was born in the village of 
Zoflngen, Switzerland, February 21, 1845, his 
parents being Frederick and Elizabeth Urech. 
Following the mother's death the father mar- 
ried again, his second wife being ]\Iary Hai-dy. 
He was a daii-ynian, following that business 
throughout his entire life. 

Jacob R. Urech pursued his education in the 
public schools of his native country, but did not 
continue his studies long enough to graduate. 
In 1856 he was employed in a printing office, 
where he remained until 1860, and afterward 
served a three-years' apprenticeship to the har- 
ness-making trade. He left Switzerland for 
America in ' company with his parents, August 
3, 1854, and their first location was at Ports- 
mouth, Ohio, where they remained for two 
months, during which time i\Ir. Urech attended 
his first school in the new world. The family 
afterward removed to Louisville, Kentucky, 
where they remained for aboi;t nine months, dur- 
ing which time Mr. Urech attended school and 
also worked in a tobacco factory On the expi- 
ration of that period the family home was estab- 
lished in Quincy, Illinois, which continued to be 
the place of residence of the subject of this re- 
view until February, 1868. when in company 
with his brother he removed to Payson. There 
he engaged in the harness business, continuing 
in that place until April, 1873, when with his 
family he removed to ]\Iendon. Here he has 
since lived ami has long been classed with the 
most enterprising and progressive residents of 
the town. He engaged in farming until the fall 
of 1 877, W'hen he seciared a position as printer on 
the Enterprise, the first paper ever published 
in Mendon. Eventually he leased this and in 
the fall of 1S77. always preferring the printer's 
trade, he purchased an outfit, with some financial 
aid. and established the Mendon Dispatch, which 
has since had a continuoiis existence. In Janu- 
ary. 1884. he sold a half interest in the paper to 
W. H. "Mclntyre. with whom he continixed in 
business until September 1. 1890. when he sold 
oTit to his partner. On the 1st of January. 1899. 
however, he formed a partner.ship with his son 
and they purchased the plant of ]Mr. Mclntyn' 
and have since edited The Dispatch, which is an 
excellent country newsjjaper, having a large cir- 
culation. 

In February. 1865, I\lr. TTrech enlisted in de- 
fense of the TTnion as a member of Company IT. 



So8 



PAST AND PRESP:NT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



idle lliinilrcil ami Fitty-Hrst Illinois Infantry 
and remained in service until the following' Feb- 
ruary. His political allegiance has always been 
given to the republican party and he was elected 
as supei-vi.sor of ilendon township in 1887, sei'v- 
ing for one year, lu 1866 he became a Mason 
and now belongs to the Royal Arch chapter and 
the Order of Eastern Star, having served as 
patron of the latter for thirteen yeai's. He has 
.filled several otifiees in the blue lodge and chapter, 
including tho.se of worshipful master and high 
priest. He was also secretary of lioth for a num- 
ber of years and is now tilling that ijosition in 
the chapter. His religious faith is indicated by 
membership in the Mendon Congregational 
church. 

On the 3d of October, 1869, Mr. Urech was 
married in Payson, Illinois, to Miss Amy Smed- 
ley Wliartou and they have two children, C'liai'les 
H., who married Lydia Flack; and Amy W. 
Urech. 



ALMERON WHEAT. 



Almei'on Wheat, deceased, was for many years 
one of the prominent attorneys of Quincy and a 
man of iniiuence in the connnunity. He was 
born near Auburn, New York, <.)n the 7th of 
March, 181 o, and was a sou of Luther and Elmira 
(Marvin) Wheat. His father was a native of the 
same state, being born near Albany, and from 
that place removed with a brother to a farm near 
Auburn, where they carried on agricultural pur- 
suits until his death. 

Almeron Wheat began the study of law in Au- 
burn. New York, but shortly afterward removed 
to Columbus, Ohio, where he made his home 
until 1839, his time being devoted to the profes- 
siim which he had chosen as a life work. In the 
latter year he decided to locate in Springfield, 
but on hearing of his intention Drs. Iliram and 
Sanniel Rogers, who Avere pioneer physicians of 
Quincy, went to see him and induced him to 
settle in this city. Here he successfully engaged 
in the practice of law up to the time of his death, 
which occurred on the 12th of July, 1895. 

In early manhood Mr. AVlieat was united in 
marriage "to Miss Laura A. Harris, who was born 
in Old Vincennes, Indiana, June 13, 18'2r), her 
jiarents being Amos Westcott and Hannah 
( Gold) Harris, the former a native of New Jer- 
sey and the latter of New York. Not long after 
the birth of his daughter Mr. Harris took his 
family to Louisville, Kentucky, and from that 
place removed to Quincy, Illinois, in 1833. At 
that time there was but one small frame build- 
ing in the town, it standing on the present site 
of Christie's drug store at the corner of Fifth 



and Hampshire streets. ]Mr. Harris, who was a 
carpenter by trade, died in the '50s, while his 
wife died iu the '4Us. 

At the time of his death Mr. Wheat was the 
oldest member of the Adams county bar both in 
age and practice and always ranked with the 
highest in the profession. It was said of him 
that he was possessed of a powerful, analytical 
and logical mind and indefatigable industry. 
These qualities made him a strong character, an 
excellent lawyer and a formidable opponent in 
the management and trial of a case before either 
court or jury. In all his dealings with the pro- 
fession he was fair and courteous but unyielding 
s.) far as the rights of his clients were concerned. 
He was both as a lawyer and man actuated by 
the strictest integrity and had no patience with 
any kind of dishonesty, frauds or shams. ^Mr. 
Wheat's practice in tlie courts of this state ex- 
tended through a period of more than half a 
cenluiy. all of which time he devoted exclusively 
to liis profession, eschewing all other pursuits 
and especially political preferment. He never 
sought nor held any office except that early in 
his career he was elected to the legislatui'e and 
by his efforts in that body the removal of the 
county seat from Quinc.y was prevented. It was 
a well kno\^Ti fact that ilr. Wheat spent hun- 
dreds of dollars of his own money to do this and 
when on account of the decision that Quiucy was 
to continue as the county seat the county was 
divided, it was due principally to his efforts 
and expenditures that the county was again 
united. Subsef[uently, although a member of the 
dominant party, which could and would have 
given him any position he sought, he always 
refused to be a candidate for any office, pre- 
ferring to devote his energies to his profession. 
He was, however, county attorney here for over 
twentv vears. 



CARL HEIMANN. 



Carl Ileimann, living on section 35, Honey 
Creek township, was born in W^estphalia, Ger- 
many, in 1863, and came to America in 1884, set- 
tling in Honey Creek township, in November of 
that year. He is the sou of Henry Heimann, who 
is still living on a farm in Germany. His mother, 
who bore the maiden name of Wilhelmina Ohr- 
man, was also a native of Germany, and both 
parents died in that coiintiy. 

Carl Heimann was reared under the parental 
roof and accjiiired his education in the schools 
of the fatherland. Thinking that he would have 
better business opportunities in the new world he 
crossed the ocean and arrived in Honey Creek 
township, Adams county, Illinois, in November, 




ALMERON WHEAT 



PA^T AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



511 



lS8-t. He settled on a farm of oue hundred and 
sixty acres on section 35 and here he has since 
lived, having- made his property valuable through 
the improvements he has placed upon it. 

In 1892 ilr. Heimann was married to Miss 
Marie Rohe, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry 
Rohe. who came to Honey Creek township in 
1860 Her father was a farmer and fruit-grower 
and propagated the apples known as the Rohe 
and Baird varieties. The most of the orchards 
in this county arc largely planted to trees of 
those varieties. i\Ir. Rohe has passed away, but 
his wife, Mrs. Johanna Rohe, is still living upon 
a farm in Adams county. She was born in 01- 
denbiirg, Germany, and eatue with her husband 
to America in 1860. One sou also survives, Henry 
Rohe, who is a mail clerk and resides in Chicago. 
He married iliss Reuchel and they have two 
children: Arena and Walter. He is interested 
in the Wh.eeler & Tappin Steam Pump Works, 
Chicago. 

The hojue of Mr. and ^Irs. ITeimann lias been 
blessed with four children : Minnie, Enuna, 
Henry and Hulda. They are well known in 
Honey Creek township and Mr. Heimann is 
classed among the cnteriJi'isiiig farmers there 



JOHN F. GARNER. 



Ijieutenant John F. Garner, well known in 
mu.sical, military and legal circles in Quincy, 
was born Octolier 6, 1878, xipon a farm two miles 
east of We.st Point, in Hancock county, Illinois, 
the only son of James R. and Helen A. (Finlay) 
Garner, of West Point. The Garner family was 
established in Hancock county at a pioneer epocli 
in its history. The great-grandfather, who died 
at Bowen. Illinois, at the age of ninety-nine, was 
prominently identified with its early develop- 
ment. William Garner, the grandfather, a na- 
tive of Kentucky, spent a portion of his life in 
Indiana and then came to Illinois, following the 
occupation of farming until advanced age caused 
him to put aside the arduous labors that de- 
volve upon the agriculturist. He died in 1890, 
at the venerable age of four score years. His 
son, James R. Garner, also followed the occu- 
pation of farming and during President Harri- 
son's administration served as postmaster of 
West Point. He married Helen A. Finlay, a 
daughter of William B. and Charlotte (Best) 
Finlay. He was a native of County Monaghan, 
Ireland, while his wife was born in County Clare, 
Ireland. Emigrating to America they settled 
first in Adams county, where Mrs. Garner was 
born, and later they removed to Hancock county, 
where they spent their remaining days. Mr. 
Finlay was a ]\Iethodist clergyman, belonging 



to the Illinois conference, and he died at the 
age of eighty-nine years, while his wife passed 
away at the age of eighty-six years. 

John F. Garner, spending his early youth upon 
his father's farm, ac([uired his preliminary edu- 
cation in the public schools of West Point, com- 
pleted his literary course in the high school of 
Carthage, Illinois, and then, preparatory to ad- 
mission to the bar, entered iipon a course of study 
in Chaddock College, at Quincy, from which in- 
stitution he was graduated with the degree of 
Bachelor of Law, in the clai5s of 1898. He was 
admitted to the bar October 3, 1899, and open- 
ing au office in Quincy, has since remained in 
practice here, gaining a good clientage that many 
an older practitioner might well envy. The pro- 
fession of la\v, no less than the industrial or 
commercial pursuits, demands close application, 
thorough preparation and unfaltering energy, 
and possessing all these requisite qualities, Mr. 
Garner has gained for himself an enviable place 
as one of the strong and able members of the 
Quincy bar. 

Interested and active in jiolitics Mr. Garner 
was secretary of the Adams county central com- 
mittee in 1904 and an effective worker in the 
ranks of the party. He also has considerable local 
prominence in military circles, with rank as lieu- 
tenant in the Illinois Naval Reserves, command- 
ing the Quincy division. He has been in the service 
for almost seven years, entering as a seaman and 
holding all non-commissioned and commissioned 
offices, up to and including that of commanding 
officer. His fraternal relations are with Quincy 
lodge. No. 296, A. F. & A. M., the Royal Ar- 
canum, the Red Men and the Fraternal Trib- 
unes. He is a well known figure in musical cir- 
cles and popular with the music loving people of 
the city, well known as a tenor of the Congrega- 
tional Quartette and as first tenor of the Imperial 
Male Quartette of Quincy. 

T\lr. Garner was married March 31, 1903, to 
.Mi.ss Cora K. Jansen, a daughter of II. H. Jan- 
sen, of Quincy, and to leading social circles of 
the city their personal worth gains them en- 
trance. 



WILLIAM S. MARTZ. 



William vS. Martz, who is engaged in farming 
on section 23. Fall Creek township, was born 
in Louisiana, Jlissouri, September 5, 1859, and 
was the fifth child in the family of William A, 
and Drusilla (Davis) Mai-tz. The father was a 
native of Pennsylvania, born February 24, 1823, 
and the mother's birth occurred in Louisiana, 
Missouri, February 11, 1827, and they were 
married October 27, 1847. In early life the fath- 



512 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



el' learned the cariieiiter's ti-ade and in LS-tT eiui- 
^■fated westward, settling' in Louisiana, ilissoui'i, 
where he worked at carpenter in u' for many years, 
hecomins' actively identified with building' inter- 
ests there. In 1876 he removed to Pike comity. 
Ulinoi.s, and later retired from active bnsiness 
life. He is still living in that locality in the en- 
joyment of a well earned rest Unto him and his 
wife were born seven children who reached ma- 
ture years, while three are yet living;-. 

William S. ^Martz, the fifth in order of bii-th in 
that family, obtained his education in the i)ub- 
lic schools of his native town and in Alton and 
(Jrafton, Illinois. After arrivin<i' at man's estate 
he began farming on his own account in 1875. 
When he had completed his education, however, 
lie worked by the month as a farm hand and 
continued in that labor for aliout seven years, 
when he began learning telegraphy and in due 
cour.se of time became a telegraph operator at 
XeAV Canton, Illinois. Following the coinijli'tion 
of his telegraphic course he worked at all the 
stations between Louisiana and Qnincy on the 
Chicago, Burlington & Qnincy Tiailroad 

It Avas while living in New Canton that ^Ir. 
jNlartz was married in 1882 to Miss Estella I\I. 
TT])pinghouse, of New Canton, and unto them 
were born two children, Herman W. and Lowell 
A. The former is at home, while the latter died 
on the 12th of May. 1896. at the age of ten years. 
The mother died Februai-y 23, 1886, and on the 
2-l:th of October, 1888, ;\Ir. 'SlaH'/. was again mar- 
ried, his second union being with Mrs. Sadie 
Thompson, a daughter of John jmkI Martha 
I'Dearen) Bennington. Her father was born in 
Boston, Lincolnshire. England, June 24. 1819. 
and her mother's birth occurred in Virginia, 
Ai)ril W. 1833. He followed the occupation of 
farming throughout his entire life and in 1850 
he came to Adams comity, where he established 
his home upon a farm, his place beinu' four miles 
nm-th of where ]\Irs. IMartz now resides. There 
he lived until 1881, when he sold his property 
and removed to Saline ccmnty. ^lissouri, where 
he resided for some time upon a farm. He still 
owns that property but is now living with his 
daughter, Mrs. ;\lai-tz. his wife liaving died No- 
vember 9, 1904. They were the |)arents of nine 
children. Mr. Bennington was in such limited 
financial circumstances when he came to Adams 
county that he had to pawn his wntcb in order to 
pay the expenses of his trip, but he is to-day 
woi-th twenty thousand dollars. ;ill of wbieli has 
been acquired throuub his own well directed 
lal)ors. His life has certainly been well sjient 
and he deserves much credit for what he lias 
aceom])lished. 

Mrs. ]\Iartz spent her girlhood dnys in her 
parents' home and was first married on the 11th 
of March, 1880. becoming the wife of Samuel 



Tlioiiipson. of Adams eomitx'. His health fail- 
ing, he went to California, hoping that he miuht 
be benefited thereby, but his death occurred in 
that state .March is', 1887. itrs. .Martz had three 
children by her first marriage: Arthur, who is 
twenty-f(mr years of age; Alma, twenty-three 
years of age, and Lucy, twenty years of age. All 
are now engaged in teaching .school in Adams 
county. 

^Ir. and ^Irs. Martz wei'c married Ortober 24. 
1888, and they now have a i)leasa;it home built in 
modern .style of architectui-e. It stands iipon a 
farm of one hundred and sixty acres of ijood 
land, which is well improved with substantial 
buildings, richly cultivated fields and consider- 
able fruit. Everything about the jilace is kept 
in excellent condition and the farm is now one of 
the best properties of the kind in this section of 
the county. Mr. Martz is recognized as an en- 
terprising, practical and progressive agricultnr- 
i.st. Fraternally h(^ is connected with ]Miller 
lodge, No. 872, I. 0. O. F., at Payson, and also 
belongs to Quincv Aerie. No. 535, F. 0. E.. and 
to Fall Creek canip. No. 6999. ]\I. W. A. Both 
he and his wife hold membership in the ^lethod- 
ist Episcopal church at Payson. 

In politics he is a stanch republican, takiim- an 
active interest in the work of the party, and has 
served as a member of the executive committee 
of his county. xVlthough the townsliip's polit- 
ical ratio is about that of three to two in favor of 
the democracy, he was elected supervisor in 1902 
and again in 1904 — a fact which indicates his 
personal popularity and the confidence reposed 
in him by his fellow townsmen, who recognize his 
ability and have thus shown apiireciation for his 
fidelity and promjitness in executint; the duties 
of the oflice. 



REV, SAaiUEL HOPKINS E:\IERY, D. 1). 

Rev. Samuel Hopkins Emery, who from 185o 
until 1869 was pastor of the First Congregational 
church at Quincy, and who during the Civil war 
was most active in this city in behalf of the I'nion 
soldiers, was born August 22, 1815, in Boxford, 
^Massachusetts. He was the son of Joshua Emery, 
who gave him the name of Hopkins in honor of 
Dr. Samuel Hopkins, of Newport, Rhode Island. 

The family is descended from John Emery, of 
Newbury, Massachusetts, who came with Ins 
brother Anthony from Ramsey, England, in 1635. 
Joshua Emery was married to Elizabeth Welch, 
a daughter of Colonel Joseph Welch, of Plaistow, 
New IIami>shire. who was commander of a regi- 
ment of New Hampshire troops in the Revolu- 
tionary war and a personal friend of George 
Washington. In 1824 Joshua Emerv was of- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



515 



fered a position in coiniection with the adminis- 
tration of the Audovci' Tlicolo'i'ical Seminary, 
which he accepted, and rctjiuied the office for 
twenty years. 

Before the Rev. Sanuiel II. Emery was quite 
eight years of age he became a student in Phillips 
Academy at Andover, ^Massachusetts, where he 
began the study of Latin and Oreek. Although 
prepared to enter Amherst College at thirteen 
years of age, on account of his youth he remained 
as a student in the academy for some time longer, 
pursuing advanced studies until 1831, when he 
became a sophomore in Amherst College, being 
graduated in 1834 as the youngest member of his 
class and with second honors. He was imme- 
diately offered a professorship in the state insti- 
tution for deaf mutes in New York city, but de- 
clined the offer and began preparation for the 
ministry as a student in Andover Theological 
Seminary. In his last year at the seminary he 
delivered the master's oration at Amherst and 
received the degree of Master of Arts. The first 
Sunday after leaving Andover he preached for 
the Spring Street church in Taunton, Massachu- 
setts, and the church then extended him a unani- 
mous call. He accepted it and became its pastor 
about the time that he i-eached the twenty-second 
anniversary of his birth. 

On the 7th of March, 1838. Mr. Emery was 
imited in marriage to INIiss Jidia Reed, a daughter 
of Deacon William Reed of his parish. Thi'ee 
years later he went to Bedford, Massachusetts, 
where he acted as pastor for five years and then 
returned to his old church in Taiinton. During 
his ministry there, which covered ten years, he 
prepared and published a volume called The Min- 
istry of Taunton, with incidental notes of other 
professions. This work was juiblished in two 
volumes. In 185.5 Rev. Emery accepted a call 
from the First Congregational church of Quincy, 
Illinois, and entered upon a woi-k there which 
proved of marked value in th<' moral (li'veIo])ment 
of the city. 

It was while Rev. Emery was I'i'siding in 
Quincy that the Civil war broke out, and Presi- 
dent Lincoln and Secretary Stanton furnished 
him a pass to go anywhere within the Union lines 
and also take others with him. With the consent 
of his congregation he made several ti-ips to the 
south, taking with him nvirses, food, supplies and 
various hospital stores. Six hospitals were after- 
ward established in Quincy and Rev. Emei'v and 
Rev. Foote, also of Quincy, were appointed chap- 
lains and served until the close of the war. Dur- 
ing that time Rev. Emery's son Frank was lying 
ill in Andersonville prison, but the father and 
his friends were unable to locate him. 

Diiring his residence in Quincy Rev. Emery 
was for ten years registrar of the general asso- 
ciation of the Congregational church of Illinois. 



Under his guidanc-e tile clnuvh maintained a 
healthful growth and he had the sincere love and 
aff'ection of his own congregation and the respect 
of people of all denominations. After a pastorate 
extending from 1855 until 1869, he left Quincy 
and returned to the east. On his way he stopped 
for three months at Chicago, where he preached 
for the New England Congregational church, 
which was waiting for its pastor, who was at that 
time completing a course of study in Andover 
Theological Seminary. 

On again reaching New England Rev. Emery 
accepted the pastorate of the Congregational 
church at Providence, Rhode Island, where he 
remained foi' two years, and while there he com- 
piled a history of the Richmcmd Street church 
but never published it. On resigning that pastor- 
ate he made a trip to California and, subsequent 
to his return, he was for two years pastor of a 
new church in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He was 
then called to North Middleboro and, during the 
two and a half years there passed, he wrote a 
history of that church, which was published. At 
the earnest request of the various churches of 
Taunton he returned to his old home to take 
charge of the charity work of that city, which he 
contiinied to do luitil he accomplished the organi- 
zation of a Board of Associated Charities. He 
spent the remaining years of his life in Taunton 
as Pastor Emeritus of the Winslow church, which 
was the successor of the Spi'ing Street church, 
of which he was the first pastor. He is the author 
of a large volume. The History of Taunton, which 
was published in 1893. 

Rev. Emery received from his alma mater the 
honoi'ary degree of Doctor of Divinity. He was 
a man deeply interested in all the vital questions 
of the day — those great jn-oblems which affect 
the welfare and hap|)iness of mankind and prove 
either a detriment or an iinp(^tns to the civiliza- 
tion process of the world, lie felt that it is the 
duty, as well as a privilege, of every American 
citizen to keep well informed on the issues of the 
times and sujiport the principles which he be- 
lieves will contribute most to the public good. 
He represented his district in the state legislature 
of Massachusetts in 1890-91, He was always 
deeply interested in historical matters, and it 
was through his efforts that the Old Colony His- 
torical Society of Massachusetts came into exist- 
ence, and for more than a quarter century and 
until his death he was its president. During one 
of his visits to his sons in Quincy he was instini- 
mental in the organization of the Quincy Histori- 
cal Society. He was a most lovable character 
and, becau.se of his charity, his ]ihilanthropy. his 
untiring efforts in behalf of his fellowmen along 
the lines of material, intellectual and moral pro- 
aress, the world is better for his having lived. 
His active work in the ministry and in behalf of 



5i6 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



the Uuioii soldiers brmio-lit liim into eontact witli 
many of the leading men of the country, and he 
was their peer in all that tends toward character 
building-. Gifted by nature with strong intel- 
lectual force, he utilized his talents and powers 
for the benefit of his fellownien and left the im- 
press of his individuality upon his age. 

He passed away October 3, 1901, and his body 
lies in the cemetery at Taunton, as he desired. 
One of the I'aunton newspapers concludes its re- 
port of the funeral services as follows : 

"All classes, all creeds, prominent professional 
and business men, little children, in whom the 
deceased took special delight; young men and 
young women, the glow of youtli and health de- 
picted upon their faces, and people with gray 
hair and burdened with the weight of years, com- 
posed that vast assembly which had gathered to 
pay their respect to the memory of this good man, 
who had, throughout his prolonged life, given to 
the world an unexcelled example of Christian 
virtue and true bi-otherly love. Such an out- 
pouring of the people has never lieen recorded 
at a public funeral in Taiinlon."' 



ALFKED A. Wllll'l'LE, M. D. 

Dr. Alfred A. Whipple, successfully engaged 
in the practice of medicine and surgery in Quin- 
ey, and especially prominent in Masonic circles, 
being one of the two in this county who have 
attained the thirty-third degree iii Masonry, 
was born in Cattaraugus county. New York, Oc- 
tober 31, lS-45. His father, Henry F. Whipple, 
was born October 20, 1819, was a farmer by oc- 
cupation and at the time of the Civil war en- 
listed in 1862 as a meinbei' of the One Hundred 
and Fifty- fourth New York Infantry. He par- 
ticipated in the battle-i of Fredericksburg and 
Chancellorsville, and at the battle of Getty-sburg 
he was captured and sent as a prisoner of war to 
Richmond, where he remained for six months, 
after which he was ti'ansferred to Andersonville 
and died in the prison there July 9. 1864. His 
family knew nothing of his death or what had 
become of him until aftei- the close of the war, 
when news of his demise was received. His wife, 
who was born .March 19, 1825, bore the maiden 
name of Martha A. Hatch and was a daughter 
of Stephen Hatch, of Cattaraugus county, New 
^'ork. They were married March 19, 1844, be- 
came the parents of si.x children, namely: Alfred 
A. ; Sally G.. who wa^ born September 27, 1848, 
and is the widow of Andrew J. Harkness; Steph- 
en Joseph, who was born ^lay 5, 1850, and 
was married Avmnst 14, 1875, to Florence :\I. 



Seaver, of ({rjind Jvapids, ilichigan, where since 
her death he has married Lottie E. Bletchley, of 
Cuba, New York, November 5, 1885: James 
Sjaencer, clerk of the New York senate, who was 
born October 1, 1852, and was married Novem- 
ber 25, 1875, to Sarah R. Dean, his home being 
at Salamanca; Fred D., who was born Novem- 
lier 9, 1855, and married Lois Bailey, of Cedar 
Si)rings, Michigan, June 3, 1879, but she has 
since passed away and he has married again: 
and Willis W., who was born August 21, 1859, 
and is now married, his home being in Salaman- 
ca, New York. The mother died in 1895. 

Dr. Whipple attended the public schools and 
following his father's death heavy responsibili- 
ties devolved upon him. It was necessary foi 
him 1o care for the family and he worked upon 
the home farm luitil nineteen yeai's of age, when 
he entered a railway office at Salamanca, New- 
York, there remaining from 1865 until 1873, 
when lie went to Cincinnati. Ohio, where he be- 
came a student in the Eclectic Medical Institute, 
from which he was graduated in 1876. For two 
years of that time he also gave his attention to 
hospital sei'vice aiul following his graduation he 
removed to Randolph, New York, where he en- 
tered uijon the active practice of his profession. 
Later he was at Cuba, New York, until 1879, 
when he went to Chicago and entered the Hahne- 
mann Medical College and Hospital, lieing grad- 
uated therefrom in the spring of 1880. Soon 
afterward Dr. Whipple came to Quincy and has 
remained here continuously since, having a large 
practice. He is a member and at one time was 
president of the Illinois Homeopathic Associa- 
tion and also belongs to the American Institute 
of Homeoiiathy. 

On the (ith of October, 1869, Dr. Whipple nuir- 
ried iliss Lydia E. Learned, of Salamanca, New 
York, a daughter of Dr. Henry Learned, for- 
merly of that place, but now of Pomona, Putnam 
county, Florida. I)i'. ;ind Mrs. Whipple had 
four sons and one daughter, hut the latter. 
Grace ^1., who was horn Octolier 17, 1872, died 
Decembei- 29. 1S76. The eldest son. Dr. Henry 
L. Whipple, bni'n Jauuarv 3, 1871, married Al- 
ice C. Reed, of (^iiiuey. a daughter of Warren 
Reed, deceased. He attended the public and 
high schools and was graduated from the Chi- 
cago College of Dental Surgery, April 13, 1894, 
since which time he has practiced in Quincy. 
He has two children. Reed and Grace, who are 
attending school. He was a member of the Na- 
tional Guard f(U' fifteen years and belonged to 
the Fifth Illinois Infantry during the Spanish- 
American wai'. He is at present inspector of 
rifle practice on the colonel's staff' foi' the Fifth 
Regiment, ^[erritt P. Whipple, born Ajiril 22. 
1875. married Stella Durfee. of Quincy, and 




DR. A. A. WHIPPLE 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



519 



they ha\i' ;i son, Arthin- I'aiil. They live in 
Rochester, New York, where Aleri-itt P. Whip- 
ple is general agent for the Smith Premier Type- 
writer (.'<}iii])any. Arthur P.. horn (.)etober 28, 
ISSl', is at lioiiie. William, horn August 10, 
1SS6, is attending the high scliool. 

The family attend the Baptist ehui-eli and Dr. 
Whipple is a republican in his political views. 
Fraternally he is a Mason, very prominent in 
the order, belonging to various branches of Ma- 
sonry, and he is now past master of Quiney 
lodge. No. 296. A. F. & A. M. ; past high priest 
of Quiney chapter, No. 5, R. A. M. ; past thrice 
illustrious master of Quiney council. No. 15, 
R. & S. M. ; past eminent commander of El Aksa 
coramandery, No. 55, K. T. ; past commander in 
chief ^ of Quiney consistory; and past worthy 
patron of Grace Whipple chapter, No. 312, 0. E. 
S. lie is also past grand high priest of the 
(J rand Royal Arch chapter and deputy grand 
commander of the Gi-and Couunandery, K. T.. 
in Illinois, for two years. ^Irs. Whipple was 
worthy matron of Grace Whipple chapter. (). E 
S., which was named for their daughter. 



LAWRENCE W. MARSH. 

Lawrence W. Alarsh, a well known resident of 
Quiney and a representative of one of its pioneer 
families, was born in this city. May 28, 1863, 
and is a son of Judge William Marsh, for many 
years a prominent resident of Adams county. 
He was of English descent, his ancestors having 
come to America at an early period in the devel- 
opment of the new world. His grandfather, 
Ebenezer Marsh, was born in Hampshire cotmty, 
IMassachusetts. and his father, Zimri Marsh, was 
also a native of the Bay state. He married Miss 
Crussa Hubbard, a daughter of Caleb Hubbard, 
familiarly known as Major Hubbard of the 
"plum trees," who resided in Massachusetts and 
was a minute man during the Revolutionary war, 
participating in the battle of Bunker Hill. When 
advanced in years ?;Irs. Crussa Marsh came to 
Quiney, where she died in 1864. 

Judge William Marsh was born in Cayuga 
county. New York, May 11, 1822, and was the 
fourth in a family of seven children. He at- 
tended a private school in Tompkins county. New 
York, and w^as afterward a student in an acad- 
emy and in Union College, Skaneateles. New 
York, being graduated from the last named in- 
stitution in 1842 He studied law in the office of 
Judge Jewett, of Skaneateles, New York, and 
was admitted to practice at the New York bar in 
1845. He began practice in Ithaca, New York, 
where he remained until 1854, removing in that 
year to Quiney, when he entered into a law part- 



nership with William II. Henneson. Three years 
later Judge Skinner was admitted to the firm 
under the name of Skinner, Benneson & Marsh, 
and when Mr. Benneson joined the Union army 
as colonel of the Seventy-eighth Illinois Infantry 
in 1862, the firm continued as Skinner & Marsh, 
this relation being maintained until the death of 
Judge Skinner in 1877. Judge J\Iarsh became a 
partner of William McFadon and in 1885 this 
partnership was dissolved by his election to the 
bench of the circuit court, the district being then 
composed of Adams, Pike, Brown, Schuyler, Ful- 
ton and Hancock counties For six years Judge 
Marsh served on the bench and his record there 
was in harmony with his record as a man and a 
lawyer, distinguished by unswerving fidelity to 
duty as well as by an unbiased administration of 
the law with due regard to equity as well as 
precedent. He wa.s recognized, too, as one of the 
most prominent leaders in the democratic party 
in Illinois, laboring for its interests from the 
time he became a i-esident of this state to promote 
its growth and prosperity. He was ever a cham- 
pion in government reform and improvement 
and did much to uphold the legal and political 
status of the state. 

On the 29th of August, 1848, Judge Marsh 
was married to Cornelia M. Woods, of Lockport, 
New York, a daughter of Hon. J. L. Woods, of 
that city. They became the parents of four chil- 
dren, but the third, William, died in infancy. 
The others are: Mary M., the wife of Don A. 
Sweet, of Amirillo, Texas, where he is general 
auditor of several branches of the Santa Fe Rail- 
road; Mrs. Babeock; Lawrence W., who resides 
at the old Marsh home in Quiney. Judge ]\Iarsh 
and his family were well known in social circles 
of this city and there his influence, as in other 
lines of life, was always for good. He was 
closely identified with many of the interests and 
enterprises which led to the commercial develop- 
ment and the consequent prosperity of Quiney. 
He was a stockholder in the First National Bank 
and the Quiney Gas Company, president of the 
Barlow Corn Planter Company, and other busi- 
ness enterprises felt the stimulus of his sound 
judgment and untiring energy. He died April 
14, 1894, and his wife passed away September 
14, 1901. 

In his youth Lawrence W. Marsh acquired a 
good education and for eight years he followed 
railroading, during which time he traveled all 
over the United States, gaining an accurate and 
intimate knowledge of this country. 

Lawrence W. Marsh was married April 23, 
1902. to Miss Marie Steiubach, who was born in 
Quiney and is a daughter of Mayor Steinbach, 
of this city. They reside at the old Marsh home 
at No. 818 North Fifth street. It is a large two- 



520 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COTtNTY. 



story hiiuse. Imilt of hi'ick and surrounded by 
beautiful grounds. It is one of the old homes of 
the city and has always been noted for its uvner- 
ous and warm-hearted hosi)itality. Mr. Marsh 
is now living a retired life. He has a wide ac- 
quaintance in Quiney, where he has remained 
almost continuously from his birth to the present 
and the circle of his friends is extensive. 



D. C. HARRIS. 



D. C. 1 larris, living on section 29, Camp Point 
township, is classed with the representative, 
thrifty tarmers and stock-dealers of Adams 
county. whriT he owns a.nd opei'ates a tract of 
hind of two Inuulred acres. Here he has resided 
since 1865. He was born in Jefferson county, 
Kentucky, January 2, 1842, and is a son of J. H. 
Harris, who was also a native of that county, 
born in 1804. The paternal grandfather, Wil- 
liam Harris, was one of the tirst settlers of Jef- 
ferson county and upon the old farm homestead 
there J. H. Harris was reared to manhood, being 
earlA' trained to the habits of industry and econ- 
omy. Wlien he had reached adult age he mar- 
ried Elizabeth David, Avho was born in Kentucky 
in 18o6, they removed to Iowa, settling in Davis 
count,\', where the father ojiened up a farm and 
reared his family. He spent his last days on the 
old homestead there and died in January, 1872, 
Avhile his wife survived until October, 1877. 

D. C. Harris was reared under the parental 
roof upon the Iowa farm and attended the com- 
mon schools of the neighborhood. He worked in 
the fields through the months of summer and 
continued to assist his father until he reached 
man's estate, when he came to Illinois and was 
employed as a farm hand by the month for two 
or three years. After his marriage he rented 
land in Camp Point township, which he farmed 
for two years and then purchased sixty-five acres 
of his present farm on section 29, Camp Point 
township, a part of which was under cultivation. 
This he began to further develop and improve 
and from time to time he has extended the 
bonndai'ies of his place until he now has two 
hundred acres in the old homestead, Avhereon he 
has lived for more than a half century. He built 
a substantial residence, also good outbuildings, 
fenced his place, planted an orchard and indeed 
has made all modern improvements and added 
the C'luipments and accessories which constitute 
a model farm of the twentieth century. He also 
owns a tract of land of fifty-seven acres lying 
south of Camp Point In connection with gen- 
eral farming he raises and feeds stock and this 
is an important bi-anch of his business. Tn 1889 
he began the breeding of shorthorn cattle and 



now has a herd of nearly fifty head of pure 
blooded shorthorn .stock with a jnire blooded 
male a1 the head of the herd 

ilr. Harris Avas married April 11, lS(iS, to 
^liss Jlartha Ellen Hemrick, a native of Adams 
county, Illinois. She died June 22, 1876. leav- 
ing two children: John F., who is married and 
follows farming; and (leorge William, who is 
married and is engaged in railroading as engi- 
neer on the Wabash, with headquarters at Peru, 
Indiana. l\Ir Harris was again married Sep- 
tember 28, 1879, his second union being with 
]\Iartha Ellen Welsh, a native of Adams county. 
They have three children : Lillie ilay, who is now 
a student in the Art Institute in Chicago: ]\Iattie 
and Irene, at home. They also lost a son, Peter, 
who died when about nine months old. 

Politically Mr. Harris is a stalwart republican, 
who cast his first presidential ballot for General 
Grant and has since supported each nominee of 
his party at the head of the ticket. He has 
never desired or sought office but has been a 
member of the board of education for twenty- 
two consecutive years and is a warm friend of 
the public school system. . He has been identified 
with the Odd Fellows lodge at Camp Point since 
1865 and he and his wife are members of the 
Christian church there. His life has been qiiietly 
passed, though he has always been found faithful 
to every duty and ujiright and honorable in all 
relations of business, public or private life. 



CHARLES A. CHITTENDEN. 

Charles A. Chittenden, who is engaged in the 
feeding and shipping of stock at Mendon, Illi- 
nois, was born on the farm two miles north of 
that place, April 7, 1857, his father being John 
A. Chittenden, who was a native of Guilford, 
Connecticut, born December 24, 1827. John A. 
Chittenden arrived in Quiney in December, 1831, 
coming with his father. Colonel John B. Chitten- 
den, and became a resident of Mendon in the 
sprinu- of 1832. On the 10th of June, 1852. he 
was mari'ied to Elizabeth P. Frisbie. a daughter 
of Lyman and Ann (Barker) Frisbie, and they 
ri^sided on the old Chittenden farm, which he 
owned, there making his home until his death, 
which occurred October 26, 1872. He is still 
survived by his wife, who resides on the old home 
farm, where she has lived since her marriage, 
covering a period of more than a half century. 
John A. Chittenden was a man of sterling worth 
and upright charaetei". who had the good of his 
fellowmen at heart. Pie held membership in the 
Congregational church, took an active part in the 
work of the Sunday-school and gave his political 
allegiance to the I'epublican party. He had 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



521 



three ehildren : Charles A., of this sketch, beiug 
the eldest. Emeliue F., born October 23, 1860, 
was married October 4, 1888, to Lewis L. Allen, 
now a resident of Pierce City, Missouri, and they 
have one child, Elizabeth C, who was born De- 
cember 25, 1892. Elizabeth R., the youngest in 
the Chittenden family, was born January 21, 
1864, and is living with her mother. 

Charles A. Chittenden was reared upon his 
father's farm and began his education in the 
local district school. Tie afterward attended the 
high school at Mendon and Denmark- Academy at 
Denmark, Iowa. He was mari'ied on the 25th 
of December, 1884, to Miss Frances E. Young, a 
daughter of Dr. Peter and Virginia C. (Miller) 
Young, of Mendon. Her father was born in But- 
ler county, Ohio, December 11, 1823, and died at 
Mendon, 'Illinois, January 6, 1891. Mrs. Chit- 
tenden was born at Mendon, Illinois, August 4, 
1861. She has one sister. Laura A., born Jan- 
uary 14, 1857. married Daniel A. Bi'adley, No- 
vember 29, 1876. They now live at McPherson, 
Kansas. One brother, George W., born July 1, 
1858, died at Leoti, Kansas, October 27, 1892. 

Since his marriage Mr. Chittenden has made 
his home in jMendon. He gives his attention to 
farming and is also quite an extensive feeder 
and shipper of stock, was for a number of years 
connected with the grain trade at IMendon. Both 
Mr. and Mrs. Chittenden are members of the 
Congregational church, in his political views he 
is a republican, having given his allegiance to the 
part.y since attaining his majority. As a citizen 
he is interested in all that pertains to public 
progress and is ready to assist any enterprise cal- 
culated to i^rove of public benefit. 



EMMOR E. THOMPSON. 

Emmor E. Thompson, proprietor of a general 
store in Payson, is a native son of this place, 
born April 28, 1860, a son of Andrew U. and 
Elizabeth (Yingiing) Thompson. The father 
was of Irish and English lineage, his ancestors 
coming from Great Britain to America at an 
early day. He was born in Calhoun county, 
Illinois, in 1825 and removed from Madison 
coimty, this state, to Adams county about 1836. 
He was a blacksmith and followed his trade in 
addition to the cultivation and improvement of 
his wife's farm. He had three brothers and foiir 
sisters. One brother, Winston Thompson, set- 
tled near Columbus, Adams county, where he 
followed farming and coopering. Andrew U. 
Thompson was united in marriage to Miss Eliza- 
beth Yingiing, who was descended from an old 



family of Pennsylvania. Representatives of the 
name came to Illinois at an early day, her father 
being one of the first settlers of Payson, where 
he conducted an inn called the Yingiing Hotel. 
After several years he liouglit a farm three miles 
northwest of town, having there two hundred 
and forty acres of land. He was a public-spirited 
man, aided largely in the early development and 
substantia] improvement of the county and filled 
the offices of constable and sheriff at a time when 
it reqi;ired great courage to do so. Only one 
member of his family is now living, James A. 
Yingiing, who is now retired from business in 
W.ynewood. Indian Tei'ritory. Andrew U 
Thompson contimied a resident of Adams eoiinty 
until his death, which occurred April 1, 1875, 
when he was forty-nine years of age. His wife, 
who was born in 1827, died June 2, 1902, at the 
age of seventy-five yeai-s. In their family were 
nine chilch'en. Charles, who is engao-ed in teach- 
ing in Quincy, is married and has six children ; 
Emma is the wife of Professor Robert Harris, of 
Chicago, and she has been a teacher for over 
thirty years, while their daughter is also a 
teacher; Annie T. is the wife of William How- 
ard, a farmer of Argonia, Kansas, and they have 
two sons and a daughter; Joseph is married and 
lives on the Pacific coast : Emmor E. is the fifth 
of the family; Edwin P., a blacksmith at Camp 
Point, Illinois, is married and has three sons and 
a daughter; Addie died in infancy; Wilbur F., 
a musician of Quincy, is married and has one 
child ; and Edith died at the age of two years. 

Emmor E. Thompson pursued his education in 
Payson and when nineteen years of age began 
teaching, which profession he followed for ten 
years, spending the entire time in the schools of 
Adams county, with the excejition of two years 
near Bowen, Plancoek county, Illinois. 

Mr. Thompson was married in 1886 to Miss 
Minnie M. Morris, a daughter of W. H. and Jen- 
nie (Fowler) Morris, early residents of this 
county, who lived on a farm southeast of Payson 
for forty years. For two years after his mar- 
riage Mr. Thompson continued teaching and 
then followed farming for two years. He was 
next engaged in a general store in Newton for 
two years, at the end of which time he traded his 
store and property in the town for a farm in 
Pike county, which ho afterward sold, removing 
to a farm southeast of Payson, comprising eighty 
acres of land. There he carried on general farm- 
ing and dairying for five years. Selling his 
Pike county property he purchased the general 
store of G. W. Lawrence at Payson and has eon- 
ducted this for two years on a cash basis, finding 
it a profitable investment. He began with a 
stock valued at thirty-five hundred dollars and 
at the end of a year his invoice showed his stock 
to be worth fifty-five hundred dollars. His trade 



522 



PAST AND PKESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



is constantly n'rowing and he ntnv lias a very de- 
sirable patronage. 

Unto ^Ir. and JSlvs. Thompson have been born 
three children : Loyal M., born February 23, 
1888, is now a senior in the high school at Pay- 
son; Hazel, born February 1, 1892, is attending 
the grammar school ; and one child died in in- 
fancy, ilr. Thompson, his wife and son hold 
membership in the ]\Iethodist church and he 
votes with the republican party. He is wide- 
awake and enterprising, and in his well con- 
ducted business affairs is meeting with the suc- 
cess M'hicli is the goal of all business endeavor. 



SAMUEL H. BRADLEY. 

Samuel H. Bradley was born October 11, 1838, 
in what is now ilendon township, Adams coun- 
ty, Illinois, and is of New England ancestry. 
His grandparents, Samuel and p]lizabeth (Brad- 
ley) Bradley, were distantly related, each being 
a descendant of Isaac Bradley, who came from 
England to America in 1674, and settled in New 
Haven, Connecticut, in 1683. Through different 
lines the lineage of the Bradley family may be 
easily traced to several of the signers of the 
"Plantation Covenant" at East Haven in 1639. 
The great-grandfather of S. H. Bradley, Daniel 
Bradley, served in the Revolutionary army dur- 
ing the Avhole war for independence. There are 
now in possession of the family parts of a diarj^ 
kept by him during that time. 

In 1831 Samnefand Elizabeth Bradley, be- 
fore mentioned, came from their home in East 
Haven, Connecticut, and located during the fol- 
lowing winter two miles west of where the vil- 
lage of Mendon now stands . They were accom- 
panied by their son Daniel and four daughters, 
Charlotte, Sarah, Elizabeth and Grace Ann. 
With them came Colonel J. B. Chittenden and 
family and others, the party consisting of thir- 
ty-five persons. A large part of the .journey was 
made overland and it took months to make the 
trip. So far as known the only member of the 
party now living is Mrs. Grace Ann Harrison, 
the youngest daughter of Samuel Bradley. She 
was born February lo, 1820, and was only eleven 
years old when she came to Illinois. She mar- 
ried ilarvin B. Harrison, who died in 1850, leav- 
ing two children : Marvin B., born August 23, 
1847, is now a minister living in Scribner, Ne- 
braska, and his mother lives with him. He mar- 
ried Carrie Warner and has five children : John, 
Paul, Grace, Clinton and Henry, all living. 
Henry S., the younger son of ^frs. Harrison, was 
born Decemlier 18, 1849, and married Ruth 
Stone, of Vermont. Charlotte, the oldest daugh- 
ter of Samuel Bradley, was born February 23, 



i^Imi, and died Feljruary 9, ISI) i . Sarah, born 
l-'ebruary l.j, 181.j, dieti .March 20, 1903. Eliz- 
abeth, born September 12, 1817, married John 
L. Arnold, and died November 23, 1892. She 
had two children. Julia, who was born October 
19, 1850, and married O. W. Bray, a resident of 
.Mendon; and John, who was born February 25, 
1853, and died November 28. 1860. 

Daniel Bradley, the only sou of Samuel and 
Elizabeth Bradley, bought land adjoining his 
father's farm on the west, and in 1834 he was 
married to Josephine B. Brown, who was born 
in Rensselaer county. New York, and was a 
daughter of Daniel and Hulda (Tanner) 
Brown, the former born January 21, 1780, and 
the latter June 1, 1783. She was also of New 
England ance.stry, being a direct descendant of 
Stephen Hopkins through daughter Constance, 
passengers on the Mayflower in 1620, the former 
being a signer of the historical "Mayflower 
Compact." Others of her ancestors came on the 
Fortune in 1621 and on the Ann in 1623. Some 
of these lines of ancestry have been followed 
well back into tha sixteenth century. Her two 
grandfathers, Daniel Brown and Abel Tanner, 
served through the war of the Revolution. She 
was identified with the early history of Quiney, 
as she was a niece of Major Jeremiah Rose, also 
of Rufus Brown. l)oth pioneer settlers of Quin- 
ey. The last named for a number of years kept 
the log hotel or tavern, the forerunner of the 
Quiney House, later supjilanted by The New- 
comb. This was the home of Josephine Brown 
from 1831 to 1834, when she was married to 
Daniel Bradley and went to live in the log cabin 
on the prairie. 

The.y left the farm in 1852, removing to the 
village of Mendon, where Mr. Bradley engaged 
in mercantile business and where, with the ex- 
ception of one year, he continued to reside until 
the time of his death, which occurred January 
26, 1867. Mrs. Bradley died April 10, 1896, at 
the age of ninety years, ilr. Bradley was promi- 
nent in public affairs locally and an enterprising 
public-spirited citizen. Originally he was a 
whig politically, but being strongly opposed to 
the instittition of slavery and its extension — in 
fact favoring its abolishment — he became a 
mem])er of the free-soil party, but when the 
aggressiveness of the pro-slavery party caused a 
general severing of party ties in the north he 
bccanii' an active and zealous republican and 
gave of time, influence and means toward the 
organization of the party in both county and 
state. In 1854 he attended the now historical 
Bloomington convention, wlien and where was 
organized the republican ]iarty of the state of 
Illinois. 

Samuel Bradley, the grandfather of S. H. and 
the father of Daniel, was active and influential 




J^^^3^.e^^ 





C/ntcC y'£^ -j^ui't. 



-J 



PAyT AND F1IP:SENT of ADAMS COUNTY. 



527 



iu his chiy, doing iiuifh thrduuli example, iiitlu- 
euee and personal effort to build up and sup- 
port a strong moral and Christian sentiment in 
the eonnnunity. It was in his little hig ealiin on 
thi' Tth day of P\-bruary, 183:3, that a band of 
devoted men and women met and decided to or- 
ganize a Congregational church in JMendon and 
such action was then taken as resulted iu the 
organization lieing fully effected at a meeting 
held in the cabin of Colonel John B. Chittenden 
on the 20th of February, 1833. Interest in this 
action was at that time largely confined to those 
who participated in it and to the few other resi- 
dents of the sparsely settled community. Later 
it became of general interest, it having proved 
to be the first ehiirch of that denomination or- 
ganized in the state. This fact has liecome an 
incident of interest in the history of Congrega- 
ticiiialism in Illinois and is one in which the de- 
srentlants and successors of the early .settlers 
may justly feel much satisfaction. 

The Bradleys in successive generations have 
been members of this church from its organiza- 
tion to the present time and have always been 
among its most active and liberal supporters. 
The old church through all these yeai's has wield- 
ed an influence for good and continues to do so, 
reaching far beyond state lines. To-day it 
stands, and for untold ages should so continue, 
a well deserved monument to the courage, self- 
denial, industry, and devotion to duty, as they 
saw it, of a band of earnest Christian pioneers, 
who left their comfortable New England homes 
and endured the hardships and deprivations of, 
and incident to, settling a new country and gave 
it the imprint of their own high standard of 
morality and Christianity. 

Among other matters of a public nature with 
which S. H. Bradley is now connected, and one 
in which he is much intei'ested, is the erection 
of a Congregational church building, which will 
be the second successor to the one built by the 
grandfathers in the '30s, the present structure 
having been erected in the early '50s. Mr. Brad- 
ley is desirous, as are those who serve with him 
on the building committee, and also very many 
others, that the structure when completed shall 
be a credit to the church and community and at 
the same time a creditable memorial to its or- 
ganizers and founders. 

S. H. Bradley is one of a family of seven 
children. Sarah, born August 23, 1836, mar- 
ried W. W. Benton, of Mendon, and died Au- 
gust 7, 1866. S. 11. is the next in order of liii'th. 
Pollen, born November 11, 1840, is a resident of 
]\Iendon. Augustus C, born October 1, 1842, 
died August 29, 1859. Amelia, born January 
29, 1846, died in infancy. Jo.sephine B., born 
June 11, 1847, was married December 1. 1S68. 



to E. S. Kimljidl, of Galesburg. Illinois, and 
they have two children: Edith B., who was born 
March 16, 1874, and was married December 6. 
1899, to George M. Strain, of Omaha, Nebraska : 
and Daniel B., who was born Deceml)er 1, 1878, 
and was married December 23, 1903, to Laura 
E. Dolbear, their home being in Council Bluff's, 
Iowa. Daniel A., the youngest of this family, 
was born February 26, 1855, and makes his 
home in McPhei'sou, Kansas. He was married 
November 29, 1876, to Laura Young, a daughter 
of Dr. Peter and Caroline V. (Miller) Young, 
both living. The three children boim of this 
union all died in infancy. By their active inter- 
est in matters pertaining to the good of the com- 
munities in which they reside, as well as in wider 
interests, this family are not only following in 
the lines laid down by their ancest(n's, but creat- 
ing personal influenees which will I'emain after 
their work is done. 

S. 11. Bradley as a .young man was associated 
with his father in mercantile business. Later 
for a number of years he engaged in milling. 
Since then his dealings have been, and are at 
the present time, in grain, coal, feed and along 
similar lines, also having interests in other local 
affairs of a business nature. He is a member 
of the Masonic fraternity and has many times 
filled the highest positions in Mendon lodge. No. 
449, and in Mendon chapter. No. 157, being a 
member of each organization. He has also been 
district deputy grand ma.ster for the district in 
which he i-esides, and is a member of El Aksa 
connnandery. No. 55, K. T., of Quincy. Illinois, 
and of Jlendon Star chapter, No. 153, Order 
Eastern Star. He is a member of Mendon post. 
C. A. R., having enlisted under General B. M. 
Prentiss, in April. 1861, and was the first volun- 
teer from Mendon sworn into the TTnited States 
service under Lincoln's tii-st call, following the 
fall of Sumter. He served at that time in the 
Tenth Illinois Infantry, Company A, Captain 
John Tillson (later in the war a major-general). 
Later ]\Ir. Bradley served in the One hundred 
and thirty-seventh (Colonel John Wood's regi- 
ment) as first sergeant of Company A, Captain 
Henry A. Castle. 

Mr. Bradley has been a member for more than 
sixteen years of the board of supervisors of 
Adams county, the last fourteen years being 
consecutive. He resigned in June, 1904, soon 
after having been re-elected for an additional 
term of two years, making a total of eighteen 
years membership to which he was elected. Dur- 
ing his several terms he served on many im- 
jjortant connnittees, both standing and special, 
often as chairman. For a number of years he 
was chairman of the finance committee. Politi- 
cally he is an nncompromising republican, con- 



528 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



sistently true to his party principles, yet all 
tliese important committee assignments came to 
liim throngh the democratic chairman of an al- 
\vays democratic board of supervisors. Much 
of the important legislation passed by the board 
during his terms of service originated Avith. or 
was supported by, him. I\Ir. Bradley from 
young manhood has taken an active and influen- 
tial part in the political af¥aii's of township, 
county and state, frequently being a delegate 
to state and other conventions. He was at one 
time the nominee of his party for county treas- 
urer but was defeated, the county being largely 
democratic. He has served his party many 
years as a member of both the county central 
and county executive committees. In township, 
village and other local affairs yir. Bradley has 
served the people well and almost continuously 
and innumerable improvements attest his faith- 
fulness to the public interests. The retirement 
of Mr. Bradley from the board of supervisors 
caused general and pi'ofoiuid regret all over the 
county, the people fully realizing the loss of 
such high ability and long experience in hand- 
ling the county's affairs. In every walk of life, 
public or private. Mr. Bradley has displayed 
the same excellent .iudgment, the highest staud- 
ai'd of honor, the utmost conscientiousness and 
the same painstaking fidelity to every interest 
with which he has had to do. Well and person- 
ally known throughout the county and far be- 
yond its confines, the name of S. IT. Bradley car- 
ries with it evervwhere esteem and honoi'. 



Illinois with his 
Spj'ingfield. Avhere 
is a son of James 
I'ounty, Kentucky, 



JA:MES M. STEVENS. 
James ]\I. Stevens, Avhose home is located on 
section S, Northwest township, was lioi-n in 
Madison county, Kentuck-v. January 8. 1820, 
and in 1828 he came to 
brother-in-law. settling m^ir 
he remained two years, lie 
Stevens, n native of ('lark 
^\-]\(> at one time owned .-ind operated a ferry- 
boat on the Kentuekv rivei'. He died when his 
.son James Avas only four years old, his death re- 
sulting from an accident — the breakins' of his 
leg. His Avife bore the maiden name of Elizabeth 
Coons and Avas a daughter of "Mi-, and ih's. Jo- 
sepli Coons. Avho wei'e natives of riermany, 
Avhence they came to Kentuc'cv at an early day. 
They continu(^d i-esidents of tliat state until called 
to their final rest. TTnto "Mr. and Jlrs. StcA'ens 
Avere born ten (■hildr(Mi : John. Avho died in Ken- 
tucky; :\rary .\.. the wife of Eliot Combs, of 
Adams eount\'. but liolh died in Quiiiey i Patrielc, 
Avho died in Kentiicky. ^Mai'tin. Avh:>se death 
oeenri-ed in Qnincy ; James !\1. : Thomas, who rlied 



in Kentucky in early manhood ; Nancy, Avho 
married Alex Horn, of ^Missouri, and became a 
resident of Qnincy, her remains being interi'ed 
in the Stevens cemetery in Northeast township 
at the time of her death ; William, who died in 
Missouri ; Joseph, Avho met death by droAViiiug ; 
and Katie, who Avas scalded to death. 

James M. Stevens, Avhose name introduces this 
revicAv. Avas a student in the public schools of 
Kentucky in early life and subseqixeut to his 
arrival in this state he continued his studies in 
the seh(>ols of Northeast township. Later he re- 
turned to Kentucky to enter into the inheritance 
AA'hich came to him from his father's estate. He 
then came again to Illinois and purchased land 
on section 8, Northeast toAvnship. Here he 
liuilt a log house, going thirteen miles to get the 
brick to make the chimney. This Avas the first 
brick chimney on any house in this locality. His 
Avas, hoAvever, a typical pioneer home and he 
lived in triie frontier style, but as the years 
passed he seciu'ed the comforts and conveniences 
Avhich are known in the older east. 

On the 20th of November, 1844, Mr. Stevens 
Avas mari'ied to .Miss Eliza Crain, a daughter of 
i\lr. and .Mrs. Joseph Ci-ain, of Schuyler county_j 
Illinois. Ciito them were born the folloAving 
children: James E., noAV deceased; Mary, the 
Avife of James V. SteA^ns, of Kentucky; John, 
deceased; Emily, the Avife of Thomas Stevens, of 
Kentucky; Anna E., the Avife of Americus 
( 'omljs, Avho Avas killed in the railroad yard at 
Quiney; Dudley, deceased: and tAvo Avho died in 
infancy. FolloAving the death of his first Avife 
Mr. Stevens Avas again married, his second union 
being with Sarah Sih'ers, of Quinc}', who Avas 
born in IMissouri and is a daughter of Mr. and 
Mrs. John ]\I. Combs, natives of Kentiicky. 

Mr. Stevens came to Illinois Avhen there Avere 
fcAv families in Adams county and Avhen the 
Indians A\'ere yet fi'cquently seen. In the spring 
of that year Black IlaAvk Avas cajitured at Rock 
Island in the bend of the riA-er. There Avere no 
railroads and the toAvns neai'est his home Avere 
RushA'ille and Quiney, the latter being aboiit the 
size of the smallest village noAV in Adams county. 
It contained onl.A' a fcAV houses and these Avere 
made of logs. ]\Ir. SteA'ens endured many of the 
hardships and trials incident to life on the fron- 
tier. He frosted his feet on the night that the 
deep snow began to fall in the Avinter of 1830-31. 
This Avas a, Avinter neA'er to be forgotten by those 
A\'ho experienced it. For three months the snoAV 
laid to a great depth over the ground, making 
travel almost impossible for Aveek after Aveek. 
^lany of the Avild animals Avere killed off because 
they conld not find anything to subsist on. 
There Avere Avolves, panthers, Avildcats and a fcAV 
bears. There were also deer and elk. and A'enison 





MR. AND MRS. JAMES M. STEVENS 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



531 



was a frequent dish ou the pioneer table. There 
■was also nmch feathered game, inehiding prairie 
chickens, qnails and turkeys. 'Sir. Stevens par- 
ticipated in the Mormon war of 1844, assisting 
in drivins the polygamous colonists from the 
state. He has always re.joiced in progress and 
advancement that has been made in the county 
and his labors have been of material benefit to 
this portion of Illinois along agricultural lines. 
He is to-day the owner of a valuable farm of 
two hundred and thirty-four acres on section 8. 
Northeast township, and it is the visible evidence 
of his life of thrift and industry. Tn his political 
views he is a democrat and his wife is religiously 
connected with the Christian church. Both are 
held in warm regard throughout the communit.v 
and their names should be inscribed high upon 
the roll of pioneers in Adams county. 



HERBERT L. TANDY. 

Herbert L. Tandy, one of the pioneer settlers 
of Adams county, was born in Christian county. 
Kentuclr\-, near" Hopkins^nlle. August 1. 1833. 
and is descended from Irish ancestry, the family 
having been established in Virginia long before 
the Revolutionary war. His grandfather ^^■as 
Mills Tandy, a resident of Virginia, who married 
a IMiss Graves and their son, William II. Tandy, 
was born in Orange county. Virginia. They re- 
moved to Kentuclr\' during his boyhood days and 
the a-randfatber followed the occupation of farm- 
inn- in that state. William IT. Tandy was mar- 
ried when about t^s\enty-one years of age to :\Iiss 
Alice L. Woo'folk. who was about the same age 
and whose people also removed from Orange 
county, Virginia, to Kentucky. Coming to Illi- 
nois Mr. Tand>' was actively identified with the 
early development of Adams county and served 
as its second sheriff. Later he was again chosen 
for that office, was then defeated for the same 
position but later was elected for a third term, 
and he served as sheriff when Stephen A. Doug- 
las was circuit .judge. In the meantime he had 
purchased land and as he found opportunity he 
added to this property until at the time of his 
death he owned five hundred and thirty acres, all 
in Burton to^^^lsbip, which was divided among 
his children. The father was a whig and after- 
ward a republican and was an influential factor 
in political circles in the county at an early day. 

Mr. Tandy, of this review, brought to Adams 
county at aii early age, was educated in the pub- 
lic schools and was trained to habits of industry 
and economy. He worked in the fields and 
meadows and has always lived on the old home- 
stead, owning now three hundred and four acres 
of laud on sections 28 and 29. also twenty-four 



acres on section 16. Burton township. He has 
his land well tilled and raises good crops, also a 
high grade of stock, and the various improve- 
ments on the farm are in keeping with modern 
ideas of agriculture. 

On the 12th of December. 1854, :\Ir. Tandy 
was married to oMiss Cerrilla F. Lewis, a daugh- 
ter of Giles S. and Sophronia (Daniels) Lewis, 
the former a native of Connecticut and the latter 
of Kentueln\ For more than half a century 
Mr and Mrs. Tandy have traveled life's .iourney 
together and on the 12th of December, 1904, they 
celebi-ated their golden wedding. They have be- 
come the parents of nine children and theirs is 
a remai'kable family record, as the circle yet re- 
mains unbroken, .\nnette, the eldest, is the wife 
of Robert A. Beckett, a farmer of Finney county, 
Kansas, and has four children : Ellen is the wife 
of Rev. Charles H. ?Iands. a Baptist minister of 
Cromwell. Connecticut, by whom she has three 
living children : Cerrilla is the wife of E. B. 
Ilarkness, a farmer of Finney county. Kansas, 
and has one child : Elmer E.. who is farming on 
section 29. Burton town.ship, married ]May Sex- 
ton and has seven children: Sophronia is the 
wife of R. V. Elliott, a farmer living near Lin- 
coln, Nebraska, and has two children : Louisa is 
the wife of Frank Bradsha^^-. a farmer of Phil- 
lipsburg. IMontana. and has three living chil- 
dren and one deceased: Amelia, a milliner and 
dressmaker, has been living in California but is 
now at home: William H.. who married JMyra 
Nipher, by whom he has two children, is living 
near Lawrenceburg. Tennessee: and Mary L., 
who completed her education in Shurtleff Col- 
lege, is engaged in dressmaking. 

The parents belong to the Baptist church at 
Newtown, Illinois, and are interested in its work 
and progress. ]Mr. Tandy ha.s long been a wit- 
ness of the development and growth of the 
county and has seen a wonderful transformation 
as the log cabins have given place to substantial 
farm residences, the wild prairie grass has been 
replaced by fields of grain and all the evidences 
of frontier life have been replaced by tho.se of 
an advanced civilization. 



GEORGE HENRY WILSON. 

George Henry Wilson, since 1801 a practi- 
tioner at the Quincy bar. was born in Barry. 
Pike county. Illinois November 7. 1866. his pa- 
rents being Rev. Henry and ^Mary Jane (Padg- 
ett") Wilson. Th(j father was boi-n in Union- 
to\vn, Penn.sylvania. October 1, 1840, and for 
many years devoted his life to the work of the 
ministry of the ^Methodist Episcopal church, but 
is now iivini;' retired. He was pastor of various 



5:-i2 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



eliui'chcs ill niiuuis, locating' iu the state in 1860, 
at which time he accepted the pastorate of the 
IMethodist church in Warsaw. He now resides 
at Santa Barbara, California, at the age of sixty- 
four years. In his political views he is a re- 
publican. His wife, who was boru in Albany, 
New York, September 20. 1840. has also reached 
the age of sixty-four years. During her girl- 
hood her parents removed to Quincy and her 
father was a resident of Adams county through 
a long period. He followed the occupation of 
farming for many years and at length retired 
from the farm, establishing his home in Quiucy, 
where he continued in business by taking eon- 
tracts for making excavations. Unto Rev. and 
ilrs. Henry Wilson were born three children 
that reached mature years : Annie P., who was 
married December 25, 1904, to John I\[. Graham, 
a conductor on the Chicago, Burlington & 
Quincy Railroad, residing in Chicago; George 
Henry, of this review; and Jessie F., the wife of 
Henry Crowl, of Wooster, Ohio, where he is en- 
gaged in the undertaking business 

George Henry Wilson pursued his early edu- 
cation in the public schools and completed his 
pre'iminary course In- graduation from the high 
school of Pittstield, Illinois, with the class of 
1883. He then entered the Illinois College in 
the academic department and was graduated on 
the completion of the classical course in college 
in 1888, being valedictorian of his class at which 
time the degree of Bacheliu- of Arts was con- 
ferred u])on him. In 1891 he received the hono- 
rary degree of Master of Arts from his alma 
mater. He then taught school for a year and 
was assistant principal of the Carrollton schools 
for a year, but regarded his educational labor 
merely as a preliminary step toward other pro- 
fessional duties. It was his desire to become a 
member of the legal profession and to this end 
he attended lectures in the Union College of Law 
in Chicago in 1889 and 1890. Being admitted 
to the bar in 1891 he then entered upon the 
practice of his profession in Quincy, where h-- 
has continued to the present time, meeting with 
excellent success. In December, 1896, he formed 
a partuersliiji with John E. Wall under the firm 
style of Wilson & Wall, with ofRees at No. 401 
Hampshii'C street, and they are accorded a lib- 
eral patronage indicative of their skill in 
handling important litigated interests. Mr. Wil- 
son is very careful in the pi-eparation of his cases 
and presents his cause in a logical forcible man- 
ner, giving due prominence to each detail, yet 
never losing sight of the important points upon 
which the decision of every case finally turns. 

IMr. Wilson was married June 14, 1894, to Miss 
Frances W. Hall, a daughter of John W. and 
Frances (Wilkinson) Hall. Her father was a 
carriage manufacturer and implement dealer. 



She was born iu Jacksonville, Illinois, June 25, 
1867. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson hold membership in 
the Methodist Episcopal church, he acting as a 
trustee of the church of that denomination on 
Vermont street. He belongs to Bodley lodge, 
No. 1, A. P. & A. Rf., and he also belongs to the 
Quincy Bar Association and is a director of the 
Quincy Law Library. His political allegiance is 
given to the republican party and he was elected 
ui^on that ticket states attorney for Adams 
county in 1896 for a term of four years, during 
which time he capably discharged the duties of 
the position. The public and the profession ac- 
cord him an enviable position in the ranks of the 
legal fraternity of Quincy. Public-spirited and 
progressive, he is interested in the welfare of the 
city in its various lines of progress and improve- 
ment and he is now serving as secretary of the 
board of dii-ectors of- the Anna Brown Plonie for 
the Aged. 



WALTER H. BENNETT. 

Walter II. Bennett, prominent as a trial law- 
yer and secretary of the Quincy Bar Association, 
was born in ilounds. Brown county, Illinois, No- 
vember 8, 1872. Little is known concerning the 
ancestral history of the family. His paternal 
grandfather died in Ohio, in which state his son 
George W. Bennett -was born and reared. He 
was a grain merchant through much of his busi- 
ness career. He married Josie Noonan, a native 
of Ireland, who came to America with her 
brother when eight yeai's of age. They M'ent to 
St. Louis, and about 1850, when thirteen years 
of age, she liecame a resident of Brown county, 
Illinois. Her husband became a resident of that 
county in the same year. There he died in 1889 
at the age of seventy-five years, while his wife is 
still living at the old home. There were but two 
children of this marriage, and the daughter, 
Emma, died at the age of thirteen years. The 
other is the subject of this review. George W. 
Bennett was the father of four children by a for- 
mer marriage and Josie Bennett the mother of 
four children by a former marriage. 

AValter H. Bennett attended the public school 
in Mounds and afterward became a student in 
the high school at Clayton, where he was grad- 
uated in June, 1890. He attended Chaddock Col- 
lege during 1890-91. Fie then engaged in teach- 
ing school until the fall of 1893, and in Septem- 
ber of that year came to Quincy, where he en- 
tered the law office of Hamilton & Woods, as a 
student, continuing his reading under the direc- 
tion of that firm for two years, when in 1895 he 
was admitted to the Quincy bar. He has been 



PAST AND PKESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



533 



in eoiistaiil jn-ac-tit-e continuously since. Prom 
the first he has enjoyed a lucrative practice, and 
during the past seven years he has had a dis- 
tinctive representative clientage, having a prac- 
tice, which because of its nature and proportions, 
might well be envied. He has been connected 
with three important murder cases, including the 
nine days' trial of William J. Reed, who was ac- 
quitted and then entered the regular army and 
died in the .service in the Philippines. Mr. Ben- 
nett prepares his eases with great precision and 
care and in the presentation of his cause is clear 
and forcible, his deductions following in logical 
sequence. He gives every detail its full force, 
yet never for a moment loses sight of the main 
issue upon which the decision of every case 
finally turns. 

On the 1st of June, 1897, Mr. Bennett was 
married to JMiss Nellie Ince, a daughter of Dr. 
E. A. Ince, of Quinc}^ They have three chil- 
dren : Edward, born March 26. 1898 : Eleanor, 
July 7, 1899; and Paul, born I\Iarch 6. 1903. 
Fraternally Mr. Bennett is connected with Lam- 
bert lodge". No. 659. A. F. & A. i\I. ; Gem Citv 
lodge, No. 357, I. 0. O. F. ; Amity lodge, K. P., 
and several fraternal insurance orders, and in 
the first named has filled all the chairs. In the 
line of his profe.s.sion he is connected with the 
Quincy Bar Association. In politics a democrat, 
he has served as secretary of the county commit- 
tee at different times and is much interested in 
political questions and issues, keeping well in- 
formed on all the subjects of party discussion. 



WILLIAM D. DE MOSS. 

William D. DeMoss, living on section 3, Co- 
lumbus township, is the owner of very extensive 
fai'm lands, his possessions aggregating twelve 
hundred acres. He is regarded as a most thrifty 
farmer and stock-raiser and certainly deserves 
much credit foi- what he has accomplished, as 
nearly all that he possesses has come to him 
through his own labors. A native son of Adams 
county, his birth occurred in Camp Point town- 
ship, October 12. 1840. His father, James De- 
Moss, who was born in Hamilton coiTuty, OWo, 
in 1815, was a son of Charles DeMoss, a native 
of France. He was reared in the Buckeye state 
and when a young man came to Illinois, arriv- 
ing in Adams county about 1836. Here he mar- 
ried Miss ilargaret AVliite. a native of Spring- 
acres of government land. He owned several 
fai'ms which in the course of time were developed 
claims and later bought one hundred and .sixty 
field, Illinois. Mr. De^Ioss purchased some 
into very productive properties and in Adams 



county he reared his family and spent his entire 
life. That he was a man of marked energy, 
perseverance and business capacity is indicated 
by the fact that he became the owner of between 
twelve and thirteen hundred acres of land. As 
an early settler he aided in large measure in the 
substantial improvement of the county through 
its pioneer epoch. He died in 1880, and his wife 
survived him for about a year. 

William D. DeMoss is the eldest in a family of 
si.Kteen children, ten of whom reached mati;re 
years, while nine are yet living, ilr. DeMoss 
obtained a conmion-school education in Adams 
county and remained with his father until 
twenty-two years of age, when he was married, 
tile wedding cerem.ony being celebrated in Co- 
lumbus township, March 6, 1862. the lady of his 
choice being Miss Jlary Eliza Horner, who M'as 
born near Cincinnati, in Hamilton county, Ohio. 
Her father, William Horner, was a native of In- 
diana and was there reared. About 1852 he 
brought his family to Illinois, so that Mrs. De- 
^loss spent her girlhood days in Adam.s county. 

The young couple began their domestic life 
upon the farm which he still occupies, having at 
first a tract of land of eighty acres, on which 
were few improvements. The liberal use of fer- 
tilizers and the rotation of crops has inade his 
land very productive. He is also engaged in 
raising and shipping stock, and as his financial 
resources have increased he has purchased other 
farms from time to time until he owned within a 
radius of about three miles thirteen hundred 
acres of land. He has also given land to his 
children and has sold some, but his possessions at 
the present writing amoimt to twelve hundred 
acres. Mr. and Mrs. DeMoss sl.'irlod out in life 
empty-handed, but they i)nss.-ss((l cournge and 
determination, and while ^Ir. De.Moss did the 
work of the fields his wife carefully managed the 
household affairs and their united efforts have 
brought prosperity. They became the parents 
of three children, \nit the eldest. Flora, who was 
the wife of Henry Spai'ks, died in 1893, leaving 
a daughter, — Ethel May Sjiarks, who resides 
with her grandparents. Luella DeMoss became 
the wife of Benjamin L. Wilhoit, a farmer of 
Columbus township, and they have four chil- 
dren: Harry L., Lillie Pearl, Hazel F. and Goldie 
?J. Lillie ]M. DeMoss is the wife of Henry 
Sparks, a farmer of Clayton township, and they 
have a son, — Orren D. 

Politically Mr. DeMoss has been a life-long 
republican, having cast his first presidential vote 
for Abraham Lincoln in 1864. He served as 
road commissioner for six years and has long 
been a member of the school board. The cause 
of education finds in him a warm friend and he 
pays a larger amount of school taxes than any 
one in his township. His wife is a member of 



534 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



tlie Christinii cluuvli This wortliy couple are 
held in high esteem throughout the eonimuoity 
and wherever known and well merit tlie \\'arm 
regard M'hieh is so uniformly extended to them. 
Mr. DeMoss has worked untiringly through 
many years to win the success which he now en- 
joys and at all times his business methods have 
been such as would bear the closest investigation 
and scrutinA'. 



CHARLES H. BULL. 



No name figiires more honorably or conspicu- 
ously on the pages of Quiney's business history 
and permanent and substantial development than 
that of Charles H. Bull, for many years asso- 
ciated with the mercantile and banking interests 
of the city and with railroad construction. Plain 
and unassuming in manner, with ti'ue democratic 
spirit, he nevertheless ranks, according to the 
consensus of public opinion, with the foremost 
men of the state, controlling interests of far- 
reaching effect on the trade circles of the Missis- 
sippi valley. 

A native of Hartford, Connecticut, which had 
been the ancestral home of the family for many 
yeai's, Charles H. Bull was born in 1822, and 
having spent the first fourteen years of his life 
in the city of his nativity he came to Quincy to 
enter upon a business career that has been 
marked by steady rise and by unfaltering honor. 
Here he joined his brother, Lorenzo Bull, who 
for four years had been employed in the mer- 
cantile house of J. T. Holmes, with whom Charles 
H. Bull now secured employment, receiving one 
hundred dollars as the remuneration for his ser- 
vices the first year, and each year thereafter 
securing an increase of salary of fifty dollars. 

With laudable ambition the brothers saved 
their earnings, and in 1844 the firm of L. & C. 
H. Bull was formed and entered upon the sale 
of hardware, to which they later added queens- 
wai-e and a few years later they added a stock of 
farm implements and machinery. Their trade 
rapidly increased because of the fact that Quincy 
was then the market center for a large district 
and also by reason of the honorable policy in- 
augurated by the brothers. The firm name of 
L. & C. H. Bull remained a synonym of business 
integrity in Illinois for more than a half cen- 
tury or until the business title was lost through 
the merging of their banking interests into the 
State Savings. Loan and Trust Company. It 
was in 1861 that they ceased to operate along 
mercantile lines and became factors in commer- 
cial circles through the establislunent of a bank- 
ing house, that, like their commercial enterprise, 



met with iiinuediate and growing success. The 
institution maintained a steadfast existence, its 
credit unshaken during the most severe financial 
crises in the history of the country, and when 
finally the business was re-organized under the 
name of the State Savings, Loan and Trust Com- 
pany, Charles H. Bull became vice president of 
the latter institution and contributed in large 
measure to its expansion and stability through 
his keen discernment and executive force. 

What Mr. Bull has done in connection with 
railroad building in the middle west would alone 
entitle him to conspicuous mention in the annals 
of material progress in the Mississippi valley. 
He was one of the projectors of the Quincy, j\Iis- 
souri and Pacific Railroad, in June, 1869, and 
was the fii'st treasurer and financial agent as well 
as a member of the first board of directors. The 
active work of construction devolved very large- 
ly upon him_, and for many years he was the 
oresident of the company. Out of this enter- 
prise there has been developed an important 
railway system, extending from Quincy to Kan- 
sas City. St. Joseph, Omaha and south to the 
Gulf of Jlexico and Mr. Bull is continually striv- 
ing to promote the interests of the road and make 
it an important highway of travel betw'een the 
east and the west. The road has had many 
vicissitudes, but through all Mr. Bull has main- 
tained firm faith in its ultimate success and its 
triumph over adversity and seemingly luisur- 
raountable obstacles is largely due to him. 

Quincy, benefitting by his efforts along many 
lines, acknowledges her indebtedness to him for 
his efforts in connection with the Public Library 
.\ssociation, of which he has long been the presi- 
dent. He was also president of the Graceland 
Cemetery Association and treasurer and 
trustee of the Anna Bi'own Home for the Aged, 
also a director of the Associated Charities, and a 
cenerous supporter of many worthy causes for 
the benefit of the needy and for the upbuilding 
and improvement of the city. In the years of 
a long, active and useful life, there has been no 
esoteric phase in his career, for public service, 
social relations and private business interests 
have been actuated by high and honorable mo- 
tives. 



WILLIAM 0. POWELL. 

William 0. Powell is the owner of a fine farm 
on section 31, Gilmer township. lie was born 
iTarch 11, 1858. His father. Joseph Powell, was 
a native of Delaware and came to Illinois in 
1832, establishing his home on section 31, Gilmer 
town.ship. where he purchased land from the gov- 
ernment at the usual price of one dollar and a 








2 e^c,f:,^-C^ </ K^ 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



537 



quarter per acre. He at oiiee beuan to cultivate 
the land and continued its imiirovement for a 
Ions period. At the age of thirty-seve?! he was 
married to Miss Phoebe Boddy. a dauahter of 
Mr. and Mrs. John Bodd.y, who came to Illinois 
from Delaware and settled in Ellington town- 
ship. Unto Mr. and IMrs. Powell were born 
eleven children : Mary, Sarah A , Roxanna, 
Jossee W., Jason, Laui-a, Joshua, Susan A., 
Mark. William 0., and Martha. Of this number 
Jason is now deceased. Throughout his entire 
life the father carried on general farming and 
also raised stock and was well known at an early 
day as a reliable and trustworthy representative 
of agricultural interests. 

William 0. Powell was reared to farm life in 
his boyhood days. The occupation which then 
claimed his attention he has made his source of 
income since attaining to man's estate and he 
now owns a fine farm in Gilmer to\vnship. where 
he has richly cultivated fiekls and raises fine 
.stock There are good improvements upon the 
place and he has equipped it with all modern 
accessories. 

On the 26th of October, 1887. IMr. Powell was 
married to ]\Iiss Clara Teargain who was born 
in Gilmer township in 1863, and is a daughter of 
Mr. and I\[rs I\I. M. Yeargain, who now reside in 
Gilmer to«Tiship. Three children have blessed 
this marriage : Edna M., Muriel and Mabel, all 
at home. Mr. Powell gives his political support 
to the republican party, and although he has 
never sought or desired ofYice he keeps well in- 
formed on the issues of the day and takes an in- 
terest in politics, as every true American citizen 
should do. He belongs to the Methodist Epis- 
copal church. 



JOHN L. ENSailNGER. 

John L. Ensminger, who is engaged in general 
farming on section 3, Lima township, was born 
in Hancock county, January 5, 1849. He is a 
son of Philip and Elizabeth Jane (Wilson) Ens- 
minger. The father was born in Maryland, 
July 17, 1819, a son of Philip and Elizabeth 
(Stam) Ensminger, and when very young was 
taken to Virginia, while at the age of eight years 
he accompanied his parents on their removal to 
Indiana. He there remained until twenty years 
of age. when he became a resident of Illinois, lo- 
eatint!' in Lima. His wife's parents had come to 
this state in 1832, and he and ^Irs. En.sniinger 
were married in Adams county. After living in 
Lima for some time, Philip Ensminger removed 
to Warsaw, where he studied law. being admitted 
to the bar. In 1849 he went to California, where 
he remained until 1854. He then i-etnrned home 



and in 1859, again attracted by the discovery of 
gold, he started for Pike's Peak, but never 
reached his destination and returned to this 
state. The following year, however, he went to 
Pike's Peak. On the outbreak of the Civil war 
he enlisted in the union army in 1861 and re- 
mained for three years as a defender of the old 
flag and the cause it represented. He joined the 
ai'my as a sergeant of Company G, One Hundred 
and Nineteenth Illinois Infantry, and when mus- 
tered out he held the rank of commander, having 
been promoted in recognition of his faithful and 
meritorious service on the field of battle. Dur- 
ing the time he was in California he was elected 
district judge, filling that office at a period when 
there was miTch danger attached to defensive jus- 
tice because of the lawless element that had been 
attracted to the Pacific coast, with the discovery 
of gold and the opportunity that it gave the 
criminal class to gain booty through unlawful 
means. Following his service in war, ]\Ir. Ens- 
minger returned to his home in Adams county 
and spent his remaining days upon bis farm. 
His was an eventful life in many respects and 
he was connected with many experiences which 
have left their impress upon the history of the 
country. He died in February, 1880, and his 
wife passed away in April, 1897. 

John L. Ensminger was educated in the public 
schools of Hancock county but his opportunities 
in that direction were limited for his father and 
elder brother were in the army and much of the 
work and management of the home fann de- 
volved upon him. On leaving home, in 1873. he 
purchased fifty acres of land where he now lives 
and as his financial resources have increased he 
has added to this property until he now has one 
hundred and ninety acres of very rich and arable 
land. Here he carries on general farming and 
has also been engaged in threshing for forty 
years, now operating two threshing outfits 

On the 28th of December. 1870, Mr. Ensmin- 
ger was married to Miss Roxanna Stone, of 
Adams county, a daughter of Charles and Susan 
(Lulman) Stone. Her father was a farmer but 
at the time of the Civil war he left the plow and 
went to the front in defense of his country, 
serving with the Union army until 1863, when 
he gave his life for the cause of human liberty. 
Mi's. Ensminger died in February, 1879. leaving 
two children : Edward and Chai-les. The for- 
mer, born October 30, 1874, is now engaged in 
merchandising in Marcelline; Charles, born Oc- 
tober 15, 1876, married Julia Carroll and resides 
near his father's farm. For his second wife 
John Ensminger chose Eva M. Gallemore, a 
daughter of Nash and Rachel (Young) Galle- 
more. who were residents of Lima township but 
are now deceased. Mr. and ]\Irs. Ensminger were 
married in 1883. and unto them have been born 



53« 



PAST AND PRESENT UF ADAMS COUNTY. 



five children: Nellie, liorii November 30, 1887: 
Edith, born September o, 1889 ; John L., born 
July 24, 1891 : Jennie born February 28, 1897 ; 
and Freddie, born :\[ai-ch 31, 1904. 

Mr. Ensminger votes with the democratic 
j)arty. He has served as school director for fif- 
teen years, was justice of the peace and notary 
public for fifteen years, commissioner ten years, 
assessor one year, and collector for two years. 
In all of these ofRees he has been most true to 
duty and capable in the discharge of the tasks 
that have devolved upon him. He has been a 
IMason since 1873. belonging to Lima lodge. No. 
135. His wife is a member of the IMethodist 
Protestant church Mr. Ensminger deserves 
great credit for what he has accomplished in his 
business eai'eer, for every dollar that he pos- 
sesses has been earned through honest labor. He 
has worked very i^ersistently, overcoming many 
difficulties and obstacles in his path, and as the 
years have advanced he has added to his capital 
until he is now one of the substantial citizens of 
his communitv. 



HENRY B. DINES. 

Henry B. Dines, financially interested in vari- 
ous business concerns of Quincy and actively en- 
gaged in the real estate and insurance business 
as the senior member of the firm of Dines & Orr, 
and also as the secretary of the Gem City Biiild- 
ing and Loan Association, was born in Knox 
county, Missouri, September 24, 1844, his i)a rents 
being John W. and Nancy O. (Murphy) Dines, 
the former a native of Maryland and the latter of 
Kentucky. The Dines family is supposed to be 
of English lineage. William Dines, the «'raiid- 
father, was born in England and, with his father, 
came to America about the beginning of the nine- 
teenth century, locating near Fredericksburg, 
Maryland. There he resided for a number of 
years, and about 1837 became a resident of Mis- 
soiiri. In his family were five sons: Rev. Tyson 
Dines, a i)rominent clergyman of the ]\Iethodist 
Episcopal church. South, who was pastor of a 
church of that denomination in Quincy in the 
'40s: Thomas, who was engaged in merchandis- 
ing in Shelbyville, Missouri, and later in Illinois, 
and whose son, Tyson, is a prominent lawyer of 
Denver and attorney for the Colorado Southei-n 
Railway CompauA- : John W. ; Joseph, who was 
a minister of the iMethodist Episcopal church. 
South, and Henry W., who died in Texas. 

John Wesley Dines, father of our subject, was 
a farmer by occupation and was accidentally 
killed by a runaway horse at the age of sixty- 



eiglit years. His wife reached the age of sixty- 
seven year. They Avere the parents of eleven 
children, of whom Henry is the eldest living, the 
others being Alary E., the wife of D. B. Pritch- 
ard of Shelby county, Missoiiri; Amanda E., the 
wife of Colonel John W. Hersey of Chicago; 
Ellen, the wife of Clay Balthrope of Kansas; 
Nance, the wife of John W. Freeman of Okla- 
homa : James Tyson, who is living in Shelby 
county, Missouri: John W. of Oklahoma; Ollie, 
the wife of Edgar Taylor of Shelbyville, Mis- 
souri; Ida M., who resides in Danville, Illinois; 
William, who died at the age of eight years, and 
Joseph C, who died at the age of twenty-two 
years. 

Henry B. Dines began his education in the pub- 
lic schools of Shelbyville, Missouri, and also at- 
tended a high school of that town, conducted 
under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal 
church. He engaged in teaching school in earl,y 
manhood and afterward turned his attention to 
merchandising in Shelbyville, Missouri, continu- 
ing his operations there from 1866 Tintil 1878. In 
the latter year he embarked in journalism as a 
jiublisher of the Shelby County Herald, which 
he conducted for ten years, when he sold his 
property and came to Quincy, entering the real 
estate and insurance b^isiness, in which he has 
since continued. He is now the senior member 
of the firm of Dines & Orr, his partner being 
Mathew S. Orr. He is likewise secretary of the 
Gem City Building and Loan Association, which 
was organized in 1889, at which time he was 
chosen for the official position which he yet occu- 
l>ies. He is president and treasurer of the Quincy 
Egg Carrier Company, the secretary and treas- 
urer of the Quincy Elevator Gate Company. 
Thus connected with various business interests 
which have important bearing upon the commer- 
city activity of the city, he is now classed with 
the representative men of Quincy and, moreover, 
his reputation is one which will bear the closest 
investigation and scrutiny, for he has always 
lieen a strict adherent of high commercial ethics, 
never taking advantage of the necessities of his 
fellowinen in any trade transaction. 

I\Ir. Dines proved his loyalty to the government 
at the time of the Civil war by enlisting as a 
member of Company B, Second Provisional Regi- 
ment of I\Iissouri. as a bugler. He sci'vcd from 
Januai-y until November in that coiiip;iny aud 
was afterward with Company G of the Seventieth 
Regiment of the JMissouri State Militia as first 
sergeant, and, after serving for four months, he 
was honorably discharged at the close of the war. 
In connnunity interests he was also prominent 
and influential in Shelbyville, and his fitness for 
leadership and devotion to the public good were 
recognized in his selection to several positions. 
He was justice of the peace for eight years and 




H. B. DINES 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



541 



was i'fttrward chosen mayor, giviug to the city 
a business-like, practical and progi-essive admin- 
istration. After the close of tlie Civil war he be- 
came an advocate of republican principles, but 
in 1878 severed his allegiance with the party, and 
has since been practically independent in poli- 
ties, although he is a stanch advocate of prohibi- 
tion principles. His vote, however, is cast inde- 
pendent of party ties. He is a member of the 
Vermont Street IMethodist Episcopal church, is 
most active and energetic in its work, is now 
serving as president of the Board of Trustees and 
for eighteen years he was superintendent of the 
Methodist Episcopal Sunday-school at Shelby- 
ville. His social relations connect him with the 
Independent Order of Odd Fellows. 

Henry B. Dines was married on the 13th of 
June. 1867, to iliss ]\Iattie L. Duncan, a daughter 
of John S. and Matilda (Lyne) Duncan. Their 
children are: Etta C. who is a teacher of voice 
culture in Sullin's College at Bristol, Virginia; 
Nellie : Flora ^l. -. Homer D., who wedded ilay 
Dickson and is private secretary to Judge Scott 
of the supreme court ; Lloyd L. and C. Ross, who 
are students in the Northwestern T'niversity. Mr. 
Dines commands the uniform confidence and re- 
spect of all with whom he has been associated. 
His life has been one of continuous activity, in 
which has been accorded due recognition of labor : 
and to-day he is numbered among the substantial 
citizens of his county. His interests are thor- 
oughly identical with those of the northwest, and 
at all times he is ready to lend his aid and co- 
operation to any movement calculated to benefit 
this section of the country or advance its wonder- 
ful development. 



FRANIvLIN .M. McCANN. 

In this enlightened age when men of industry 
and energy are constantl.y pushing their way to 
the front those who have gained success may 
pi'operly claim recognition. In the professions, 
especially, advancement is secured only tlu'ough 
individual merit, and the elements of a success- 
ful career at the bar are strong intellectuality, 
thorough preparation, unremitting diligence and 
close application. Possessing all these reqtiisites 
Franklin 'SI. ]\IcCann has won for himself an 
honorable name and place as a legal practitioner 
in Quincy. 

A native of Columbus. Adams county. Illinois, 
]Mr. ]\IcCann was onlj- a few months old when 
his parents removed to this city, where he has 
since resided. His father. Wesley D. ileCann, 
was a native of Kentucky and on emigrating to 
Illinois settled first at ColumbTis. Ada?ns county. 



which tlien gave promise of rapid growth and 
futiare importance. Quincy was but a small vil- 
lage, but soon it forged ahead of Columbus, and 
seeing that it was destined to be the greater of 
the two places Wesley D. McCann came to this 
city, where he continued to reside until his life's 
labors were ended in death. It has been said of 
him that he was a strong character in every way 
and while he was unostentatious in aU of his 
methods he left the impress of his individuality 
upon the community by reason of his personal 
character and upright life. He never tolei-ated 
dishonorable methods and in all of his dealings 
with his fellowanen was strictly honorable, never 
being known to take advantage of a single indi- 
vidual. The poor and needy found in him a 
warm and helpful friend, while in his family he 
was a devoted husband and father and to his 
wife and children left the priceless heritage of 
an untarnished name His widow still resides 
at the old family home on East Maine street in 
Qiiincy, where through long years she has made 
her home, enjoying the esteem and friendship of 
many with whom she has been brought in con- 
tact." 

Franklin ^l. McCann, having acquired his 
preliminary education in the public schools of 
Quincy, piu-sued his more specific literaiy course 
in Illinois College at Jaeksonvile, where he was 
graduated with high honors. With broad gen- 
eral learning to serve as the foundation upon 
which to rear the superstructure of professional 
Imowledge he took up the study of law assid- 
uously, applied himself to the mastery of its 
fundamental principles and when twenty-four 
years of age secured admission to the bar after 
successfully passing the required examinations. 
He then entered upon the practice of his chosen 
profession, to which he has given his ixndivided 
attention. The law is a jealous mistress and 
wishes no half-hearted loyalty and Mr. :\IcCann 
has throughout the years of his connection with 
the Quincy bar devoted his energies unremit- 
tingly to the building up of a good patronage. 
His allegiance to his clients' interests is pro- 
verbial and he prepares his cases with great 
thoroughness and precision, while in their pres- 
entation before court or jury he shows a clear- 
ness of thought, a logical arrangement and a 
thorough understanding of the points at issues 
and of the law applicable to them so that he 
never fails to make a strong impression upon 
those who listen to his arguments and seldom 
fails to win the verdict desired. 

In 1893 occurred the marriage of Franklin 
M. IMeCann and ^Miss Luella Adams, of Topeka, 
Kansas, and they now have two children : Edith 
Adams and Franklin Adams McCann. They oc- 
cupy a prominent social position and ^Ir. Mc- 
Cann possesses the u.ualifications that give him 



542 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



ready entrance into social circles, liavinc' a genial 
nature and a fund of humor which supplements 
a strong and determined character and resolute 
will that makes him unfalterinsr in support of 
his honest convictions or any position which he 
deems to be right. 



WILLIAJr HENRY JUDY. 

William Henry Judy, an enterprising grain 
merchant of Coatsburg, was born in Gilmer 
township, October 8, 1847. His father, William 
J^idy, was a native of Kentucky, living in Gal- 
latin county until about twenty-five years of 
age. when he came to Illinois and settled in 
Gilmer township, Adams county, where he car- 
ried on general farming and stock raising, be- 
ing one of the pioneer residents of this part of 
the state, and aiding largely in early agricul- 
tural development. As he entered the land from 
the government not a furrow had been tui-ned 
or an imju-ovenient made upon the place, but he 
soon broke the soil, planted the seed, and in 
course of time harvested good crops. He was 
soon recognized as one of the leading farmers 
of his community, worthy of all respect. He 
had two brothers who came to Adams countv in 
1835-P. G. and P. S. Judy. They, too,' ac- 
cumulated large tracts of land and became rep- 
resentative agriculturists of this part of the 
state. William Judy is one to whom the county 
owes a debt of gratitude for what he did in 
promoting the pioneer development, for he 
aided in laying broad and deep the foundation 
for the pr'esent prosperity and progress of this 
part of the state. He married ]\Iiss Mary A. 
Lawless, Avho was born in Grant county, Ken- 
tuclcy. in 1823, and came to Illinois Avith her 
parents in a wagon drawn by oxen, the family 
settling in Gilmer township. She became the 
wife of Mr. Judy in July, 1845, and two years 
later his death occurred. Mrs. Judy is still liv- 
ing and she can relate many interesting inci- 
dents of the pioneer days. Wlaen the family 
came to Adams county, the .journey across the 
Ohio i-iver was made in a flatboat, Mrs. Judy 
being at that time twelve years of age. The 
only hotel in Quincy was then a log biiilding 
under the hill. AVlien her father planned to 
build a hoxise he had to put up a iiole in order 
to mark the site, for there were no land-marks 
of any kind aroiuid The little bviilding was 
constructed of logs, bail a pi;ncheon tloor and 
clapboai'd door and roof. The cracks between 
the logs were filled with mud and there was no 
plaster. It wan necessary to go to Quincy for 
the mail and the now beautiful city was then a 
mere hamlet. There wa,s no paper published 



there and few business enterprises had been es- 
tablished. Following their marriage Mr. and 
Mrs. Judy located on a farm, and after her hus- 
band's death she returned with her little son, 
William Henry Judy, to her father's home. She 
is still living at the advanced age of eighty- 
two years. 

William Ileniy Judy attended the district 
schools in his early boyhood and continued his 
studies in the public schools and high school of 
Quincy. Following the completion of his edu- 
cation he returned home and began teaching in 
the piiblic schools of the county, entering upon 
this work at the age of sixteen years. During 
the summer months he worked upon the home 
farm and employed a man to aid in the farm 
work thi'oughout the remainder of the year. He 
continued teaching in connection with his ag- 
ricultural interests until thirty-nine years of 
age, when he went to Kansas for bis health. 
While there he formed the acquaintance of Effa 
May Lillie, and they were married. They re- 
turned to Illinois, settling in Honey Creek 
township. They lived ui>on the home farm until 
1901, and then established their home in Coats- 
burg, where he engaged in the hay and grain 
business, meeting with excellent success in this 
undertaking. T"fnto Mr. and j\Irs. Judy were born 
four children: Ethel M.. Inez K.. William 
Blaine and Albert S. 

Ml'. Judy was prominent in i-cpulilii-an cir- 
cles and served on the central conunittee. He 
acted as school director and filled other local 
offices and could have had any office within the 
gift of his fellow townsmen, but his ambitions 
were not in the direction of political prefer- 
ment. The cause of education found in him a 
warm friend and he was an advocate of any-, 
thing that tended to promote the moral develop- 
ment of his conuniTnity. At one time he owned 
one hundred and twenty acres of land northwest 
of Coatsburg, but sold that place on his removal 
to the village. He had a wide acquaintance in 
the county where almost his entire life was 
spent and where he had so lived and directed 
his efforts that he i-etaincd the friendship and 
regard of those with whom he was associated 
from his boyhood days. Mr. Jiidy died Jan. 16, 
1905, his remains being interred in ^fl. Pleasant 
Cemetery in Gilmer township. 



JACOB EBERT. 



Jacob Ebert, deceased, liecame a resident of 
Quincy about 1853 and was for many years a 
well known contractor of the city. He was born 
in Wixrtemberg. Germany, November 24, 1827, 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



543 



his parents beins' John and Katherine Ebert. 
both of whom were natives of Germany. 

Jacob Ebert acquired a good education in the 
best schools of "Wiirtembers- and afterward left 
for America with his sister, making his waj- di- 
rect to PalmjTa. ^Missouri, where he arrived in 
1853. There he commenced business as a con- 
tractor and followed that pnrsiiit in Palmyra for 
a few years, after which he removed to Quiney, 
Illinois. He was tlnis employed here for several 
yeai-s when he removed to Bnshnell, Illinois, 
wher-e he was engajred in the grain trade for six 
months, but again he returned to Quiney and 
engaged in business as a stone contractor. He 
assisted in the erection of many of the important 
buildings of Quiney and was one of the contrac- 
tors on the Adams county courthouse. He was 
also foreman in building the Governor Wood 
mansion and many others of the best structures 
of the citv. He continued in active identifica- 
tion with the building operations of Quiney until 
his death, which occuri-ed very suddenly, after 
a brief illness of nine davs. on the 25th of No- 
vember, 1882. 

I\Ir. Ebert was married in Quiney to iliss 
Marv Schaefer. a native of Germanv. born Julv 
28, 1836, and a daughter of Wendell and Eva 
(Daum) Schaefe)-, both of whom were natives of 
Germany and were among the early settlers of 
Quiney. 

Mr. Ebert gave his political alles-iance to the 
republican pai'ty, but never sought or desired of- 
tiee. He was a member of the Independent Order 
of Odd Fellows and belonged to the German 
IMethodi.st Episcopal church, taking a very active 
and helpful intei'est in church work and doing 
all in his power to promote the growth and ex- 
tend the influence of his denomination. ]\Irs. 
Ebert also belongs to the same church. She re- 
sides at No. 717 Noi'th Sixth avenue, ilr. Ebert 
was a resident of Quiney diiring the period of its 
greatest development and belonged to that class 
of representative men whose worth in citizenship 
and interest in the public life are demonstrated 
by active service in behalf of many measures 
which conti'ibuted to the general good. 



quired his education in the public schools of 
Tennessee. 

He came to Adams Gounty in 1868, about the 
time he attained his majority, and settled in 
Honey Creek township, where he lived until 
1870, when he took up his abode in Keene town- 
ship. He always followed farming in this eoi;n- 
ty and his farm now comprises a quarter section 
of land about three and a half miles southeast 
of Loraine. This he keeps in excellent condition 
and his labors have wrought a marked transfor- 
mation in the appearance of the place, which is 
now equipped with modern accessories and good 
buildings, while well kept fences divide the farm 
into fields of convenient size. In addition to 
the raising of the cereals best adapted to the 
soil and climate, he raises some fruit. 

On the 8th of October, 1882, occurred the 
marriage of Mr. Hudson and ]\Iiss 'Slury E. 
Sterrett, a native of Payette County. Pennsyl- 
vania, and a daughter of ]\Ioses Sterrett, who 
is .still living in that county. One child blessed 
this union. Alma I., who was born Sept. 9, 1883, 
and was married Aug. 29. 1901, to ^lartin Sher- 
riek, a farmer of Houston towniship. 

The parents are members of the Methodist 
church and Mr. Hudson belongs to Loraine 
Lodge No. 641, I. 0. 0. P. His political views 
accord with the principles of the republican 
party and he has served a.s school director but 
has never been active as an office seeker, pre- 
ferring to give his attention and concentrate his 
energies upon his business affairs, whereby he 
has earned a comfortable living. 



WILLI.VM IirDSON. 



William Hudson, who cariies on general farm- 
ing about three and a half miles southeast of 
Loraine, was born :\Iay 5, 1847. in Jetferson 
County. Tennessee, and is a son of William and 
Nancy, (Wliite) Hudson, who were also natives 
of the south. The father died June 2. 1868, and 
the mother has also passed away. William Hud- 
son was reared in his native state until the age 
of twentv-one vears, and dnrina' that time ae- 



WILLIA:M B. SHEETS. 

William B. Sheets, ranking with the distin- 
guished lawyers of Qiiincy, started out in life 
^\•ithout pecuniary assistance or the aid of in- 
fluential friends, and by the force of his char- 
acter, his strong determination, resolute will and 
close application he has steadily worked his way 
upward until to-day he is classed as a leader 
among the younser lawyers practicing at the 
Quiney bar. 

He was born on a farm in Walton township, 
Hancock county, Illinois, January 23, 1871. His 
parents, John and Catherine (Baimi) Sheets, 
were both natives of Germany. They were born 
on opposite banks of the river Rhine, and be- 
came acquainted while on, a voyage to the United 
States. Mr. Sheets had pre-vionsly come to 
America, ha^-ing first crossed the Atlantic in 
1849, at which time he located in Albany, New 
York. It was after a visit to the fatherland 
when h(> was a second time crossing the ocean 
that he formed the acquaintance of Miss Baum, 



544 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



and they were married in New York oity in 
1856. He first worked at the cabinet maker's 
trade, but soon after his marriage lii'DUght his 
bi'idc to Illinois and settled on a farm in Ilan- 
eoi-k coinity. where he eai-ried on agricultural 
pni-snits until 1872. He then sold his first farm 
and pui-ciiased a tract of land in Adams county, 
to which he removed the same year, his son, 
William B., being at that time only a year old. 
ilr. Sheets was a thrifty and prosperous farmer, 
never delaying his woi'k. but being seasonable 
in all that he did, and thereby securing good 
crops. Realizing the value and benefits of edu- 
cation he gave his children good advantages in 
that direction. He had himself enjoyed a liberal 
education in his native town and felt that in 
giving good school privileges to his children he 
furnished them something which could never 
be taken from them and which woulil [n-nve as 
the sure and safe foundation for their success 
in later life. He is now living at the venerable 
age of eighty years in Loraine, Illinois, and re- 
ceives the veneration and respect of all who 
know him. In the family were nine children 
and all are yet living — a remarkable record. 

William B. Sheets, the eight!) in order of 
birth, was early instructed in the value of labor, 
and when a yoking lad began working upon his 
father's farm. Between the ages of nine and 
seventeen years he did half of the woi'k and 
managed two hundred and twent.v acres. From 
his youth he manifested pracitcal aptitude at 
his studies and special fitness for his books. He 
M'as able to read well in the first reader when 
but four years of age and as he advanced in 
years he applied himself with a.ssidnity to the 
mastery of the lessons taught in the public 
schools. Early detennining to become a lawyer, 
his reading was directed largely to this end. 
After he had completed ;i district-school course 
in the Oak Forest school his father allowed him 
to jiut out crops for himself when seventeen 
yeai's of age in order that he might continue his 
education and prepare for the profession which 
he had determined to make his life vocation. He 
spent the years 1888, 1889 and 1890 as a stu- 
dent in the State Xcirmal school and in 1891 
in ('haddock College, wlici'c he pursued a two 
years' scientific coui-sc. lie then continued as a 
student in the law department and was graduat- 
ed with the class of 189.'). Mr. Sheets was ad- 
mitted to the Quincy bar in 1895, and in 19(10 
opened a law office in this city, being now lo- 
cati'd at No. 23-24 Stearns building. He has 
been successful from the beginning. I lis first 
case, an action to divide a school disti-ict, e.K- 
eited great attention and aroused interest in the 
young law.yer whose ability was manifest in his 
able handling of the suit. In 19():i he was a 
candidate for police magistrate and ran four 



hundred and one votes ahead of his ticket. In 
1904 he was nominatinl for city attorney. A 
thorough grasp of the law and the ability to 
accurately apply its principles make him an ef- 
fective and successful advocate and wnll insure 
him equal rank with the distinguished members 
of the Quincy bar. Already he is a recognized 
leader among the younger lawyers of Quincy, 
having gained a prestige which is as desirable 
as it is admirable and which is the direct re.sult 
of earnest efl'ort, close application and the ex- 
ercise of his native talents. 

]\Ir. Sheets is a member of the Independent 
Order of Odd Fellows and of the Court of Honor. 
His political supjun-t is given to the republican 
party and in citizenship he is public-spirited and 
patriotic. He possess marked oratorical ability, 
having the power to interest and sway an audi- 
enci', and in many campaign addresses as well 
as from the forensic platform he has made tell- 
ing speeches and elucidated strong arguments 
that have held the attention of his auditors and 
carried conviction with them. 



THE SEYMOl'R FA.MILV. 

The Seymour family is of English descent. Its 
first respresentative in America was Richard 
Seymour, who came from Chelmsford, England, 
in 1635, and settled in Hartford, Connecticut. 
Various branches of the Seymour family in the 
United States trace their ancestry directly back 
to him and among his descendants are those who 
liear the name in Adams county. 

IMartin Seymour was born August 24, 1789, in 
Hartford coiinty, Connecticut, and on the 29th of 
•iune, 1814, he ^^•as mai'ried to Miss Lucy Butler, 
by whom he had nine children. Finding it diffi- 
cult to support his family on a New Enuland 
farm, in 1835 he came to Illinois where agri- 
cultural jmrsuits could be followed to greater 
advantage. The following .vear he brought his 
family to Adanss county, and purchased a quar- 
ter section of land in Fall Creek township, which 
has ever since been known as the Seymour home- 
stead. The following year he brought his fam- 
ily to the jMississippi valley, making the jcmrney 
liy way of New York, thence up the Hudson 
river and across the I^rie canal to Butt'alo, then 
down the Oh.io canal and the Ohio river to its 
mouth and up the ^lississippi river to Quincy, 
where they ari'ivcd (in the 28th of June, 1836. 
Martin Seymour (inly lived a few years after 
cominir to the west, p.-issinu' away November 19. 
1842. His wife survived him nnlil September 
4, 1845. 

Edward Seymour, the eldest son of .Mai-tin 
Sevmour, was born in Hartford eountv, ('on- 




^ 



7y? iM-U. 



\ 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



547 



neeticut, September 15. 1818. and with his 
l^arent came to Illinois. He acqiiired his educa- 
tion in the public schools of his native state and 
was a man of liberal views and large observa- 
tion. Although he began life with verj' limited 
cajjital he acenuiulatecl a large property and at 
the time of his death was one of the wealthy men 
of the county, lie possessed keen business dis- 
cernment and marked enterprise and his judg- 
ment was seldom at fault in a transaction. He 
was .strictly straightforward in his dealings and 
his diligence and perseverance were the founda- 
tion upon which he builded his prosperity. Po- 
liticall.y he was a republican and although not 
a politician in the sense of office seeking, his fel- 
low townsmen in recognition of liis ability sev- 
eral times elected him supervisor and he served 
as township treasurer for more than twenty 
j-ears in Fall Creek township. He was a liberal 
supporter of the Congregational church at Pay- 
son, in which he long held membership. He 
never married. l)ut lived with his brother Charles 
on the old homestead, where he died, July 15, 
1904, in the eighty-sixth year of his age. 

Charles Willarcl Se.ymour, the youngest son of 
Martin Seymour, was born, in Hartford county, 
Connecticut, August 28, 1834, and was only two 
years old when brought by his parents to Adams 
county. He acf|uired his education in the pub- 
lic schools of this loealit.v and at the age of six- 
teen years he entered into partnership with his 
brother Edwai'd, which relation Avas maintained 
up to the time of his death. He was married on 
the 14th of 3.1ay. 1863. to :\liss Emily C. Kay, a 
daughter of Robert CI. Kay, of Payson, who still 
survives him. They had five children, of whom 
four are living, namely : Henry M. : L.\inan K. ; 
Loren B. : and Mrs. Stella ]\I. vStarr. Charles 
Willard Se.>Tnoiir died October 11, 1898, and the 
comnmnity was called upon to mourn the loss 
of one of its valued and representative citizens. 
While a man of quiet and iinobtrusive disposi- 
tion his influence was always felt in everything 
with which he was connected. He was very suc- 
cessful in business and left a large estate. 

Henry M. Sejanour, the eldest sou of Chai-les 
Se.ATnour, was born, June 9, 1864, and when not 
engaged with the duties of the schoolroom he as- 
sisted in the operation of the home farm, thus 
gaining both practical and theoretical knowledge 
of the best methods of farming and stock-raising, 
which are necessary for a successful farmer of 
to-day. As a companion and helpmate for life's 
journey he chose ]\Iiss Litcy W. Nicholson, the 
only child of John and Mary Ann (Gilbert) 
Nicholson. They were married August 29, 1895, 
and have had four children, of whom three are 
living: Charles Willard, Mary Gaskin and 
Elizabeth. They attend the Congregational 
church, of which ^Frs. Se^nnour is a member. 



L.yman Kay Seymour, the second son of 
Charles ScA-mour, was born. October 2. 1865, and 
his boyhood daj's were passed in the usual man- 
ner of farm lads, his time being divided between 
the work of the fileds and attendance at the 
public schools. He was married on the 1st of 
February, 1900, to Mrs. Carrie K. Robbins, who 
died, April 17, 1901, and on the 29th of Septem- 
ber, 1904, he was again married, his second tmion 
being with Miss Agnes Jarrett, o{ Quincy. He 
is a member of the Congregational church, in 
which he has served as treasurer for twelve 
years. 

Hem-y M. and Lyman K. both have commodi- 
ous and well kept homes on the old homestead, 
where they are extensively engaged in general 
farming and stock-raising, owning over twenty- 
seven hundred acres of the best land in Adams 
and Pike counties besides having charge of 
about eight hundred acres belonging to other 
members of the family. They are also engaged 
in loaning money on real estate. The Sejnnour 
family has ever figured in Adams count.v as 
among the best citizens within its borders. The 
influence of its various representatives has ever 
been on the side of improvement and upbuilding 
and the work in this direction instituted bj' the 
grandfather was carried on by his sons and now 
finds promoters in the grandsons. The busine.ss 
integrity of the family has always been unassail- 
able and Henry M. and Lyman K. Seymour are 
to-day numbered among the reliable and repre- 
.sentative business men of this part of the state. 



GEORGE J. SCHLAG. 



George J. Schlag, whose position as chief of 
the fire department of Quincy, in which capacity 
he has served for fourteen years, entitles him to 
distinction as one of the representative men of 
the city, is one of the city's native sons, 
his birth having here occui'red March 8, 
1858. His father, John Schlag, arriving in 
Quincy in 1835, cast in his lot with the pioneer 
settlers who gave an impetus to the progress and 
upbuilding of the city, largely resulting in its 
present condition of improvement. He died dur- 
ing the boyhood days of his son George, who 
after benefiting by the educational privileges af- 
forded in the parochial .schools, staz'ted out to 
make his own way in life. He was still but a 
youth when he entered the tobacco factory of 
Goodman & Heidwich on Fifth and Jersey 
sti'eets and continued in that sei'vice until after 
the organization of the Gem City Tobacco works, 
when he entered the new house. Later he was 



54S 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



for four yeai-.s I'liiployi'd in fli(> ^n-ocery store of 
Oi'ding & (jlass on Twelfth and Elaine streets. 

Mr. Sehlag's connection with the fire depart- 
ment in which he was always deeply interested 
dates from December, 1885, when he became a 
minute man at the No. 1 engine house. The fol- 
lowing spring he was appointed I'oundsman and 
after- five years' work in the (iei)ai-tinent was ap- 
pointed chief engineer ;\Iay (i, 1S!)1. He has 
since occupied that position with the exception 
of a brief period of a year, whrii lie was retired 
on account of political reasons. Mr. Schlag 
seems the embodiment of all that a fireman 
should be. He is a man of splendid physique 
and an iron constitution that enables him to en- 
dure great hardships and exposure. He has, too, 
that element of personal courage which inspires 
and encourages his men. and added to this he is 
quiet and calm in the midst of excitement, thus 
being able to direct the efforts <if the men and of 
the fire ajiparatus to the best advantage. Great 
changes and improvements have been made in 
the fire department since his connection there- 
with. In \H'.)'2 a four-wheel hose cart was [lui-^ 
chased for No. fi engine company, replacing a 
two-wheel cart. In 1896 No. 7 engine house was 
built and the following year a combination chem- 
ical engine and hose wagon was purchased for 
No. 7 company: in 1899 an engine house was 
built for No. 4 engine company; in 1900 a double 
eighty-gallon tank chemical engine was pur- 
chased for No. 2: in 1903 a third size metropoli- 
tan engine was jHirchased for No. 7 engine com- 
pany; and in 1904 a combination chemical and 
hose wagon Avas purchased for No. 5 engine com- 
pany, so that till' department is well equipped 
with every facility needed for fighting fires. 
Thirteen men have been added to the force since 
1891, so tliat its membership is thirty-two in 
active service with fourteen additional minute 
men. Mr. Schlag is a member of the Interna- 
tional Association of Fire Engineers, and stand- 
ing at the head of the Quincy department he has 
gained much more than local reputation. He is 
a gentleman of marked force of character and 
strong purpose who enjoys and receives the 
fi-iendship and regjird of many with whom he 
has lieen associati d. 



REV. :\nCIIAEL WETS. 

Rev. .Michael Weis. jiastor of St. Ronifacii 
Catholic church sinci' 18S7. and mie of the strono'. 
est represeiitalives oF the Ciilholic ministry in 
Illinois, was lioi-n in Ravai-ia. (icrniaiiv. June S 
1S:18, and is the eld,.st son of :\licliael ;ind Frsula 



; Nestmann 1 AVeis, who, about 1S.")1*, crossed the 
Atlantic to America with their hirge family of 
sons and daughters. Father Weis being at that 
time thirteen years of age. He began to eai-n 
his livelihood here by working as a farm hand, 
and, after spending five years in one locality, he 
secured a similar situation near Teutopolis. 
Illinois, where he devoted all his leisure hours to 
study, having become imbued with a desire to 
enter a field of labor demanding a more largely 
developed intellectual force. For a year he en- 
gaged in teaching in the public schools of Teuto- 
polis and spent two years as a teacher in a 
parochial school at Edwavdsville, Illinois, sub- 
sequent to which time he was enrolled as a 
student in St. Joseph's College, at Teutopolis. 
Three years he studied there and then matricu- 
lated in the Grand Seminai'y at Montreal, 
Canada. 

Follo\\'ing his e-i-aduation fi-oiii the latter insti- 
tution. Father Weis was ordained to the priest- 
hood at Alton. Illinois, and whh assigned to the 
<'hurch at Vandalia. this stati\ where his pas- 
toi-ate covered one >'eai' and seven months. He 
officiated as ivsidenl jiriest of St. Elizabeth's 
church at ilarine, Madison county, Illinois, for 
a short time and then entered upon a most suc- 
cessful M'ork at P]ffingham, where he spent five 
years, dui'ing which period he erected a fine 
house of worshi]). So arduous wei'c his labors 
dnrinu' that jieriod that he was foi-eed to seek 
rest and went to Cjilifornia and later to ilin- 
nesota, being nmeh benefited by the change, 
and upon his return to Illinois hc> became chan- 
cellor of the diocese of Alton, filling that position 
until the 1st of January, 1880, when, at his 
own request, he was sent to Saline. .Madison 
county, Illinois. His next |iastorate. covei-iug 
eighteen mouths, was at Litchfiehl, and for five 
years he was c<iiinected with the Church of Sts. 
Peter and Paul, of Spi'ingHehl. In 1887 he 
came to Quincy, to take charge of St. Bimifaee 
Catholic church, to which he has now ministered 
for eighteen years. 

This church was founded in ls;i7. with 
Father Brickweedde as pastor and was first 
called The Church of the Ascension of our Lord. 
In 18:W the jiroperfy at the corner of Seventh 
and Maine streets was purchased, the house of 
worship was bnilt and the name changed to 
St. Boniface church. In August, 1848, this 
elnuch was finished and .still stands, though it 
has since been greatly remodeled and additions 
maile thereto. Father Weis erected the beauti- 
ful par.sonaue in 1898, is standing in the rear of 
the church on Seventh street, and is a fine resi- 
dence. The church lias a member.ship of be- 
tween fcnii' hundred and fifty and five hundred 
families. St. Boniface school on Seventh and 
liauqi.shire streets behmgs to this church and the 




REV. MICHAEL WEIS 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



present school building, four stories high inehid- 
iag- baseiiieut, was built in 187.5 and occupied in 
November of that year, this work being done 
under the ministry of Father Ostrop. Father 
Brenner became pastor in 1880 and was suc- 
ceeded by Father Weis in 1887. He is a man of 
scholarly attainments, conscientious and zealous 
in his work, full of sjanpathy and yet continually 
looking on the bright side of life, and is respected 
and beloved by Catholics and Protestants alike. 



WILLIAil O. LARi:\rORE. 

William 0. Larimore, the owner of a valuable 
and well improved farm in Payson township, 
was born May 26, 1863, on his father's farm, 
about one and one-half miles east of Plainville, 
his parents being Albert and Jnlia (Pottle) Lari- 
more. The father came from Virginia and was 
one of the early settler.s of Adams county, Illi- 
nois. In the family are three children, of whom 
"William 0. is the eldest. His brother. Edward 
Norton Larimore. married Miss Winifred Harts- 
horn and lives one and a half miles east of Plain- 
ville. Mary is the wife of Frank Penick, an 
attorney of Quincy. and they hav(^ one son. Al- 
bert- 
William 0. Larimore pursued his education 
in the common schools of Adams county and in 
Knox College at (xalesburg, Illinois, where for 
two winter seasons he pursued an English course. 
He has always carried on general farming and 
began business on his own account on a portion 
of the farm on which he yet resides. He owns 
one hundred and sixty aei'es of land on section 
14, Payson township, constituting a splendid 
farm property, supplied with all modern ac- 
cessories and equipments. He has recently com- 
pleted a new barn, forty-fonr by sixty feet, and 
the other buildings upon his place are substan- 
tial and of modern appearance. He raises both 
grain and stock. He feeds cattle and raises 
hogs and horses, making a specialty of draft 
and coach horses. He is also engaged in the 
raising of Aberdeen Angus cattle. He has also 
dealt in North Dakota land and his spec\ilation 
in this property has proved protitable. He is a 
young man of excellent business ability, seldom 
at fault in matters of .judgment and his energy 
has resulted in bringing him a very gratifying 
measure of prosperity. 

On the 3d of September, 1885. ]\Ir. Larimore 
was married to Miss Blanch Humphre.v. a daugh- 
ter of William V. and Cinderella Humphrey. 
The Hiunphrey family is of English lineage and 
the father of ilrs. Larimore removed from Lou- 
doun county. Virginia, to Illinois in 1836. settling 
near Burton. The .iourney was made down the 



551 

Ohio rivei' and up the :\Iississii)pi to Quiney, 
Mr. Humphrey coming to this state in company 
with his parents, for he was then a lad. By his 
marriage he became the father of seven chil- 
dren, all of whom are yet living: Gill ]\I., who 
married IMargaret Yetten, lives in Carthage, Illi- 
nois, and has two children. Mary E. became the 
wafe of George Potter and after his death mar- 
ried Thomas Spence, who is also deceased. She 
now resides in Chicago and has five children. 
Thomas L. married Susan Eckel, by whom he has 
four children, and lives in IMacomb. Illinois. 
Alice M. is the wife of George T. Muhl, of Miami 
county, Indiana, and they have five children. 
James is a miner, connected with an assaying 
company in Arizona. Charley married Clara 
Wagey. and with their four children they reside 
in Johnston comity, ^Missouri. Mrs. Larimore is 
the youngest of the family and she pursued her 
education in the common schools and in a normal 
school at ilaeomb. Illinois. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Larimore have been born 
six children : Humphrey 0., born June 25. 1886, 
who is a graduate of the high school of Payson,' 
and is engaged in teaching in Adams county- 
Harry W., who was born Aug. 20.1889, and is 
attending school; Blanch May, born July 23, 
1892; Julia Edna, born iMareh 9, 1896; Alice 
lioi-n July 17, 1898, and William Ray, born Jan- 
uary 9, 1902. Since attaining his ina.iority Mr. 
Larimore has given his political support to the 
republican party, and he is a member of the :\Iod- 
ern Woodmen of America. In his business ca- 
reer he has made steady progress toward the 
goal of success and his enterprising efforts have 
cla.ssed him with the leading and representative 
farmers of the coimtv. 



JOHN KEEP WEBSTER. 

No history of Quiney would be comjilete with- 
out mention of John Keep Webster, one of the 
most prominent and influential citizens that has 
ever resided here, his efforts ]u'oving of direct 
benefit to the city and county- in public life and 
business affairs. He settled here in the vear 
which witnessed the arrival of Lorenzo Bull, 
and the two men continued to be close friends 
until their companionship was terminated in 
the death of iMr. Webster. 

He was born in Hartford, Connecticut. ::\rarch 
11, 1817, and passed away September 30, 1882. 
His parents were Ira and Ann Lockwood 
(■Francis) Web.ster, the former a native of Hart- 
ford. Connecticut, and tlie latter of Burlington. 
Vermont. The paternal grandfather was an 
own cousin of Noah Webster. Ira Web.ster was 
a graduate of Yale College and had charge 



552 



PAST AND PKESENT OF ADA.AIS COUNTY 



lit' the old Weljstor farm lii llic casl. Iiiil 
inei't'ly L;a\'(' liis sn|)ci-visi()ii to aL;ririil1iii-al in- 
terests. He [iiisscssecj iiiiii-c than iirdiiiary 
literary tastes and aliility and s|M'i}t many 
of Ills most ]")leasaiit liom's amid the cnin- 
])anionship of his books. .\l)ont is;i() or ts4(.) 
he started westward, takuii;' with him a hirue 
colleetiou of books and literary matter, whieh 
he sold at Fort Dearborn. lie afterwai-d iv- 
moved from Ilartfoi-d. ("onnectieiit, to Weather- 
field, }.lassaelnisetts, where both he and his wifi' 

died. 

-loini Keep Webster Avas lai'ii'ely a self-edn- 
e;iteil and self-made man. Mis ]);u'ents desiretl 
him til attend Yale Colletie, biii he preferred to 
enter Ihe business woi-hl and after eompletinti' 
his imhlie sehool eonrse he aeeepted a elei^ksiliji 
in a store at ilaiifoi'd and latei' became elei-k 
in a hanic tliei'e. lie foHowed that pursuit until 
his i'emii\ai t" iiie west, locating' first at Galena, 
illi'iois, and al'ler a slioi't time going to Spring- 
field. There he assisted in organizing and \vas 
one of the stoekholdei's of the Hrsl st=ite liank of 
Illinois. lie was thus elosely assiieiated with 
financial intei-ests ful- a few ye:n-s, after whieh 
he came to Quinry and began in t'le real estate 
basiness here. 

Mr. Webster was m,-irrieil in Quiney to Jliss 
Ketnrah Armstrong Wi.rd, a native of Florida, 
Orange county. New York, born in 1811, and a 
daughter of James and Mary Wood, who were 
also natives of that county and lived there, iilrs. 
Webster was educated in the liest schools nf 
Morristown and New York- and received libera! 
privileges in that direction. She was a great 
friend of Professor IMorse. the inventor of tir? 
telegraph, and was present when the first mes- 
sage was sent over the wires. Her father was a 
Cousin of Governor Wooil of Illinois, and she 
came to (L>uincy with the go\ernor. She was one 
of the first school teaeliei's hire ;ind taught in an 
old loi;' schoolhouse, which was situated at what 

is til iriiei' of Si.xth and .Maine streets. She 

also taught nuTsic, having consider.-dile talent in 
that direction, and at tlie sauic time Ining well 
qualified foi' her labors in the schoolroom. There 
were six childi'eii boi'n Tuitn .Ml', and Mrs. Web- 
ster, of wliii twii are ]ui\v living. .Mrs. Anne W. 
Roberts, to whom we ai'e indebted for the his- 
tcny of her honoivd father, she furnishing the 
material for this sketch, resides in Qnincy and 
has one child. Grace, now the wife of William 
L. Ellis, a member of the firm of AV. L. Ellis & 
Company, retail dealers in shoes, at .Xn. ll'S 
North Fifth street. Mr. and "Slvs. Ellis make their 
home with Jlrs. Roberts. Henry S. is a retired 
attorney, ivsiding in Brookline, ifassachusetts. 
The {our memliers of tlie family now deceased 
are William Wood, John. Thomas and Alice 
Caroline. 



.Ml-. Wehsti'r eontinneil tu engage in i-eal es- 
tate operations in Quiney throughout his re- 
maining days, largely dealing in city property. 
He negotiated many important transfers and 
had a large clientage, doing a business which 
resulted in gratifying success. He died Septem- 
ber 30, 188"i, while his wife passed away in 1888. 
Not only as a business man. but also because of 
his acitvity in public affairs was he well known 
and his value to the city demonstrated, insti- 
tuting many needed reforms and improvements 
and wiiming high encomium from all classes of 
Iieople ))ecause of his effective effort in promot- 
ing the general good. In politics he was a re- 
publican, but at local elections he voted for the 
men rather than party. Both he and his wife 
attended the Pi'esbyterian church and likewise 
contributed generously to the support of the 
church. In his business affairs he anticipated 
the growth of the city and so conducted his 
interests as to profit thereby and at the same 
time he belonged to that class of representative 
Inisiness men whose individiial business efforts 
likewise ju'ove of value in promoting the general 
liros]ierity and improvement of their respective 
localities. i\Ii's. Roberts owns a residence at No. 
18flt) Grove avenue, where she and her daughter 
reside. 



TH.\1M)E['S :\L\NON ROGERS. 

When (^)uincv was a pioni'er village on the 
.Mississippi I'iver. when the entire state of Illi- 
nois was largely unsettled and when the greater 
part of the traffic and travel were by means of 
water transpoi-tation, the Rogers family estab- 
lished their home here. Thaddeus ila.xon Rogers 
being at that time luit three years of age. He 
continui'il a i-esiileut of the city until his death, 
si,\ty years later, and his interests for many 
years were clnsely allied with the industrial and 
commercial development of tin city, while an 
m'er-wideniiig ai'i|uaintance and growing friend- 
ship boi'c testimony of his worth as a man and 
citizen. 

A native of Somersville. Connecticut, Mr. Rog- 
ei-s was liiirr, .\ugust "id, bsM."). his parents being 
Tiiiioth\- and Dorothy ' Pillings) Rogers, also na- 
tives of Somer'.sville, whence they removed to 
Illinois in 1838, attracted by the opportunities 
of the great and growing western country. X'ley 
traveled by wagon, after the primitive manner 
of the times, an;l eventually reached Quiney. 
Air. Rogers had very little money, but by untir- 
ing industry and sti-ict economy he at length se- 
cured capital sufficient to enable him to estab- 
lish a small waiiMii factoi'v. His business soon 
increased and in coui-se of time his plant became 
one of the laruesi in the state. He was the 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



553 



iiianufficturcr of what was well known in those 
days as the "Rogers wagon," which won the 
first jirize ;it the Philadelphia centennial. He 
engasred in the business here for many years and 
was then succeeded by his sons. W. T. and E. 
A. Rogei's. after which he lived a retired life, 
en.joying a rest made pleasant through the com- 
forts that came to him as the i-esult of his earn- 
est toil and careful management in foi-mer 
years. He jtassed away January ti. ISSS, at the 
advanced ag'/ of s(»venty-nine years, having con- 
tributed his full share to the industrialism which 
upbuilded the city and proved the foundation 
of its present prosperity. Ilis wife survived 
him until November, 1892. One of their sons, 
William T. Rogers, was mayor of Quincy for a 
few yeai's. Only one of their children is now 
living, Edward A. Rogers, who is engaged in 
the real estate business here. 

Thaddeus Maxon Rogers was provided with 
liberal educational privileges, his preliminary 
course being supplemented by study in the Mich- 
igan State University, at Ann Arbor, after 
which his parents sent him abroad to Heidel- 
burg, where he attended lectures for four years. 
Returning to America he entered upon the prac- 
tice of law. for which his scholarly attainments 
and specific edtication along the line of .jurispru- 
dence, well qualified him. After a short time, 
however, he turned his attention to the printing 
business, estalilishing the firm of T. M. Rogers lic 
Company, under which luuiie the business is still 
conducted by his sons The firm did all kinds of 
printing and at one time Mr. Rogers owned and 
published the Qiiincy Daily News. He engaged 
in the prin^ing business for many years and was 
financially interested therein until his death, al- 
though in later years his sons relieved him of the 
active management and he beaan traveling, vis- 
iting all parts of the United States, Europe, 
Cuba and Mexico. During that time he acted as 
correspondent to the Quincy newspapers and 
his widow now has a large scrap-book filled with 
these accounts of his journeys. He gained that 
knowledge and culture which only travel can 
bring, and his facility of expression made him a 
most entertaining writer. 

Mr. Rogers was married in Quincy to ]\Iiss 
Anna Nance, a daughter of Clement and Par- 
melia (Watson') Nance, also early settlers of 
Adams county, establishing their home in pio- 
neer times in the village of Columbus, where 
Mr. Nance entered into partnership with Timo- 
thy Castle, in the mercantile business, in which 
he continued for many years, meeting with ex- 
cellent success. He then removed to Quincy, re- 
tiring from active business life, and both he and 
his wife died here. They, too, were prominent 
pioneer people with a wide acquaintance among 
the best citizens of the county. TTnto ]Mr. and 



"\Irs. Rogers were born nine children : Isabelle 
and John, who are residents of St. Louis; 
(ienevra. livMig in Brookfield, Missouri; Walter 
C. and Chai'les T.. at home; Thaddeus M.. of 
Quincy; Ella A., who is living with her mother; 
Aline Blanche, who died in infancy, and Rich- 
ard Nance, who died at the age of sixteen years. 
The three sons living in Quincy have charge of 
and own the printing plant of T. ]\I. Rogers & 
( 'onii)any. 

After traveling for several years i\Ir. Rogers 
returned to this city. He had been very suc- 
cessful in his business undertakings and had in- 
vested largely in property here. Giving over 
his business to the care of his sons, he lived re- 
tired until his death, which occurred very sud- 
denly. December 7. 1898. He was prominent and 
influential in i)ublic affairs and at one time wns 
candidate for the office of representative, while 
several times he represented his ward in the 
city council, giving tangible proof of his devo- 
tion to the general welfare by his championship 
of ])rogressive measures. He was a very stanch 
republican, active in the work of the party, and 
frequently delivered addi'csses, expounding its 
T)rinciples. In connection with Mr. Emery he 
founded the Historical Society of Quincy and 
was deeply interested in the matter of preserv- 
ing the early records of the eity and county. 
He was himself, by reason of his long residence 
here and his activity in biisiness aiul juiblic life, ■ 
largely familiar with the events which constitute 
the annals of this part of the state and was one 
whose influences and labors proved no unimpor- 
tant element in advancing general progress. He 
and his family were members of the Unitarian 
church. Mrs. Rogers owns a beautiful residence 
■it No. 2203 Spring street, where she and her 
blocks in the city. The family are prominent 
in social cii'cles of Quincy and following in then- 
children reside, and she also has several business 
father's footsteps, the sons are contributing to 
good citizenship and commercial prosperity in 
ilieii- native citv. 



GEORGE McADAj\IS. 



George IVFcAdams is one of the most entrr- 
prising business men in Ui'sa. where he is en- 
eaged in the grain trade. He is also one of 
the land owners of the county, having valuable 
-.M'operty. He was born July 8, 186:?. and is 
the son'of William and Elizabeth (Taylor) Mc- 
Vdams. The farther was born in Kentucky, 
January 14, ISIT, and came to Adams county, 
niinois. in June. 1837. being at that time a 
\-oung man of twenty years. He was married 
in 1840 to ^risR Tavlor. who was born in Nicho- 



554 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



las coimty, Keutuoky. Juue 7. 1819. There 
were borii to them nine children, four sons and 
five dauii-hters. but only two sons are now liv- 
ing, George and John, the latter a resident of 
Qinney. The father became an energetic and 
successful farmer of Adams county and was the 
owner of three hundred acres of rich land, which 
he placed under a high state of cultivation, mak- 
ing it one of the best farms of this locality. He 
died in January, 1892, while his wife died in 
1879. He Avas survived by one brother, Nathan 
McAdams, who is living in the village of Ursa. 

George McAdams attended the public schools 
and later was a student in Carthage College and 
also the Gem City Business College. He was 
with his father until the latter 's death in 1892 
and has since engaged in the grain business in 
Ursa, annually handling large amoimts of grain 
and making extensive shipments. He also 
owns two hundred and eighty acres of fine laud 
of which one hundred acres are situated at Rock 
Creek Station, while one hundred and eighty 
acres adjoin Ursa on the east. This land he 
rents and it returns to him a good income. In 
1894 he removed to Quincy, where he remained 
for nine years, and during four years of that 
time he served as county treasurer and also su- 
perinten.ded his grain business in Ursa and man- 
aged his farm interests, He was a member of 
.the' county boai'd for eight years prior to 1894. 

Mr. McAdams was married to JMiss Blanche 
Leachman, of Adams county, a daughter of 
James and Lucy (Selby) Leachman. Her fath- 
er died in February, 1891, and her mother's 
death occurred in December, 1900. Mr. and 
Mrs. McAdams are the parents of two children, 
Chauncey, born in January, 1896 ; and Jjucile, 
bern December 13, 1897. 

Mr. McAdams is a member of the ilodern 
Woodmen of America and in politics he is a 
democrat, interested in the welfare of his party 
and doing all in his power to promote its suc- 
cess and upbuilding. He is popular among his 
fellowmen because of his public spirited inter- 
est in the general welfare and because of the 
many admirable traits which are manifest in his 
social relations. 



WILLIS HASELWOOD. 

On the roster of county officials in Adams 
coimty there has appeared no name that has been 
associated with more honorable service than that 
of Willis Haselwood. deceased, who held the of- 
fice of county clerk for a quarter of a century. 
He was one of the best known citizens of the 
county, the Haselwoods having located here in 



l)ioneer times. Other members of the family 
aided in laying the foundation for the present 
prosperity and progress of this part of the 
state, and the work which they instituted he 
continued, being the champion of every progres- 
sive measure that he deemed would prove of 
practical benefit in the permanent development 
of western Illinois. 

Mr. Haselwood was born in Payson township, 
September 8, 1838, and was the second son and 
child in a, family of (;ight children, whose parents 
were James and Elizabeth (Buskirk) Haselwood. 
In both the jKiternal and maternal lines he came 
of Irisli lineage, but several generations of the 
Haselwood family have been represented in 
America, for the grandfather. John Haselwood, 
was born in Kentucky, in which state his father 
had located at an eai-ly epoch in its development. 
Both his father and mother were natives of Grant 
county, Kentucky, and the year 1836 witnessed 
their arrival in Adams county, Illinois, at which 
time they took up their abode upon a farm in 
Payson township, where James Haselwood car- 
ried on general agricultural pursuits until his 
life's labors were ended in death on the 16th of 
September, 1867. His widow afterward removed 
to the village of Payson, where she purchased a 
home and continued to reside until her death. 
She was born August 8, 1814. and she was a 
daughtiu- of Thomas Bu.skirk. Five of their 
children are yet living, two sons occupying farms 
in Payson tov/n.ship, while another son, William, 
is in Oklahoma; and one son, PerrJ^ in Knox 
City, IMissouri ; while a daughter, IMrs. Mary 
Emily Shield, resides in La Harpe, Illinois. 

Willis Haselwood was reared upon the home 
fanu and early became familiar with the duties 
and labors that fall to the lot of the agi'iculturist. 
He attended the di.strict schools of the neighbor- 
hood and after completing the branches of study 
ecnstitating its curriculum he became a student 
in Berean C'Jlege at Jacksonville. "Wlien he 
had completed his course there he engaged in 
teaching in the country schools and also assisted 
his father upon the home farm until 1873. when 
he was elected to office, being chosen county clerk 
of Adauis county. Because of this he I'emoved to 
Quincy and was thereafter a resident of this 
city. He continued the incumbent in the office 
for a quarter of a century or until his health 
failed him, when he i-etired from the position, 
and as he had ah-eady personally invested in 
considerable property he began dealing in real 
estate in Quincy, and to his operations in that 
line devcted his energies until his death. He 
owned much valuable property in Quincy and 
also farming lands in the county and became very 
A\ ell-to-do. He was a man of resourceful busi- 
ness ability, active and energetic in all of his 
business cares and duties, and he became well 





X-^^{U^ 



\/WcZiL.C../.^^.j-r^r-zyf 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



557 



known in connection with various iiiii)ortant iu- 
dnstries and financial interests of Qniney. He 
was the vice president of the Ricker National 
Bank of Qniney for many years and was also 
president of tli'e Gem City Bnilding and Ijoan 
Assoeiatioi. and of the W. L. Distin lee and 
Produce Company. He possessed strong- pur- 
pose and unfaltering determination and those 
iiualities proved resultant factors in winniof;- him 
very desirable prosperity. 

On the 14th of October, 1858, ^ilr. Haselwood 
was married in Payson to ^Miss Olive S. Bean, a 
native of Payson township and a danghter of 
.Fohn and Elizabeth (Tibbets") Bean, the former 
Ijorn in Pennsylvania and the latter in jMaine. 
They were married in Ohio and in 1831 removed 
to Adams county, settling upon a farm in Payson 
township, where the father carried on agricul- 
tural pursuits until his death. He was one of 
the worthy pioneer residents and aided in laying 
l)road and deep the foundation for the present 
prosperity and upbuilding of this portion of the 
state. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Haselwood were born 
five children: Lucy E., Sherman A. and Edith, 
all three deceased: ]\Iargaret Z., now the wife of 
:\Iorris Ketten and a resident of Denver, Colo- 
rado : and Willis H., who also resides in Denver, 
where he is temporarily engaged in newsi)aper 
work at this writing. 

Mr. Haselwood 's political position was uever 
an equivocal one. He was ever fearless in up- 
holding his honest views and, keeping well in- 
formed on all questions and issues of the day, he 
■\\-as enabled to support his political position by 
intelligent argument. A democrat in politics he 
did everything in his power to promote tlie 
growth and insure the success of liis party, and 
while living in Payson to-s\Tiship he served as 
justice of the peace and was also assessor and 
collector, while in Quincy he served as a member 
of the board of education and for a quarter of a 
century capably filled the office of county treas- 
urer, carefully managing the financial interests 
and accounting with accuracy for every cent in- 
trusted to his care. He was a valued member of 
several fraternal organizations, belonging to Pay- 
son lodge. No. 379. A. F. & A. 'SL: Quincy chap- 
ter, No. 5, R. A. 51. and several in.surance so- 
cieties, together with the Farmers' Benevolent 
Association. As the years passed he gained the 
wealth which is the direct outcome of carefully 
managed business interests, supplementing ex- 
cellent executive ability and keen discriminating 
judgment. He became a wealthy man and was 
prominent throughout the eoiTuty, for he pos- 
sessed also those sterling traits of character which 
in every land and clime command confidence and 
regard. His widow now owns a beautiful home 
at No. 403 South Sixteenth street, where thev 



had lived for many years. She. too, has many 
friends in the city and like her husband has been 
popular with those who know her. The life 
r-eeord of Mr. Haselwood may well serve as an 
example to others who desire to achieve success 
and simultaneouslv win an honorable name. 



DAVID PERCY STRICKLER. 

David Percy Strickler, a lawyer of Quincy, 
was born at Mendon in 1878 and although yet 
a young man he has given proof of superior le- 
gal qualifications that argue well for a siiccess- 
ful future marked by consecutive progress. His 
father, Clark Strickler, was born in Fayette 
county, Pennsylvania, in 1833, and was of Ger- 
man lineage. In 1837 he was brought to Adams 
county by his father, David Strickler. who lo- 
cated in Houston township, where he carried on 
agricultural pursuits for a number of years. 
During the period of the Civil war, however, 
he engaged in merchandising at York Neck in 
Houston township, and later he resumed farm- 
ing, in which vocation he continued imtil aboiit 
ten years prior to his death, when he retired to 
Jlendon. There he again engaged in merchan- 
dising, this time being associated with his son 
Orville. He gave his political allegiance to the 
republican i)arty during the ti-oublous period 
that preceded the Civil war and after the ces- 
sation of hostilities he became a democrat. Sev- 
eral times he served as supervisor of IMendon 
township and held other local positions, the du- 
ties of which he discharged with promptness and 
fidelity. He married Julia Sproat. who was 
born in Adams coimty, Illinois, in 1841, a daugh- 
ter of Percy Sproat, who removed to this coi;nty 
from the Empire state ab(mt 183.5, locating in 
^lendon township. Clark Strickler died in 
1895, while his wife passed away in 1883. They 
were the parents of three children : Orville, 
who is engaged in merchandising in Mendon; 
Minnie M., the wife of Charles IT. Nutt, a mer- 
chant of Mendon ; and David P. 

In the public schools David Percy Sti-ickler 
began his education and advanced through suc- 
cessive grades until he had completed the course 
in the IMendon high school. He afterward en- 
tered Whipple Academy, the preparatorv de- 
partment of the Illinois College at Jacksonville, 
and subsequently pursued therein a collegiate 
course. Thus he had broad literary knowledge 
to serve as a basis for his pi-eparation for the 
bai". He entered the law department of the 
Northwestern University at Chicago in 1898 and 
after spending a year in that institution ma- 
triculated in the law depai'tment of the Univer- 
sity of Michigan at Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 



558 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



1899 and was graduated with tlie cIjiss of 1901. 
He thei'eafter entered upon practice in Quincy, 
forming a partner.ship with Louis H. Sehroeder, 
which relation was coitinued until 1903, since 
which time Mr. Strickler has practiced alone 
with success, having offices at 234V-; North Fifth 
street. He belongs to tlie Quincy Bar Associa- 
tion and he has won the respect of his fellow 
practitioners by reason of his .strict conformity 
to a high standard oi j)rofessionaI ethics and 
the capability with which he controls the liti- 
gated interests intrusted to him. He also has 
agricultural intei'ests, beiim- pai't owner of a 
farm of three hundred and five acres in Men- 
don township. 

Mr. Stricklei' was mai'ried September y, 190-4, 
to Miss Edith Sinclair Rice, a daxighter of Dr. 
J II. and .Mary (Sinclair) Rice. She was born 
in Niantic, Illinois, in 1879, and is a member of 
the Presbyterian chui-ch. He bi'l(ini;s tn the 
IMasonic fraternity, in which he has attained 
the Knight Templar degree, and to the Benevo- 
lent Protective Order of P^lks. lie is also a mem- 
ber nf the Delta Chi, a law fraternity of the Uni- 
versity iif Michigan. His political allegiance is 
given to the deiiiocracv. 



JOSEPH II. VANDEN BOOM. 

Joseph U. Vanden Boom, whose energy and 
enterprise have lieen felt as a stinuilating fact(U' 
in the expansion and successful conduct of va- 
rious conmiercial and industrial interests of 
(^)uiiiey, and who is thei-efore classed witli its 
prominenv Imsiness men, was born here in IS.'il. 
His parents. C. A. and Gertrude ( Yessing i Van- 
den Boom, were married in Oermany, their na- 
tive country, and in 1847 came from Prussia to 
thi' rnile<! Strdes, locating fii'st at Cincinnati, 
wliei-e he remaini'd until about ISf)!), when he 
moved to (Jnincy. The father was a wood tni'ner 
by ti-ade and on his arrival in Quiney established 
a furniture factory on Tenth and Broadway, tii'st 
utilizing liorse po\\-ei- and la1iM steam power. He 
conducted the business until al)out 1869. when 
he sold out and turned his attention to jxii'k 
jiackin;:-. in partuershiji with Henry Blomer, un- 
di'r the firm name of \'anden Boom & Blomer. 
They were associated in this business until about 
18So, when the senior partner withdrew and livi^d 
retired until his death in 1885, having acquired 
a handsome competence thi-ough his well directed 
efforts in former years. His I'.olitical supjxirt 
was ^'iven the democr.tey and he was several times 
elected on that ticket alderman foi' the Sixth 
wrird. In municijial alt'aii's he was deeply intei-- 
ested and his eo-operation eonhl be counted u])on 
to foster an\ |iroL;ressive public movemi'iit. lb" 



lost his lirst wife in 18(11 and in 1862 he married 
Elizabeth Ellers. He had seven children by each 
nmrriage. Those living of the first union are: 
Ilenrv; Louisa, widow of tienrv jMoller; Joseph 
II.; Lizzie, wife of F. Wolf: "and Pauline M., 
wife of Nicholas Wand. The living children of 
the second marriage aiv: Maiw, wife of George 
Einhaus: Barnev ; ili-s. (iiM'trude Freiburg; 
Willie: .Mrs. Anna .Meller; and :\Irs. Katie A1)le. 

Joseph Vanden Boom began his education in 
the parochial schools and aftei-wai-d attended 
Bryant & Stratton Business College, being 
gi-aduated therefrom in 1869. He was first em- 
ployed in the Rieker Bank for three years in the 
capacity of a clerk and in 1872 entered the ser- 
vice of Vanden Boom & Blomer. with whom he 
continued for three years as boiikkee|ier. In 
1875 he turned his attention to the lumbi-r busi- 
ness in connection with Henry II. Moller. inider 
the firm style of IMoller & Vanden Boom, operat- 
ing at No. 632 Vermont street. Prom the begin- 
ning thi'y prospered, enjoying a constantly in- 
creasing trade, and the connection between them 
was maintained until August 19, 1900, when i\Ir. 
Moller died, ajid the following year the Moller 
& Vanden Boom Lumber Company was incor- 
porated with ilr. Vanden Boom as president ; 
Tli'ury Moller, secretary; and Fred Moller, treas- 
urer. The company controls a large trade in the 
lumber business, and their enterprise has been 
mai'ked l)y steady expansion in keeping with the 
modern spirit of the times. Mr. Vanden Boom, 
however, has not confined his attention to this 
one line of commercial undertaking, but is well 
known as a directoi- of other enterprises, includ- 
iuir the Rieker Natioiud Bank, ]\Iodern Iron 
Works and the Peo]ile's Loan & Building Asso- 
ciation. He is also a stockholder in several other 
entei'iirises, is president of the Swartz Lumber 
Comjiany, of St. Louis, and has extensive inter- 
ests in the south in tlie manufacturing of yellow 
pine lumber. 

Quincy has benefited by his efforts in her be- 
half and his co-operation may always be counted 
ui)on to fui'thei' any movement for the general 
li'ood. In 18S1 he was elected alderman from the 
Sixth ward and in 1883 was again elected on the 
democratic ticket. He was a member of the 
lighting conunittee when the city lights were 
chan<;ed from gas to electricity, was chairman 
of tlie <irdiuance conunittee and a member of 
till' finance eominitti'e and whethei- in office or 
out of it he is always a ])atrii)tic and public- 
si)iiated citizen. His iiolitieal allegiance has al- 
ways been given to the democracy. 

In 1876 Mr. Vanden Boom was njarried to Miss 

.\ lia Kaeltz, a daughter of Adolph Kaeltz, now 

(leeeas''d, while her death occurred in 1880. She 
had two children, but .\rttun- died at the age of 
ten yi'ars and Eilwanl when six years of age. 




C. A. VANDEN BOOM 




J. H. VANDEN BOOM 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



563 



In 1885 .All'. \';milcii Hoom wedded .Miss Juli;i 
Kiieltz, and they h;ive lieconie the parents of two 
children: Joseph II., whu was born December 
8. 1885. is a graduate of St. Canisius College, of 
Buffalo, New York, also pur.sued a course in the 
Gem City Business College, of Quincy, and is 
now assistant bookkeeper for the i\Ioller & Van- 
den Boom Lumber Company: and Alvira, born 
May 80, 1891, is now attending St. I\Iai'y's In- 
stitute. The parents are members of St. John's 
Catholic Church and Mr. Vanden Boom belongs 
to the Western Catholic ITnion, the Fii-emen's 
Benevolent Association and the Order of Elks. 
He is di.stinctively a man of affairs and one who 
has wielded a wide influence. In an active busi- 
ness career he has eagerly embraced the oppor- 
tunities that have offered and each advance step 
has been carefully and thoughtfully nuide and 
has therefore given a broader scope for con- 
tinued progress in the commercial world. 



I\IRS. MARY E. CORT. 

Airs. Alary E. Cort, living on section 28, 
Alendon township, has passed the eight.v-secoud 
milestone on life's joiirney. She is numbered 
among the honored, pioneer women of Adams 
county and it is with pleasure we present to our 
readers the record of her life. She was born 
March 16. 1823, in Pennsylvania, and is a daugh- 
ter of Jacob and Alary Elizabeth (AValtham) 
Harold. She came to the west in 1844, the .jour- 
ney being made on a sailing vessel, which came 
down the Ohio and uj) the Mississippi rivers. 
Three years before this time she had given her 
hand in marriage to David Cort, who was born 
Alarch 7, 1818, in the state of Pennsylvania, son 
of Joseph Cort of AVestnu)reland county, that 
state. Their marriage was celebrated February 
15, 1841, and they lived in the east for about 
three years, and thinking that they might have 
better business opportunities in the middle 
states they started for Adams countl.v, Illinois. 
On reaching their destination Air. Cort secured 
a tract of land and began farming. He was en- 
ergetic and presei'ving and carried on the work 
of the fields throiighout his remaining days. At 
tn early period in the development of the county 
he used the primitive farm machinery, the sickle 
and the scythe being an important part of the 
implements then utilized. Later, however, when 
improvements were made he secured better fa- 
cilities to carry on his work and his farm bene- 
fited by the change. As the years passed he 
harvested good crops and eventually secured a 
comfortable competence as a reward of his labor. 

Fnto Air. and Airs. Cort were born six 
children : Byron, who married Electa AVilson and 



is living in Lynn county, Ali.ssouri; Sarah, the 
wife of Fred Ward, a resident of Reno county, 
Kansas; Sophia, who married Elijah Clair aiid 
after his death became the wife of John Flack, 
who is living on Honey creek; Frank, who mar- 
ried Alice Swaw and resides in Saline count.v. 
Alissouri; Elizabeth, the wife of Jacob AVeaver 
of the same county; and David, who married 
Cora Paine and lives in Marion county, Mis- 
souri. There are several grandchildren, Airs. 
AA^ard having six children. Mrs. Flack five chil- 
dren, Frank four, Mrs. AA'eaver two, and David 
five. 

Air. Cort died April 26, 1865, and his death 
was deeply regretted by many friends as well 
as his immediate family. He had come to the 
west a poor man but his perseverence and labor 
wrought a change in his financial condition and 
at his death left his widow in comfortable cir- 
cumstances. Airs. Cort is now the owner of one 
hundred and twenty acres of good land on sec- 
tion 28, Alendcm township. She has been a wit- 
ness of the development and growth of this 
county through more than sixty years and has 
seen numy changes as the county has emerged 
from its i)ioneer conditions to take its place with 
the best improved counties of the middle west. 

Charles F. Clair, a grandson of Mrs. Cort, 
resides with her on the farm and cultivates the 
fields. He was born December 25, 1878, and 
pursued his education in the public .schools. Af- 
ter putting aside his text-books he worked on 
his grandfather's farm and now cares for his 
grandmother. He has planted five acres of fmit 
trees and carries on general farming and stock- 
raising, his land being valuable and productive. 
He is a wide-awake and energetic agriculturist 
and is regarded as a reliable young man. whose 
career cannot fail to prove houoi-able and suc- 
cessful. In politics he is a democrat. 



AVHJJAAr T. DITKER. 



William T. Duker. proi)rietor ot the largest 
retail dry goods house of Quincy, entered the 
field of merchandising in 1883 and in twenty- 
one years has gained .success, prominence and 
an honorable name in business circles that many 
men .spend an entire lifetime in seeking. His 
excites the admiration of his contemporaries, 
})roving as it does that success is the outcome 
of clear judgment and experience, and that its 
basic elements are unremittin.g diligence and a 
close study of the trade conditions of the time. 

Mr. Duker is numbered among the native sons 
of Quincy, of whom the city has every reason 
to be proud. He was born December 14. 1861, 
a .son of Theodore and Elizabeth (Brinkhoff) 



564 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



JJukiT. juitives of Germany. The mother is now 
deceased but his father still resides in Quiucy. 
In the public schools the son began his education 
and later pursued a thorough course in St. Fran- 
cis College and the Gem City Business College, 
thereby being well equipped for the onerous du- 
ties which devolved upon him as he entered the 
field of business activity, with all its complex- 
ities and competition, lie formed a partner 
ship with II. B. ;\Ienke, in 1883. under the firm 
name of ilenke & Duker, retail dealers in dry 
goods at 711 IMaine street, in a small building 
only twenty feet wide. Five years later the busi- 
ness having outgrown its limited quarters, they 
removed to 704-706 Maine street. In 1893 Mr. 
Duker became sole proprietor of the business, 
which has steadily expanded until it is to-day tlie 
largest retail dry goods emporium in Quincy. 
In 1901 Mr. Duker removed his business to his 
present fine building at Nos. 614-616 Maine 
street, where he occupies three stories and base- 
ment. The store is thoroughly modern in its 
equipment and in its business methods and the 
jiatroiiage is constantly increasing. The business 
policy- of the house has ever been in harmony with 
the old time-tried maxims, such as ' ' honesty is the 
best policy, ' ' and ' ' there is no excellence withovit 
labor," and in a business career, wherein his 
plans and purpose are such as neither seek nor 
require disguise, Mr. Duker has come to be rated 
among the niC'St prosperous and jiroiiiinent mer- 
chants of his native city. 

On the 15th of February, 1887, Mr. Duker 
was married to Miss Elizabeth Bowles, a daugh- 
ter of John Bowles, and they have a daughter, 
Edna, and one son, who was born on the anni- 
versary of his fathei''s birth, was called Wil- 
liam T.. Jr. ilr. Duker. in his citizenship, is 
public-spii-ited, practical aiul progressive, identi- 
fying himself \vith every movement to fixrther 
the city's welfare, and his aid has been a valued 
factor in fostering many measures that have 
had direct effect upon the permanent improve- 
ment and upbuilding of Quincy. 



HENRY A. WILLIA.MSON. 

Henry A. Williamson is one of the vita! 
forces in the commercial and industrial devel- 
opment and upbuilding of Quincy, jDossessing 
that keen business discernment which recog- 
nizes possibilities, combined with the sagacity 
which renders mistakes or errors of business 
judgment of the most infrequent occurrence. 
His co-operation has heretofore been much 
sought in the establishment and control of im- 
portant industi'ial and commercial enterprises, 
and. while largely promoting his individual 



success, he is also a representative of that class 
of citizens who promote public progress and 
prosperity in advancing their personal inter- 
ests. 

A native of Freeport, Peiuisylvania, Henry 
A. Williamson was born in 1828, a son of Dr. 
Thomas B. and Harriet (Weaver) Williamson. 
The father died in 1840, when his sou Henry 
was twelve years of age. There were four 
ciiildren in the family, two sous and two 
daughters. 

Entering the public schools of Freeport, 
Henry A. Williamson pursued his education un- 
til fourteen years of age, when he entered upon 
his business career as a clerk in a general store, 
being thus employed for three years. In 1846 
he became interested in the lumber and gen- 
eral merchandise business in Jefferson county, 
Pennsylvania. In 1847 he returned to Free- 
port, where he also engaged in merchandising 
for some ten years, and in 1859 he came to 
Quincy, where he turned his attention to the oil 
business, in which he has since engaged. In 
1860 he was made agent for the Aladdin Oil 
C'Ompany, manufacturing oil out of cannel coal. 
He continued in that business until the com- 
pany began the manufacture of oil from the 
product of the oil wells, when he severed 
that connection and began dealing in oil on 
his own account. He now does a wholesale oil 
business, handling the product of the Standard 
Oil Company, his territory covering that part 
of Missouri north of the Hannibal & St. Jo- 
seph Railroad ; in Illinois as far north as Dal- 
las City, east to Beardstown and south to Pike 
county, following along the Illinois river. He 
has his own stations all over the district so 
that the supply can be readily obtained and 
the oil is largely delivered in bulk, mostly by 
M'agon. 

Mr. Williamson is now conducting an exten- 
sive business, nor are his eft'orts confined alone 
to this line. Resourceful and enterprising, he 
has aided in the successful conduct of other 
business interests and is now a director in the 
Quincy Engine Company, the Quincy Foundry 
& Novelty Company, the Sonnner Drug Com- 
pany, and is a stockholder in other manufac- 
turing enterprises. He is likewise the presi- 
dent of the Quincy Building & Homestead As- 
sociation, the oldest institution of the kind in 
the city, and has served as its highest official 
from the beginning, covering a period of thirty 
years, during which time continuous success 
has attended the enterprise, which, at the same 
time has proven of the utmost value to the city, 
permitting many to secure homes of their own 
when otherwise they would have been unable to 
do so. 





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v«^'^^t::2<^:^:^C'Z.<^^i:-^2^«>i^^ 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



567 



Nor has ilr. Williamson confined his ef- 
forts to enterprises from which iiersoual bene- 
fit and success accrue. He has been the pro- 
moter of many public movements and measures 
for the general good and was one of the origi- 
nal incorporators of Blessing Hospital, and has 
since had much to do with its upbuilding. 
He is likewise a trustee of the Anna Brown 
Home and is a member of St. John's Episcopal 
Cathedral, of which he was vestryman for 
many years. He also attended its general con- 
ventions for many years and has ever been gen- 
erous in his contributions to church and char- 
ity. 

Mr. Williamson was first married in 18.51 to 
Catherine E. Robinson. She died leaving one 
son, Thomas B. Williamson, who died at Racine 
College at the age of fourteen years. In 18.58 
Mr. Williamson was married to Eliza M. Robin- 
son. She had five children, two of whom died 
in infancy. One daughter. Helen ]\I. William- 
son, lived to be a young woman and died in 
1894. Two sons only are living, Charles H. 
Williamson, who is engaged in the wholesale 
produce business, and Walter E. Williamson, 
who is associated with his father in the oil bus- 
iness, 

Mr. Williamson supports liy his ballot the 
men and measures of the republican party and 
fraternally is a Mason. His attention, how- 
ever, is chiefly directed to his business interests. 
The growth of his bitsiness has been steady and 
rapid. He may truly be called a self-made 
man, for his prosperity is the crown of his 
o'wn labors. Industry has been the golden key 
that has opened to him the portals of success. 
Perseverance, hard work, mastery of the details 
of his business and a determination that has 
overcome all obstacles, are numbered among 
his chief eharactei-istics. Success is something 
to be proud of. and the world is better for thi' 
life of everv successful man. 



CHARLES HENRY WILLIAilSON. 

Charles Henry Williamson, a wholesale pro- 
duce dealer of Qnincy, who has also been con- 
nected with a number of enterprises having im- 
portant hearing upon the development, progress 
and stable prosperity of the city, ranks to-day 
■\vith the representative men whose labors have 
formed the history of Adams county. He is of 
Scotch lineage in the paternal line and Scotch- 
Irish descent on the maternal side. His parents 
were H. .\. and Eliza ^[cAllister (Robinson) 
Williamson, both of whom were natives of Penn- 



s.ylvania, in which state they were married, com- 
ing thence to Quincy in 1859. Here the father 
engaged in the wholesale oil b\isine.ss, in which 
he still continues, with offices at the corner of 
Seventh and Hampshire streets. In the family 
are two sons, the younger being Walter E., who 
is now connected with his father in the oil busi- 
ness. 

Charles Henry Williamson was born in 
Quincy, September 1, 1862, and acciuired his 
primary education in the schools of that city, 
while later he became a student in the Racine 
College, where he spent four years and was then 
graduated with the valedictorian honors of the 
class of 1882. He then woi^ked in his father's 
ofSce for two years and subserjuently pursued a 
post-graduate course in the Columbia Univer- 
sitj- in New York city. Returning to Quincy 
he here engaged in business with his father for 
t^vo years, after which he embarked in business 
for himself at his present location, where he has 
been for sixteen years cond;ieting a wholesale 
l)roduce business. He has a large and constantly 
growing trade and is meeting with the prosper- 
ity which is the legitimate reward of earnest, 
jiersistent labor. 

Mr. Williamson was mai-ried, in 1887, to Miss 
Emily Glover, who is a daughter of Hon. John 
'SI. Glover. They have two children : John 
Glover and Katheriue McAllister, both of whom 
are attending school. Mr. Williamson is now a 
repitblican in his political views, having sup- 
ported that pai'ty since the second election of 
President McKinle.y. He was alderman of the 
seventh ward of Quincy for four years and in 
1896 he was chairman of the state central com- 
mittee of the gold democratic pai-ty. He was 
president of the Chamber of Commerce for three 
teiTus and he organized and was first president, 
of the Quincy Freight Bureau. He was also 
first vice president of the Upper ilississippi 
Water W^ays Association and he was president 
for two terms of the International Apple Ship- 
pers' Association and is now vice president of 
the Apple Growers' Congi-ess. He is also presi- 
dent of the ilally Orchard Company of Quincy, 
owning two thousand acres of "land in this lo- 
cality. His efforts directed into these various 
channels of activity have proved a valuable ele- 
ment in furthering trade conditions and thus 
promoting the general prosperity. He is like- 
wise secretary' of the Quincy Foundry & Novelty 
Company and is a man of resourceful business 
ability, who carries forward to sitccessful com- 
])letion everything that he undertakes. Ener- 
getic, prompt and notably reliable, he has the 
entire confidence of the business community not 
only in his integrity but also in his business 
capacity to form and i-ari-v forward practical 
plans. 



568 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



Mr. Williaiiisdii is iifoinineiit socially and has 
been the pi'csiilriil of tile Quincy Country Chib. 
Ill' is a nn-inluT of El Aksa comniandery, Knight 
Templar, and the Benevolent and Protective 
Order of Elks. lie has twice been exalted ruler 
of the Elks at Quincy and has twice been a dele- 
gate to its grand bitliic. lie and his wife are 
members of the Episi-dp.-il eliurch and their home 
is a center of a cnllnred societv ciivle. 



AVOE^rilY E. FROST. 



Worthy E. Frost is ,-i rcpi'escnltil ivi' cnrly set- 
tler of ^Vdaiiis ciiiiiity, who fdi' ahiKisf :\ h.-df ecii- 
tuiy has resided in Honey Creek township, wilih' 
his entire life, covei'ing sixty-thi'ee years, has 
been passed in this eonnty. He was born at 
York Neck on the 10th of April, 1842, and is a 
son of Elias Frost. In tin- \-ear 1883 the gr,-in<l- 
father, Elam Frost, and the jiarents of our sub- 
ject all eame to Adams eonnty from Ohio. The 
grandfather settled on a fai'in now oeeujiied by 
Wt)rthy E. Frost and which w;is later purchased 
by Elias Frost. He took an active interest in 
the early develoimient and ]>rogress of the county 
and assisted materially in i1s ])ionei'i' improve- 
ment. 

Elias Frost was boi'ii and i-eared in Ohio and 
was married in this county to .Miss Dina Frost, 
who. thouuh of tlie same name, was not a ivla- 
tiv(>. On eoniiiiu to .Vdams comity he secured 
one of the pioni'ci' I'ai'ms of lliis [lart of the 
state and devoteil his eiier-ies io the tilliui;' of 
the soil, developing a vood farm property. He 
afterward purch.-iscd the f;irm upon which his 
father had loc;i1cd :iml wliich in 1urn eame into 
possession of Woi-thy E, Fi-ost. I'nto Elias and 
Dina Frost were born two childi-eii. the youngei- 
being p]dgar, who was l)orn in 1S44. He lived 
for a time with his brotiicr in .\<laiiis county, 
but in late!- ycjirs h'I't the farm and turned his 
attention to railroading, lb' died in the west 
but his rcmiins wi'fi' broiii:lit to .\daiiis county 
for bui-ial. '!'he father and mother both dieil 
"Ulion the liomi' farm on seel ion :>4. Money ( 'recl\ 
township, and the graiid|iareiils, the |iiireiits, and 
the brother now sleep in thi' family burying 
ground on this ]ilace. 

No event of special imp(U'tance occurred to 
vary the routine of farm life for Worthy E. 
Frost in his boyhood days. He was reared amid 
pioneer environments and shared with the fam- 
ily in all the hardships am! tn.-ils incident to life 
on thi^ fi-onlii'r. There wen also many |)li'as- 
ui'es to be enjoyed, such as are nnk'iiown at thi' 
present time. He was I'ducated in Honey ('reek 
township schools and when a boy he would go 
with his father to Qniney. following a path 



through till' liigli grass which grew to such an 
exti'ut (hat one could hardly see the head of a 
man as lie walked through it. They drove oxen 
to (^)uini'y and ^Ir. Frost can well remember the 
building of the Chicago. Burlington ifc (Quincy 
Raiii'oad, which wa.s the first line to enter that 
city. The enuines were then all named and not 
numbered and the engine which made the run 
to Quincv was called "Adams."" The homes of 
the settlers were largely constructeil of logs, liut 
as civilization was advanced and the settlements 

became more numerous these primitive Im s 

gave way to the substantial and atti'active farm 
residences which now dot the county. 

In 1871 Mr. Frost was married to .Miss Har- 
riett Ricliardson. a\1io was born in .\thens county, 
Ohio, and when a child came to Illinois with 
her parents, ^Ir. and ^Irs. Joseph Richardson. 
Her father was a farmer and ]u-eacher and he 
died in this county. ^Ir. and .Mrs. Fi-ost have 
but one child. Klfra. who is at home with her 
parents. 

-\t tlic till t the Civil war .Mr. Frost deiiKni- 

strated his loyalty to tile government by enlist- 
ing as a member of Conqiany K. Twenty-ninth 
Illinois Infantry, and was in the service for one 
year. Hi' is a hale and heai'ty man for one of 
his years, ;ind has never sought a pension, feel- 
ing thiit it was not necessary for his support, 
his aid being freely given to the uovernment at 
the tim(> of the country "s hour of jiei-il. Through- 
out his entire life he has followed agricultural 
|iui-suits and since b'^.'id has lived upon the farm 
which is now his home. This is under a high 
sta+e of cultivation and the fields annually re- 
turn rich crops. In all of his farm work lie is 
liractical and progressive and through his labm- 
and untiring diligence in former years he has 
become one of the leading citizens of the i'ouiit\'. 



r.'KRH.VRD C. AREXDS. 

(ierliard '! .Vrends. a director and assistant 
cashier of thi' (|)uinc\- National B;ink-, was born 
A]>i-il S. ISf)!. in the I'ity which is yet his place 
of residence. His father, Cerhard (i. Arends, 
Sr.. was born in 1824 and died May 14, 1899, 
at the aue of se\i'nty-five years. His wife, who 
bore the maiili'ii name of .Tantji' Taaties, -was 
liorn in iSlS and died Feiiruary 21!, \^'J'). at 
the aee of seventy-seven years. The father came 
to America in 184(1. when twentv-two years of 
age, from Noi'den, Ostfriesland, (Tcrniany, which 
was also the birthplace of his wife. They were 
married in St. Louis, ^lissouri, soon after the 
close of the ]\Iexican war, in which ^Ir. Arends 
had served, having been a member of Company 
E, Barnes' Missouri Battalion of Infantrv, .si'rv- 



PAST AND PEESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



569 



ing under (Jeiiei'iil Stirlinu' Price. Following the 
close of hostilities he received an honoi-able dis- 
charge at Independence, iMissonri. He removed 
from St. Louis to Quincy and here followed his 
trade of carpentering, becoming foreman for 
John Brimson, in whose service he remained for 
fifteen or twenty years, a most trusted and 
capable employe. He then retired to private life, 
having acquired a comfortabli' (•ouipr'tenee 
through the years of his business ;ictivity. He 
also received a pension from the goveriniient in 
recognition of his services in the ^Mexican war. 
Unto him and his wife Avere hoi'n thi'ce children, 
but two died in childhood. 

Gerhard G. Arends, of this review, the only 
surviving member of the famil\\ was a puljlic 
school student until seventeen years of age, 
when he entered upon his business career as of- 
fice boy in the employ of Richard Jansen with 
the (xermany Insurance Company. He served 
in that capacity for two years and afterward 
spent a similar period in the employ of George 
W. BroA\n. also a representative of the insur- 
ance bu.siness. lie then entcj-ed the Ricker Bank 
as assistant bookkeeper and aftei- two years be- 
came head booklceeper, being ;it that time but 
twenty-three years of age. He served in that 
capacity for 7iine years, having the full con- 
fidence of the banking company, but when thirty- 
two years of age was obliged to resign on account 
of ill health and for two years thereafter was 
connected with no active business enterprise. 
In 1887 tho Quincy National Bank was organ- 
ized and he became connected Avith the institu- 
tion as one of its original ineorpoi-ators and was 
appointed assistant cashier, in which capacity 
he has since served. He is also one of the di- 
rectors of the band. An able accountant and 
thoroughly familiar with the banking business, 
his efforts for the upbuilding of the institution 
have been beneficial and far-reaching. He also 
deals in real estate and his sound judgment has 
enabled him to so direct his efforts in that direc- 
tion as to gain therefrom a very gratifying com- 
petence. 

In 1886 Mr. Arends was married to ^liss Caro- 
liue Bitter, a daughter of J. H. Bitter, of the 
firm of P. W. ]Menke & Company. Her father 
died about 1898. Mr. and J\Irs. Areiuls have two 
children : Henry Gerhard and Antoinette J., both 
of whom are students in the high school. 

I\[r. Arends is quite prominent in the ^Masonic 
fraternity, belonging to Lambert lodge No. 659, 
A. F. &A. M. : Quincy chapter, R. A. M. : and 
Beauseant commandery, K. T. He likewise be- 
longs to Salem church of the German Evan- 
gelical denomination. lu his political views he 
is indepeudent, supporting men and measures 
rather than party. Having spent ids entire life 



in Quincy and having been connectcMl with its 
business interests I'or more than a Ihird of a 
century he is well known in (•onlmel■^■i^d and 
financial circles and his fidelity to every trust 
reposed in him has not only gained for him ad- 
vancement but has also won foi' him an honored 
name among those with whom he has lived and 
labored throughout the period of his business 
career. 



W. L. S.MITH 



W. L. Smith, livim;- on section :5(i. Northeast 
township, was born in Adams county, ]\Iarch 2, 
18.56, his parents being David A. and ^Margaret 
Alexander Smith, His maternal grandfather, 
William Alexander, came from Virginia to Illi- 
nois and settled in Adams (>oanty among its pio- 
neer residents. David A. Smith was a native of 
North Carolina and at an early period in this 
portion of the state he, too, came to Adams 
county, where he secured a tract of land and 
followed farming for many years. He died 
January 22, 1891, aiul his wife passed away Aif- 
gust 19, 1897. Thi'y wei-e the parents of four 
children: W. L.. of this review: ^Matilda J., 
the wife of J. 'SI. Stover, of Schuyler county, 
Illinois; A. J., of Adams c(iunty. and Robert W., 
of Schuyler county. 

W. l'. Smith is iiidcbti'd to the imblic school 
system of Adams and Seluiyler counties for the 
educational privileges he eii.joyed in his youth, 
which fitted him for life's iiractical and respon- 
sible duties. He turned his attention to farming 
in Schuyler county and later took up his abode 
in Adams county, his home being now on sec- 
tion 36, Northeast township, where he is devot- 
ing his time and energies to agricultural pur- 
suits. He was married in 1881 to Rebecca E. 
Burke, who was born March 6. 1832, a. daugh- 
ter of ]\Ir. and IMrs. Harvey Burke. The father 
came from Virginia and settled in Clayton towii- 
ship, Adams coimty. In that family were five 
children: Elizabeth, the wife of J. T. Alex- 
ander, of Northeast township: Mrs. Smith; G. 
W , of Northeast township: Jlinnie, the wife 
of R. M. Hackney, of Northeast township: and 
Olive, the wife of John R. Hackney, of Huuts- 
ville, Illinois. 

Mr. and Mrs. Smith have one child, George 
W., who was born l\Iay 7, 1890. The parents 
are well known in Adams eounty and their 
circle of friends is extensive. Mr. Smith is a 
sujiporter of the democratic party and has held 
the offices of assessor and road commissioner, 
discharging his duties with pi-omptness and 
fidelity. Fraternally lu' is connected with the 



570 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



Odd Fellows lodge and his religious faith is in- 
dicated by his iiienibership in the ( 'unilierhind 
Presbyterian chureh. 



AUGUST H. ACHELPOUL. 

Starting out in life for himself at a very early 
age. August H. Aehelpohl worked his way stead- 
ily upward and for many years controlled ini- 
l^ortant and profitable business interests in tliis 
city. Pie was first engaged in the grocery busi- 
ness and later in pork packing for a long period, 
and was afterward associated with the drug trade. 
When a yontli of only eleven years he came to 
America, accompanied by his sistei' and two 
brothers. He was boi'u in Germany, June li, 
1843. and his parents died when he was but a 
child. His mother passed away wiien he was 
seven years of age, and three years afterward 
the father's death occurred. The children then 
decided to come to the United States, and three 
of the brothers and two sisters started for the 
new world, but one of the sisters died while on 
the voyage. After landing in this country the 
foiar children came direct to Quincy. and some 
of them are now living hei'e. 

August H. Aehelpohl had attended the com- 
mon schools of his native country and, after ai'- 
riving in Qiiincy, he became a college student, 
thus ac(iuiring a good education. After com- 
pleting his education he started in the grocery 
biisiness, opening a small store on Jersey street 
near Fifth street. He was there engaged in the 
business for fifteen years and was very success- 
ful. Subsequently he entered into jiartnership 
with his father-in-law, C. Henry Behrensmeyer, 
and they began pork packing, their first location 
being at the corner of Tenth street and Hi'oad- 
way. There they I'cmained for .several years, and 
their business began to increase until i1 (lemaudi'd 
larger facilities: so they removed to the present 
site of the old city hall, there conducting a, iiack- 
ing business for several years, during which time 
Mr. Aehelpohl also went into jiar'tner.ship with 
W. S. Knapheide, another relative. Eventually, 
the business was removed to the ]iacking-liouse 
district. Mr. Aehelpohl was at difiVrent times 
associated with other partners and Dwned and 
controlled a large plant, carrying on an extensive 
business. For many years he w'as a i-epresenta- 
tive of this department of industrial and com- 
mercial activity, but eventually retired, and for 
a few years had no active business connections. 
He and his son Charles II. then embarked in the 
drug business together at No. 1201 State street, 
and this I'elation was maintained until the death 
of August H. Aehelpohl. who died November 20, 
1902. ' 



On the 17th of October, 1851, ^Ir. Aehelpohl 
Avas united in marriage to Miss Fredericka Beh- 
rensmeyer, who was boi'n in Germany, October 
17, 1851, and is a daughter of C. Henry and 
Fredericka (Dickmann) Behren.smeyer, who were 
likeW'ise natives of the same country and came to 
Quincy in 1862. The father engaged in the pork- 
jjacking business here until his demise, and jlrs. 
Behrensmeyer now resides at No. 332i/o South 
Seventh street, near the home of her daughter, 
Mrs. Aehelpohl. The Behrensmeyer family has 
been prominent and influential in Qixincy for 
many years. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Aehelpohl were 
born four children : Chai-les, who is now engaged 
in the drug business at No. 1201 State sti-eet; 
William J., who married Laura Hagen and re- 
sides in Galesburg, Illinois, where he is employed 
by the street car company; Anna, who died at 
the age of ten months; and Sebna F., who re- 
sides at home with her mother. 

Mr. -Vchelpohl passed away November 20, 1902. 
Frate 'nally he was connected with the Knights 
of Columbus and other insurance orders. In 
politics he was a republican, and religiou.sly was 
connected with the German ilethodist Episcopal 
church, of which his wife is a member. He was 
prominent, active and successful in business, hav- 
ing earned the money with which to pay his 
passage to America when but eleven years of age. 
From that time forward he was dependent en- 
tirely upon his (nxn restnirces and, as the years 
advanced, he worked his way upward, achieving 
success through the detenninecl energy and ear- 
nest labor that brook no obstacles and are de- 
terred by no difficulties that can be set aside 
through persistent, earnest purjjose. Mrs. Aehel- 
pohl and her daughter reside at No. 330 South 
Seventh street and, in addition to this i)roperty, 
she owns other realty in Quincy and still retains 
her interest in the packing house. 



JOHN S. FRASER. 



John S. Eraser, who is engag(.'d in general 
farming and is also serving as clerk of Islington 
township, was born upon the old familv home- 
stead on section 33, March 21, 1873. The family 
is of Scotch lineage and was founded in America 
by John 0. Eraser, a native of Scotland, who 
came to America in early life. He afterward 
married Margaret Dougherty, whose birth oc- 
curred in the same house in w^iich Robert C. 
Eraser, father of our sub.ject, was born. The 
grandfather engaged in the livery and groceiy 
business and he died when his son Robert was 
onlv five vears of age. The latter was born in 




A. H. ACHELPOHL 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



573 



New York city, OetolxT 14. 1S12(), ami wlicn ten 
years of aue started witli liis innthei' and two 
sisters for (^niney. 'I'hey went liy \'.My of tlie 
canal from New York to Ijuttalo, thence to 
Cleveland. Ohio, by boat, on by staue to Cincin- 
nati, and continued their join-ney to Quiney by 
boat. Aftei- locating in this county Mrs. Eraser 
married again, becoming the wife of John Sharj). 
who arrived here in INFay, 1837, while Mis. Era- 
ser came in September of the same year. Mr. 
Sharp had erected a log cabin on section 38, 
Ellington township, and had begun the develoi)- 
ment of a fai-m. As the years passed he con- 
tinued his labor.s until the fields wcn^ placed 
under a high state of cultivation and many sub- 
stantial improvements were added to the place. 
In the course of time he became one of the well- 
to-do farmers of the county. His death occui-red 
in 1888. when lie was about eighty-ei.ght years 
of age, for he was born October 8. 1800. 

Robert C. Eraser pursued his education in the 
early schools of Adams county and was i-eai-ed 
to farmins life, assisting in the ardiious task of 
developing a new farm. When lie hail attained 
man's estate he married iliss Reka Sjiilker. who 
was born in Germany and is now deceased. The 
children of this marriage ai-e : John S.. of this 
review, and ]\largaret. also living on tin.' old 
homesteail farm. Thniuuhoul his active busi- 
ness career Robert C. Eraser carried on general 
farming but is now living a retired life. He 
still lives on the old homestead, where he has 
remained for more than sixty-seven years, and 
is now enjoying a well-earned rest. 

John S. Eraser is indebted to the public school 
sy.stem of the county for the educational privi- 
leges which he enjoyed in his youth and which 
fitted him for life's practical and respimsible 
duties. He was also early trained to the work 
of the fields and throughout his entire life he has 
carried on farming, assisting his father in the 
work of the fields in early life and in later years 
relieving him of the management and activi^ 
labor of the farm. The place comprises one hnn- 
dred and sixty acres of good land on section 
:'>3, Ellington township, northeast of Quiney. and 
is devoted to the raising of wheat and coi'n. 
sheep, cattle, horses and ho.gs. He has good 
grades of stock iipon the place and everything 
about the farm is kept in good condition, all tln' 
fences and buildings being in i-epair. The house 
is a good tvvo-story frame residence. 

John S. Eraser was united in marriage to Miss 
Alice C. Smyth, a native of Melro.se township, 
Adams county, and a daughter of William 
Smyth. In his political views ilr. Eraser is an 
earnest republican, active in support of the 
party. He has sei'ved on the school board and 
is now clerk of Ellington township. He is a 
popular and enterprising agriculturist, M'ide- 



awake and enterprising, and his activity is bring- 
ing to him business success, while his labors for 
the general good are resulting beneficially for the 
county. 



ERED P. TAYLOR. 



In the jiromotion and conserv;ition of advance- 
ment in all the normal lines of human progress 
and civilization there is no factor which has ex- 
erted a more potent influenee than the press, 
wliieh is both the dii-ector and the mirror of 
])ublic opinion. Qniucy has been signally favored 
in the character of its newspapers, which have 
been vital, enthiLsiastic and progressive, ever 
aiming to advance the interests of the city, to 
establish the fonndations of an enlightened ci)m- 
monwealth and to promote the welfare of the 
lieople at large. It has been .-ilong such lines 
that Ered P. Taylor has dii-edeil his efforts as 
a joTirnalist. He is well known in Quiney as 
an editor and founder of the Journal of Indus- 
ti'v, a paper whose influenee is widely I'ecognized. 
His birth occurred in Louisville. Kentuckv. 
.March 15, 18.38. 

His father, W. T. Taylor, was a soldiei' of the 
]\lexican war aiid after the inauguration of the 
Civil war he enlisted, togethei- with his eldest 
son at Princeton, Caldwell county, Kentucky, for 
service in the Confedei-ate Anuy. Neithei' father 
nor son returned, the latter falling in battle at 
Shiloh, while the former died in camp from ex- 
posure and hardships. The widowed mother 
\vas left with seven children, with whom she 
removed from Princeton to Bowling Green, Ken- 
tucky, and in 1867 she came to Quiney to make 
her futuT'e home. The elder children began work 
and the mother through hei' carefid eeonom.\- 
and industry soon secured a home. She ])ut 
forth every ef^cn't possible to provide for her 
sons and daughters, counting no personal sacri- 
fice on her part too great if it would pi'omote 
their welfare. 

Ered P. Taylor was a youth of ;d)out ten years 
at the time of the removal of his mother and the 
children to Quiney. Here he began work in a 
restaurant as a waiter and was thus enqiloyed 
for four or five years. He afterward clerked in 
grocery stores and did every service that brought 
to him a good living and enabled him to make a 
start in life. Thinking, however, that he would 
prefer to follow the printer's trade, he entered 
upon an apprentiee.ship in the office of the 
Quiney Daily Herald in 1874 and there learned 
the business of setting tvpe, and in fact familiai-- 
izing himself with all dei)artments of the busi- 
ness. His apprenticeship was followed by a 
western trip, during which time he was emplo\'ed 



574 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



at newspaper work at Ihiiniiljal and was also 
coimected with newspai)ers in Biirliniiton. Iowa, 
for a year or more. Returnint;- to Quiney he 
was for some time counected -with the Quiney 
Wliig' and later his energies were concentrated 
npon political service in behalf of his trade and 
as an officeholder. 

Deeply interested in politics fi'oni his youth 
Fred P. Taylor, havint;- thoroughly informed 
himself upon the questions of the day. besjan to 
exert a local influence in political circles, which, 
in addition to his effective service in behalf of 
his party, ultimately led to his selection to the 
office of supervisor of Adams county in 1885. 
Prior to the expiration of his term of service 
in that position he was elected on the democratic 
ticket to the Illinois legislature and was a par- 
ticipant in the memorable Logan senatorial eon- 
test. His votes were always given on the demo- 
cratic side and he was true to his constituents. 
He did everything in his power to promote legis- 
lation that he believed would prove of general 
benefit to the state and opposed that which he 
deemed would work to the detriment of the 
general welfare and was known as an active 
member of the house, being recognized as one of 
the leaders of the democracy. 

Upon his i-etirement from the legislature Mv. 
Taylor became again an active factor in journal- 
istic circles, beginning the publication of a small 
monthly pa]ier which was known as the Journal 
of Industry. His capital was small, but he pos- 
sessed determination and would brook no ob- 
stacles that could be overcome by persistent ef- 
fort and honorable dealing. He often delivered 
his own paper when subscribers were asleep. 
Gradually he progressed and won success and 
soon his paper appeared as a little weekly, but 
from time to time it ha.s been improved and en- 
larged and to-day the Journal of Industry is the 
leading weekly paper in the western part of Illi- 
nois, while few weekly papers in the state enjoy 
a bettei' patronage or are more largely circu- 
lated. At times it has been the champion of 
good men strongly opposed by other i)ress and 
papers and at times it has been effective in elect- 
ing its candidate. 

Mr. Taylor is also recognized as an active fac- 
tor in othei' business circles and in connection 
«ith ]iublic affairs. He is a director of the 
Gem City Building & Loan Association, a stock- 
holder in the State Savings, Loan & Trust Com- 
pany and vice president of the Park & Boulevard 
Association. He has been supervisor for the 
past six years and is a member of the county 
democratic central executive committee. Fra- 
ternally he is connected with the Modern Wood- 
men of the World, the Fireiuen's Benevolent 
Association and the Fraternal Tribunes. 

When twenty-one vears of age Mr. Taylor w-as 



united in mari-iage to ]\liss .lennie Bloom, and 
they are now the parents of four children : Ad- 
dison L., Louis W., Newton C. and George A. 
The per.sonal traits of Mr. Tayloi^'s character 
have given him a standing in jntblie regard that 
many men might well envy. His business career 
has been characterized by steady progress as the 
I'csult of his own industi'.v' and perseverance, and 
he is ever ready to extend a heli)ing hand to those 
less fortunate. He is one of the world's workers 
who accomplishes much, yet in disposition and 
manner he is quiet and i;nassuming. He holds 
friendship inviolable and his real friends can 
count upon him to any extent. In his writings 
and in speech he is the opposite of A'erbose, ex- 
l)ressing himself clearly yet concisely and his 
]iositioii is never an eqiiivocal one. In his busi- 
ness he has accumulated a competence and placed 
the Journal of Industry upon a strong financial 
footing. 



DAVID STERN. 



David Stern, managing partner of the large 
clothing liovise and tailoring establishment of 
J. Stern & Sons, Quiney, and also one of the 
partners in the wholesale house of Stern, Was- 
serinan & Company, New York, is a man whose 
business career presents many striking and 
commendable qualities. It is true that he en- 
tered upon a business already established but 
in controlling and enlarging this many a man 
of less resolute purpose and keen discernment 
woiild have failed, but Mr. Stern's connection 
therewith has been marked by steady progress 
along business lines which are in strictest har- 
mony with a high standard of commercial 
ethics. 

Born in Richmond, Virginia, May 9, 1855, 
David Stern is a son of Joseph and Minnah 
(Rosenheim) Stern, who wei-e married in Rich- 
mond in 1849. The father, a native of Ger- 
many, emigrated from Wurteniberg in 1845 
and for a time was employed as clerk in a 
clothing store of Richmond, but in 1847 em- 
barked in business on a small scale on his own 
account. He prospered from the beginning 
and remained in business at Richmond until 
a short time before the close of the Civil war, 
when owing to the death of his wife he dis- 
posed of his interests there and removed to 
New York city. He was a private in the Con- 
federate Army and an intimate friend of Jef- 
ferson Davis, being the only man who had a 
pass to cross the lines and this was given to 
him by the president of the Confederacy. 




oQzO^ul J^L'tAx^ 




PAST AND PEESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



577 



Haviug- lost his wife iu 1862, Mr. Stern re- 
moved to New York iu 1863 and there em- 
barked in the manufacture of shirts, iu which 
he continued for three years, when the busi- 
ness was removed to Quiuey, Illinois, under the 
firm name of Rosenheim & Stern. After a brief 
period, however, the health of Mr. Rosenheim 
failed and ]\Ir. Stern purchased the business 
which was conducted under his own name until 
1872, when he admitted his sou Charles to a 
partnership. The store in Quincy was then 
managed by the son, while the father made his 
home in New York city. Charles remained 
here from 1866 until 1901, when owing to the 
death of the father, on the 30th of January, 
1901, returned to New Yory city to take charge 
of the wholesale house, while David Stern, who 
had become a partner in 1876, became active 
manager of the Quincy establishment. In the 
family were two sons and a daughter. Charles 
Stern was married February 10, 1851, to Miss 
Rosa Frank, of New York city, where they now 
make their home. The daughter, Henrietta, 
died in New York in 1902. 

David Stern attended the public schools of 
Richmond, Virginia, imtil nine years of age 
and then continued his studies in the schools 
of New York imtil in his sixteenth year when 
he came to Quincy and entered his father's 
store as a clerk, acting in that capacity until 
1876, when he was admitted to a partnership, 
and the firm style was changed to J. Stern & 
Sons. At that time he took an equal share in 
the management of the business, and has since 
concentrated his energies upon the building 
up of the trade and the enlargement of the 
biisine.ss, which is now one of the leading re- 
tail houses of the middle west. The New York 
house is situated at No. 458 Broadway, where 
a large wholesale business is conducted under 
the management of Charles Stern. In Quincy 
emplojTiient is furnished to twenty-two sales- 
men and twenty-five tailors, and both branches 
of the business are growing in volume and in 
profit. The firm owns a fine four story and 
basement building, fifty by two hundred feet. 
and with their stock they occupy the basement 
and first floor and one half of the remainder of 
the building. The house is one of the most 
important business enterprises of the city and 
David Stern occiipies a most prominent posi- 
tion in commercial circles here, displaying 
marked enterpi-ise, keen sagacity and a reso- 
lute will — qualities which are always indis- 
pensable in the acquirement of prosperity. He 
has long been accounted one of the representa- 
tive and influential business men of Quincy and 
was one of the charter members of the Young 
Men's Business Association and its successor. 



the Chamlier of Commerce, of which he is now 
one of the directors. He also belongs to the 
Retail Merchants Association. 

David Stern was married ]May 14, 1885, to 
Miss Miriam Weil, a daughter of E. A. Weil, 
a wholesale merchant of Savannah, Georgia, 
and they have two sons and a daughter: Elviu 
W., bom iu ]March, 1886, spent two years iu 
the University of Chicago and is now attend- 
ing business college in Quincy ; Lester A., born 
August 19, 1890, is attending high school; 
Madelane, born in April, 1895, is attending the 
public schools. 

Mr. Stern is one of the leading ilasons of 
Quincy, holding membership in Bodley Lodge, 
No. 1, A. F. & A. M., while in Quincy Consistory 
he has attained the thirty-second degree of the 
Scottish rite. He also belongs to the Inde- 
pendent Order of B'nai Brith and has been the 
local president for a number of years. He is 
likewise vice president of the Jewish syna- 
gogue, and in politics he is independent. H3 
has taken a prominent part in the improve- 
ment of Quincy for a third of a cenutry, and 
his record as a business man and citizen ranks 
him with the best residents of the city. 
Throughout this entire time he has so conduct- 
ed all affairs entrusted to him as to merit the 
confidence and esteem of the entire community 
and no word of censure has ever been uttered 
against him. His career is in keeping with 
the spirit of the times, when marked energy 
leads into large undertakings and when the 
utilization of opportunity results in the man- 
agement of extensive and important commer- 
cial or industrial interests. 



HENRY F. SPRINGER. 



Henry F. Springer, who owns and operates 
an excellent farm of one himdred aud sixty acres 
of fine land on section 15, Honey Creek township, 
was born in Gilmer township, Adams county, 
November 5, 1863. His father, Frederick S. 
Springer, was a native of Prussia, Germany, and 
came to .\raerica in 1858. landing at New Or- 
leans. He thence made his way up the IMissis- 
sippi river by boat to St. Louis and was eight 
days on this trip. For a short time he was a 
resident of Quincy and then took up his abode 
in Gilmer township, where he resided until 1862. 
In that year he became a resident of Honey 
("reek township, where he was well known as a 
worthy and respectable farmer for many years. 
He died in February, 1897. His wife, who bore 
the name of Ida Pa^^nour, was born in Hanover, 



578 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



( ieniiaiiy. .-iihI they wcrr injin-icd in llic fntln'i-- 
land CIV coiniim to the new wm-ld. The wcd- 
diiit;- ti'ip ii!' tlit- ymuii;' i-diiplc i-iinsiil iiird llicir 
voyao-e to Aincrira. Thf\' licfaine the parents 
of five eliildveii : Henry F.. of this j'eview : Mrs. 
Marv Wieuinann, of l-^niney: Frank, wlio died 
March 21, 1905: iJrs. Ida Dinka-e, at home; and 
Mrs. Minnie Bowers, who lives in .Missoiu'i. 

Ileniy F. Springer pursued his edueation in 
the schools of IToney Creek townsliip and in the 
({erman sehoo! at Coatshuru', Illinois. His youth 
was quietly passed and he gained practical 
kuowleduc of fai'iii woi-k, assisting in the opera- 
tion of th.e ohl hoineslead through the suuinier 
months, while in the winter seasons he pursued 
his studies. He has always followed the occu- 
pation to wliieh he was reared and is now a suc- 
cessful and enterprising farmer, having a val- 
Tiable tract of land, covering a quarter section. 
This he has ]daeed nnder a high state of culti- 
vation, th ■ Holds ainiually yielding him u'ood 
crops and his products lind a i-cjidy sale on tlii" 
market. 

■Ml". Springer was married in \o\emlici' IS. 
IS96. to iliss Mai'y liinkerman. who was hoi'n in 
Ploney Creek township, where liei- parents, who 
are natives of (iermany. now I'esidi'. .Mi-. ;ind 
Mrs. S])i-ingcr hav<' one child, \Villi;nii Henry, 
at homi'. They .are memlicrs of the !>utheran 
church and .Mr. Sprinuvi- uives his political snp- 
poi't to the ilemoci-alii' party. 



CHARLES R. .McNAY. 

Charles R. ]\IeNay, a stock dealei- of Crsa wlio 
is now conducting a husiness that lirinus to him 
very gratifying returns annually, was horn -lan- 
iiaiy 28, 1859, and is the son of John and Aman- 
da "(James) ^McNay. The father was boiai in 
Kenton county, Kentucky, October 15, 181 S. and 
came to Illinois with his brothers at an early 
date, settling in Mendon township, Adams coun- 
ty. Here he was married to Jfiss Amanda James, 
who was liorn J.-muary IS, ls:i2, in Boone cimnty. 
:\lissouri, and came to Adams county in 18-17 
with her jiarents, who settled in Ursa townshiji. 
After their marriage ilr. and Mrs. McNay pur- 
chased a farm two miles from Marcel line, whei-e 
they lived until the father's death. The 
mother still owns the farm, which comprises one 
hundred and sixty acres of rich and well cidti- 
vated land. Mr. McNay continued to cultivate 
that property up to the time of his death, which 
occurred in 1895. In 189(1, his widow removed 
to the village of Ursa, where she now resides. 
Three of their children are still living, namely: 
Charles R. ; M. M. McNay, who lives in the vil- 



lage of Ursa; and 1). F. .McXa\-. who resides in 
St. Louis. ,Missoiu-i. 

Charles R. McXay, liaving acquired his ele- 
mentary education in the jiiiblic schools of 
Adams eottnty, continued his studies in the state 
normal school of Kii'ksville, ^Missouri. He left 
iiome at the age of twenty-one year.s and bought 
a fai'm in Lima township, comprising one hun- 
dred and sixteen acres of land, upon which lie 
resided for four years. He tlien embarked in 
merchandising at Mai'celliue, where he remained 
for four years, after which he returned to the 
farm and continued the cultivation of the land 
until October. US97. At that date he took up 
his abode in the village of Ursa, where he has 
since been enu-aged in stock business. For many 
years he has haiidlecl stock and now he gives his 
undivided attention to that business, making 
extensive shipments each year. He is an excel- 
lent .iudae of live stock and is thus enabled to 
make judiciou.s purchases and jirofitable sales. 

Mr. McNay was married to ^liss Olive Miller, 
w ho was born February 7, 186.'?. and died Xovem- 
lier 5. ISSS, leaving one son Avho is now in Kan- 
sas City. Missouri, and is employed by the South- 
ern Pacific Railway Company. For his si'coiid 
w'ltr Air. AFcNTay chose Mary Welshons, their 
marriage lieiTig celebrated December 21, 1892. 
,Mrs. AIcNay is the daughter of John and Alartha 
'Thraup) Welshons, who were natives of Penn- 
sylvania. The former was born Afav :3, 1818, and 
the latter October 20, 1822. Botli are now de- 
eeajSed. By the second marriauc .Mr. ?iIcXay has 
two sons, Rne Wayne, horn Xovemher 5, 1894; 
and Carl F., born January 17. 1900. The family 
have a beautiful and pleasant home in T^rsa and 
in addition to this Mr. McNay owns other jirop- 
ertv here. He is an active member of the Alar- 
celiine lodge. No. 127, I. 0. O. F. ; the j\Iodern 
Woodman camp of TTrsa. He has been assessor 
of his township for three years, filling that posi- 
tion at the ]iresent time as he was recently re- 
elected for another term, and he was also eon- 
stable for two years. His political .support is 
given to the democratic party and he is regarded 
as one of the representative men of Ursa. His 
entire life has been spent in .\dams county and 
he enjoys in a large measure the respect and con- 
fidence of those with whom he has been a.sso- 
ciated. His warmest friends arc among those 
who have laiown him longest. 



JESSE E, wee:\is. 

Jesse E. Weems. dealer in ice. coal and wood 
in Quincy, was born in Prince William county, 
Virginia," August 21, 1831, a son of Jesse E. and 
Nancy (Otis) Weems, The Weems family is of 



m-^m. 




JESSE E. WEEMS 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



581 



Scotch descent, and the grandfather, the Rev. 
Mason L. Weems, was one of the early friends of 
George Washing-ton and was the rector of the 
Episcopal church which Washington attended. He 
was the author of the first ' ' Life of Washington, ' ' 
and first told the story of the cherry tree. His 
son Jesse also became a minister of the gospel. 
The mother of our subject, a native of England, 
was brought to this country during her infancy. 

Jesse E. Weems of this review pursued his 
education in the schools of Virginia and also of 
Baltimore, ]\Iaryland, continuing his studies until 
about sixteen years of age. xVfter putting aside 
his text-books he worked upon his father's farm 
until nineteen years of age, when he joined a gov- 
ernment surveying expedition, engaged in mak- 
ing the survey of the boundai-y line between the 
United States and Mexico iii 1850. He later 
spent some time in Washington, D. C, and in 
1853 came to Quincj'. That year he had charge 
of a division of the survey for the Northern Cross 
Railroad, the line extending from Quincy to 
Galesburg and now forming a part of the Chi- 
cago, Buiiington & Quincy Railroad. He made 
the original surveys with headquarters at Aii- 
gusta, Illinois, and was tluis engaged from 1853 
until 1855, when he abandoned surveying and 
turned his attention to farming at Augusta. He 
also operated a sawmill there and continued to re- 
side at Augusta until 1859, when he removed to 
Carthage and served as deputy county surveyor 
of Hancock county for two years. He was next 
employed as a surveyor and built the branch of 
the Wabash Railroad from Clayton to Carthage, 
this occupying his time from 1861 until 1865. 
The I'oad was then consolidated with the Wabash, 
and from 1866 until 1869 he was conductor on 
the Keokuk branch. He then went upon the main 
line, running between Quincy and Danville. Illi- 
nois, until 1892. 

In the latter year he went to Texas and oper- 
ated an ice plant at Long View, but in 1894 sold 
out and organized the Purity Ice Company at 
Quincy, doing business at 1500 Front street, 
where they have a factory with a capacity of 
forty tons in twenty-four hours. In connection 
with this plant they conduct a cold storage, han- 
dling the goods of other houses, and they also 
deal in coal and wood, having a coalyard at 
Fourth and Delaware streets, while the main of- 
fice is at 718 Jersey street. ]\Ir. Weems is man- 
ager of the business, which, under his capable 
guidance, has enjoyed a period of constant ex- 
pansion and is now one of the leading maiuifac- 
turing and eommei'cial enterprises of the city. 

Mr. Weems was married in Augusta, Illinois, 
in 1856, to Miss Louisa Kimball, a daughter of 
the Rev. jMilton Kimball, the first minister of 
the Presbyterian church of that place, now de- 



ceased. Mr. and Mrs. Weems had four children, 
but the eldest and the youngest are deceased. 
The others are Milton K. and Prank H., proprie- 
tors of Weems' Laundry of this city. The wife 
and mother died in 1876, and in 1884 Jesse E. 
Weems inarried Mrs. Brawner, who is still living. 
He belongs to the Masonic fraternity and the 
Odd Fellows' lodge, but is not active therein. He 
holds member.ship in the Congregational church. 
More than half a century has passed since he first 
came to Quincy and he has delighted in the 
changes which have since occurred, making sub- 
stantial improvement and progress in the city. 
As a railroad builder he was a promoter of the 
development of this part of the state and is now 
an active factor in industrial and commercial in- 
terests of the city — upon which the development 
of eveiy community depends. 



J. MONROE RIFENBERICK. 

J. Monroe Rifenberick, who has been a resi- 
dent of Quincy for twenty -two years and is now 
living retired at No. 625 North Tenth street, is a 
representative of one of the old families of New 
Jersey, his great-grandfather, a native of Ger- 
many, having emigrated to the new world at an 
early period in its colonization. His son, William 
Rifenberick, was born in New Jersey and 
throughout his entire life carried on general ag- 
ricultural pursuits, remaining a resident of the 
state of his nativity until his son, William, was 
fourteen years of age, when he removed with 
his family to Clarion, Pennsylvania, where he 
made his home until called to his final rest. 

William Rifenberick, father of our subject, 
spent the first fourteen years of his life on the 
home farm in New Jersey and was afterwai'd 
identified with agricultural pursuits in Clarion 
county, Pennsylvania, until he had attained his 
majority, his education being acquired in the 
public schools, which he attended through the 
winter months v,'hen his services were not needed 
on the home farm. Later he embarked in mer- 
chandising at Greenville, Pennsylvania, and was 
very successful in his undertakings, continuing 
in the business for several years, after which he 
purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres 
near Greenville, continuing its cultivation and 
making his home thereon until his death, on the 
14th of May. 1863. In his political allegiance 
he was an unfaltering democrat and he filled a 
number of local offices in a creditable manner. 
His religious faith was that of the Methodist 
church. He married Miss Margaret Ralston, a 
native of Greensburg, Westmoreland county, 
Pennsvlvania, a dansrhter of William Ralston, 



582 



PAST Ai\D PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY 



who was ijorn in IrclMiul iiiul after foiiiiiii:- tn 
Aiiu'riea cai-ried on farinino- on a tract of land 
about five miles from (ireensbni-g'. lie was an 
eldei- in the Presbyterian ohureh and w^as one 
of the most pi-ominent and intliiential residents 
of his community. I\Irs. Rifenberick died in 
Pennsylvania, December 1, 1869, leaving- two 
children : J. Monroe, and Louisa, the wife of Wil- 
liam H. Lane, living- near Peoria. Illinois. 

J. Monroe Rifenberick was boi-n in Clai-ion 
county. Pennsylvania, Ai)ril ;^0, 1S4"_'. Reai-ed 
in the usual m.-mucr of farniei- lads of the i)ei-io(l 
he heyan hi^ education in the district schools 
and later wa.s afforded the oppoi-1 unity of at- 
tending- Covode Academy of Pennsylvania, where 
he pursued his studies until August 12. 1864. 
No longer content to remain at his books while 
the stal)ility of the T^nion was .still endangered, 
he joined the "boys in blue" of ( 'oiii|iauy ( '. Two 
Ihuidrcd aiul Sixth Peniisylvaui;i Infantry and 
Avas sent to the front. He was on guai'd duty at 
Richmond, Virginia, until the fall of that year 
and was houoralily discharged June 25, 1865. He 
su.stained a (iesh wound in the right hand when 
before Ricluuond but was never oft' duty. 

V.'hi-ii the war was ovci- and the coiuitry no 
lonu'ci- needed his services iu the tield, ilr". Ri- 
fenberick resumed his interrupted academic 
conrsi'. which he completed by graduation with 
the class of 1866. Later he was employed to 
teach the high school at Covode, Pennsylvania, 
and foi- two years was a teacher in Punxsutawney. 
Tie i-ead medicine foi- a year with Dr. W. A. 
i\leans. of that city, luit never practiced and in 
the fall of 1S7(I he came to Illinois, making his 
way fir.st to Bloomington. Pie engaged in teach- 
ing school in Peoria county, Illinoi.s, for two years 
and llien returned to Clarion county, Peinisyl- 
vauia. «here he studied law under David Lawson 
for eighteen mouths, aftei' which, in order to re- 
plenish his depleted exchequer, he began teach- 
inu school in ^IcLeau county, Illinois. So ae- 
ci'ptalili' were his services that for three years 
he was iii-inci])al of the Selma schools. He was a 
capable edueatoi-. clear and enncise in imparting 
instruction, fii-in in niaiiitainine' discipline, and 
his ett'orts materially promoted the cause of pub- 



lic schools in whate^•er locality he 
Suffering from a thii-d sti-(i]<e 
1SS8, :\Ir. Rifenbei-ick came to 1he 
of (^hiincy. and after beiiie unal 
thirteen months he i-iitered upon : 
Having bccoiiie I'amiliar with tli 
ness dui-ine- that time, he was i-i 
attorney in tin- d.epartment of the interioi- ajid 
on Jainiary 'AO ISSO, he o])eucd a ]icnsion oftice 
in the goverimient building. This is a very im- 
portant work in Quincy from the fact that the 
Soldiers Iloirje is located here ami :\Ir. Rifen- 
bei-ick was very successful, |ircsentine- nuniy 



was employed 
of pa i-a lysis ir 

Soldiers iloUK 
lie lo walk foi 
I slow r-i'cover\" 
• ]ieusioii husi- 
•gislel-ed 



Ml 



claims, tic gi-eat uui.ioi-ity of which were granted. 
I!e became recognized as one of the most able 
pension attorneys of the west and continued the 
business until 1898. when on account of failing 
health he retired. 

A\niile residing in I^loomington, Illinois, ^Ir. 
Rifenberick was married, February 12, 1883, to 
jMiss Eva p], Hayes, of Ijexington, Illinoi.s, the 
wedding laking place at Genoa, this state, but she 
died iu Bloomington a few months later, passing 
away Jiuie 16, 188:'.. On the 25th of July, 1890, 
he married ^Mrs. EHxabeth A. (Craig) Thomp- 
son, a daughter of John and Charlotte (GatlifPe) 
Craig. Her father was an ivirly settler of Quin- 
c.v and follo-ived the blacksinith's trade hei-e until 
his death. I\Irs. Rifenberick was born in La 
rJrange. j\Iissouri, and was the widow of Prank 
C. Thomjison. traveling aL'cnt for the Singer 
SeAviiiu' M-ichine ('ompany. with oftice in Quincy. 
He died in .Mabama. The four children of that 
nuirriage were : Elmer, who is residing iu the 
Indian Territory: Ora L., of North Dakota : Clif- 
ford, an electrician residing with his mother: 
and Pansy E.. also with her mirther. 

Mr. Rifenberick is a member of thi' Indi'in-nil- 
ent Order of Odd Fellows and of John Wood 
Post. No. 96, Ct. a. R. He has always been a 
stanch republican, deejdy interested iu the suc- 
cess of his party. He and all of his family are 
members of the Presbyterian church ami they 
occujiy a pleasant honu> at No. ()25 North Tenth 
street. Mr. Rifenberick owning this ]u-o])erty. He 
had a wide acquaintance, especially among the 
old soldiers, with whom h(:' is very popular. 
Throughout his entire life he has manifested 
the same loyalty in citizenship that he displayed 
in early manhood when he enlisted in defense of 
the stars and stripes. 



DAVID IMITRTON KNAPP, M. D. 



With careful prelimii 
for the practice of med 
Knapp has now entere 
i-eer as a physician and 
«'as born in Kingston. < 
his par<'nts being James 
betli (.Murton) Knajip, i 
was born February 27. 
I'eter and Ann ((iui's; 
township, Ontario, whi 
February 18. 18:59, an 
and Ann P]. (Bcuuingt' 
from Loudon. England. 
Kingston, (Ontario. Hot 
descent and the Doctoi-" 



lai'y training fitting him 
iciiie Dr. David Murton 
il u|i(iii a successful ca- 
siu-geon of .Mendon. He 
)ii1ario. October 1, 1870, 
Fletcher and Ann Eliza- 
if that place. His father 
, 18:^7, and is a son of 
-1 1 Knaj)]!. of Kingston 
le his mother was born 
1 is a daughter of John 
on ) ^Inrton. the former 
and the latter from 
h |iar<'nts are of English 
s father is a representa- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



583 



tive of an 'ili! New lOiiiihiiici loviilist family. For 
six yeans he served as aideniiaii of Reideau ward 
of Kiiig'ston and prior to ISIII) was county coun- 
cil for twelve consecutive years. In his family 
are five children, namely : Albert E., born No- 
vember S, 1868, is a denti.st of Kingston : David 
il. is the next of the family; Luella A., born Oc- 
tober 11. 1872, is connected with the Conserva- 
tory of IMusic of Toronto, Canada: Sarah E.. born 
November 9. 1875, is teaching at Anaheim, Cali- 
fornia ; and Rachel S.. born .May 2.S. 1880. is at 
home. 

Dr. Knap;i. i-eared to manhood midi-r his par- 
ental roof. com])leted his more specifically liter- 
ary education in the Sydenham (Ontario) high 
school and subsecpiently was graduated fi-oni the 
Kingston Business College on the IBth of JNfay. 
1888. Almost immediately afterward he engaged 
in the real estate business at Desmet. Kingsbury 
county. South Dakota, wdiere he remained for a 
year and tlien left that place to become a teacher 
in the public schools at Lake Henry, South Da- 
kota. He met with success in his work as an 
educator and was made i)i'incii)al of the public 
schools of Banci'oft, South Dakota. He was th\is 
engaged until September. 1901. when he aban- 
doned the teacher's professicm in order to pre- 
pare for the practice of medicine. He took a 
preparatory medical ccmrse at Queen's Univei'- 
sity. in Kingston. Ontario, and afterward was 
graduated from the medical department of the 
University of Iowa on the 11th of ilarch. 1896. 
He did post-graduate work in the Chicago Poly- 
clinic in May, 1897, and thus by his comprehen- 
sive study became well equipj^ed foi- his chosen 
life work. He entered upon practice in ;\lendou 
in 1896 and has gained a very enviable reputa- 
tion here b\- reason of the slcill and ability which 
he has displayed in cari-yiug on his chosen woi'k. 
He has a thorough and accurate knowledge of 
the principles of medicine, is cai'eful in the di- 
agnosis of a case and cori'ect in his use of the 
remedial agencies which tend to alleviate disease 
and restore healtli. 

Dr. Knapp was nuirried at Mendoii on the 
26th of September, 1900, to .Miss Olive Ely. a 
daughter of Jared and Sai-ah filcFarland) Ely, 
both members of pioneer families of this county. 
This union has been blessed with one child — 
Helen Knapp, boi'n September 17. 1901. Dr. 
Knapp is a member of Mendon Tjodge, No. ■14:9, 
A. F. & A. ]\r., and El Aksa eonnnandery. at 
Quincy. He likewise belongs to iMendon lodge. 
No. 877. I. O. O. F., and to the :\Iodern Woodmen 
of America, No. 7ol, of which he is local ex- 
aminer. In the line of his profession he is con- 
nected with the Adams County Medical Society 
and with the Illinois State Medical Society and 
thus keeps in touch with the progress that is con- 
tinuallv being made bv the medical fraternitv as 



research, investigation and exijerience constant- 
ly add to the sum total of medical knowledge and 
lu'oiiiote the efficiency of the practitioners. 



\D.U\ ROHRBOI'GH. 



Adam Rohrbough. deceased, was for six years 
a resident of Quincy, during whicli time he 
lived retired. Previously he had been an agri- 
culturist of this part of the state, becoming 
one of the early settlers of Hancock county, Illi- 
nois, his home Ixnng near the Adams county line. 
He was a native of Weston. West Vii-ginia, born 
August 6, 1827, and his parents were Oeorge and 
Sarah Rohrb(nigh. The mother died in West Vir- 
ginia and the fathci- afterward married .Miss 
Emily Curti.s, who was a sister of ilrs. Adam 
Rohrbough. After his second marriage he re- 
moved fi-om West Virginia to Elvestou, Hancock 
county, Illinois, wliere he engaged in general 
farming throughout the remainder of his life. 
Both he and his wife died <m that farm, the for- 
mer December 7. 1876, and the latter .lainiary 
2S. 1895. Four of the childivn of tht- tirst mar- 
riage are now living: Isaac. Aviio is a resident 
of West Virginia; Anthony, who is engaged in 
merchandising in ^Missouri : Jackson, who is now 
living a retired life in Omaha. Nebraska: and 
Edward, who is conducting a fei'd store in 
Omaha. There were four children by the second 
union, namely : ^Irs. Sarah Jane Cozad. a widow 
living in Altamont. Kansas, who is the mother of 
nineteen children; ^Frs. .Mahala Jloore, who re- 
sides in Brookfield, Washington; .AIi-s. Miriam 
Tweed, deceased: and Bland, a resident of Gre- 
gory. Missoui'i. 

Adam Rohrbonuli is indebti^d to the connnon 
schools of his native state for the educational 
privileges which ho en.joyed in his youth. He 
remained at home up to the time of his marriage, 
which was celebrated in West Virginia, ]\Iiss 
Susannah Curtis becoming his wife on the 8th of 
May. 1845. She. too. was a native of West Vir- 
u'inia, born I^.lay 24. 1822. her parents being Al- 
exander and Jane (^litchelli Curtis, both of 
whom were Jiatives of the same state. The Cur- 
tis family, however, came origimdly from Eng- 
land. Both ]iarents of :\Irs. Rohrbough died in 
West Vii'ffinia, her mother dying January 26, 
1881, and her father in the early "208. 

After his marriage, IMr. Rohrbough removed 
to the west, settling in Hancock county. Illinois, 
near the Adams county line. Th(>re he purchased 
a farm and began stock-i-aisin^'. As he found 
opportunit-"'. he added to his farm until he be- 
came the ownei- of six hundred acres of vei-y rich 



584 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



and arable land. He made stock-i-aising and 
shipjiino- Ins t-luel;' hn.siness. eontinnally making 
piurhases and sales, and he also engaged in the 
tilling of the soil. He pro.spered in his business 
engagements, capably conducting his affairs so 
that he won very desirable success. He continued 
farming until ]\Iarch, 1892, when he sold his tract 
of land of six hundred acres and removed to 
Quinc.v, purchasing a residence (m North P^ighth 
street, whei-e he lived a retired life until his death. 
Unto Mr. and Llrs. Rohrboi;gh were born tive 
children : Benina, who is the wife of John Pot- 
ter and resides in Quincy: ■Marion G., who is 
president of the Commei-cial College in Omaha. 
Nebraska: Lee J., who is a teacher iu that col- 
lege; George, who is secretary of the college: and 
Mary A., who is the wife of Louis IL ]\liller and 
resides with her mother, ]\trs. Rohrbough. The 
father died August 15, 1898, and his remains 
were interred in the eemeterj' at Carthage, Illi- 
nois. Li his political views he was a very stanch 
democrat, believing tirmly in the principles of 
his party and giving to it an unfaltering sup- 
port. Both he and his wife were members of the 
Methodist Episcopal ehiirch in Hancock county 
and after removing to Quincy, placed their mem- 
bership in a church of that denomination here. 
In his business affairs Mr. Rohrbough was very 
successful, was enterprising and energetic, and 
whatever he iindertook he carried forward to a 
successful completion, so that he was enabled to 
leave his widow in very comfortable circum- 
stances. IMrs. Rohrbough has now reached the 
very advanced age of eighty-three years. She 
en.joys a mcc home at No. 1.120 North Eiglith 
street, wlii'i-e she lives Mith ;\fr. and Mi-s. .Miller. 



JOSEPH N. :McGINLEY. 

Joseph N. McGinley. living two and a half 
miles southeast of Loraine. is the owner of ;i uood 
tract of land of eighty acres on section 2S, Keeno 
township, which he devotes to general fai'uiing 
and stock-raising. He is a native son of Adams 
county, his birth having occurred in Camp Point 
township. February 10, 1854, his parents being 
William and Margaret (Nevins'l JTcGinlev. His 
parents were boi-n in Ireland and in eai-ly life 
came to the United States. The father was em- 
ployed in Pennsylvania for a number of years 
and then came to Adams county, establishing his 
home on a farm in Camp Point township. 

Joseph N. McGinley was edvieated in the pub- 
lic schools of his native township and was reared 
to farm life, following a plow almost as soon as 
old enough to reach the plow handles. He bought 
a farm of his own in ISSl and has since lived on 



section 28, ICeene township. Avliere his land be- 
ing rich and arable, responds readily to his cul- 
tivation and to the care which he bestows upon 
the fields. He is practical and progressive in his 
methods and his work has been carried forward 
in an enterprising manner. 

On the 2Tth of November, 1895, Mr. ^IcGinley 
^\■as marri(^l to iliss Luella Sweikert, who was 
born November 13, 1876, and is a daughter of 
George and ]\lary L. T. (Booker) Sweikert, who 
were residents of Carthage, Illinois, but her 
father, who is still living, now makes his home 
in Mendon, Illinois. Unto Mr. and Mrs. McGin- 
ley have been born four children: Gracie F., 
born July 13, 1898; Joseph M., born March 5. 
1900 ; Eli.zabeth E., born J\Iay 24, 1908 : and Wil- 
ber Chester, born November 30, 1904. Mr. and 
'Sirs. McGinley are well known in the locality 
where they reside and enjoy the favorable regard 
of a large circle of friends. In politics he is a 
democrat and served as deputy sheriff for eight 
years. He was also collector for one year and 
has been fjchool trustee for several years, while 
at one time he acted as jailer in Quincy. He was 
formerly a member of the Independent Order of 
Odd Fello-\vs at Tjoraine. 



ABRAM BENTON. 



Abram Benton, now deceased, was one ot the 
prominent merchants and farmers of Adams 
county, yet rememliered by man^- of the early 
settlers and also the later arrivals in this part of 
the state. He was of English lineage, his ances- 
tors coming to America from England and estab- 
lishing their home in Connecticut during the 
colonial epoch iu the history of this country. His 
father. Lot Benton, was a native of Guilford, 
Connecticut, and was married to Miss Hannah 
Chittenden, whose birth occurred in Guilford in 
1777, a daughter of Jared Chittenden. She traced 
her ancestry back to William Chittenden, who 
came to the new world from England in 1639 and 
settled in Guilford, where some of his descendants 
remained through various generations. 

Abram Benton was born in North Guilford, 
Connecticut, November 9, 1814, and was reared 
upon the home farm, while his preliminary edu- 
cation, acciuired in the eonnnon schools, was sup- 
plemented by an academic course. He put aside 
his text-books when eighteen years of age and. in 
company with his mother and his two brothers, 
Daniel and Joel, and their wives, he came west 
to Illinois. They reached Mendon, then known 
as Fairfield, in 1834, and Abram Benton, in con- 
nection with his brother, opened up the first store 
at this place. They also biult a double log house, 
which was the second house within the town 




cj^^=^^<2^ 




c/^...^ :^ '/^^^r^- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



5^*9 



limits. Two years later Dauiel Benton died, and 
Abraiii Benton then became sole proprietor of the 
little mercantile establishment. Through many 
years he continued active in the management of 
the store, increasing his stock as the country be- 
came settled and his patron.s grew in niuuber. 
In later years he gave over the management of 
his store to his son-in-law, ilr. S. S. Arnold. 
Plis integrity in business affairs was proverbial, 
lie was always just, straightforward and honor- 
able and enjoyed in the fullest degree the trust 
and respect of those with whom he was associated 
through either business or social relations. 

^Ir. Benton was married in Guilford. Connecti- 
cut, in 1837. to Miss Sarah Dudley Chittenden, a 
daughter of David and Lucy (Fowler) Chitten- 
den, returning to his native state for hi.s bride. 
They became the parents of two children : Sarah 
J., born July 17, 1838, who is now the widow of 
S. S. Arnold and yet i-esides in Mendon; and 
Ruth Frances, born February 16, 1841, the widow 
of A. -I. Leggat and a resident of St. Louis. 

'Sir. Benton was long a devoted member of the 
Congregational church, contributed generously 
to its support and did all in his power for its 
upbuilding. lie was leader of the church choir 
for more than forty years and was also deeply 
interested in the educational progress of his com- 
munity. His political allegiance was given to the 
abolition party in early life, he casting a vote for 
James G. Birney, the first abolition candidate. 
"When the republican party was formed to pre- 
vent the further extension of slavery he joined 
its ranks and continued one of its stalwart advo- 
cates. He was a man of fine personal appearance, 
enjoying throughout the greater i)art of his life 
excellent health. His death occurred January 5. 
1896, when he had reached the age of eighty-two 
years and was probably hastened by a severe fall 
which he sustained ten days previous to his de- 
mise. Like the day, with its morning of hope and 
promise, its noon-tide of activity, its evenina' of 
successful accomplishment, ending in the grateful 
rest and quiet of the night, so was the life of this 
honored man. 



GRANT IRWIN, il. D. 

Dr. Grant Irwin, whose successful professional 
career is an indication of skill and ability without 
which prominence is never attained in the medical 
profession, has practiced continuously in Quincy 
since his twenty-first year, and by consecutive 
progress, resulting from close application and 
careful prepai'ation he has demonstrated his right 
to be classed among those who, following the la- 
test ap])roved scientific methods, render the most 
ef¥ecti^'(; aid to their felloA\Tnen. 

Dr. Irwin was born in Hancock county, Illi- 



nois. April 1. 186.'), his parents being Samuel H. 
and Louise Jane (Jackson) Irwin, who are also 
natives of this state and now reside in Quincy. 
For man\- years the father followed farming in 
Hancock county, but is now living retired. Hav- 
ing traveled life's journey as man and wife for 
a half century, IMr. and Mrs. Irwin celebrated 
their fiftieth Avedding anniversaiy in Mny. 1904. 
But little is Imown concerning the ancestry of the 
Irwin family, save that the mingled blood of the 
Scotch and Irish nations flowed in their veins, 
ilore definite information, however, is obtain- 
able concerning the maternal line. Mrs. Irwin, 
who was born in Hancock county, Illinois, Janu- 
ary 3, 1838, was a daughter of Bmsley and Mar- 
tha Ann (Garrett) Jackson. The ancestors of 
the Jackson family, .suffering persecution in 
England on account of their religious faith, 
sought freedom to worship according to the dic- 
tates of their conscience in the new world, and 
the family home was established at London 
Grove, Chester countj', Penn.sjdvania. in 1725, 
where they were highly respected and valued 
members of the Society of Friends. The branch 
of the family from wliich Mrs. Irwin descended 
emigrated to Maryland, where her grandfather 
was born. Both her paternal and maternal grand- 
parents, also her parents, were faithful and zeal- 
ous members of the ilethodist Episcopal church, 
and in that faith she was reared. Her father 
was a man of superior education and intelli- 
gence and her mother was a woman of lovely 
character. They Avere very careful in the train- 
ing of their children, inculcating in their minds 
jH-inciples that go to the upbuilding of an hon- 
orable character. Their house was the place of 
entertainment for all of the ministers who vis- 
ited their locality, and indeed the religious serv- 
ices were often lield in their home, niost of the 
eminent pioneer traveling preachers, before 
churches were built in that part of the state, de- 
Ii\-ering their gospel message to the people of the 
community in the Jackson home. Mrs. Irwin 
united with the Jlethodist Episcopal church in 
her sixteenth year and has lived a most consist- 
ent Christian life, her faith being shown in her 
good works. 

Dr. Irwin, having mastered the elementary 
branches of learning in the public schools of Mo- 
berly. jMis.souri, entered the Quincy Medical Col- 
lege and won the Doctor of ]\[edicine desree on 
the 1.5th of March. 1886. He has always'" been a 
close and discriminating student of everything 
l)earing upon the subject of medical science, and 
in 1902, in order to still further perfect himself 
in his chosen calling, he pursued a post-graduate 
course in the Chicago Polytechnic Institute. He 
entered upon the practice of his profession in 
Quiney on the day that he was twenty-one years 
of age-- April 1, 1886 — and has won success un- 



59° 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



til, by the concensus of public opinion, he occu- 
pies a position among the leading practitioners of 
the city. He served for six years, from 1897 
until 1903, as physician in charge of St. Mary's 
Hospital, at Quincy: was physician in St. Mary's 
Institute ; in Convent de Notre Dame and also in 
St. Vincent's Old Folks Home, but resigned these 
positions on account of the demands made upon 
him by his private practice, which has constantly 
grown until it leaves him little leisure time for 
outside interests. Ke is a student with a love of 
scientific -esearch that keeps him continually in- 
formed concerning the latest theories and dis- 
coveries of the medical fraternity, and while he 
is quick to adopt all new methods whose utility 
seems evident, he is nevertheless slow to reject 
the old and time tried principles, whose practical 
value has stood the test of years. He belongs to 
the Adams (bounty ^Medical Society, the State 
Medical Society, the Tri-State :\i(M'licMl Society 
and the American Medical A.ssociatidii. 

On the 1st of January. 1887, Dr. Irwin was 
married to i\liss Ollie Herrick, a daiighter of Mrs. 
Susan Herrick. of Plainville, Adams county, Illi- 
nois. They have two daughtei's, Beulah and IMil- 
dred. Dr. Irwin belongs to the Masonic and 
Knights of Pythias fraternities. Personally he is 
a mau of fine p]iysi((ue, of firm, decisive charac- 
ter with a practical view of life that prompts 
him to the ffiithful and conscientious perform- 
ance of each (la>-'s duty and yet with ideals that 
enable him to sfrive for greater results and higher 
standards. 



LOrnS C. SCHROEDER. 

Among the citizens of worth that the father- 
land lias furnished to Adams county, is nmnbered 
Louis C. Schroeder, who was hin-n in Prussia 
Germany, near ]\[ossburg, January 10, 1839. He 
was. therefore, a lad of eight years when he came 
to Amei'ica in 1847 with his parents. The father, 
Andrew C. Schroeder, sailed for the new world 
accompanied by his wife and children and ulti- 
mately reached the harbor of New Orleans. He 
then proceeded up the ilississippi river by boat 
to St. Louis, where he remained for a short time 
and then came to Quincy. He was a mill-wright 
by trade and followed that business for a num- 
ber of yenrs, after which he began working for 
Gorvernor "Wood in Camp Point. 

Louis G. Schroeder, the only son in the family, 
was educated in the schools of Quincy, receiving 
instiMiction in English from Professor Martin 
and in German from Rev. Smeeting. The schools 
conducted by these two gentlemen were the prin- 
cipal ones of Quincy in those days. Rev. Smeet- 



ing and Rev. Beckham being the teachers who 
conducted a school in connection with St. John's 
Lutheran church. After completing his educa- 
tion Mr. Schroeder worked at teaming and car- 
pentering for a few years and then entered the 
employ of Governor Wood, assisting in the erec- 
tion of the Governor's home. His entire life has 
been characterized by industry and energy and 
the success that he has attained has been the di- 
rect result of his own labors. 

In 1861 Mr. Schroeder was married to Miss 
Josephine Bengert. a daughter of John and Eliza- 
beth Bengert, of Melrose township. They came 
to America at an early day from Baden, Ger- 
many, and Mrs. Schroeder was born in Adams 
county, being the youngest of five children. The 
others are: John, who died in infancy, Fred, 
of Quincy : Chris., deceased : and Joseph, who is 
living on Seventh and Jefferson streets in Quin- 
cy. Mrs. Schroeder 's father was known all over 
the county as "Cooper John." He was a cooper 
by trade and made barrels for the early distil- 
leries of Quincy. Unto ]\Ir. and Mrs. Schroeder 
have been born eight children : Louis, who is 
living in Camp Point township ; Loiiisa, the wife 
of Louis Ilapner, of Coatsburg, Illinois; Fred, 
deceased; Albert; Paul, who is living in Quincy: 
Henry, at home ; John, at Muskogee, Indian Ter- 
ritory ; and Walter, at home. 

Few men have more intimate knowledge of the 
early history of Adams county and the events 
which constitute its annals than has Mr. Schroe- 
der because of his long residence here and his 
activity in business. He was well acquainted 
with the Hon. John Tillson and was a neighbor 
and friend of Governor Wood. He lived with 
and worked for the Governor for a number of 
years. Tie was also a personal friend of Messrs. 
A^Hieat and Browning, Judge Skinner, Joseph 
Reeker, Samuel Holmes, John Fisher, Henry 
Misner, and many other early settlere who 
molded the policy of the county at an early day. 
He arrived hei'c with his father's family the year 
prior to the scourge of cholera in Quincy, in 1841. 
He has taken a very deep and active interest in 
whatever has tended to promote the public wel- 
fare and he has served as school clireetor, .as 
commissioner of highways, and was also alder- 
man of Quincy during his residence there. He 
belongs to St. John's Lutheran church and is a 
republican in his political views. He now makes 
his home on section 5. Camp Point township, 
where he has one hundred and eighty-four acres 
of valuable land, and also owns forty acres on 
section 32, Houston township. His property has 
been acq aired entirely through his own labors 
and his life record proves conclusively that suc- 
cess may be gained through persistent and hon- 
orable purpose. He has ever been a man of 
strong purpose and high ideals and has so lived 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



591 



as to win the resi)eet and confidence of all with 
whom he has been associated from pioneer times 
down to the present. 



OSMON BAKEPt GORDON 

Osmon Baker Gordon, financially interested in 
various business enterprises of Quincy and asso- 
ciated with the active management of the shoe 
business of Upham, Gordon & Companj' and also 
with the Gem City Building & Loan Association 
as its president, .stands to-day as a leading repre- 
sentative of trade interests here. He is equally 
well known because of his benevolent spirit that 
has prompted hearty co-operation in many move- 
ments for the amelioration of those conditions of 
life which work hardships for hmnanity. He 
has ever worked for higher ethical relations in 
business, for a more generous sjnnpathy and sub- 
stantial aid for the unfortunate ones of the 
world and his unselfish devotion to the general 
good have led to a character development that 
commands i^niform respect and admiration. 

Mr. Gordon was born in Fremont, New Hamp- 
shire, July 7, 1845, his ]iarents being the Rev. L. 
H. and Elizabeth Adams (Smilie) Gordon. The 
father was for fifty years a minister of the Meth- 
odist Episcopal church, connected with the New 
Hampshire conference. His wife belonged to the 
famous Adams family of Massachusetts, one of 
the oldest in the east, the ancestors coming from 
Holland in the ]\Iayflower. The Gordons are 
also of Old Ne^v England stock and earlier gen- 
erations of the family resided in Scotland. 

Osmon Baker Gordon pursued his education in 
New Hampshire and after leaving the high 
school came to Quincy, where he attended the old 
German and English College, now a part of the 
public school system of the city. He was in- 
duced to come to the west by a brother who was 
living in Quincy and he arrived here on the 15th 
of August, 1860. "When his education was com- 
pleted he entered his brother's retail shoe store 
and thei'e learned the trade. In 1867 he became 
connected with the firm of C. Brown. Jr., & Com- 
pany, of Quincy. going upon the road as travel- 
ing salesman and representing that hoiise for 
eleven years. When he had been associated there- 
with for four and a half years he w'as admitted 
to a partnership and was for six and a half years 
a member of the firm, when the business style was 
changed to TTpham, Gordon & Company, the 
change being made in 1879. Six men are now 
upon the road, representing this h(mse. At 
Springfield, ^Missouri, they have a branch house, 
which is represented by five traveling salesmen, 
this having been established in April, 1901. The 



firm controls a large wholesale trade in shoes and 
the output of the house is extensive. i\Ir. Gordon 
is also president of the Gem City Building & 
Loan Association, which was established in 1889, 
he being one of the original incorporators. He 
is also a stockholder in various other enterprises 
of the city and his business judgment and wise 
counsel have proved effective factors in the suc- 
cessful conduct of these. 

On the 21st of June, 1883, Mr. Gordon was 
married in 3Iinneapolis. Minnesota, to Miss Har- 
riet E. Adams, a claughter of the Rev. Sullivan 
Adams, a Baptist minister since deceased. Her 
mother now lives with her at the age of seventy- 
three years. Mr. and Mrs. Gordon have but one 
child, Osmon B., Jr., who was born December 
16, 1885, and is now a student in the high school. 

Mr. Gordon belongs to Quincy lodge. No. 12, 
I. O. 0. F. He takes a very active interest in the 
moral development of the community and chari- 
table work and belongs to the First Congrega- 
tional church, of which he is one of the trustees 
He is also president of the Woodland Home and 
has been vice president of the Anna Brown Home 
for the aged from its organization. He is greatly 
interested in all of the benevolent organizations 
of the city, having a most charitable spirit and 
bi'oacl humanitarian i^rinciples. He gives gen- 
erously of his time, means and active co-opera- 
tion toward the advancement of charitable meas- 
ures and benevolent institutions and the poor 
and needy have reason to count him a stanch 
friend. 



:\rORTIMER HALEY. 



ilortimer Haley, who is operating a farm of 
one hundred and sixty acres, in Lima to^vnship, 
was born August 11, 1866, in Missouri and is 
a son of Elder and Angelina Haley, the former 
a native of Virginia and the latter of England. 
The father was a carpenter by trade and was 
engaged in buildiua- operations throughout his 
entire life. He made his home for many years 
near Canton, Jlissouri, and died in 1885, while 
his wife passed away l\Iay 10, 1903. 

In the public schools of Missouri Mortimer 
Haley acquired his education and after plotting 
aside his text-books was employed as a farm 
hand for several years, but desiring that his la- 
bors should more directly benefit himself he be- 
gan renting land. He came to Adams county in 
1895 and has since lived in Lima township, 
where he laow rents and cultivates one hiindred 
and sixty acres of rich bottom land, the fields an- 
nually returning him golden harvests as a re- 
ward for the labor he bestows \;pon them. He 
has prospered in his work as the years have gone 



592 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



by and uow owns some fine town pi-operty in 
Jleyer. 

On the 5tli of May, 1899. Mi-. Haley was mar- 
ried to Otie 51. Roberts, who was born January 
12, 1872, and is a daughter of Isaac and Indie 
Roberts. Her father was born in Missouri and 
yet follows farming in that state. His wife is a 
native of Kentucky. Sirs. Haley was educated 
in the schools of ilissouri and remained a resi- 
dent of that state until her marriage. Unto iMr. 
and Mrs. Haley have been born two children : 
Cleo, who was born Julv 3, 1891: and Beulah, 
born July 16, 1900. 

Mr. Haley is independent in his political 
views, regarding the qualifications of the can- 
didate rather than his political allegiance. He 
is a member of the Modern Woodmen camp at 
Jleyer, and he and his wife are communicants 
of the Episcopal church there. He had no pe- 
cuniary assistance or financial influence to aid 
him when he started oiit in life for himself, and 
whatever success he has achieved is due entirely 
to his own labors. 



CA^FPBELL S. HEARX. 

X'ampbell S. Hearn, who throughout his busi- 
ness career followed agricultural pursuits and 
is now living a retired life near Quincy, has for 
many years figured prominently in political cir- 
cles in his district and is widely known among 
the leaders of democi'acy in Illinois. He has 
fostered many njeasures and movements for the 
growth and success of his part.y and in his career 
has ever manifested a public-spirited citizenship, 
which on many occasions has been of direct ben- 
e.lt to the county. 

A native of Woodford count>', Kentucky, 
Campbell S. Hearn was born November 20, 1844, 
and is a representative of one of the olde.st fam- 
ilies of that state, his paternal grandfather, Jacob 
Hearn, having emigrated from Maryland to Fay- 
ette county, whence he removed to Owen county, 
where he built one of the primitive mills ope- 
rated by horse power. He possessed consider- 
able ingenuity and business ability and was thus 
^\ell qualified to cope with the hard conditions of 
pioneer life. He was a man of strong convictions, 
fearless in espousing his views upon either re- 
ligious or political subjects. He was a soldier of 
the war of 1812. 

His son, Warren Hearn, was the first white 
child Ijorn in Owen county and was therefore 
reared amid the wild scenes of frontier life. He 
remained a resident of Kentucky until 1867, 
when he came to Adams county, making his way 
to the home of his son Campbell, in Melrose 



township, whei'c he died in July, 1882, at the age 
of seventy-eight years. He, too, was fearless in 
his advocacy of whatever he believed to be right. 
He supported the democratic party and was a 
member of the Methodist Episcopal church 
south. He married Jane Alexander, who was 
born in Woodford county, Kentucky, September 
6, 1806, and was a daughter of Peter Alexander, 
a native of Virginia, who emigrated to Kentucky 
in 1792. He served all through the Revolution- 
ary war. Mrs. Hearn died at the home of her 
son Campbell, ]\Iay 21, 1875. By her marriage 
she had become the mother of eight children, five 
sons and three daughters : John Harrison, a 
ranchman of Stanislaus coiuity, California; Rob- 
ert S., a merchant of Georgetow^n, Kentucky, who 
is serving as a member of the state legislature: 
Margaret, of Stockton, California, the widow of 
John Llewellyn, wrho was a farmer; Mary K., 
wife of Ed AVliittington, a carpenter of Pine 
Bluff, Arkansas; Jacob L.. who died in Okla- 
homa; Campbell S. ; Melvina E., who married 
William Gravart, but both are now deceased: 
and Alexander W., a ranchman of California. 

Campbell S. Hearn is indebted to the public 
school system of Kentucky for the educational 
privileges he en.joyed. He -was not j^et eighteen 
years of age, when, on tlie 6th of I\Iay, 1862, he 
enlisted at Little Rock, Arkansas, in the Fifth 
^Missouri Volunteer Infantry, C. S. A., with 
which he served for more than three years, par- 
licipating in many engagements under Generals 
Price, Joseph Johnston, Van Dorn, Hood and D, 
H. Mowry. When the snrender took place at 
Fort Blakeley, across the bay from Mobile, ]\Ir. 
Hearn was captui'ed and for two weeks was held 
as a prisoner on Ship Island in the Gulf of 
Mexico. 

Following the close of the war "Slv. Hearn spent 
two years in Kentucky, and then came to Adams 
county, Illinois, where he engaged in farming, 
endeavoring to recoup his lost fortunes, and until 
his retirement from active business life he fol- 
lowed agricultural pursuits, meeting with de- 
sirable success. 

On the 10th of September, 1872, Mr. Hearn 
was married to Miss Elizabeth Hastings, who 
■was born in Adams countv. March 6, 1855, and 
died April 21, 1875, at "Stockton, California. 
They had two children: George R. L., who is 
now freight collector for the Chicago, Burling- 
ton & Quincy Railroad Company at Monmouth, 
Illinois, and John C, deceased. In 1879 IMr. 
Hearn married Emma Felt, who was born in 
Hancock county, Illinois, February 15, 1858, a 
daughter of George Felt, a farmer. They have 
four children : Warren F., a lumberman of Pine 
Bluff, Arkansas; ~SIary K., at home; Nickerson, 
deceased : and T. C. Luke, at home. The parents 
hold membership in the Methodist Episcopal 




C. S. HEARN 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



595 



chureli and ilr. Ilearn is a nieinber of the ilod- 
ern Woodman camp in Qiiincy. 

Always a democrat in his political views. ^Iv. 
Hearn has been a very active worker in party 
ranks. He has served as supervisor of Melrose 
towushii:) for a quarter of a century, and has 
been chairman of the board ten years. In 1892 
he was elected a member of the state board of 
equalization for a term of four years and then 
resigned to accept the position of commissioner 
for .so^^thern Illinois penitentiary, serving in 
that capacity for two years. He was chairman, 
of the democratic county central committee for 
twelve years, and has been one of its members 
for a third of a century. In 1904 he was elected 
to the state senate from the Thirty-sixth district. 
He has always taken an active interest in po- 
litical matters, advocates the care of the insane 
in the almshouses by the state and has always 
championed the interests of the unfortunates 
who are in the state's care, his efforts being 
jirompted by a hiunanitarian spirit, worthy of 
much conmiendation. His interest in all matters 
of public concern is tliat of a iiublic-spiritcd, 
progressive citizen. 



PHILIP CAIN. 



Philip Cain, who follows farming and sto^k- 
raising on section 2, Northeast township. Was 
born in Clayton, Adams county, Pebruaiy 9, 
1850, his parents being Philip and Ruth (Jlead) 
Cain. The father was born in Ohio, in Septem- 
ber, 1804, and the mother's birth occurred in 
Maryland, January 5, 1806. They were married 
March 8, 1837, and in 1839 they came to Illinois, 
settling in Clayton township, Adams county, 
easting in their lot with the pioneers of this por- 
tion of the state. They liecame the parents of 
twelve children : -John, who was born December 
6, 1827, and died April 5, 1905, on the old home- 
stead where his parents first settled on coming 
to this country: Abel, M'ho was born September 
23, 1829, and died in Golden; Hannah, born 
February 2, 1833, who became the wife of Henry 
Muller, of Camp Point, and died November 10, 
1SS2: Nelson, who was born October 29, 1833, 
and died February 8, 1863, while serving in the 
Union Army; William W., who was born October 
8, 1835, and died August 8, 1837 : Samuel, who 
was born September 1], 1837, and is living in 
Clayton ; Lewis, born September 5, 1839 ; Laban, 
who was born Jime 27. 1841, and died in Car- 
thage, Illinois, October 19, 1902 ; Margaret, who 
was born April 13, 1843, and is the wife of Henry 
Crawford of Galesburg, Illinois: Ellen, who was 
born May 24, 1845, and died October 8. 1853: 



\'iola, who was born Ajjril 27, 1848, and died on 
the 4th of December following; and Philip. 

In the schools of Clayton township Philip 
Cain, of this review, gained his education and 
later he began farming on his own acct)unt. He 
had been reared to that occupation and therefore 
brovight to his work practical knowledge and ex- 
perience. He is to-day the owner of one hun- 
dred and forty acres of land on section 2, North- 
east town.ship, constituting a fine farm, for he 
has added many modern improvements and the 
place is now well ecpiipped with good machinery, 
substantial buildings, high grades of stock and 
in fact everything in keeping with modern ideas 
of a progressive agriculturist. 

On the 7th of ilareh, 1872, J\Ir. Cain was mar- 
ried to Miss Cassanda Naylor, a daughter of C. 
J. and Elizabeth Naylor, who came from North 
Carolina to Illinois in 1861 and settled in North- 
east town.ship. Adams coimty. They had the fol- 
lowing children: J. C, now of Kansas; iM. J., 
the wife of J. B. Hackney, of Northeast town- 
ship ; B. L., of Indian Territory ; and W. H., of 
Kansas. The father died in 1861, while the 
mother survived until IMarch 25, 1894. tfnto Mr. 
and J\Irs. Philiji Cain have been born seven chil- 
dren : Calvin, L., who was born July 25, 1873, 
and is now in Huntsville, Illinois; George E., 
who Avas boi'u January 11, 1876, and resides in 
Augusta, Illinois: Orpha, born February 3, 1878, 
and is the wife of W. E. Hillyer, of Hiintsville, 
Illinois; Clarence E., born November 27, 1879, 
and livine in Northeast township ; Bessie, born 
April 5, 1886: Elsie, born January 31, 1888; and 
Lulu, born February 5. 1891. 

I\rr. Cain is a member of the Independent Or- 
der of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias 
fraternity, while his political allegiance is given 
the democratic party. He has spent his entire 
life in this county and the circle of his friends is 
almost coextensive with the circle of his ac- 
quaintance. 



HENRY HART, M. D. 



Dr. Hem'y Hart, who is engaged in the prac- 
tice of medicine and surgery in Quincy and is 
making a specialty of gynecology, was born in 
Hancock county, Illinois, in 1863. Among his 
ancestors were those who followed the same pro- 
fession and thus his life work may have been in- 
fluenced by hereditary tendencies and environ- 
ment as well as by personal choice. His grand- 
father, William Hart, was a physician and about 
1850 came to Illinois, settling near Siloam 
Sju-ings, Adams comity. After a short time, 
however, lie removed to Hancock coiinty, Illinois, 



596 



PAST AND PKESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



and contimied in the in-ac-tice of his profession 
at "West Poiut for many years. 

His fatlier, Dr. John F. Hart, was a native 
of Clark county, Ohio, born in 1829. Becom- 
ing a member of the medical fraternity he prac- 
ticed as a physician and surgeon throiTghout his 
entire life. 

He accompanied his parents to Illinois about 
1850. being at that time twenty-one years of age. 
Chosing as a life work a profession which had 
elaimeci his father's time and attention he began 
reading medicine and after completing his col- 
lege eoi;rse resjjonded to his country's call for 
troops, enlisting on the 8th of ^Mareh, 1865, as a 
member of Company I. One Hundred and Eight- 
eenth Kegiment of Illinois Volunteers. He con- 
tinued with that command until the close of_ the 
war, when he was mustered out June 6, 1865, at 
Quincy. He was detailed for hospital work and 
thus added to his theoretical knowledge varied 
and valuable practical experience. Following 
his return home he at once entered upon the ac- 
tive pi-actice of his profession at West Point, 
where lie continued until his death in 1896. He 
held membership in the Methodist Episcopal 
church and was a man of upright life, whose 
ability in his profession and whose worth as a 
citizen were often times demonstrated. He be- 
longed to the Masonic fraternity, gave his po- 
litical allegiance to the democracy and on one 
occasion sei'ved as supei'vism- nf liis township. 
He married Narcis.se Newcoiiib. who was born in 
Clark county, Ohio, and is now living at the age 
of sixty-five years. Her father. Joim Newcomb, 
was a farmer and on coming to Illinois located 
in the neighborhood in which tlie Ibirt family 
were living. Mi's. Hart still makes her home at 
"West Point and is a member of the Methodist 
Episcopal church. By her marriage she became 
the mother of six children : Mary, the wife of 
Dr. R. T. Madison, of Byron, (Oklahoma ; Julia 
]May, the wife of Louis Sinnnons, a farmer living 
near "West Point; Willard "W., a dentist of Chi- 
cago : Henry, of this review. Flint W., a practic- 
ing phy.sieian at "West Point; and Harry V.. a 
dentist of Bowen. Illinois. 

Following the acquirement ef his preliminary 
education in the public schools at West Point, 
Henry Hart entered Chaddock College and after- 
wardbecame a student in the Quincy College of 
Medicine. Later he pursued a post-graduate 
course in the Post-Graduate Medical School and 
Hospital of Chicago. In 1887 he won the first 
diphmia and also won diplomas from the last 
mentioned institution in 1890 and 1894. Dr. Hai-t 
entered upon practice in Chili. Illinois, in 1887, 
and two years later came to Quincy, where he has 
been eminently siiccessful in the prosecution of 
his chosen calling. He now has offices in the 
Wells Building and a veiy extensive public pat- 



I'onage is accorded him. Thoroughly informed 
concerning the various depai-tments of the medi- 
cal science, he makes a specialty of gynecology 
and his skill in this regard has won him promi- 
nence. He i)ractiees along strictly scientific lines, 
keeping in touch with the marked development 
made by the profession, and he is continually 
adding to his knowledge through the interchange 
of thought and experience that he gains in his 
membership relations with the American Medi- 
cal Association, the Illinois Medical Association, 
the Military Tract Medical Association and the 
Adams County Medical Society. He was con- 
sulting phj'sician to the board of health of Qviin- 
cy of 1900 and he has been gynecologist at St. 
Mary's Hospital for six years and is also serving 
on the surgical staff. 

In 1886 Dr. Hart was married to ^liss Anna 
Agnes Corev, who was born in W^est Point in 
1867, a daughter of Dr. V. B. and :\[ary 0. (Con- 
yers) Corey. They have three children : John 
Franklin, born in 1887 ; Heni-y Floyd, in 1898 ; 
and Grace, who was born in 1893. and died in 
infancy. Mrs. Hart is a member of the Baptist 
church and the Doctor is identified with the 
Masonic fraternity, the Knights of Pythias lodge 
and the Country Club. His political views are 
in accord with democratic principles, but he has 
never sought or held office outside of the line of 
his profession. Gifted by nature with strong 
mentality he has developed his latent powers 
through close application, earnest study and sci- 
entific research and to-day he is classed among 
the more learned and reliable physicians repre- 
senting the nudical fraternity in Quincy. 



CIIATTXCEY H. CASTLE. 

Among the men of marked enterprise and 
business achievement whose labors have resulted 
beneficially to the city of Quincy and who in the 
direction of private interests have won the suc- 
cess which is the merited reward of all pei'sist- 
ent and honorable endeavor, is numbered Chaun- 
cey H. Castle, the president of the Comstock- 
Castle Stove Company, one of the leading pro- 
ductive indu.stries of Quincy. To other fields of 
activity he has also directed his efforts, his wise 
counsel and opinions proving valued factors in 
the control of varied enterprises. 

Mr. Castle was born in Columlius. Adams 
county, Jul J' 10, 1813, his parents being Timothy 
H. and Julia A. (Boyd) Castle, both of whom 
Avere natives of Brattleboro, Vermont. The fa- 
ther came to the west about 1832 and conducted 
a general store in Columlras until 1857, when he 
removed to Quincy and pui'chased an interest in 




^.yCZ^ 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



599 



the stove factory then i-ondiicted by A. Comstoek 
& Company. Tlie tirni .styh\ however, was 
changed at that time to Collins, Comstoek & 
Company, and Mr. Castle, was connected there- 
with until his death, which occurred in 1880. 
His wife, sur-\dving him about ten years, died 
in 1890. In politics he was a whig until the dis- 
solution of that party, when he became a stanch 
republican. He was closely associated with 
mercantile and manufacturing interests of 
Quincy and Adams county and his labors were 
of nuich avail in promoting business activity, 
whereon the prosperity and gro\rth of every com- 
munity dei)ends. 

Chaimeey H. Castle was a stiident in the 
public schools of Columbus, also attended the 
"Webster school of Quincy and the Methodist Col- 
lege. He put aside his text-books at the age of 
eighteen yeare in order to enter the arm>'. enlist- 
ing in the Seventy-third Regiment of Illinois 
Volunteei's, known as the ilethodi.st Preachers 
Regiment, for all of the field officers and seven 
of the captains were ministers of the Methodist 
church, as well as a number of the minor officers. 
Mr. Castle enlisted as a private and went to the 
front, where he participated in a number of hotly 
contested angagements, including the battle of 
Chickamauga. He was five times wounded and 
in October, 186-1, he was honorably discharaed 
on account of the in.iuries which he had sustained 
at Chickamauga. He yet carries a rebel bullet 
in his left leg. He had enlisted in June, 1862, 
and had been mustered in at Springfield in Au- 
gust and during his connection with the army he 
was always a faithful soldier, ever loyally per- 
forming each daily duty. 

Following his discharge from the army Mr. 
Castle entered a private school, in which he C(m- 
tinued his studies until 1865, when he became 
connected witli the stove manufacturing business 
as a shijjping clerk, being thus employed for a 
few months, when he took general charge of the 
manufacturing department of his father's fac- 
tory, at which time employment was furnished to 
eighty men. Mr. Ca.stle remained in charge for 
about a year and a half, when he was sent to 
Keokuk. Iowa, to take charge of a stove factory 
that the company had acquired at that place. 
He there continued for about a year, when he 
was recalled to Quincy to assume the manage- 
ment of the factory here and has been continu- 
ously connected with the business since that 
time. He had charge of the factory while S. H. 
Emery managed the office affaii-s of the 
business. Mr. Castle continued his supervision 
of the factory until 1884, when the Inisiness was 
incorporated under the name of the Comstock- 
Castle Stove Company, at which time ]Mr. Castle 
was elected president. He has since served in 
that capacity and is therefore the head of one of 



the great productive indiistries of Quincy, em- 
ploying about two hundred and fifty men. Their 
business extends through the eastern and western 
states and also into Canada and Mexico and the 
house is represented on the road by ten traveling 
salesmen. A high grade of stoves is manufac- 
tured and the latest improvements are continu- 
ally introduced so that the product of the house 
commends itself to public sale and the business 
is constantly growing. 

Mr. Castle is also well known in Imsiness circles 
in Quincy because of his connection with other 
lines of activity. He is a director of the State 
Savings. Loan & Trust C(mipany. is vice presi- 
dent and director of the Xewcomb Hotel Com- 
pany, is president of the j\Mliner Box & Planing 
Company, with factory at the corner of Second 
street and Bi-oadway, and for a good many years 
was a director of the American Strawboard Com- 
pany. For nine years he has been the president 
of the Stove Founders National Defense Associa- 
tion with headquarters at Chicago, embracing in 
its membership the pi-ineipal stove manufae-- 
tiirers of the United States. 

On the 18th of June. 1868. Mr. Castle was 
married to ^liss ^lary E. Parker, of Galesburg, 
Illinois, a daughter of the Rev. Lucius Parker, 
now deceased, but at one time the jiastor of the 
Congi-egationa! church and a pioneer evangelist 
in the state. Fnto Mr. and Mrs. Castle were born 
nine ehildi'en. of which two died in infancy. 
Julia A. is ]i^^ng at home. Ella G. is the wife 
of Dr. F. L. Recier, of St. Louis, and they have 
three children. Timothy P. married ^liss Edith 
Berry, a daughter of the late Colonel W. W. 
Berry, and is secretary and treasurer of the 
Comstoek-Castle Stove Company. Alfred L.. who 
is connected with the Comstock-Castle Stove Com- 
pany as a traveling salesman on the Pacific coast, 
was a membm- of the Fifth Illinois Regiment 
in the Spanish-American war in Cuba and later 
was a first lieutenant of the Forty-fifth Regiment 
of Ignited States Volunteers in the Philippines. 
Elizabeth H. was married on the 5th of Octo- 
ber, 1904. to Fred H. Williams. :\Iary E. is at 
home. Clara E. is attending .school in Andover, 
^lassachusetts. 

Mr. Castle is a member of Bodley lodge, Xo. 1. 
A. F. & A. M.. and of El Aksa commandery. with 
which he became identified on its organization. 
He attends the Congreaational chui-ch and in his 
political views he is a stanch republican and was 
elected a member of the board of supervisors 
about 1890. Becoming a resident of Quincy when 
but fourteen years of age, he has since made the 
city his home and has found in its splendid busi- 
ness conditions the opportunities which he sought 
for advancement and business progress. He is 
to-day one of the representative men of Quincy 
and his success excites the admiration and com- 



6oo 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAJIS COUNTY. 



iiiands the respect of his contemporaries. He ha.s 
had the power to recognize and i;tilize opportuni- 
ties and has placed his dependence upon the 
sTibstantial qualities of unremitting diligence and 
keen judtiinent. 



REV. HORATIO FOOTE. 

Rev. Horatio Poote, deceased, was for many 
years one of the best known clergyman of Illi- 
nois. He was born in Bernardston, Massachusetts, 
Febi-uary 10, 1796, and in early life removetl 
with his parents to Burlington, New York. He 
was educated at Union College, New York, where 
he was graduated with high honors in 18l2(). and 
among his classmates were such distinguished 
men as William H. Seward; John Q. Quitman, 
of iTississippi ; Professor William C. Griswold; 
Mr. Breckenridge, the eminent divine and states- 
man of Kentucky: Professor Blatchford, at one 
time a resident of Quincy; and many others who 
afterward became distinguished. Aaron Burr 
and Alexander Hamilton fi-equently visited the 
college while IMr. Foote was a student there and 
lectured before the class of which he was a mem- 
ber. He completed both the classical and law 
courses at that institution, but after his gradu- 
ation he became converted and decided to enter 
the ministry. For two years lie was then a stu- 
dent at Auburn Theological Seminary and im- 
mediately after his graduation he entered the 
ministry of the Congregational church. His 
first service was in Canada, where he organized 
churches of that denomination at Montreal and 
Kingston, and also at Champlain, Biitfalo and 
Rochester, New York, and Hartf(n-d, Connecti- 
cut. In those places and many others he cou- 
durted some of the most noted revivals of that 
time. 

On the Ifith of February, 1826, Mr. Foote was 
miited in marriage to Jliss Abigail Kirkland, 
of Bridgewater, New York, with whom he lived 
for more tlian fifty-seven years, she having 
passed away at the home of their son, Thomas W. 
Poote in Ellington township, Adams comity, Illi- 
nois, on the 5th of June, 1883. TTnto them were 
born five children, four sons and one daughter. 
Irat three of the .sons and only daughter died in 
childhood. 

It was in 18^6 that :\Ir. Foote brought his fam- 
ily to Illinois and located in Rockford, when 
that city was a mere village. He assisted in or- 
ganizing the town and organized the first Con- 
gregational church at that place, remaining as 
its pastor for two years. He next removed to 



Galesburg and was soon elected one of the trus- 
tees of Knox College, which position he filled for 
many years and when he resigned named Colonel 
S. R. Chittenden, of Mendon, as his successor. 
Leaving Galesburg in 1840, he came to Quincy as 
pastor of the First Congregational church. Later 
he resigned and organized the Center church, of 
which he was pastor until the outbreak of the 
Civil war, at which time he resigned his pastorate 
to accept a ehajjlain's commission in the army, a 
position tendered him at the personal request of 
President Lincoln, who was a wai'm friend of 
ilr. Foote. From the commencement of the war 
he was chaplain of the hospitals in Quincy and 
was beloved by all the old soldiers whom he 
cheered in their hours of suffering from sickness 
and wounds. 

At the close of the war ]\lr. Foote and his son 
bought a farm in Ellington township, known as 
The Pines, and there he spent his remaining 
.years in peace and quiet. His death occurred on 
the 18th of May, 1886. During his residence in 
Ouincy he was an intimate friend and associate 
of many of the noted men of Illinois, some of 
whom lived in the city and others who were often 
here in attendance at court. Among the num- 
ber ^^•ere 0. H. Browning, S. A. Douglas, Gover- 
nor Wood, Judge Archie Williams, Governor 
Carlin, Judge Skinner, Hon. N. Biislmell, Judge 
Snow, Mr. Lincoln and Judge Purple. In poli- 
tics he was a republican after the formation of 
that party. He was a strong abolitionist and an 
active workei- for the cause, being a delegate to 
the national convention of the anti-slavery party 
in 1844 which nominated James G. Birney for 
president and also a delegate to the national con- 
vention of the Free Soil party which met in Buf- 
falo in 1848. Aside from Peter Cartwright, Mr. 
Foote was a.s well known as any divine in the 
west. The pai-t which he took in polities made 
him acquainted with many men from all parts of 
the LTnited States and his service in the hospitals 
of Quincy during the war brought him in contact 
with thousands of others. During his early ca- 
reer as a minister he also became widely known 
throughout the east and he commanded the re- 
spect and confidence of all. Although over nine- 
ty years of age at the time of his death, he was 
.still a remarkably rugged man and retained his 
mental faculties to the last. 



THOMAS WHITESIDE POOTE. 

Among the honored pioneers of Adams coun- 
ty was numbered the gentleman whose name in- 
troduces this sketch. He was born in Bridge- 
water, New York, on the 23d of May, 1831, and 
was only five years old when hi'ought to Illinois 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



6oi 



by liis j);nvnts, Rev. Horatio and Abigail (Kirk- 
land) Poote who are represented elsewhere in 
this volume. He grew to manhood in this state 
and made his home in Adams county from 1840 
until called to the world beyond on the 6th of 
Jnne, 1900. For twenty-eight years he lived at 
The Pines on North Twenty-fourth street, where 
lie owned a good farm of forty acres, just a mile 
and a half north of the city limits. One-half of 
the tract Avas devoted to fruit and as a horticul- 
turist he met with excellent success. 

On the 25th of September, 1850, Mr. Foote 
married ]\Iiss Catherine Kahelenbrink, who was 
born in Prussia, Germany, April 15, 1830, and 
is a daughter of Frum and j\Iary (Whitbuilt) 
Kahelenbrink, also natives of Prussia. Her 
father, who was a pork merchant, came to the 
United .States with his family in 1847. Landing 
at New Orleans, he eame up the Mississippi to 
St. Louis, where he was engaged in the pork 
business until 1850, and then removed to Quincy, 
where he was similarly engaged for a time. 
Later he turned his attention to the grocery busi- 
ness and on disposing of that he purchased a 
farm in IMelrose toA\-nship. where he set out one 
of the first vineyards in Adams county. He died 
in this county in 1883. Those of his children 
who are still living are Mrs. Minnie Steigmill, of 
Belleville, Illinois: Mrs. Richard Janson, of Chi- 
cago ; and Mrs. Catherine Foote. Unto Mr. and 
Mrs. Foote were born eight children but Frank 
PI. and B. B. are now deceased. The surviving 
members of the family are Horatio K. : Paul K. ; 
Thomas M. -. ]\Irs. C. A. E. Gantert. of Quincy : 
Mrs. H. F. Weingartner, of Belleville; and May, 
at home. The sons now carrv on the farm. 



JOHN T. TAYLOR. 



John T. Taylor, who follows fai-ming and 
stock-raising on section 10, Hoiiston township, 
was born in Adams county, October 25, 1840, his 
parents being Joseph B. and Sarah (Hampton) 
Taylor. The father, who was born in Kentucky, 
in 1814. came to this county in 1835, about the 
time he attained his majority and was activelj' 
interested in the pioneer development of the 
county, especially along agricultural lines. The 
pioneer home, with its pleasures and privations, 
was similar to that usually found on the fron- 
tier. He owned a few acres in Adams county at 
one time but in 1850 moved to California, where 
in due course of time he was enabled to inaprove 
his home and farm, transforming the former into 
an attractive residence and the latter into pro- 
ductive fields. He died in 1864. while his wife 
passed away in 1840. 

John T. Tavlor was onlv an infant at the time 



of his mother's death. He remained with his 
father until nine years of age and then went to 
live with his uncle, Albert Hughes, of Ursa, Illi- 
nois, with whom he remained until twenty-two 
years of age. He began his education in the 
common schools, continued his studies at Eureka, 
Illinois, and afterwai-d engaged in teaching for 
six years, when he began farming. He purchased 
his first tract of land in Adams county in 1867 
and is to-day the owner of two hundi-ed acres of 
rich land on section 10, Houston township, seven 
miles northwest of Golden. This is the visible 
evidence of his life of thrift and enterprise, for 
he started out for himself empty-handed and has 
worked his way steadily upward, overcoming the 
difficulties and obstacles which have steadily to be 
met in the business world and thus eventually 
reaching the plane of affluence. He now eai-ries 
on general farming and stock-raising and is 
classed with the leading farmers in his tOAVuship. 

On the 29th of December. 1870, Mr. Taylor 
was married to IMiss Celinda Woods, who was 
born July 21, 1848, in Houston towTiship and is 
a daughter of Samuel and Amanda (Morrow) 
Woods. Her parents were natives of Kentuclrv, 
her father born November 27, 1800, her mother 
December 9, 1812. Mr. Woods came to Adams 
county in 1835 and located within sight of his 
daughter's pi'csent residence, there rearing his 
family and spending the remainder of his life. 
He died Julv 24, 1885, while his wife passed 
away September 21, 1885. 

l\Trs. Taylor has seven sisters and two broth- 
ers: Mariiaret J , the widow of Thomas Willard 
and a resident of Houston tm\Tiship : Martha A., 
the wife of John B. Tull. livins in Stronghur.st, 
Henderson county, Illinois: ^lary E.. the de- 
ceased wife of Augustus F. Pierce, of Quincy; 
Nancy S., wife of Turner Scott, who lives near 
Ferris, Illinois: America, wife of J. W. Sherrick, 
of Camp Point ; Caroline, the wife of Virgil Tull. 
of Houston township: Amanda, the wife of 
Charles Tipton, of Houston township ; Samuel, 
who is livine' in Quincy: and William J., who 
died Ausust 26, 1873. Mr. Taylor has a brother. 
Robert Tavlor, who when last heard from was 
living in Colorado. He also has a half brother, 
George W. Taylor, who is living in the Soldiers 
Home at Quincy. 

]\Tr. and Mrs. Taylor have become the parents 
of two children. William Albert, born December 
19, 1875. was married to Edda Moore, of Can- 
ton. ^Missouri, and they reside upon his father's 
place. Tliev have three children : Edith L., 
born Sentember 26, 1898: Glenn T.. born April 
13. 1900: and Ruth M.. born August 14, 1904. 
The other son, Floyd Bonaparte, born June 1, 
1886, is at hume. The elder son is a minister in 
tlie Christian church and is also encaged in 
teachins. 



6o2 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



Both Mr. and Mrs. Taylor are members of the 
Christian church and he is a prohibitionist. 
Their influence is ever on the side of temperance, 
right, justice and truth, and they are interested 
in all that pertains to public progress along ma- 
terial, intellectual and moral lines. 



CHARLES AUGUSTUS MAERTZ. 

One of the notable figures in the pioneer his- 
tory of Quincy was Charles A. ]\Iaertz, now de- 
ceased. He was probably one of the best known 
of the early residents of Quincy, locating in that 
town in ]\Iay. 1S36. Prom that time forward he 
took' an active and helpful part in the work of 
upbuilding and general improvement of the em- 
bryo city, and his co-operation could always be 
counted upon to foster any measure for the pub- 
lic beuefit. Displaying as his salient traits of 
character the qualities of energy, industry, thrift, 
integrity, humanity, piety and patriotism, he 
commanded the respect of all who knew him and 
left to his family the priceless heritage of an 
untarnished name and a record well worthy of 
emulation. 

His father Avas one of several sons of a wealthy 
citizen of Dautzic, an important city of Prussia. 
Choosing a career of art, he went to St. Peters- 
biirg to pursue his studies, for in that city Cath- 
erine II was patronizing art and learning with a 
munificent hand. Leaving St. Peterslnirg, he 
settled in Berlin, Prussia, to prosecute his pro- 
fession of portrait painter. In 1733 he married 
Catherine Marin, the daughter of a small farmer 
in a neighboring village. Six children were born 
to them, of whom the youngest and the sub.ject 
of this sketch was born in Berlin, May 31, 
1831. and was the last of that generation when 
he died, January 7, 1890. The father of Mr. 
Maertz died when his little son was only five 
years old, leaving him and his older sister to the 
care of a devoted mother, a woman of rare in- 
telligence and remarkable force of character and 
to whose memory her son loved to pay the tribute 
of affection and respect down to the day of his 
death. Left a widow with slender resources, Mr. 
Maertz 's mother nevertheless procured for her 
children the best educational advantages that lay 
in her power, providing them even with the op- 
portunity of acquiring some of the graceful 
accomplishments, such as French, drawing, etc. 
However, knowing that her young son must fight 
his own way through the world, and realizing the 
value of an industrial education, she secured for 
him an apprenticeship at a trade, a thing very 
difficult to do in those days, but for which her 
wisdom and foresiirht made her willing and anx- 



ious to make many sacrifices in order to pay the 
large premium demanded for such an appren- 
ticeship. 

Mr. ilaertz first entered a book bindery, but 
the business proving detrimental to his health 
he was obliged to give up that business, and then 
was apprenticed to a coppersmith. After having 
completed his trade he traveled through some of 
the cities of his native land; then, in 1831. went 
to London, England, where he remained two 
years. Attracted by the opportunities offered 
by the new world, he sailed for New York. He 
stayed but a short time in that city, going from 
there to New Orleans, where his sojourn was 
brief, and then to St. Louis, where he located. 
Finding, however, small demand for brass and 
copper work in the rude and crude mode of life 
of those early days, he was obliged to transform 
himself from an artificer in noble metals into a 
tinsmith, whose work required far less ability 
and capital. In 1836 he made a prospecting trip 
to Quincy, where he found one tinsmith already 
established in business, and, one being quite suf- 
ficient to fill all demands of the small population, 
he decided not to remain and, hearing of a good 
opening in Warsaw, Illinois, he went up to that 
village, invested in a lot and then retiirned to 
St. Louis for his wife and child. Stopping at 
Quincy on the return trip and learning from 
friends of the departure of his competitor, he 
decided upon this place as his residence and field 
of future labors. His shop was first located at 
Fifth and Hampshire street and later at the 
southwest corner of Sixth and Hampshire streets, 
where the ]\Iaert7 buildint;' now stands and in 
which Augustus Jacobs has his jewelry estab- 
lishment. 

The year 1837 was memorable to ^Ir. Maertz 
and his family as the ejioch of a teri'ible calamity 
—the loss of his left eye. Wliile at his work a 
scale of iron struck the eye, lodging in the pupil. 
After horrible suffering through unskillful treat- 
ment, he lost the eye as well as the sight. Pos- 
sessing an intense love of the beautiful, Mr. 
Maertz suffered a life-long pain from a sense of 
the disfigurement as well as that of physical dis- 
ability. For some time after the accident it was 
doutitful whether he would even be able to see 
well enouch to resume his regular vocation, and 
friends iirgently recommended that he open a 
srrocery, as a saloon was called in those early 
days. At that time the sentiment of temperance 
had only a slender development. Mrs. ]\raertz. 
however, entered a vigoroiis protest against such 
advice, not out of deference for public opinion, 
for. as we have seen, that was not against the 
business, but from a conviction of the evil and its 
detrradinu- influence. She declared herself will- 
ing to support the family herself by takinc in 
washing rather than that her husband sliould 




CHARLES A. MAERTZ 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



605 



maintain her by dealing- ont ruin to others. Hap- 
pily, however, she was never obliged to bring this 
great sacrifiee to the altar of her principles, for 
before their savings were exhausted Mr. Maertz 
was able to resume business. 

While in St. Louis Mr. IMaertz formed the ac- 
quaintance of Miss Ottilia Obert, to whom he was 
married on the 27th of October, 183-1, by Dr. 
William Potts, of the Presbyterian chui'ch. jMrs. 
Maertz was a daughter of Peter and ]\Iary Obert 
and was born at Bai'bach, Grand Duchy of Ba- 
den, May 16, 1811. She had a sister and several 
brothers, two of whom, Mathias and Peter, ac- 
companied her to America in 1828. j\Ir. and Mrs. 
Maertz were very congenial in their fundamental 
characteristics, and to his wife he always attrib- 
uted his success in life. They had eight children, 
four of whom are now living : Mrs. Dr. Durant, 
Miss Louise Maertz, Mrs. Captain John M. Cyrus 
and ilrs. Dora R. M. Loclrvvood. 

In 1850 he sold oiit his business at a great sac- 
rifice for the sole pui'pose of vi.siting his aged 
mother in Berlin. On his retui*n he again en- 
gaged in business, but, comi>elled by delicate 
health to give up the work, he retired from active 
business life in 1857, devoting himself thence- 
forth to the care of his property. In 1867, with 
his entire family, excepting one daughter, he 
made another trip to Eiirope, this time to visit 
his sister, to whom he was very devoted and who 
was the only descendant beside himself of his 
grandfather's large family. During this last trip, 
covering a period of two years, Mr. Maertz, at 
the age of fifty-seven, took up the study of paint- 
ing, which proved a most delightful pastime to 
him until within two years of his death. His 
marked ability for fine execution of details proved 
the great success he might have achieved in the 
art of steel engraving, and one must remember 
that his success in this fine work was greath' hin- 
dered by his having but one eye. 

A devoted husband and father, his s\nnpathies 
extended beyond that of his immediate family 
into friendships deep and lasting and whose fra- 
grant memories were cherished throughout life. 
One of his early friends was J. M. Booth, founder 
of the Quincy Herald, who.se portrait and that 
of Mrs. Booth were donated by ilrs. IMaertz after 
her husband's death to the historical room of the 
Quincy Library. Mr. Maertz took out his natu- 
ralization papers in 1840. ITntil 1858 he was a 
democrat, writing a great deal for the Quincy 
Herald, and often called upon to make stump 
speeches in German in the county. The city papers 
were always g^acl to have his articles. They were 
awake to the interests of the town, vigoi'ous and 
original. About 1838 ^Ir. IMaertz changed his 
political \'iews. .«tanehly supporting the repub- 
lican party for the remainder of his life. "^Hien 
the Civil war broke out Mr. Maertz felt deep re- 



gret for his inability to serve. His deepest sym- 
pathies were with the government. There was 
not a more loyal man in American nor a more 
enthusiastic patricjt than he. The death of Lin- 
coln was a personal loss to him. 

In religious matters ilr. Maertz took the deep- 
est interest from his youth, recognizing man's 
dependence upon a supreme power. For a short 
time he was identified with the Salem chui-ch, 
German Luthei-an. Later he joined the CongTe- 
gational church, during the pastorate of Rev- 
erend Foote, biit, being convinced that he ought 
to be immersed he united with the Baptist church, 
to whicli his wife belonged and of which he re- 
mained an active and consistent member to the 
end of his life, contributing with a large liberal- 
ity to its .support. The poor and suffering found 
in Mr. Maertz a ready friend and helper. His 
benevolences were many, his sympathies broad 
and warm-hearted. He had a keen and discrim- 
inating judgment that enabled him to anticipate 
the needs and possibilities of the city and as a 
private citizen he did all in his power to promote 
substantial growth and improvement. He was 
found trustworthy in all of his business transac- 
tions, and his life record proves the force of in- 
dustry, economy, honesty and energy. His name 
should be carved on the keystone of the pioneer 
arch of Quincy. ilr. ilaertz left his family in 
vei'y comfortable circumstances, and his three 
daughters. Miss Louise Maertz, l\Irs. John M. 
Cyrus and Mrs. Loclavood, reside at the family 
home. No. 328 Elm street, one of the best resi- 
dences in that part of the city. They also own 
other property and are well known in literary 
circles and in the charitable work of Quincy. Mr. 
Maertz died at his home January 7, 1890, after 
an illness of two weeks. He died surrounded by 
his loving and sorrowing family and trusting in 
the God whom he had so long and faithfully 
served. 



HENRY RODEFELD, :\r. D. 

Dr. Henry Rodefeld, one of the younger mem- 
bers of the medical fraternity, who, however, is 
making rapid progress in his profession, was 
born in Quincy, October 30, 1879, his parents 
being Henry and Louise (Haubrock) Rodefeld. 
The paternal grandfather, Herman Rodefeld, 
was a native of Germany and emigrating to 
.\merica in 1850 settled in Quincy. He died at 
the age of seventy-six years. He was accompa- 
nied to America by a brother, who also died in 
Quincy. Henry Rodefeld, father of Dr. Rode- 
feld, was born in Germany and was only nine 
months old when brought by his parents to the 



6o6 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



new world. Reared in (Jniney, he learned the 
inolder's ti'ade and subsequently became one of 
the founders of the Gem Oity Stove Works. In 
the later years of his life he was engaged in 
merchandising in Quincy. but he died at the 
comparatively early age of forty-seven years. 
His wife, who bore the maiden name of Lonise 
Hanbrock, is a daughter of Carl Haubrock. a na- 
tive of Germany, who settled in Quincy in 1852, 
and is now living iu Adams county, Nebraska. 
She is the mother of six children : Henry, Dai-o, 
Lulu, Herman, Emma and Carl. 

Dr. Rodefeld, the son of Henry and Louise 
Rodefeld, attended the public schools of Quincy, 
continued his studies Tinder private instruction 
and was a student in a business college and later 
in the Illinois University, in which he was gradu- 
ated with the class of 1902, on the completion of 
a course in medicine and surgery. Having ap- 
plied himself with assiduity to the mastery of the 
l^rinciples of the medical science, he entered upon 
practice well qualified for his chosen calling and 
has been successful, securing a liberal patronage 
and at the same time rendering valuable aid to 
his fellowmen in checking the I'avage of disease 
and restoring health. He has offices at No. 429 
South Eighth street and No. 900 iMonroe street. 
He is a member of the Illinois State Medical So- 
ciety, the American ^Medical A.ssociation, and the 
Adams County Medical Society. He is e.Kamin- 
ing physician for the IMutual Protective League 
and for the Yeoman of America. 

On the 12th of January, 1904, Dr. Rodefeld 
was married to Miss Emma Meyer, a daughter of 
Edward and Barbara (Mast) Steyer. of Quincy. 
Quiet and retiring in manner Dr. Rodefeld nev- 
ertheless has the force of character which has 
enabled him to win creditable success in the past 
and w'ill insure further progress because of effi- 
ciency and thriiugh conscientious preparation. 



CAPTAIN WILLIAM STEINWEDELL. 

Captain William Steiuwedeli, of German birth, 
whose love of liberty brought him to the new 
world in early manhood and whose efforts have 
been so discerningly directed along well-defined 
lines of labor that he seems to have realized at 
any one point of his career the possibilities for 
accomplishment at that point, ranks to-day 
among the leading citizens of Quincy, being a 
promoter of varioiis industrial and commercial 
interests here and interested financially or ac- 
tively in a numbei' of business concerns at the 
present time. 

Captain Steinwedell is a native of Hanover, 
Germany, born in 1827. His father was a lieu- 



tenant eiilnju'l in the ({erman army, and the same 
military spirit which he displayed was later 
shown in the career of the son. Excellent educa- 
tional privileges were accorded him, and he di- 
rected his studies along scientific lines, wherein 
he has always continued his reading and investi- 
gation, so that to-day he is a master of several 
impm-tant departments of science. His love of 
liberty was the impetus which caused him to seek 
a home iu the new world. Dui-ing tlie German 
revolution of 1848, when it seemed that the bands 
of mouarchial despotism were being tightened 
about the fatherland, he crossed the Atlantic to 
the new world and established his home in 
Quincy, having now been identified with the in- 
teri'sts of the city for fifty-six years. He had 
resided here for two years when he became a 
factin- in commercial circles as a partner in the 
firm of Bertschinger & Steinwedell, dealers in 
hardware and iron. From the beginning the en- 
terprise proved a success, the business constantly 
growing in volume and importance. They were 
the first business house to make direct importa- 
tions. Hardware at that time was largely a for- 
eign product, and Captain Steinwedell, iu order 
to secure a, stock for his store, frequently visited 
the leading manufacturing cities of Europe to 
make purcha.ses. The firm had a continuous and 
prosperous existence for more than twenty years, 
and the partnership was dissolved in October, 
1873, when the senior member dei-ided to return 
to his native land. 

Captain Steinwedell had given unremitting at- 
tention to the business and its development, save 
for the period of the Civil war, when his patriotic 
spirit was aroused in behalf of the Union cause. 
At the outlireak of strife in the south he organ- 
ized a local militaiy company which did valuable 
service in this locality, without compesnation and 
without expense to the government. He secured 
the money in the banks at La Grange and Canton 
and delivered it to the sub-treasury at St. Louis 
by order of Major-General Fremont; furnished 
an escort for twenty thousand stands of arms 
For Iowa troops from Quincy to Keokuk : I'elieved 
the Sixteenth Illinois Regiment, when it was be- 
sieged by Confederates at Monroe City, Missouri ; 
and was iu constant service for nearly four years. 
Captain Steinwedell 's interest in military affairs 
has never abated, and the welfare of the soldier 
is dear to his heart. He was president of the 
board of trustees of the Soldiers' and Sailors' 
Home from 1894 until 1897, when the demands 
of his private business affairs caused him to re- 
sign. 

As the years passed by Captain Steinwedell 
found opportunity for judicious investment in 
other business enterprises aside from the hard- 
ware stoi'e, and for over twenty years he was 
president of the Gas Company of Quincy, of 




y/^^ ^^^z^ ^ y^^. 




C^^rv,^ ^ di^^^-^C^UZ 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



6ii 



which lir is now m local direc-tor. He has become 
interested in mining and is now pi-esident of the 
Arrowrock ^Mining- & grilling ("ompany and treas- 
urer of Dick Brothers' ililling Company. He is, 
likewise, secretary of Dick & Brothers' Qnincy 
Brewing Company. For a long period he held 
stock in the First National Bank and is now a 
stockholder in the State Savings Loan & Trust 
Company. Wliatever he undertakes receives his 
most earnest attention and effort. He is a man 
of sound judgment, keen discrimination and 
marked enterprise. ]\Iatters of citizenship claim 
his thought and energy, and he has been an im- 
portant factor in many mattei's which have con- 
tributed to the upbuilding and substantial prog- 
ress of Quiney. He was one of the organizers of 
Qnincy Turnverein and one of the builders of 
Ti^rner Hall. Pie is now an honorary member, 
having a certificate for twenty-five years' mem- 
bership. The hope which led Captain Steinwe- 
dell to come to America was a common and illu- 
sive one, biit has been more than realized, he en- 
joying fully the privileges and advantages of a 
free man. who has so directed his efforts that 
they have been crowned with success and at the 
same time he has .so labored that his work has 
proved of value to the city and, in times of war- 
fare, to the nation. A contemporary biographer 
has said: "For many years he has directed the 
affairs of several extensive interests, any one of 
which would have demanded the entire time -of 
most business men. He is a commanding figure 
in the community; blutf and outspoken, yet hale 
and hearty, charitable and generous, a highly 
cultured gentleman and one of Qiiincy's most 
honored citizens." 



EBENEZER P. SAM:\riS. 

Ebenezer P. Sammis, deceased, was one of the 
pioneer railroad men of Qnincy and was well 
known in connection with the train service, act- 
ing for a long period as passenger engineer of 
the Chicago, Burlington and Quiney Railroad. 
He became a resident of Quiney in 1853. His 
birth occurred in Norfolk. Connecticut, April 8, 
1836, his parents being "William P. and Julia 
(Burr) Sammis, who were also natives of Con- 
necticut, in which state they resided for many 
years. The father served as postmaster at Nor- 
folk for several j-ears and his death occurred 
there. His widow afterward went to San Fran- 
cisco. California, whei-e lier last days were 
passed. 

ilr. Sammis of this review obtained a good 
education in the schools of Connecticut and at 
the age of fourteen years he put aside his text- 
books and came to the west with a Mv. Betts. He 



traveled to some extent over the counti\\' and 
finally located in Quiney. where he secured a 
position in a machine shop owned by a Mr. 
Greenleaf. There he learned the machinist's 
trade, being employed in that shop for three 
years. He aftei"ward went to IMendon, Adams 
county, where he set up the first stationary en- 
gine in that town. He only remained there for 
a brief period, however, and then returned to 
Quiney, where he accepted a position as fireman 
on the Chicago, Burlington & Quiney Railroad. 
In 1856 his work in this line began. He had 
served as fireman for only a short time when his 
efficiency won him promotion to the position of 
engineer. It was then that he made the first riin 
from Quiney to Galesburg. He was later pro- 
moted to passenger engineer and had a regular 
run out of Quiney, serving in that capacity for 
many years, with the exception of one year spent 
in the employ of the Great Western Railway 
Company. He returned to Quiney, however, in 
1863, when the well known .Toe West was master 
mechanic for the Chicago, Burlington & Quiney 
Railroad Company in this city. l\Tr. Sammis 
had no difficulty in obtaining his old position and 
for several years had a regular run between 
Quinc.y and Galesburg. He was then transferred 
to a run between Quiney and Louisiana, Mi.ssouri, 
and in order to be more conveniently siti;ated 
near his work, he removed his family to Louisi- 
ana, where he I'esided for about ten years. For 
that time he had the one run, or until the great 
railway strike in 1887. After the difficulty was 
settled, he returned to Quiney, but still continued 
on the run between this city and Louisiana, hav- 
ing a regular run up to the time of his death, 
which occurred on Sunday, July 31, 1898, at 
aboiit nine o 'clock in the morning. He was mak- 
ing his regular trip from Quiney to Hannibal 
and when the train was about two and a half 
miles soiith of Quiney. his engine run into an 
open switch, jumped the track and crashed into 
a tree. Knowing that death was certain, he 
jumped from the engine and was almost instant- 
ly killed, livinn- but two hours after the acci- 
dent. 

In 1860 Mr. Sammis was married in Quiney to 
^li.ss Helen Phelps, a native of this city, born 
September 27, 1843. and the daughter of David 
and Fanny (Shaw) Phelps, the former a native 
of Canada, and the latter, Virginia. Her father 
came to Qiainey in 1833 and was engaged as a 
fisherman here in the early days, but died after 
a few yeai's' I'esideuce in Illinois. His wife re- 
sided here Tintil her death, which occui'red at the 
very advanced age of ninety-six j-eai's. Mr. and 
Mrs. Sammis became the parents of eight chil- 
dren: Emil.y G., the wife of Asa H. Todd, 
Quiney: William, an engineer in Parsons, Kan- 
sas ; Jiilia, the wife of Spencer Gi-over, a resident 



6l2 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



of LaGrano'e, Illinois; .Tosei)h, who was engaged 
in the commissiou business in Quincy for several 
years and was also a salesman for Annour & 
Company for one year, and is now residing with 
his mother : Pay, the wife of Charles James, of 
Angnsta, Illinois; Gertrude, Edith and Adelaide, 
who are at home with their mother. 

ilr. Sammis was a democrat, always voting 
for the men and measures of his party. The 
family are all members of the Christian church 
of Quiney. ]\Ir. Sanmiis was one of the oldest 
and best known railroad men of this city and 
during his long connection with the railroad he 
won many friends and had the entire contideuce 
of those whom he represented, being a most effi- 
cient employe. His wife won in a large suit 
against the railroad company, as his death was 
the fault of the company. j\lrs. Sammis now 
owns a nice home at No. 529 North Thii-d street, 
where she and her children reside. 



willia:m k. :\[Iller. 

"William !•]. I\[iller, living on section 36, Ui'sa 
township is the owner of a rich and arable tract 
of land of one hundred and ninety acres and in 
addition to its cultivation he is engaged in deal- 
ing in stock at Ursa. His birth occurred June 
2, 1835, in the townshij) which is now his home. 
He is the son of Bradshaw and Rebecca (Keath) 
Miller. The father was a native of Virginia, but 
was reared in Lexington, Kentucky, where he 
became acquainted with and married Miss Keath, 
who was born in that city. In 1827 they removed 
to ]\rorgan county. Illinois, and later came to 
Adams county, IMr. j\liller purchasing one hun- 
dred and sixty acres of land on section 36. Ursa 
township. With characteristic energy, he began 
the development of the farm and continued its 
cultivation until his death, which occurred in 
1857. His wife survived him several years and 
died October 24. 186-4. Two of their children are 
still living: William E. : mid I\Irs. p]liza Wad- 
dle, of Wheatland. California. 

William E. ]\Iiller was reared upon the old 
homestead farm where his entire life has been 
spent. He attended the public school and early 
became familiar with the duties and labors that 
fall to the lot of the agriculturist. He has also 
been progi'essive in his farming methods, using 
the latest improved machinery to cultivate the 
fields and harvest the cro]is. He has ever dis- 
played marked energy in all business affairs con- 
nected with the raising of grain and in dealing 
in stock at TTrsa. where he is now associated with 
C. R. MeNay. He owns one hundred and ninety 
aci-es of choice land, and the farm is jileasantly 



idi-alrd ;i half mile west of the village of Marcel- 
liue. lie has continuously followed farming with 
the exception of the period when he served in the 
Civil war. On the 5th of August, 1862, he en- 
listed in Company B, Seventy-eighth Regiment 
Illinois Infantry and served until the close of 
hostilities, after which he resumed his farming 
operations, having proved his loyalty to his coun- 
try by his faithful services upon the battle-fields 
of the South. 

On the 7tli of January. 1858. 'Sir. ^liller was 
married to Miss Sarah A. Anderson, a native of 
Breekenridge county. Kentucky, and a daiighter 
of John C. and Nancy (Smith) Anderson. She 
M'as born October 21. 1838. They became the 
])arents of ten children, of whom eight are still 
living. They are as follows : Mary, born April 
1, 1859, died the same year; U. K., who was born 
February 20. 1860, i-esides in Qiiincy and is mar- 
ried and has two sons; Olive, born February 7, 
1863. is the deceased wife of Charles ]\IcNay ; 
John B., born January 4. 1867, married ^Irs. 
Lillie Bonnett and lives in Colorado; Chai'les W., 
born Januaiy 29. 1869. married Alta Agard and 
resides in PTurdlaud. ]\Iissouri; Dora, born May 
12. 1872, is the wife of W. S. Worley. a merchant 
of Ursa; Bert, born July 24, 1874, married Lillie 
Miller and lives in Oregon; Edward F., born 
February 24. 1876, is at home; Laura D.. born 
.\pril 13, 1878, is the wife of Edward Loughton 
and resides in Oregon ; Fred, born April 14, 
1880, is a graduate of a dental college and re- 
sides in St. Louis, Missouri. 

Mr. IMiller gives his political allegiance to the 
democratic party and upon that ticket Mas elect- 
ed road commissioner. Lie has also served as 
school director for several years and the cause 
of education finds in him a warm friend. He 
has been an active member of ]\[arce!line lodge 
No. 114, A. ¥. & A. ]\I.. located at :\[arcelline. his 
identification therewith dating from 1859. dur- 
ing which time he has faithfully exemplified in 
his life the beneficent spirit of the craft. He is 
also a member of Marcelline lodge No. 127, I. O. 
0. F.. of IMarcelline. He has reached the age 
of three score years and ten and yet possesses 
the energy ancl enterprise of a much younger 
man. His \r?e has been active and upright and 
the spirit of progress and improvement which 
has dominated this portion of the country has 
been manifest in his business career. 



LOUIS C. SHRIVER. 



Loiiis C. Shrivel-, one of the extensive land 
owners in .Vdams cnunty, is successfully carry- 
iui!' on ;i'_;ri('ultura] ])ursuits. His homi' is about 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



613 



;i mile and a quarter south of Ursa. He was 
born June 2S, I860, in Adams county. His 
father, Louis Shriver, was born in Goddsheim, 
Germany, and came to the United States in 1854, 
settling first in Herman, ^Missouri, where he li%'ed 
for two year.s. He then removed to St. Louis, 
where he spent one year, and in 1857 came to 
Quincy. Here, on the 5th of ^Mareh, 1858, he 
was married to ]\Iiss Catherine Waggamon, who 
was boru in Saarbrueken, Germany, !March 25, 
1832, and came to this country in 1855, crossing 
the Atlantic in a sailing vessel, which dropped 
anchor in the harbor at New Orleans. They then 
proceeded up the ^Mississippi to St. Louis, where 
they lived for two years, ilrs. Shriver came to 
Quincy in 1S57 and resided in this county until 
her marriage in 1858. The young couple then 
located on a farm on section 24, IMendon town- 
ship, where they resided for some time. Later 
they removed to section 26, in the same township, 
and there resided until the end of this life. The 
father died IMay 13, 1890, and the mother passed 
away August 19, 1896. Of the seven children 
born to tliem two died in infancy. Those living 
are: Henry, who was boru January 25, 1858, 
and resided in ilendon township : Louis C, whose 
name introduces this sketch; Leonard E.. who 
was born September 25. 1862, and lives in Elling- 
ton township ; ]\Irs. Louisa C. Wettig. who was 
born December 30, 1864, and resides in East St. 
Louis: and Frank, who was born January 11, 
1867, and makes his home in JNIendon township. 

Louis C. Shriver was born on the old home- 
stead on section 24, ^Tendon township, and con- 
tinued to assist his father in the farming opera- 
tions up to the time of his marriage, on the 9th 
of August, 1885. He wedded Emma D. Brug- 
gebos, of Ursa township, a daughter of Conrad 
and Sophia (Wliitefield) Bruggebos. Her father 
was born in Hanover. Germany, Januarv 19, 
1815, and came to the United States in "l846, 
landing in New Orleans on the 30th of Novem- 
ber of that year. He became a resident of St. 
Loiiis, Missoiiri, in 1848 and of Quincy in 1849. 
He soon afterward took up his abode in Burton 
township. He was married January 21. 1853. 
to Miss Sophia Wliitefield, who was born April 
5, 1837, in Hanover, Germany, and came to the 
United States with her parents in 1846. In 1868 
Mr. and ilrs. Bruggebos located on a farm in 
Ursa township, where they continued to I'eside 
throughout their remaining days, the father 
djnng on the 24th of August, 1903, while the 
mother's death occurred September 30, 1893. In 
their family were twelve children, but only two 
are now living: IMrs. Shriver and Rosa C. Brug- 
gebos. who was born 'March 2, 1878, and is living 
on the old homestead. 

After their marriage, ilr. and ^Irs. Shriver 
settled on section 19, I^rsa townshij). on the farm 



owiird at one time by her father. Here they 
have since lived. Their home has been blessed 
with two children: Carl C, born ifay 30, 1887; 
and Victor XL, born June 22, 1902. 

ilr. Shriver and his faniih' now own six hun- 
dred acres of verj' valuable and arable land in 
T'rsa to\\nship, the greater part of which lies 
just south of the village of Ursa, their home 
being about a mile and a quarter from town. 
They rent all of their land with the exception 
of a quarter section, which they cultivate, carry- 
ing on general farming. The family belongs to 
the German Lutheran church of Ursa and are 
verj' prominent in the social circles of this local- 
ity. j\Ir. Shriver has ever worked earnestly, sav- 
ing his money as opportunity has afforded, and 
is now in the possession of a comfortable compe- 
tence. Everything about his farm is in an ex- 
cellent condition, and he has an attractive place. 



B. A. VAN DYKE. 



B. A. Van Dyke, who has been activeh' iden- 
tified with educational interests in Adams coun- 
ty for many years and is now interested in farm- 
ing and the supervision of telephone lines in 
IMendon, was born in ilendon township, ilarch 
9, 1852, his parents being "William and Hester 
(Cort) Van Dyke, natives of Westmoreland 
county, Pennsylvania. His ancestoi's had lived 
there through several generations, the old family 
home being near the Bru.sh Creek church, at Ii-v- 
ing, Pennsylvania, where thej'' worshipped, and 
the great-grandparents of Mr. Van Dyke of this 
review are both buried at that place. The father 
William "^^an Dyke, was a farmer of Pennsyl- 
vania until his removal to the west in the fall of 
1845. He located first at Quincy, Illinois, f(U" a 
short time, then settled on a farm on section 22, 
"Mendon township, placing the wild tract of land 
under a high state of cultivation and continuing 
its active operation until October 18, 1893. He 
died in Deeen]ber of the same year, passing away 
at the advanced age of eighty years. His wife 
died in 1856. at the age of thirty-three years. 
In this family were seven children, namely: P. 
C. who is now living with our sub.ject in Men- 
don; J. C. who I'esides in Ui-sa : IMary, who died 
at the age of eighteen years; Henrietta, who died 
when a j-ear old ; B. A. ; Vesta, who is living Avith 
our subject: and Huldah, the wife of E. H. Dud- 
ley, who is livimi' three miles southeast of IMen- 
don. 

'Sir. Van Dyke of this review pursued his 
preliminary education in the common schools of 
Adams county and afterward attended the State 
Normal School, at Normal. Illinois, thus being 
well prepared for the pi-ofession which for many 



6i4 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



years lie made his life work. At the age of eight- 
een years he began teaching school in Adams 
county and for twenty-five years he was tlnis en- 
gaged, spending the entire period within ten 
miles of Mendon, except one year, when he taught 
in Quiuey. He was a capable educator, impart- 
ing clearly and readily to others the knowledge 
that he had acquired, and was also an excellent 
disciplinarian, so that his services proved of 
marked value in promoting educational advance- 
ment in Adams county. He is now giving his at- 
tention to the supervision of his farming inter- 
ests and also superintends about thirty miles of 
telephone line. He is likewise active and influ- 
ential in community affairs and is pi-esident of 
the town board of Ifendon, ever interested in the 
welfare and upbuilding of the town. He gave to 
the creamery company the land on which it 
built its plant. His aid is a vahied factor in 
many progressive movements and he is classed 
M'ith the representative citizens of ]\Iendon. 



JOSEPH BARKER FRISBIE, SR. 

Joseph Barker Frisbie, Sr., is now eighty-six 
years of age, being one of the venerable citizens 
of Adams county. He was born October 19, 
1819, in Branford, Connecticut, and is a repre- 
sentative of one of the oldest colonial families 
of America. The ancestry can be traced back to 
Edward Frisbie, who came from England in 
lfil9, when twenty-four years of age and settled 
in Virginia. In 1642 the governor of that colony 
ordered all those who would not join the church 
of England to leave Virginia and among those 
who were thus obliged to go away from their 
homes were Richard Frisbie and his two sons 
James and William. The name of Edward 
Frisbie appears on the first page of the town 
I'ccords of Branford. Connecticut, under date of 
1044, as one of the first settlers. The family 
name has been spelled in various ways, being 
written at different times Frisbie, Frisbee and 
Frisby. 

The grandfather, Joseph Foote Frisbie, fought 
in the Revoliitionary war and lived to the very 
advanced age of ninety-eight years. The Fris- 
bies have always l)een devout church people from 
the time of Edward Frisbie down to the present. 
They have been identified with the Congregational 
church. They have at all times been law-abid- 
ing, maintaining the principles of their Puritan 
ancestors and in times of war have been loyal 
defenders of the country's cause. 

Tjyman Frisbie, father of Joseph B. Frisbie. 
was born, February 23, 1794, aiid on the 31st of 
December, 1818, in his native town of Bran- 
ford, Connecticut, was married to Anna Barker, 



whd was born June 9, 1796. They became the 
parents of seven children : Joseph, born, Oc- 
tober 19, 1819, was the eldest. Caroline, born 
April 19, 1821, was married January 2, 1845, 
to Hon. Samuel R. Chittenden, who died Jan- 
^^ary 22, 1899, while her death occurred June 11, 
1903. They had three sons, John R., Samuel F. 
and Geoi'ge R. Emeline, born [March 18, 1823, 
was married December 18, 1851, to George H. 
Rea, who died December 24, 1886, while she 
died February 16, 1905, leaving no children. 
Mary Ann, born Aiigust 23, 1826, was married 
June 10, 1849, to Ebenezer B. Barker, and they 
have two children, Lucy A. and Elizabeth F. 
ilorris E., born January 31, 1830, was married 
in 1858 to Caroline McMillen, who died ]\Iarch 
1, 1905, while his death occurred May 13, 1901. 
They had two sous, Lyman B. and Harry M. 
Elizabeth P., born December 25, 1831, was mar- 
ried June 10, 1852, to John A. Chittenden, 
whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume. 
Calvin, born April 22, 1834, died May 7, 1837. 
Lyman Frisbie and his family of six children 
left Branford, Connecticut, May 10, 1837, and 
arrived at Jlendon, Illinois, on the 15th of June 
of that year. They fitted out to make the 
journey l.iy land, but on arriving at Wlieeling, 
West Virginia, ]\Ir. Frisbie concluded to com- 
plete the trip by boat because of the fatigue felt 
by the members of his party. Having arrived in 
Adams county he at once began to build a house, 
purchasing a half section of land on which the 
town of Mendon now stands. He followed farm- 
ing throughout his entire life and took great 
pride in his agricultural pursuits, keeping his 
farm in excellent condition. Through his hos- 
pitality in caring for the ti'avelers who jour- 
neyed between Quincy and Carthage, he became 
well known throughout the state of Illinois. In 
1838 he hung out a sign "tavern," which re- 
mained until 1864. when it was taken do^vn be- 
cause of the feeble condition of the pai-ents. 

Joseph Barker Frisbie, Sr., attended the pub- 
lic schools in Connecticut for nine yeai's. and 
afterward pursued a special course under direc- 
tion of the Congregational minister in Adams 
county for six months. He then returned to 
Branford, Connecticut, in 1842, spending one 
year in James W. Frisbie Academy, subsequent 
to which time he returned to the west in 1844 
to take up farm work with his father. Besides 
assisting in the operation of the home farm, he 
improved and developed four farms from a wild, 
untilled land, making all of these valuable prop- 
erty. Realizing the value of some work con- 
nected with the outside world, Mr. Frisbie joined 
Ed'ward H. Fowler in a movement to secure a 
station at what is now the town of Fowler. They 
instituted this movement in 1856 and attended 
to all details, including the building of a side- 





V 



•fS.d 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



617 



track in the same year. Mi-. Frisbie became 
the first station agent at Fowler and carried 
mail from Fowler to JMeudon without a contract 
until the government made different arrange- 
ments in 1S5S. Much credit is due Mr. Frisbie 
because of his efforts at that time to connect 
JMeudon with the outside world, thus affording 
her better business advantages for the sale of 
her prodiacts and for the sale of such com- 
modities as had to be secured elsewhere. Pie was 
the second postmaster in ilendon and following 
his return from Connecticut he conducted a 
general mercantile store there from 184i until 
1846. 

Mr. Frisbie was a whig in politics and a 
stanch supporter of Henry Clay, giving his al- 
legiance to that party until Abraham Lincoln 
was a candidate, since which time he has been an 
unfaltei'ing supporter of the republican party 
without asking, expecting or desiring office as a 
reward for his fealty. He is an expert with the 
snare drum and has always been connected with 
marching clubs in campaigns from the time Wil- 
liam Henry Harrison was a candidate for presi- 
dent down to the present. He is still a hale and 
hearty man of broad mind, his intellect seem- 
ingly undimmed, and he can relate many in- 
teresting stories and anecdotes concerning early 
times in Adams county. Plis religious faith has 
always been that of the Congregational church 
and while he believed firmly in its doctrines and 
its principles he has never refused his financial 
support to other denomintitions. 

On the 5th of ]May, 1845, in New Yoi^v city, 
Mr. Frisbie was married to Sarah Ann Lay, a 
descendant of one of the oldest colonial families, 
who was born, January 9, 1823, and is a daugh- 
ter of Dr. Willoughby and Anna M. (Harrison) 
Lay, of Branford. Connecticut. Unto them 
were born seven children, of whom Sarah and 
James died in infancy. The others are : Frances, 
who became the wife of George W. Earle and had 
four children; Cornelia A., who was married in 
1847 to James A. Parker and had one child that 
died in infancy ; James W., who was married in 
1856 to Charlotte iL Mason, and had six chil- 
dren; and Emeline F., who married James L. 
Lane, of Richland, Louisiana, and had one child. 
The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Frisbie was 
blessed with seven children : Sarah C. born 
July 11. 1846, was married November 16, 1869, 
to Dr. G. W. Rohr. of Rockford. Illinois, and 
died April 28, 1885, leaving three children: 
George F., who was born August 16, 1870, and 
married Kittie Best, of Rockford, by whom he 
has one child; Joseph L., born ]\Iay 17, 1873; 
and Edith, born September 21, 1884. Ann 
Louisa, the second member of the Frisbie family, 
was born February 7, 1848, and is at home. Wil- 
loughby L., born September 5, 1850, was mar- 



ried in April, 1873, to Clara Leach, of Rock- 
ford, Illinois, and they have seven children: 
Clara P., Sarah A., Fanny C.„ Willoughby 
Shepard, Han-ison, Leigh and Rea. Elizabeth, 
born May 5, 1852, died the same year. Mary P., 
born August 3, 1855, is at home. Joseph B., born 
March 20, 1858, married Sarah M. Meyers, is 
living in ilendon and has eight children: Sarah 
D., Raymond L., Flora, Walter, Alta, Rodger G., 
Clifton and Carlton. James G., born August 6, 
1860, is at home. Mrs. Frisbie died October 22, 
1904, at the ad-s-anced age of eighty-one years. 
She was a kind, charitable woman of forgiving 
dispo.sition and generous spirit. She was a friend 
to all, possessing a big heart that made her 
recognize the worth of every individual. She 
was most generous and self-sacrificing, was de- 
voted to her family and although she lived a 
quiet life, she kept in touch with current events 
by reading the best magazines and other modern 
literature and she also made a daily and syste- 
matic study of her Bible. She united with the 
Congregational church at the age of twelve years 
and always lived a consistent Christian Ufe. 



CHARLES T. STERNE. 

Charles T. Sterne, classed -with the progres- 
sive, practical agriculturists of Ellington town- 
ship, is operating a farm of three hundred and 
thirty-five acres and in its control displays thor- 
ough familiarity with the most modern methods 
of conducting farm M'ork. His birth occurred 
on this farm December 17, 1864, and he is a son 
of William C. W. Sterne, who yet occupies the 
old homestead and who is one of the honored 
pioneer settlers of the county. His more remote 
ancestors lived in Vii-ginia, and the early history 
of the family is given at length in connection 
with the life record of his father on another 
page of this work. 

Charles T. Sterne was reared upon his father's 
farm and, after acquiring his pi-eliminary edu- 
cation in the district schools, he attended the 
Gem City Business College and Chaddock Col- 
lege of Quincy, thus acquiring a good education, 
which qualified him for the transaction of busi- 
ness. His energy and industry have been mani- 
fest in the capable manner in which he controls 
his farming operations. He continued to a.ssist 
his father for some time and then became man- 
ager of the farm, which he now operates. It com- 
prises three hundred and thirty-five acres of 
valuable land, constituting one of the laro-est 
farms in Ellington township. It lies on sections 



6i8 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



5, 6 and 7. and is located i\ho\\t eight miles north 
and east of Qnine>-. 

Mr. Sterne was united in marriage to Miss 
Alice Burroughs, a native of ]\Ieh'ose township 
and a dauuhter of Benjamin Burroughs. He 
brought his bride to the old homestead on which 
he was reared, and here they have since lived, 
ilr. Sterne gives his attention to general farm 
work, his principal crops being wheat and corn. 
He also has a good orchard of ten acres, and 
there are ninety acres of timber, mostly elm and 
oak. There is also good pasture land, and in his 
pastui'es are seen high grades of stock. 

A republican in his political views, Mr. Sterne 
is unfaltering in his advocacy of the principles 
of his party and is recognized as one of the local 
party leaders. He has served as justice of the 
peace and clerk of Ellingtcm township, and in 
1902 was elected supervisor, in which capacity 
he is now capably and efficiently serving. He 
is a man of fine personal appearance, and his 
intellectual force, combined with his energy 
makes him a successful business man and capa- 
ble officer. 



HON. JOSEPH C. THOMPSON. 

Hon. Joseph C. Thompson, who won promi- 
nence at the Adams county bar and at the time 
of his death was serving as postmaster of 
Quiney, for many years figured prominently in 
public life of the city, exerting an influence 
in municipal affairs that was far-reaching and 
beneficial. He was born in Blairsville, Penn- 
sylvania, September IS, 1826, and was a son 
of Joseph and Maria (Culbertson) Thompson, 
who were also natives of Pennsylvania, where 
they spent their entire lives. The paternal 
grandfather, John Thompson, was descended 
from Scottish ancestry and served as a soldier 
in the war of 1812. 

Joseph Thompson followed the occupation of 
carpentering throughout his entire life and his 
biisiness career was characterized by industi-y 
and integrity, and both he and his wife passed 
away in Indiana county, Pennsylvania. In 
their family were ten children, of whom four 
are yet living, namely: William, who resides 
in the state of Washington ; Thomas, of Port- 
land, Oregon; Samuel, who is living in Leaven- 
worth, Kansas: and Maria (Thompson) Davi- 
son, who is a widow and resides on the old 
Thompson homestead, in Indiana county, Penn- 
sylvania. 

Jiidge Thompson, who was the fifth child in 
his father's family, was I'eared under the pater- 
nal roof and acquired his education through 



the winter months liy attending the public 
schools of his neighborhood. AVhen nineteen 
years of age he began teaching and followed 
that profession for tAvo winters but he regard- 
ed this merely as an initial step to other pro- 
fessional labor. It was his ambition to become 
a member of the bar and he read law in the of- 
fice and under the direction of Lawrence T. 
Smith, of Lebanon, Ohio, imtil the fall of 1847, 
when he came to the west Avith his uncles, Sam- 
uel and Isaac Culbertson. wiio had a contract 
to build a lock dam across the Wabash river, 
two miles north of Mount Carmel, Indiana. 
Judge Thompson acted as their manager and 
bookkeeper until the completion of the work, 
after which he returned to Lebanon, Ohio, 
where he attended school for two years. Later 
he again engaged in teaching for a year in 
Butler county, Ohio, and he resumed his law 
studies in Bloomington, Monroe county, In- 
diana, where he continued his reading for tAvo 
years. He was admitted to the bar at Ander- 
son, Indiana, in the year of 1852. and there 
opened an office for practice, but after a year 
became a member of the bar of Johnson county, 
Indiana, his home being in Franklin. There he 
practiced for about two years. Avhen, in 1856, 
he removed to Macomb, Illinois, and in 1868 he 
became a resident of Quiney. Here he began 
the practice of law, and his familiarity with 
the various branches of jurisprudence enabled 
him to successfully conduct a large practice. 
He prepared his cases Avith great thoroughness 
and care, AA^as logical in his deductions and his 
arguments folloAved in natural sequence. In 
presenting his case before court or jury he Avas 
forceful, earnest and concise, and these quali- 
ties, combined Avith his knoAA'ledge of the laAv, 
commanded attention and usually Avon the ver- 
dicts desired. At the same time he engaged in 
general pi-actice, he also gave supervision to 
his farming interests thrcmgh ten years. As his 
financial resoui'ces increased he made iuA'est- 
ments in farm property, and at his death he 
left his family a A-alnable estate of six hundred 
acres of v^ery i-ich and desirable land in T'rsa 
and RiA-erside toAvnships. 

Judge Thompson exerted a strong intiuenee 
in local political circles as an advocate of the 
democracy and was an earnest champion of 
his party in its policy concerning state and na- 
tional affairs. He was elected on the demo- 
cratic ticket to the office of judge of Adams 
coiinty and served upon the bench for four 
years, giving entire satisfaction to those Avhom 
he represented in a judicial capacity. The 
pi-actice of law was his real life work, and at 
the bai' or on the bench he Avon distinction. A 
man of unimpeachable character, of unusual 




/ - <^ K7^yi^r^~^)fC^/-ir^^ 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



621 



iutelleutual eudinvnients, with a thorough ini- 
derstanding of the law, patience, urbanity and 
industry, Judge Thompson took to the bench 
the very highest qualifieations for this respon- 
sible position of the state government, and his 
record as a judge was in harmony with his 
record as a man and a lawyer, distinguished by 
unswerving integrity and a masterful grasp of 
every problem which presented itself for solu- 
tion. 

Judge Thompson was also a member of the 
constitutional convention of 1862, and while 
residing in ilcDonough county he had served 
as school commissioner for several terms. He 
looked at life from a practical and humani- 
tarian standpoint, desiring progress, yet under- 
standing that it must be bi'ought about by the 
use of conditions at hand. He was never 
visionary in his ideas, and his efiforts, therefore, 
resulted beneficially to the city, county and 
state. He was indeed one of the leaders of 
democracy in Quiucy and his political course 
and career commanded the entire respect of 
the opposition. In May, 1893, he was ap- 
pointed postmaster of Qi;incy under the admin- 
istration of President Cleveland, and continued 
to serve in that capacity until his death. 

In 1856 Jiidge Thompson was married to Miss 
Emeline (Post) Eells. who was born in Corn- 
wall, Addison county, Vermont, May 18. 1829, 
a daughter of Truman and Betsy (Foote) Eells. 
who were likewise natives of the Green Moun- 
tain state. Her maternal grandparents were 
David and Mehetabel (Post) Foote. the latter 
a daughter of Roswell Post, whose descendants 
figured largely in the early affairs of the coun- 
try, especially in church work. Two gandsons 
of Roswell Post were prominent in the west. 
Rev. Martin M. Post early settled in Logans- 
port, Indiana, and his brother, Truman M. Post, 
was well known in Quincy. For a number of 
yeai's he was professor in the college at Jack- 
sonville, Illinois, and was a pioneer in the 
establishment of the Congregational church in 
the west. In the early '50s he moved to St. 
Louis, Mi-ssonri, where he was pastor of a 
church of that denomination for many years 
and had a wide acquaintance in the ^Mississippi 
valley, contributing in large measure to its 
moral development. Dr. Post was always a 
welcome guest in Quincy, where he had many 
warm friends and admirers. He took part in 
the services at the time of the union of the two 
Congregational churches. The last time he was 
here was when he assisted at Governor Wood's 
funeral. Mr. and Mrs. Eells resided upon a 
farm in Vo'mont, where the father engaged in 
the raising of fine stock until the evening of 
life. His wife died in the Green Mountain 



state and he removed to the west in 1855, set- 
tling in Knox county, Illinois, where his son 
was then living. He lived retired for several 
years and then removed to Quincy, where he 
made his home with Judge and Mrs. Thompson 
until his death in 1877. He was well known 
among the early settlers here and commanded 
the good will and respect of all who knew him. 
His daughter, ]\Irs. Thompson, was educated 
in the seminary at Castleton, Vermont, from 
which she was graduated in the spring of 1852. 
In 1853 she accepted a position as teacher in 
the Young Ladies' Seminary at Franklin, In- 
diana, and it was there that she formed the ac- 
quaintance of Judge Thompson. She taught in 
Indiana for two years and then removed to 
Knox county. Illinois, where her brother was 
then living, and on the 3d of September, 1856, 
she gave her hand in marriage to Joseph C. 
Thompson. They became the parents of thi'ee 
children: Hattie, who died at the age of 
eighteen years; Culbertson, who was employed 
under his father as money-order clerk in the 
postofSce at Quincy, and died in December. 
1893 ; and Joseph E., who makes his home in 
Quincy with his mother, but travels much of 
the time. 

Judge Thompson's death occurred August 
20, 1893, and he left behind him a record of a 
noble life, directing his ability and efforts so 
as to gain recognition as one of the representa- 
tive citizens of Quincy. He occupied a notable 
position among the able lawyers of this city, 
and in social circles he commanded the respect 
which is accorded in recognition of an upright 
life and high ideals. 

In January, 1888, ilrs. Thompson began the 
study of Christian Science and was a charter 
member of tliat church here, in which she is 
now a very active and interested worker. She 
resides at No. 119 1-3 North Sixth avenue, 
where she and her husband were living at the 
time of his death. She was left by him in com- 
fortable financial circumstances because of the 
.iudicious investments which he had made in 
fai-m property at a time when his law practice 
was bringing him a good financial return. 



LULTT :\fAY FELT. 



Lulu 'Slay Felt, one of the founders of the 
Felt-Turner Studio of Music, of Quincy, is a na- 
tive of Columbus, Illinois. Her parents. Peter 
Francis and Mary Louisa (Seaton) Felt, are 
residents of Laclede, JMissouri, where the father 
is engaged in dealing in as'ricultural implements. 



622 



FAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



lu the higli school of Laclede the daughter com- 
pleted hei' publi(^ school education and then en- 
tered the State University at Columbia. Mis- 
souri, from which institution she was graduated 
with the class of 1889. Early manifesting a 
fondness and aptitude for music, .she supple- 
mented her early training in that dii-ection l)y 
study in New York citj' imder Bruno Oscar 
Klein, in Boston under Arthur Foote, and in 
Chicago under Walter Spry, and has thus had 
instruction from some of the most distinguished 
and eminent musical educators of the country. 
She was awarded a diploma in piano, history, 
harmony and composition at the Quiney Con- 
servatory of ilusic in ISDT, graduating under 
IT. II. liunt. 

Determining to devote her life to teaching the 
art to which she has given her special attention 
and in which she had attained high proficiency, 
Miss Felt, associated with iMiss Sally E. Turner, 
established the Felt-Turner Studio of ^Music in 
1903, and which has since enjoyed exceptional 
success, having a liberal patronage in its various 
departments of insti-uction. It is a valued addi- 
tion to the music schools of the city and has re- 
ceived the endorsement of many of the most 
prominent and influential residents of Quiney. 
iliss Felt is well known, because of her talent, in 
luusic circles outside of the city, and, in addition 
to her skill, she has an executive force and busi- 
ness discernment which have enabled her to make 
the Felt-Turner Studio of Music one of the pay- 
ing educational institutions of the city. 



FRANK \V. OSHOKX. 



Frank AV. (.)s1ioi-h. si'ci'etary, treasurer and 
active manager of the Quiney Coal Company, is 
a coal-man with a conscience. Born in Quiney, 
here he received his education : here he has spent 
his entire business career, and it is here where 
he has always made his home that he is admired, 
respected and now occupies an emiable place of 
prominence among (Quiney 's successful business 
men. 

The name of Osborn has long been prominent 
in the annals of Quiney 's histoi-y. II. S. Osborn, 
his grandfath(M\ was born in London, England, 
and came to Quiney in lS4(i. lie at once became 
cxtensiyely engjiged in the mainifacture of flour. 
His "Eagle ^Mill" was at one time the largest 
flour mill in this part of the country. He was 
also interested in the river packet lines before 
the days of railroads. He served two terms in 
the city council, representing the first ward. He 
always contributed largely of his time and means 
to encourage and foster Quiney men and enter- 



prises, and at one time was president of the 
Blessing Hospital As.sociation, trustee of the 
Woodland Orphans' Home, director of the First 
National Bank, director of the Quiney Gas Light 
& Coke Company, director of the Quiney Paper 
Company and president of the Quiney Coal 
I 'ompany. He led an active and useful life, did 
much for Quiney and died in California in 1895. 
His body now rests in the handsome tomb which 
he erected in Woodland Cemetery (this city), 
several years before his death. 

Charles C. Osborn, sou of H. S. Osborn and 
father of Frank W. Osborn, came to Quiney at 
an early age with his father and has been a 
resident almost continually since. He married 
Miss Mollie R. Arthur, daughter of John Ar- 
thur (deceased), April 18, 1864. He was at one 
time engaged in the flour milling business, but 
on account of failing health disposed of this 
business and purchased a fruit farm east of the 
citJ^ This he personally managed for several 
years. Regaining his health he returned to 
Qiiincy and was made superintendent of the 
Quiney Coal Company, and at the death of his 
father was made president of the company, the 
position he now holds. 

Frank W. Osborn, the subject of this sketch, 
is secretary, treasurer and active manager of 
the Quiney Coal Company and secretary and 
treasurer of the Farmington Coal Company, the 
business of the companies with which he is iden- 
tified aggregating a heavy volume and covering 
a, wide extent of territory. This business em- 
braces coal mining on an extensive scale, as well 
as dealing in coal in large quantities. 

Mr. Osborn was born August 24, 1867. After 
completing his common-school education he took 
a coin-se in the Gem City Business College. He 
connnenced work for the Quiney Coal Company 
in 1884, being then but seventeen years of age. 
He was advanced rapidly until he was elected to 
the responsible positions he now holds. In order 
to make his business education more complete 
he took up the study of law and graduated from 
Chaddock College in 1897, being given the degree 
of LL. B., and was also awarded the gold medal 
for having prepared the best law thesis of the 
class. 

During the several years following the 
World 's Fair at Chicago in 1893 there was a de- 
pression in the coal Irasiness of Illinois as well 
as in other lines of business. Up to this time the 
larger part of the stock of the Quiney Coal Com- 
pany was owned by Boston capitalists. With 
the diminishing of dividends the stockholders be- 
came restless and wanted to dispose of the hold- 
ings. jMr. Osborn, together with his father, 
promptly made arrangements to purchase all of 
the stock, and by progressive methods the busi- 
ness of the company was increased until within 




FRANK W. OSBORN 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



625 



tive years time the dividends received from the 
earnings of the company had equaled the entire 
amount paid for the stock. The tonnage of the 
company into Quiney has for a number of years 
been the largest of any concern in any kind of 
business on the Chicago, Burlington & Quiney 
Railroad, and during the past year the company 
did the largest Quiney business they have done 
in the past twenty years. They have the reputa- 
tion for not only furnishing the best qualities 
of coal at competitive prices, but for protecting 
their customers in times when coal has been 
scarce, such as dui'ing strikes and extreme weath- 
er, and are popularly called the "old reliable." 

August 24, 1888, Mr. O.sborn married Miss 
Jennie B. Hull, daughter of James N. Hull. 
They have one son, Arthur S. O.sborn, born Feb- 
ruary 2, 1900. ]\Ir. Osborn owns a pleasant 
home at No. 809 Spring street, and takes spare 
time from business for recreation and enjoyment 
with his family. In 1898, together with his 
wife, he visited a number of European countries 
and, being a skillful amateur photographer, he 
secured an interesting collection of foreign 
views. 

Mr. Osborn is a member of Vermont Street 
Methodist Episcopal church; Bodley lodge, A. 
F. & A. M. ; the Young Men 's Christian Associa- 
tion, Quiney Council Royal Arcanum and Quin- 
ey Council of the National Union, and has at 
one time or another held important official posi- 
tions in all of these organizations. He is one of 
the charter members of the Quiney Country Club 
and is president of the Chamber of Commerce. 
In politics Mr. Osborn is a republican, and al- 
though never allowing his name to be placed in 
nomination for office, he takes an active interest 
in political affairs. 

i\tr. Osborn is almost six feet in height, weighs 
one hundred and seventy pounds, is of elegant 
address, genial and affable, and is popular in 
social as well as in business circles. A clean cut 
business man, of quick perception and capable of 
handling any amount of detail, he is well calcu- 
lated to bring about success in any of his under- 
takings. 



MRS. ELIZA A. I\IcCLINTOCK. 

Mrs. Eliza A. ]\IcClintock, living in Golden, is 
the owner of valuable farming land in Adams 
county which is cultivated under her supervision, 
and her business ability is demonstrated in her 
successful management of her property interests. 
She is a native of this county, born October 13, 
1850, in Camp Point township, her parents be- 
ing James E. and ilargaret A. (Adams) Down- 



ing. Her fatlier, who was born in Virginia, Feb- 
ruary 19, 1818, was taken by his parents to In- 
diana when only fo^ir years of age and there 
remained for thirteen years, when he accompa- 
nied his parents to Adams county, arriving in 
October, 1835. The family located in Camp 
Point township, where they remained until the 
death of the parents, the father dying January 
3, 1881, at the age of ninety-two years, while the 
mother passed away November 26, 1880, at the 
age of ninety-seven years. 

The farm of James E. Downing was not far 
from his parents' home, and there he carried on 
general agi'icultural pursuits. He was married 
in Camp Point township to Margaret A. Adams, 
who was born in Kentucky August 12, 1828, and 
died February 22, 1866. Mr. Downing after- 
ward married again, his second union being with 
Jane MeClintoek, who was born June 9, 1838, 
and died August 11, 1888, while IMr. Downing 
died Jvily 6, 1898. He had carried on general 
farming throughout his biisiness career and was 
well known as an enterprising agriculturist and 
worthy pioneer settler, whose labors in behalf 
of the county were far reaching and beneficial. 

For many years he served as school tru.stee in 
Camp Point township and was twice elected to 
the .state legislature, first in 1869 and later in 
1883. While a member of that body he served 
on many important committees. Politically he 
was a life-long democrat and a leader of the party 
in his community. 

]\Irs. ilcClintock was educated in the common 
schools of this county, and her girlhood days 
were spent in her father's home. On the 22d 
of November, 1870, she gave her hand in mar- 
riage to David Shannon MeClintoek, who was 
born January 12, 1849, a son of Thomas and 
Susanna (Kerns) MeClintoek. His fatlier was 
born in Ireland, February 10, 1797, and died 
March 5, 1884, while his mother, whose birth 
occurred in Peimsylvania Februai-y 20, 1806, 
passed away July 17, 1884. David' S. MeClin- 
toek was educated in the schools of Camp Point 
township, was reared to farm life and made it 
his work throughout the years of his manhood, 
adding improvements to his home place and de- 
veloping the land into very productive fields up 
to the time of his death, which occurred Decem- 
ber 12, 1882. 

Unto Mr. and ^Irs. MeClintoek wei'e born tour 
ehildi-en : Emery T., who was born October 26, 
1871, and died February 15, 1878 ; David W., 
who was born Jiily 7, 1873, married Cora Mar- 
shall and lives on the home farm in Houston 
township ; Laura E., who was born June 28, 
1875, and is the wife of Lewis Lefringhouse, a 
resident of Camp Point township ; and Jennie 
P., who was born jMay 19, 1877, and is the wife 
of Savil Eshom, of Houston township. 



626 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



"Sirs. JlcCliiitoek is now the owner of two hun- 
dred and ninety acres of very valuable land on 
sections 22 and 27, Houston township, about four 
and a half miles northwest of Golden, to which 
she gives her personal supervision, her son oper- 
ating the land, while she makes her home in the 
town, whei'e she owns a fine residence. She has 
a wide acquaintance in Golden and the adjoining 
districts, her entire life having been passed in 
this locality. 



HENRY steinka:\ip. 

Henry Stcinbamp, who is engaged in the har- 
ness and saddlery business in Quiney at No. 709 
State .street, was born in Prussia in 1837. He 
spent the fii'st twenty-one years of his life in his 
native country and pursued his education in its 
schools. On attaining his ma.jority he crossed 
the Atlantic to the United States in 1858 and 
located in Quiney. He learned the trade of har- 
ness and saddle-making in this country and has 
been engaged in the business in Quiney since 
1868. He is now conducting a well-equipped 
saddlery and harness establishment and has se- 
cured a good patronage. 

Mr. Steinkamp was married in Quiney to Miss 
Mary A. Terliesner in 1863. She was born in 
Pi'ussia in 1841, and they now have three chil- 
dren, Henry, William and Anna. The parents 
are members of the Catholic church, and Mr. 
Steinkamp is a democrat in his political views. 
He has been somewhat active in local political 
work and has been honored with several offices, 
serving as second assistant engineer of the city 
in 1870-71, as marshal in 1872, as city collector 
in 1875-76, and town collector in 1879, while for 
the past twenty-five years he has been assessor. 
His election to these various offices is indicative 
of the trust reposed in him, his capability in the 
discharge of his duties and his public-spirited 
devotion to the gener;d welfare. 



ANDREW URBAN. 



Andrew Urban, deceased, was a representative 
of the wholesale business interests of Quiney for 
more than twenty years, becoming a resident of 
this city in 1880. He was born in Baden, Ger- 
many, March 25, 1830, and was a son of Andrew 
and Catherine Turban, who were also natives of 
Baden, where they spent their entire lives, the 
father engaging iu farming there. 

Their son Andi'ew was a student in the com- 
mon schools of Germany in his early youth. He 



remained a resident of the fatherland imtil 1852, 
when he sailed for America, landing in New 
York. He then went to Cincinnati, Ohio, where 
his uncle, Charles Urban, was engaged in the 
safe manufacturing business, the product of his 
factory— the Urban safe — being now well known 
throughout the country. Andrew Urban eontin- 
Tied in the employ of his uncle for a few years 
and then went to Chillico'the, Ohio, where he was 
employed in a brewery for several years. He 
afterward came to Illinois, settling first in Han- 
cock county. He borrowed money in order to 
make this trip, and this fact indicates somewhat 
his financial resources : but he possessed, instead 
of capital, a strong determination and resolute 
will. He settled on a farm in Hancock county 
and, throus'h hard work, was eventually enabled 
to purcha.sp land. Ijater he purchased two other 
farms in that county and he continued his agri- 
cultural pursuits for a number of years, or until 
he moved to Nauvoo, Hlinois, where he turned 
his attention to the milling business, purchasing 
the Piierian mills, which he operated for eight 
years; but he was swindled out of that property 
and, because of this, he removed to Quiney in 
1881. Here he accepted a position as traveling 
salesman for the wholesale lic[Uor house of Meyer 
& Baeherich, occupying that position for several 
years, during which time he managed to save the 
capital that enabled him to enu'age in business 
on his own account. Poi'ming a partncrslii]i 
with his son, under the firm name of A. Url>an 
& Son, they opened a wholesale and retail house 
for the sale of wines, liquors and beer, this being 
located at No. 639 Hampshire street, Avhere the 
■sou, Gustav Urban, still remains in charge. An- 
drew Urban was engaged in this Imsiness up to 
the time of his death. 

In 1858 Mr. Urban was married in Auburn. 
Indiana, to Miss Catherine Baer, a native of 
Chillicothe, Ohio, born February 11, 1837, and a 
daughter of Mathew and Catherine (Knewrine) 
Baer, both of whom were natives of Germany, 
Avhence they came to America. Soon after his 
arrival in this country Slv. Baer's health began 
to fail and because of this he returned to Ger- 
many, where he died in 1840. Mrs. Baer long 
survived him, passing away in 1888. Mr. and 
Mrs. Urban became the parents of ten children, 
of whom five are now living, namely: William 
A., who married Dorothea C. Bader and is vu- 
gaged in the liquor business at No. 508 Hamp- 
shire street; Gustav A., who married Catherine 
the Ikerian mills, which he operated for eight 
E. Lafers and was his father's partner in the 
in fiill control of this enterprise, having one of 
the largest houses of that kind in Quiney; ]\Iin- 
nie. who is the wife of Romie Boekenhofif. of 
(Liuincy. I'hcoiliii'i^ who married Dora E. Tay- 
lor and is now bookkeeper in his brother's whole- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADA]MS COUNTY. 



627 



sale house; ;iih1 Edward ('.. who iiiai'ried ^linnie 
Sherman and is a salesman for his brother. Those 
deceased are : Lucy, who was the wife of Robert 
Knhn ; Charles, who died at the age of one year ; 
Emma, who died when ten years of ase : one that 
died unnamed in infancy : and Rose, who died 
at the aare of one year. 

llr. Urban gave an unfaltei-inc support to the 
republican party, keepin"' well informed on the 
issues of the day and doing all in his power to 
advance the party's success, yet never seeking 
or desiring office for himself. lie was particu- 
larly a self-made man, for. when he arrived in 
Hancock county, Illinois, he did not have five 
dollars. He worked earnestly and persistently 
year after year until he had acquired a hand- 
some competence. His interests centered in his 
family, and it was one of his last requests that 
his wife and sons should remain tog'ether, and 
they are now associated in business, and the 
family residence is in the same block. Mr. Ur- 
ban was a prominent and well-to-do business man 
of Quincy and was a warm, personal friend of 
Colonel Marsh, congre.ssman of this district. 
Since her husband's death Mm. Urban has sold 
the farms in Hancock county. She now resides 
at No. 63914 Hampshire sti'eet in a flat above the 
wholesale store, and also owns a large business 
block at the corner of Sixth and Hampshire 
streets. 



HENRY BARTLETT. 



Prominent among the progressive, enterpris- 
ing and capable business men and tinanciers of 
Adams county is numbered Henry Bartlett, who 
is successfully conducting a private banking 
business in Clayton. He was born in Adams 
county on the 9th of October, 1847, and is a son 
of Nathaniel Gorham Bartlett. whose birth oc- 
curred in Massachusetts, while the grandfather, 
George Bartlett, was also a native of that state 
and was of English descent, his ancestors having 
come to New England at an early period in the 
colonization of the new world. 

Nathaniel G. Bartlett spent the days of his 
boyhood and youth in the state of his nativity 
and when a young man came west to Illinois, 
settling in Adams county in 183S. He traveled 
with a colony from Beverly, ilassachusetts and 
purchased a tract of land in what became Bev- 
erly township. Not a furrow had been turned 
or an improvement made upon the place, but, 
with characteristic energy, he began its develop- 
ment, cleared the lields, and in the course of 
time gathei-ed 2'ood harvests. He was married 
in this count V to ^liss Laura ^lills, a native of 



Connecticut, who engaged in teaching school in 
that state and also in Adams county prior to her 
marriage. Mr. Bartlett continued to engage in 
farming in Beverly township for several years 
and then sold his original property and removed 
to Liberty township, where he purchased a farm 
and reared his family. In 1869 he took up his 
abode in Claj'ton, where he lived a retired life, 
passing away there in 1871. His wife survived 
him for a long period and died in 1893. In their 
family were six children, of whom three are yet 
living. One son, James W. Bartlett, was a sol- 
dier of the Seventy-eighth Illinois Infantry and 
served throughout the Civil war, after which he 
received an honorable discharge, and later he set- 
tled in Iowa and subsequently removed to Wayne, 
Nebraska, where he is now living retired. He 
had a son, Elmer E. Bartlett, who was a soldier 
in the Spanish-American war and was killed at 
IManilla. Charles B., who was a soldier of the 
Union army, died while at the front and was 
buried at Andersonville. Mary G. died in 1892. 
Joseph died in infancy. Laura C. is the wife of 
Fred Kuntz, of Clayton. 

PTenry Bartlett, whose name introduces this 
record, pursued his education in the common 
schools and afterward attended a private school 
for one year. Wlien he had reached man's estate 
he engaged in the di-vig business in 1869, pur- 
chasing a store, which he conducted for four and 
a half years. He then sold out and became the 
])roprietor of a grocery store, which he managed 
.successfully for several years. He next turned 
his attention to the dry goods trade, which he 
conducted until 1889, wlien, in connection with 
J. R. "Wallace, he purcliased the jirivate bank of 
Montgomers^ & Craig and has since been an able 
representative of financial interests of Adams 
county. The business has con.stantly grown un- 
der their supervision, and they are now conduct- 
ing a profitable banking establishment, having 
many depositors. Mr. Bartlett also buys and 
.sells real estate, and in the transfer of property 
has realized a srood financial reward. 

?ilr. Bartlett was united in marriage December 
9, 1875, to Miss S. M. Laelcey, a daughter of Abel 
il. Lackey, who is represented elsewhei'e in this 
work. Mr. and Mrs. Bartlett have two children : 
Charles L., an attorney, living in Quincj'; and 
Bertha E., who is the wife of Dr. Poltie, a den- 
tist of Clayton. 

^Ir. Bartlett has always exercised his right of 
franchise in support of the men and measures 
of the republican party since easting his first 
presidential vote for General Grant in 1868. He 
was elected and served as supervisor of Clayton 
township for nine years, filling the office for 
eiffht consecutive years, and he served on a ninn- 
ber of important conunittees. He has been presi- 
dent of the town board of Clayton and a mem- 



628 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



ber (if the sfliool 'Kiard aud has been ideiititied 
with all public measures which have contributed 
to the geuei-al iniprovement and substantial up- 
building- of the town. He realizes the needs and 
possibilities of the town and has worked alonu' 
practical lines, so that his efforts have been far 
reaching and beneficial. Mr. Bartlett is a self- 
made man in the fullest sense of the oft misused 
term, his prosperity in life being due to indus- 
try and integrity. His career is a living illus- 
tration of what ability, energy and force of char- 
acter can accomplish, and his town and county 
have been enriched by his example. In every- 
thing pertaining to the upbuilding of Clayton 
he takes an active intei'est and is a liberal 
contributor to the enterprises which insure its 
progress. 



HON. SAMITEL R. CHITTENDEN. 

The Hon. Samuel R. Chittenden was born Oc- 
tober 2, 1817, in Guilford, Connecticut, and was 
the second of the seven children of Colonel John 
B. Chittenden, the founder of the village of 
J\Iendon and one of the early settlers of Adams 
county. He was born in Giiilford, Connecticut, 
January 16, 1790, and was the fourth of the seven 
children of Deacon Abraham Chittenden, of that 
place. John B. Chittenden 's early life was spent 
chiefly in agricultui'al pursuits in his native 
place. At an early age he became an active mem- 
ber of the Congregational church of Guilford 
and in his twenty-first year was chosen deacon, 
which office he continually held until he removed 
to the vallev of the ilississippi in the fall of 
1831. On the 12th of January, 1814, he was 
united in marriage to Eliza Robinson, a daugh- 
ter of Colonel Samuel and Content (Robinson! 
Robinson, the former of Guilford and the latter 
of Durham, Connecticut. Seven children were 
born of this union, namely : John A., Sanniel R., 
Heuiy R., Abram, Sarah C, John Augustus and 
Sarali Elizabeth. 

On the 10th of September, Ls:il, with his wife 
and their four sons in a two horse covered wauon, 
Colonel John B. Chittenden started for Illinois. 
Quincy being his ob.jective point, and at East 
Haven, Connecticut, was .ioined by Samuel Brad- 
ley and family and others, making an emigrant 
ti'ain of five wagons and twenty-six persons when 
they took their departure from New Haven, Con- 
necticut. In this undertaking he had two dis- 
tinct ob.jects in view — first to establish, 
strengthen and extend the Christian religion by 
the organization of churches, Sunday-schools, 
Bible classes, etc. ; second to better provide for 



his family of boys in a new country. On the 11th 
of October this emigrant train reached Pitts- 
burg, Pennsylvania, where they engaged passage 
on the steamboat Ncav Jersey for the families and 
effects, the teams continuing by land. The boat 
arrived at Cincinnati, October 15. Mr. Chitten- 
den, with his two sons, Samuel and Henry, left 
the boat at this place to visit his brother Abra- 
ham I. Chittenden at Oxford, Ohio. On the 25th 
of October, the teams having arrived, Sir. Chit- 
tenden proceeded on his journey from Oxftird, 
overland, passing through Terre Haute Novem- 
ber 7, and arriving at Springfield, November 14, 
that being the first town he sighted after entering 
Illinois. There he received a letter informing 
him that his family were in Alton, Illinois. On 
the 30tli of November he found himself and fam- 
ily frozen in the JMississippi river at Scipio, a 
rival town of and near Hannibal, ]\Iissouri. Af- 
ter waiting three weeks a sled was secured and 
the balance of the journey was made on the ice, 
Mr. Chittenden walking in front with a pole 
sounding the ice for airholes and weak places. 
They arrived in Qaincy the latter part of De- 
cember, 1831 and were there entertained the fii-st 
night, most hospitably, by Governor John Woods 
in his log cabin residence under the bluif below 
the town. Passing the remainder of the winter 
of 1831-2 in Quincy, on the 2d of March, 1832, 
Sir. Chittenden purchased of Jacob Gorshoug the 
southwest quarter of section 11, 1 north, 8 west, 
near the present site of Mendon, to which he 
moved his family. It was here that his daughter 
Sarah was born April 19, 1832, and it was in the 
same log house that the Congregational church of 
Sleudon was formed, the same being the first Con- 
gregational church organized in tlie state of Illi- 
nois. 

In February, 1S33, Sir. Chittenden purchased 
the northeast quarter of section 11 and soon after- 
ward laid out and platted the village of Slendon, 
building a house himself on lot 13, which he oc- 
cupied three years. He then retired to his farm 
two miles north of Slendon. where he lived in 
comfort and case with pileasant surroundings 
until the death of his estimable wife on the 30th 
of October, 1862. A passing note of this good 
woman seems important to this sketch. Mrs. Eliza 
Chittenden's entire life was even and tranquil 
like a May morning. Her law was the law of 
kindness; she never allowed herself to speak an 
unkind word to any one and was an earnest, sym- 
Dathizing Christian, honored and beloved by all. 
The loss of such a wife and companion in his de- 
clining years overwhelmed Sir. Chittenden with 
grief, and this bereavement was the chief cause 
of his rapid decline and death from nervous ex- 
haustion in less than three months after the death 
of his wife, dying January 23, 1863, at the age of 
seventv-three years. 





<^^^::^^^:^:^^'2!!^*^ 



u 





MRS. S. R. CHITTENDEN 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



633 



Hon. Samuel R. Cliitteiideu, subject of this 
sketch, attended the district schools of his native 
\'illage in his yonth, but after his arrival in Illi- 
nois he had limited advantages. Being the oldest 
of the living children the hardest tasks of the 
new country naturally fell iipon him. He faith- 
fully performed his duty in splitting and hauling 
rails and breaking prairie, and he remained with 
his parents until his twenty-second year. In 1840 
he saw an opening in the then growing village 
of ]\Iendon for a general store and with a partner, 
John R. Baldwin, he embarked in the mercantile 
business under the firm name of Chittenden & 
Baldwin. Two years later he bought Jlr. Bald- 
win's interest in the business and continued by 
himself until he turned the business over to his 
sons Samuel F. and George R. 

]\Ir. Chittenden was united in marriage January 
2, 1S45, to Caroline B., a daughter of Lyman and 
Ann (Barker) Frisbie, natives of Branford, Con- 
neeticiit. The father, who was a farmer, came 
to Illinois in 1837 and here kept a hotel and car- 
ried on farming. Samuel R. Chittenden was 
originally a whig in politics but in 1856 became 
a democrat and occupied positions of pi-ominence 
in the political life of his covmtry. For twenty- 
four years lie was justice of the peace and four 
years served as supervisor. In 1866 he was 
elected to the Illinois state senate and served four 
years. While there he was a member of several 
committees, notably those on banks and corpora- 
tions and on state institutions. He was a mem- 
ber of the state board of equalization and was a 
delegate to the St. Louis convention which nomi- 
nated Til den for president. He was honored by 
Governor Palmer with an appointment to the 
convention at St. Louis to change the capitid 
from Washington, D. C. While serving in the 
legislature he was instrumental in securing the 
railroad known as the Carthage branch of the 
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, of which he was 
vice president, the first train passing over this 
line in December, 1870. ]Mr. Chittenden 's health 
began to fail during the latter part of his public 
life, but he enjoyed a number of yeai-s of well 
earned retired life and died January 22, 1899. 
Caroline B. Frisbie, the very capable wife of 
Jlr. Chittenden, was born in Branford. Connect- 
icut, April 19. 1821, and came to Mendon, Illi- 
nois, with her parents, Lyman and Ann (Barker) 
Frisbie, in the year 1837. IMrs. Chittenden was 
a woman that sparkled with life and animation 
and her labor of devotion to home, family, 
church and conmiunity were given with a free 
heart and untiring energy. She was the mother 
of three sons. John R., Samuel F. and George R. 
Chittenden. All grew to manhood and engaged 
in business in ^lendon. ^Irs. Chittenden retained 
hei- interests in the affairs of life to a remarkable 
degree and had active charge of her home within 



a few days of the end. She died June 11, 1903, 
aged eighty-two years. 

John R. Chittenden was born September 14, 
1847. His ambitious nature found him at an 
early age an active helper to his father in the 
capacity of clerk in the store and also in the work 
of the fariii during the busy season. In the year 
1875 he embarked in the grocery business for 
himself, later on adding dry goods and notions 
to his stock. In 1882 he closed out the stock of 
dry goods and groceries, replacing it with hard- 
ware, including stoves and tinware. In 1902 he 
Imilt a repository and added a line of buggies to 
his business. To this, in connection with his farm 
and other interests, he gave his attention with 
marked energy and pleasure. On the 21st of 
October, 1875, ]\Ir. Chittenden was united in 
marriage to Anna S. Brinton, a daughter of W. 
B. and Sarah (Horn) Brinton, and two sons 
were born of this union -, William B., now of 
Springfield, Illinois : and Samuel R., who is con- 
ducting his father's hardware business in Men- 
don. Mr. Chittenden's happy, cheerful disposi- 
tion and ever ready hand to relieve others in 
times of trouble or distress won for him manj' 
friends wherever his acquaintance extended. In 
the midst of the activities and pleasures of life 
a severe illness developed and lingering but a few 
days, he died September 23, 1904, at the age of 
fifty-seven years. 

Samuel F. Chittenden was born August 12, 
1851. At a very early age his father gave him the 
nick name of "Bob" by which he is commonly 
known to the present day. In his youth he at- 
tended school in his native to\\Ti — Jlendon — and 
later in Quincy, passing his vacations and odd 
times as an employe in his father's and other 
stores of Mendon and in farm work. At the close 
of his school days, in the year 1875, he became 
a partner in the mercantile business with his 
father, the firm name being S. R. Chittenden & 
Son. In 1886 the father retired from business, 
placing his youngest son, George R., in his stead, 
and the style of the finn became Chittenden 
Brothers and has continiied the same to the pres- 
ent day. This business has had a continuous ex- 
istence for sixty-four years since its first estab- 
lishment by the father, Samuel R. Chittenden, 
in 1840. Samuel F., or Bob. has given nearly 
thirty years of his life to the care of the business 
with a fervor and close confinement seldom 
equaled for the length of time. Mr. Chittenden 
was married June 24, 1893. to Ann Elizabeth 
^fcCormick, of IMendon. a daughter of John and 
Leah (Kepple) MeCormick, and they occupy 
one of the prettiest and best kept homes in the 
village, constructed to his order. He is vivacious 
and active by nature, an entertaining conversa- 
tionalist, positive and outspoken in his views and 
has a verv strong attachment for his friends. 



634 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



George R. Chittenden, the youngest son of 
Samuel R., and Caroline B. Chittenden, was born 
April 8, 1858. He received his early education 
in the village schools of jMendon, which was later 
supplemented by a course of study at Denmark 
Academy in Denmark, Iowa, and Wasliiagton 
l^niversity at St. Louis, Missouri. In 1886 he 
entered the business firm of Chittenden Brothers 
as junior partner. In addition to this and other 
interests he owns and conducts one of the best 
stock and grain farms in the county. lie i.s enter- 
prising and zealous in bu.siness att'airs and his 
considerate and unbiased judgment makes him a 
worthy member of the community — esteemed 
and honored. On the 6th of March, 1905, he was 
united in marriage to Miss Ilattie J. Forry, 
who was born February 22, 1866, and is a daugh- 
ter of George C. and Adeline Y. (Jury) Forry, 
the former a native of Newark, Ohio, and the lat- 
ter of Zanesville, Ohio. Mr.s. Chittenden was a 
resident of St. Louis for many years. She is the 
younger in a family of two children, her brother 
being Edwin II. Forry, who was born September 
27, 1864. With public spirit and steady purpose, 
George R. Chitteuden is prominent in movements 
for the advancement of church, connnunity or 
l)ublic weal. The years of his devotion to the 
care and comfort of his parents in their declin- 
ing years was an example of pleasurable duty. 
George is genial and aft'able in manner, and his 
s.vmpathy and perception of the different phases 
of suffering and trouble has made for him many 
wai'm fi'iends througliout the ciunmunitv. 



E:\IERS0N M. MILLER. 

The force of character, strong determination, 
executive ability and unfaltering energy which 
form the basis of all success have been manifest 
in the career of Emerson M. Jliller, who is a 
worthy representative of that sjiirit of commer- 
cialism which has made this country a leader in 
the field of production along industrial lines. 
Mr. Miller, starting in business life as an ap- 
])rentice to the carriage-maker's trade and after- 
ward working as a journeyman, is now at the head 
of one of the largest carriage manufactories of 
the country, engaged in the manufacture of lan- 
daus, broughams, victorias and hotel 'buses, and 
in Quincy, where he is best known, he enjoys the 
full confidence of the business community. 

Mr. Miller was born in Middlefield, Connecti- 
cut, December 5, 18136, and represents one of the 
oldest families of that state. His great-great- 
grandfather built the first sawmill in Connecti- 
cut and was afterward killed in the flume of the 



mill. William Miller, the father, also a native 
of Connecticut, served his country in the war of 
1812, acting as a private for about thirty days. 
In 1838 he removed to Agawam, Massachusetts, 
in the vicinity of Springfield, and there he fol- 
lowed the occupation of farming. He died in 
1853, while his wife, who bore the maiden name 
of Sarah Campbell, died in 1861. 

Emerson M. Miller attended school in Spring- 
field, Massachusetts, where he passed through 
successive grades until he had become a high 
school student. When eighteen years of age he 
put aside his text-bonks and began learning the 
carriage-making trade in New Haven, Connecti- 
cut, where he served an apprenticeship of three 
years and three months. When twenty-one years 
of age he started westward, reaching Kansas 
City, Missouri, in the spring of 1856. He re- 
mained there two weeks, but, not being satisfied 
with the city and certain conditions there, he 
took a steamer down the Missouri river and came 
to Quincy. landing here in May. Here he began 
working at his trade as a journeyman in the em- 
ploy of J. 11. Weaver, proprietor of a repair shop 
at No. 18 South Sixth street. He worked for six 
months and then entered into a partnership with 
Mr. Weaver under the firm name of Weaver & 
Miller, but, after ninety days, this relationship 
was terminated through a misunderstanding 
which caused ilr. ililler to purchase ]\Ir. Wea- 
ver's interest, and the business has since been 
conducted under the firm style of E. ]M. ^Miller & 
Company. He admitted his brother. S. D. ]\Iiller, 
of New Haven, IMassachusetts, to a partner.ship, 
and this relation was maintained until 1899, 
when E. K. Strong entered the firm as an equal 
partner, having purchased the interest of the 
silent partner. In 1856 the firm of E. 'SI. Miller 
& Company was organized, occupying the old 
site, No. 18 South Sixth street, and from time to 
time more ground has been purchased, until the 
lot is now one hundred and fifty feet front by 
one hundred and forty feet deep. This entire 
plot is covered l)y a fine four-story building, and 
the factory is equip]3ed with the latest improved 
machinery for carrying on a business of this 
character. One hundred and fifty men are em- 
ployed and the company makes a specialty of the 
manufacture of landaus, broughams, victorias 
and hotel 'buses. Their business now covers the 
United States and IMexico and has been developed 
from a small repair shop until their factory is 
the largest in this part of the country and the 
second in size in the United States in this line of 
manufacture. j\Ir. Miller has been the controlling 
spirit in this enterprise, and his energj', his ad- 
vancement in keeping up with the progress of 
the times and his keen business discrimination 




E. M. MILLER 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



637 



have been the resultant factors in bringing him 
gratifying- success. 

llr. Miller was married to iliss Maria Wheat, 
a daughter of ALmeron Wheat, one of the early 
settlers and an attorney of Quiney, who died 
July 12, 1895, while his wife still lives in this 
city. Mr. and Mrs. Miller became the parents of 
one child. Lanra 51., who married Harry A. 
Blackfoot. of Pindlay, Ohio, pi'oprietor of a 
printing establishment of that place. ]\Ir. and 
Mrs. Blackfoot have a son and daughter, Emer- 
son M.. seven years of age, and Marie, fonr vears 
old. 

Mr. and Mrs. MWlev attend the Unitarian 
church and in politics he is a stanch republican. 
For almost a half century a resident of Quiney, 
he has, thi-oughout this period, maintained a high 
reputation in business circles, while in social life 
he has gained the warm friendships and favor- 
able regard which arise from true worth of char- 
acter. 



WILLIAil C. W. STERNE. 

William C. W. Sterne is the oldest resident of 
Ellington township and, as a pioneer citizen, 
whose life has been upright and honorable, he 
receives and merits the friendship and regard of 
those with whom he lias long been associated. 
He occnpies the first brick residence built in the 
township, a part of this having been erected in 
18-47. the remainder in 1853. Mr. Sterne wa,s 
born in Pendleton county, Kentucky, December 
3, 1824, and is a representative of an old Vir- 
ginian family. His father, John W. Sterne, was 
born in Stafford county, Virginia, while his 
grandfather. Charles Sterne, was likewise a na- 
tive of the Old Dominion. 

After arriving at the year of maturity, John 
W. Sterne ^\•as married to Miss Elizabeth Dun- 
can, a native of Kentuclrv' and a daughter of 
Willis Duncan, of Fauqiiier county, Virginia. 
He had gone to Kentucky with his parents when 
a boy, the Sterne family being established there 
in pioneer days, and he continued to make his 
home in that state until after his marriage and 
until the fall of 1829, when, with his wife and 
child, he started for Illinois. They traveled in 
a wagon drawn by oxen and were forty days in 
making the trip, arriving in Quiney on the 6th 
of December, which that year fell on Sunday. 
They lived in the little village of Quiney for 
about a year, and John W. Sterne then pur- 
chased one hundred and sixty acres of what has 
since been the Sterne farm. He bought this 
from George Crosby, with whoni he had served 
in the war of 1812, thev being members of the 



same regiment. JMr. Sterne had command of a 
squad of six men, and in 1812 he visited the 
present site of the city of Chicago, although 
nothing was there at the time except Fort Dear- 
born. Wliile in the military service of his coun- 
try he had formed the acquaintance of George 
Crosby, from whom he afterward bought his 
land, Mr. Crosby having received a land grant 
of one hundred and sixty acres on section 5, 
range 1. J\Ir. Sterne, purchasing the land grant, 
entered the same from the government in 1830 
and it has since remained in possession of the 
family. He had conducted a distillery in con- 
nection with farming while in Kentucky and, 
after coming to Illinois, he confined his atten- 
tion entirely to agricultural pursuits. The land 
which he piirehased had never been broken and 
was covered with timber and hazel briish. Mr. 
Sterne at once began to clear this and prepare 
it for the plow, and in course of time were seen 
Helds of waving grain where once stood the for- 
est growths. He continued the active manage- 
ment and operation of his farm until his son 
William was twenty-one years of age, when he 
made him manager of the property and retired 
from active farm labor, spending his remaining 
(lavs in the enjoyment of the fruits of his former 
toil. 

John Sterne was a valued pioneer settler, aid- 
ing largely in the material development of the 
county as it emerged from frontier conditions 
and took on the evidences of an advanced civili- 
zation. He was active in political circles, first 
as a defender of whig principles and later as a 
supporter of the republican pai-ty. Three times 
he was elected to the office of coiinty commis- 
sioner. Pie died at the venerable age of eighty- 
eight years and .seven months, and his wife passed 
away when eighty years of age. Their names 
ai-e inseparably connected with the pioneer his- 
tory of Adams county. 

AVilliam C. W. Sterne was only five years of 
age when brought by his parents to Illinois. He 
was an onh- child. His education was acquired 
in a log school house, the first in Ellington town- 
ship, and the methods of instruction were very 
primitive in comparison with the system of pub- 
lic instruction to-day. Later he spent three win- 
ter seasons as a student in the schools of Quiney. 
He was early trained to the work of the farm, 
gained practical knowledge of the best methods 
of earing for the fields, and when he had attained 
his majority he assumed the management of the 
old homestead, which he continued to improve 
and cultivate for many years, or until he turned 
it over to the care of his own son. In the mean- 
time, as his financial resources had increased, he 
had extended the boundaries of his property un- 
til the original tract of a quarter of a section 
had been increased to three hundred and thirtv- 



638 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



five acres and many modern improvements had 
been added. 

Mr. Sterne was first married to Miss Elizabeth 
Penrose, who was born in Washington county, 
Pennsylvania and was a relative of Senator Pen- 
rose. She died July 2, 1868, leaving two chil- 
dren, Charles T. and Susie E., the latter the wife 
of Dr. Albert Smith, of Quincy. For his second 
wife Mr. Sterne chose Sarah F. Benson, a native 
of Adams county, Illinois, and a daughter of 
Leven D. Benson. There is a daughter, Ger- 
trude, by this marriage. 

Mr. Sterne has supported the republican jiarty 
since its organization. He has never sought nt)r 
desii-ed office, nor has he filled any position save 
that of school trustee. He has long held mem- 
bership in the Presbyterian church, and his en- 
tire life has been guided by his religious faith. 
He retains possession of his faculties to a re- 
markable degree, for, although he has passed the 
eightieth milestone on life's journey, he appears 
to be a much younger man, and in spirit and in- 
terests seems yet in his prime. If one would 
know aught concerning the early history of 
Adams county they have but to ask Mr. Sterne, 
who has resided here for more than three-fourths 
of a century and who has watched its entire 
growth, as it has emerged from primitive fron- 
tier conditions and taken on all the ways and 
the advantages of the older civilization of the 
east. 



HERMAN MOECKER. 



Herman Moecker, now deceased, was one of the 
most popular, prominent and best-known resi- 
dents of Quincy because of the place he occupied 
in business circles and also because of his influ- 
ence as a leader in democracy of his district. He 
was one of the native sons <if the city and at- 
tained distinction through the i)ublic recognition 
of his ability and his devotion to the general good. 
Moreover, he possessed those personal traits of 
character which win friendship— an alTable dis- 
position, genial manner, unfaltering courtesy and 
deference for the opinions of others. 

Mr. i\Ioeeker was born October Ifi, 1866, his 
parents being Herman and Elizabeth (Sunder- 
mann) Moecker. The father was a native of Ger- 
many and came to America about 1852, landing 
at New Orleans, where he entered business life 
as a bell boy in a hotel. He came to Quincy in 
18.')6, and from that time foi'ward until his death 
was ]iroininent as a representative of hotel inter- 
ests liei'e. He built one of the first hotels in the 
city, known as the old Sherman House, and was 
its landlord ior many years. He afterward sold 
that ]iroperty and built what is now the old Pa- 



cific Hotel, after which he admitted his son Her- 
man to a partnership in the business, and they 
continueditsconductuntilthedeath of the father. 
Mrs. Moecker now resides with a daughter in 
Omaha, Nebraska. Three of their children are 
yet living : Mrs. Elizabeth Paffenrath of Omaha, 
Nebraska; Mrs. F. E. Lonas of New York city; 
and William, who is living in Glasgow, Montana. 

Herman Moecker, whose name introduces this 
record, attended the public schools of Quincy and 
afterward pursued a course in the Gem City Busi- 
ness College, thus being well qualified for the 
practical and responsible duties that devolved 
upon him as he entered business life. In con- 
nection with the conduct of a hotel he "was to 
the manner born," having in his boyhood days 
gained intimate knowledge of the methods pur- 
sued by his father in the business. Upon leaving 
school he became associated Avith his father in a 
partnership that was continiied until the death 
of the senior partner, and afterward he continued 
in business alone. In January, 1899, he built 
Hotel Moecker, changing his location because of 
the construction of the new railroad terminus. 
He erected a new and elegant hotel on Second 
street near the entrance of the passenger station 
of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad. 
He largely followed the methods of the pioneer 
in the conduct of his hotel interests in inaugurat- 
ing new plans and establishing new systems which 
proved of dii'eet benefit to the hotel business and 
won for his house a liberal supjiort from the trav- 
eling public. Hotel Moecker is one of the best in 
Quincy, being a large three-story brick .structure 
at the corner of Second and Oak streets. It is 
thoroughly equipped with modern ai)pliances and 
everything possible has been done for the com- 
fort and entertainment of the guests. 

Mr. Moecker was married January 10, 1888, 
to Miss Amelia Ohnemus, a native of Quincy and 
a daughter of Theodore Ohnemus, who was also 
an early settler here. Her father is now retired 
and yet resides in Quincy. There were two chil- 
dren, Herman and Eugene, born unto Mr. and 
Mrs. Moecker, and they reside with their mother. 

In his political views Mr. IMoecker was a stal- 
wart democrat and took a very active interest in 
the qiiestions and issues of the day. He was a 
man of strong personality, marked individuality 
and keen insight into political and public ques- 
tions and, moreover, he had much of that quality 
which, for want of a better term, we have called 
personal magnetism. All these rendered him a 
natural leader of men and a molder of public 
thought and action in political circles. He served 
as chairman of the city central committee in 1897 
andthefollowingyearwaselectedchairman of the 
county democratic central committee, acting in 
that capacity for several years. He was alder- 




^^ yv^^^^^r 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



641 



man in his ward here for seven years and then 
resigned, although solicited to continue in the of- 
fice b.v manj^ friends. In 1901 ]\Ir. ]\Ioecker be- 
came ill, and for two years his health was im- 
paired, terminating in death on the 9th of Janu- 
ary, 1904. He was a very prominent business 
man, prospering in the conduct of his hotel, and 
many sterling qualities were manifest as well in 
his political and social relations. IMrs. ]\Ioeeker 
is a member of the Catholic church of Quincy. 
After her husband's death she took charge of 
the hotel, which she yet owns and of which she 
has continuouslv acted as manager. 



G. E. WHITLOCK, M. D. 

Dr. 6. E. Whitlock, engaged in the practice of 
medicine in Columbus and Gilmer township, was 
born in Butler county, Ohio, in 1850, and was 
brought by his parents to Adams county in 18.53, 
the family home being established in Coli^mbus. 
His father. Derrick Whitlock, was a native of 
New Jersey, born near Princeton. He was only 
one year old when his parents left that state and 
journeyed westward to Butler county, Ohio. 
There he was educated and also learned the 
tailor's trade, working as an apprentice until 
twenty-one years of age, after which he became 
an independent jo^^rne^^nan. In 1853 he started 
with his family for Illinois, driving across the 
country with teams to Adams county and estab- 
lishing his home in Columbus. He followed gen- 
eral merchandising, also carried on farming for 
a few years, and then conducted his store for a 
number of years. His last days, however, were 
spent in honorable retirement from business 
cares, and he died in 1891. respected by all who 
knew him. His wife, who bore the maiden name 
of Rachel Elliott, was a native of Butler county 
and was a daughter of 'Sir. and Mrs. Clement 
Elliott, who went from Maryland to the Buck- 
eye state. Mr. and ]\Irs. Whitlock became par- 
ents of four children: ]Mrs. Louisa ifcNe-d, who 
lives in Columbus; two who died in infancv: and 
Dr. Whitlock. 

In taking up the personal hi.story of Dr. Whit- 
lock we present to our readers the life record of 
one who has a wide and favorable acrpiaintance 
in Adams county, both professionally and so- 
cially. His early educational privileges, afforded 
by the common schools, were supplemented by 
stxidy in the Ohio Wesleyan I'^niversity, in which 
he was graduated in 1874, His professional 
training was received in Jefferson Medical Col- 
lege. Philadel])hia, and, following his graduation 
there as a member of the class of 1876, he located 
for practice in Columbus, Adams county, where 
he has since lived. He is skillful and capable in 



discharging the duties which devolve upon him 
in connection with his profession and is continu- 
ally broadening his knowledge and promoting 
his efficiency by reading and investigation. He 
also owns a farm in Gilmer township, on section 
14. He makes his home thereon, but is not ac- 
tively engaged in the work of tilling the soil, 
leaving this to others. 

In 1877 occurred the marriage of Dr. Whit- 
lock and Miss ilary F. Booth, who was born in 
Adams coiinty and is a daughter of 'Sir. and Mrs. 
W. A. Booth, who had four children, who are 
yet living. The doctor and his wife have two 
children, Derrick and Halford, aged respectively 
twenty-three and nineteen years. 

Dr. Whitlock is a member of the Odd Fellows ' 
society and the Modern Woodmen camp and his 
political allegiance is given to the democracy. 
He is one of the leading physicians of Adams 
county and is a member of the medical board of 
Quincy. He enjoys tlie high esteem of his pro- 
fessional brethren, as well as of the general pub- 
lie, and his close conformity to the ethics of the 
profession, as well as his thorough understand- 
ing of the great principles of the medical science, 
have gained him prominence in the field of his 
chosen labor. 



Dewitt c. hill 



DeWitt C. Hill, a railway mail clerk living in 
Ursa, Illinois, was born January 22. 1869, in 
Troy, this state, and is the son of Dr. W. C. and 
Sarah (Jarvis) Hill. The father was a native 
of Ohio and came to Schuyler county, Illinois, 
at an early day, in company with his parents. 
Having arrived at years of maturity, he was mar- 
ried about 1867 to Miss Sarah Jarvis. whose birth 
occiirred in Madison county, Illinois. They be- 
came the parents of four children : DeWitt C. ; 
Gordon W., who is a resident of Princeton, In- 
diana; Russell, who is living in St. Louis, Mis- 
.souri; and Claude, who makes his home in San 
Francisco, California. 

After completing his preliminary education in 
the public schools, DeWitt C. Hill became a stu- 
dent in the State University of Illinois and, when 
he left college, he secured a position as public 
school teacher, following that profession for sev- 
eral years. He then accepted a position as rail- 
way mail clerk and has now been in the mail ser- 
vice for nine years, his run being between Quincy 
and Chicago. His long connection with the ser- 
vice is an indication of his capability and ef- 
ficiency. He now o\vns forty acres of fine land 
about a half mile west of Ursa, con.stituting a 
valuable property. 

Mr. Hill was united in marriage to Miss Lela 
I\lc Adams, who was born in T^rsa, (October 6, 



642 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



1864, and died in 1S99. leaving two children: 
Leita, who was horn September .S, 1892 ; and Dol- 
lie, bora September 1^7, 1894. In May. 1900, Mr. 
Hill was again mai'ried, his second nnion being 
with Edna Smith, a daiighter of Tom B. and 
Josie (Frazer) Smith. There have been two 
children born of this union : Ward, who was born 
November 13. 1901; and Lois, born Jaimarx- 10, 
1903. 

Several years ago ,Mr. Hill .joined the Inde- 
pendent Order of Odtl Fellows at Ursa and has 
since been identified wdth that lodge. Both he 
and his wife are active members of the Christian 
church, taking a lielpful interest in its work and 
in the extension of its influence. His political 
alleaiance is aiven to the democracy. 



GEORijE ada:\i tiirox. 

George Adam Thron, superintendent of tlie 
Woodland cemetery, was born in Cass county, 
Illinois, January 29, 1863. his parents being 
Valentine and Margaret Thron, who were natives 
of Germany, but were married in Cass county, 
Illinois. The father was a wagonmaker by trade 
and was one of three brothers who came from the 
fatherland to the new world, the others being 
David and ^lichael Thron. Unto Valentine and 
Margaret Thron were born six childi-en who are 
now living: Mary, the wife of Henry Hobrock, 
of Cass county, Illinois: Peter N., of St. Louis, 
Missouri ; Julia, the wife of John Baker, of Alex- 
andria, Illinois; Ilenry, who is living in Haird- 
land, Missouri; Lizzie, the wife of Adam Schn- 
man, of Cass count.y, Illinois; and (ieoi'ge A., the 
youngest of the family'. 

At the usual age George A. Thron enteivd the 
public schools, but had no educational advant- 
ages after he attained the age of eleven years 
for his father died about that time and he was 
thrown upon his OAvn resources. lie worked upon 
the home farm and his youth was largely a period 
of unremitting toil. When eighteen years of age 
he came to Quincy and was first employed in the 
lime kiln. Later he worked in the Comstuck 
foundry, and in June, 1893, he was appointed 
superintendent of the Woodland cemetery, which 
position he still fills, having given most accept- 
able service, I'nder his charge the cemetery 
has been much beautified and improved, the art 
of the landscape gardener contributing to make 
it one of the most be;mtifnl cemeteries in this 
part of the country. 

On the IGtli of Api-il, 1884, in Quincy, :\lr. 
Thron was niari'ied to Miss Elizabeth Haas, a 
daughter of Fred(M-ick and Mary (I\liller) Haas, 
of Quincy. Her maternal grandfather. Peter 
IMiller. was a native of Germany and became a 



well known resident of Quincy, having settled 
here in the '40s. He was then well advanced in 
\-eai's but he lived with his children viutil he had 
I'eached the advanced age of ninety-six years 
and seventeen days, his death occurring in 1893. 
His remains were interred in Woodland ceme- 
tery. Frederick Haas, father of l\Irs. Thron, is 
a remarkable old man. Coming to Quincy in 
|)ioneer times, he became one of the charter mem- 
bers of St. .John's Lutheran church, of which 
he is now the oldest living member. He has led 
an upright life, sober and industrious, and nature 
has been kind to him because he has not abused 
her laws. By trade a linen weaver in his native 
country, lie turned his attention to farming after 
coming to Illinois and followed tliat i)ursnit un- 
til ninety years of age. Just before the ninetieth 
anniversary of his birth, he wove a remark;dile 
piece of carpet. He still has the use of all of his 
faculties and his life of u.sefulness and activity 
may well serve as an example to others. His wife 
is now seventy-two years of age. They are the 
parents of four children : ilrs. Thron ; Kate, 
who died at the age of three years ; Frederick 
Haas, of Quincy; and Katherine, wdio was the 
wife of George Hobrock. who died January 20, 
1893. 

Unto JMi'. and Mrs. Tln-on have been born the 
following named: Anna, who died in infancy; 
Alfred George; George Arthur; Carl Albert; 
Harry Charles : Walter Frederick ; and Milton 
Henry. Those still living are Alfred George, 
George Arthur and ililton Henry. The parents 
ai'c members of St. John's Lutheran chiirch, and 
]\Ir. Thron belongs to the Firemen's Benevolent 
Society and the ]\IutuaI Protective League. With 
but limited advantages and opportunities in his 
youth i\lr. Thron has from an early age been de- 
pendent upon his 0W21 resoiirces and whatever 
success he has achieved has come as the direct 
oixtcome and reward of his own labors. 



willia:\i a. richardsox, jr. 

AVilliam .\. Rii'liardsoii, Ji-.. who, in his vai'ied 
business relations, has displayed the ability 
which leads beyond mediocrity to successful ac- 
complishment and prominence, and who in pub- 
lie service has demonstrated his devotion to the 
general welfare, his labors resulting in benefit 
of a practical and permanent nature, was Ixn-n 
June 24, 1848, in Washington, D. C, while his 
father, the Hon. William A. Richardson, was a 
member of congress. 

Liberal educational advantages were afforded 
William A, Richardson. Jr., who completed a 
thorough scientific course and then entered tlie 
field of business as a civil engineer, being thus 




G. A. THRON AND FAMILY 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



645 



engaged in the survey and construction of the 
railroad from Quincy to Louisiana. Later he 
was assistant engineer and resident engineer on 
the construction of the Sni levee, in this work 
establishing what were called the Richardson 
levels. He was also engaged in the survey and 
construction of the railway from Chillicothe to 
Omaha, now a part of the Port Arthur system; 
in the survey and con.struction of the Atchison 
branch of the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railway, 
built by General Singleton, and also had an ap- 
pointment as engineer on the Northern Pacific, 
which he resigned in order to return to Quincy, 
being thus connected with the construction of 
some of the leading railway systems of the coun- 
try. 

Determining to enter the legal profession, upon 
his return to Quincy !Mr. Richardson began the 
study of law in the office of the Hon. 0. H. 
Browning, and was admitted to the bar in 1876, 
following which he entered upon the active prac- 
tice of his profession. He was appointed ma.ster 
in chancery in April, 1876, and served for nine 
years, and in 1878 he was elected city attorney 
and re-elected the following year. In 1880 he 
was chosen to represent his district in the Illi- 
nois legislature, and from 1885 until 1891 he was 
United States commissioner. He i-etired from 
the last-named position because of impaired 
health and sought the benefits of rest and out- 
door occupation in the management of extensive 
farming interests in Minnesota, although re- 
taining his residence in Quinc.v. 

In community affairs Mr. Richardson has ever 
been deepl.y intei'ested, directing his energies to 
the public good, with recognition of the practi- 
cal value of many measures which have been 
suggested and movements which have been in- 
augurated. He is found as a co-operant factor 
in all that he deems beneficial or of worth in 
promoting permanent improvement. 

Mr. Richardson was married January 3. 1881. 
to Miss Anna D. JMcFadon, and their social 
prominence is attested by the hospitality which 
is so freelv accorded them in Quincy 's leading 
homes. 



FREDERIC ALTENHEIN. 

Frederic Altenhein, one of the leading Ger- 
man farmers and early settlers of Ellington 
township, was born in the fatherland, June 15. 
1827, his parents being Henry and Catlierine 
(Pilger) Altenhein. The son was reared upon 
the home farm, pursued his education in the 
schools of his native country and continued with 
his parents imtil 1852, when he came to the 
United States, crossing the Atlantic upon a sail- 



ing vessel, which was seven weeks and five days 
in making the voyage. He landed in New Or- 
leans, and, after remaining there for two months, 
he came to Quincy, making his way up the Mis- 
sissippi river and reaching his destina^tioii on 
the 19th of Augiist, 1852. He was married in 
Germany and was accompanied by his wife. He 
landed in Quincy with only one dollar in his 
pocket and jiaid twenty-five cents of this for a 
bed the first night, so that he started out in life 
here with a cash capital of but seventy-five cents. 
Mr. Altenhein remained in Quincy for a year, 
working by the day. Later he was employed as a 
farm hand and subsequently he rented land un- 
til his own labor had brought him a capital suf- 
ficient to enable him to purchase a farm of his 
own. He then bought a tract in Melrose town- 
ship, which he continued to cultivate until 1867, 
when he sold that place and purchased his pres- 
ent farm on section 17, Ellington township. 
Here he has two hundred and ten acres of very 
rich and productive land, which is located three 
and a half miles northeast of the city limits of 
Quincy, and the place is devoted to general fai-m- 
ing, the active work of which is carried on by his 
son Charles. Twenty-five to forty acres of the 
farm is planted to wheat and twenty to forty 
acres to corn. There is good pasture land and 
a fine timber tract, and there are twenty cows 
and thirty hogs upon the place. Besides this 
farm, Mr. Altenhein has another of seventy acres 
located eight miles northeast of the city limits, 
on section 5, Ellington township, on which are 
a great variety of fruits, such as berries, apple, 
peach, pear, cherry and plum trees, it being one 
of the finest fruit farms of the state. The place 
is under the management of the eldest son. 
Fred, who is quite a prominent man in his com- 
munity, having held public office almost continu- 
ously since reaching manhood and is now serving 
as justice of the peace in Ellington township. 

In Germany Mr. Altenhein was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Christine Rhode, and they became 
the parents of four children: Frederic married 
Anna Heneroff, and they have four children, 
William, Nora, Albert and Laura. Mary, the 
second member of the family, is the wife of 
George Pfansehmidt, of Ellington township, and 
they have four sons, Walter, Arthur. Roy and 
Geoi'ge. John died leaving a wife and two chil- 
dren, Edmund and Alice, now living in England. 
Charles H., who is managing the home farm for 
his father, married Eva Feigenspan, sister of 
William Feigenspan, who was candidate for 
state's attorney. They have one child, Margaret. 
Charles Altenhein is an enterprising fanner, 
wide awake and progressive, and follows modern 
methods in a practical manner that produces 
2ood results. 



646 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



Oil the 2-4tli of April, 1902, Mr. and Mrs. Al- 
tcnheiu celebrated their golden wedding at the 
home of their son-in-law, George Pfansehmidt. 
who, with the assistaiice of their son Fred and 
M-ife, pi'ovided the entertainment for the occa- 
sion. In his political views Mr. Altenhein is a 
denioci'at, having east his first presidential vote 
for James Buchanan, and in religious faith he 
is a Lutheran. During the Civil war he was 
drafted, but paid one tliousand dollars for a 
substitute, having already served for three j-ears 
in the Gei-man army before coming to this 
country. 

Mr. Altenhein is a self-made man and, as the 
architect of his own fortunes, has builded wisely 
and well. Coming to America empty handed, 
he worked his way diligently upward, and his 
perse\'erance. energy and strong determination 
hiive proved the foundation of his success. His 
life proves conclusively that success is not a 
matter of genius, but is the result of earnest and 
untiring et¥oi't. He is numbered among the early 
residents of the county, having for more than 
half a century resided within its borders, and he 
has, thei'efore, witnessed much of its gi'owth 
and development. Upon his place is one of the 
old landmarks of the county — an old stone house 
which \a;is ci'i cted in 18.30 by a Mr. Jacobs, who 
was tlii'ii owiH'i' of the farm. It has now largely 
fallen into decay, but, could it speak, it would 
tell many interesting tales of pioneer life here. 
In this house many of the early meetings of the 
township were held, and it was here that the 
township of Ellington was given its name. Not 
far from the house is a splendid well, which has 
always been known as "Jacobs' well," and, in 
a local way, is almost as famous as Jacob's well 
of Bible days. At first there was but a spring, 
and it Avas decided to dig this deeper, and a man 
engaged to do the work made report that he "had 
dug the well fourteen feet deep and there were 
seventeen feet of M'ater in it." Although his 
statement may have been a trifle exaggerated, the 
svipply of water has never been exhausted. Mr. 
Altenhein has developed his farms into excellent 
paying properties, and they are now carefully 
niaiinaed liv his sons. 



CAPTAIN IIARLO E. SELBY. 

Captain Ilarlo ¥j. Selby is one of the honored 
veterans of the Civil war and a prominent busi- 
nes.s man of Golden, where he has lived since 
1865. Nine years prior to that time he became 
a resident of Adams county. He is a native of 
Ohio, born October 24, 1842, and remained in 
that state until fourteen years of age, when he 
came to Illinois with his father, Wilson Selby, 



the family home being established in Adams 
county. They drove across the country with a 
team and first settled in Houston township, where 
the father secured a tract of land and carried on 
farming throughout his remaining days. 

Harlo E. Selby assisted in the eiiltivation and 
development of the home farm throiagh the sum- 
mer months, while in the winter season he at- 
tended the district schools. His time was thus 
passed until the fall of 18(il, when he went to 
Jones county, Iowa, where he worked on a farm 
and also engaged in teaching a country school ; 
but in the following spring he returned home, 
reaching Adams county in March, 1862. He 
then continued to assist in the improvement of 
the old homestead until August of that year, 
when his patriotic spirit was aroused by the con- 
tinued attempt of the south to overthrow the 
Union, and he joined the army, becoming a mem- 
ber of Company G, Seventy-eighth Illinois In- 
fantry. He went south with that command, 
which was assigned to the Army of the Cumber- 
land and later to the Army of the Tennessee. 
He participated in the battle of Chickamauga, 
■tt'liere he was badly wounded by a gunshot in the 
left side of the head, September 20, 1863. This 
disabled him for further service for a time and, 
after remaining in the hospital until well enough 
to travel, he was granted a thirty days' furlough, 
which he spent at home. He then rejoined his 
regiment at Chattanooga and afterward went 
with his command on the Atlanta campaign, j^ar- 
ticipating in all of its battles and engagements, 
being in active field duty almost every day for 
three months. Later he went with vSherman on 
the celebrated march to the sea, and afterward 
through the Cai'olinas, participating in the bat- 
tle of Bentonville. Witli his command he then 
marched on to Richmond and subsecpiently to 
Washington, D. C, whei'e he participated in the 
grand review. He was honorably discharged in 
Chicago in June, 1865, and gladly i-eturned to 
his home. He was, indeed, a true and loyal sol- 
dier, faithfully performing each duty assigned 
to him, and he deserves the credit which the eoun- 
tr\' owes to the preservers of the L^nion, 

Captain Selby returned to his family in Hous- 
ton township, Adams county, but, because of the 
injuries he had sustained in the war, he was in- 
capacitated for the hard labor of the fields, and 
on the 5th of October, 1865, he took up his abode 
in what is now Golden. Here he resumed teach- 
ing, following the pi'ofession through the winter 
months, while in the succeeding sunnner he be- 
came a student in Lombard I^niversity at Gales- 
burg, Illinois. He continued teaching through 
two winters and later he had two sisters and a 
daughter who tauglit in the same school. In the 
spring of 1867 he embarked in merchandising, 
]>urchasing an established business, and about 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



647 



two luontlis later he began dealing- in grain in 
ecinneetion with his eonnnei-cial pursuits. Both 
lU'oved protitable, and he conducted his store 
with siTccess until 1891, when the place was de- 
stroyed by fire. Tie continued in the grain busi- 
ness, conducting an elevator at Golden and also 
one at Chattan and at Bowen, carrying on busi- 
ness at the three places. In Golden he built a 
home, and here he resides, taking an active part 
in the progress and improvement of the town and 
giving material sujjport to its upbuilding. 

Captain Selbv was married in Quincv, Illinois, 
November 26, 1868, to Miss Martha L. Zinn, of 
Green Grove, Hancock eonuty, Illinois. She was 
born in Virginia but was reared and educated in 
this .state and is a daughter of Samuel G. Zinn. 
There are six children by this marriage: Amanda 
. D., the wife of C. C. Sterrett, of Lamar, Colo- 
rado; Alma, the wife of Philip Miller, of Golden, 
Illinois; Electa B., the wife of John E. Beckett, 
of Adams county, living five miles west of 
Golden ; ]Mrs. Lottie Stevens, of St. Louis, ]\Ii.s- 
souri ; Edna, who is acting a.s bookkeeper for her 
father; and Harlo F., who is a student in the 
high .school at Golden. He has also attended the 
Illinois College at Jacksonville. 

Politically Mr. Selby has been a lifelong repub- 
lican, casting his first presidential vote for Gen- 
eral U. S. Grant in 1868 and for evei\y nominee 
at the head of the ticket since that time. He 
has taken (piite an active interest in local politics 
and M'as elected and served as president of the 
board of town trustees and assisted in incorporat- 
ing the town of Golden. Pie was a member of 
the .school board and takes great interest in rais- 
ing the standard of education here. He has 
served as a member of the county central com- 
mittee and has been a member of the executive 
committee. For a long period he was actively 
connected with the state militia and was captain 
of the Keokuk Junction Guards and for one year 
was a member of the staff of General Duker, 
while for five years he was ad.iutant of the 
Eighth Regiment Militia. He was also aide-de- 
camp to Colonel W. L. Diston, and during his 
term was commander of the Grand Army of Illi- 
nois. Captaiu Selby is connected with the Ma- 
sonic fraternity, belonging to LaPrairie lodge. 
No. 267, at Golden, in which he has filled all of 
the offices. He is likewise a member of the chapter 
and of Delta commandery. No. 48, at Clayton, 
and belongs to Laclvde lodge. No. 270, I. 0. O. 
F., of Golden, and McCoy post. No. 311, G. A. R., 
at Clayton. Captain Selby is a man of strong 
purpose, firm in his honest convictions, and never 
swerving in the least from a course which he be- 
lieves to be right. He has always been strictly 
temperate, never nsing intoxicants in any forai, 
and. as the years have pas.sed, he has developed 



a character which is in many respects worthy of 
emulation. He has been found reliable in busi- 
ness, progressive in citizenship and trustworthy 
in all life's relations. 



:\IRS. iL\RY LASLEY McELEOY. 

ilrs. Alary Lasley ilcElroy, who is living in 
Camp Point, was born in Camp Point township 
February 2, 1847, and is a daughter of John 
and Elizabeth (Hughes) Downing. The father 
was born in Virginia September^ 7. 1810, and 
went to Indiana when twelve years of age. There 
he was reared and remained until after his mar- 
riage, when he came to Adams county, Illinois, in 
1835, settling in Camp Point township. He was 
a farmer by occupation and for many years en- 
gaged in tilling the soil, being one of the repre- 
sentative and enterprising agriculturists of the 
community-. He served as assessor for several 
years, and he held other township offices, dis- 
charging his duties with promptness and fidelity. 
His wife was born August 27, 1810, in Indiana, 
and died .\pril 2, 18S7, while his death occurred 
July 29, 1871. 

Their daughter, :\Iary, pursued her education 
in the common schools and at Camp Point high 
school and later engaged in teaching in :\Iapre- 
wood school at Camp Point for a year. On tlie 
12th of October, 1870, she gave her hand in mar- 
riage to Joseph P. Lasley, a native of North 
Carolina. He came to Adams county, Illinois, 
when a young man and at the age of eighteen 
enlisted in the Union army, becoming a niember 
of Company E, Fiftieth Illinois Regiment, with 
which he served for a year and a half, or until 
the close of the war. Subsequent to his military 
experience he became a merchant at Camp Point 
and was a well-known and reliable business man 
there, prominent in mercantile circles and re- 
spected by all with whom he came in contact, 
either in public or private life. He was a mem- 
ber of the Masonic fraternity. He died Slay 13, 
1885, leaving one son, Lee Laslev, who was born 
July 5, 1875, and died March 29^, 1895. 

On the 27th of November, 1895, Mrs. Lasley 
was again married, becoming the wife of James 
A. JIcElroy, a native of Ohio, who resided for 
some time in Hancock county, Illinois, and sub- 
sequently went to Chicago. * He dealt quite ex- 
tensively in stock, which he shipped to Chicago 
and Kansas City. He only lived for six months 
after their marriage, departing this life May 7, 
1896. Mrs. McElroy has a nephew, her sister's 
son, who resides with her. He is Frank Thomas, 
a son of Francis M. and Sarah Jlartha (Down- 
ing") Thomas, and he is now acting as assistant 
cashier in tlu> People's Bank at Camp Point. 



648 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



ilrs. McKlro>' owns her <i\vii home in Camp 
Point and also has other property there. She 
i.s a member of the Woman's Relief Corps, of 
the Woman's Christian Temperance Union and 
of the Methodist Episcopal church of Camp 
Point, and these different relations indicate her 
character, showing her to be worthy of the re- 
spect and esteem which is so uniformly accorded 
her. 



JA:\rES WOODRUFF. 



One of the central figures in the history of 
Quiney, so closely connected with its develop- 
ment and progress that his name is inseparably 
interwoven with its annals, was James Wood- 
ruff, who, in pioneer times, came to this city and 
remained a resident thereof until the 12th of 
January, 1905, when, in his forty-eighth year, 
he was' called from this life. His labors had 
been of a character so beneficial to the city, his 
success had been so honorably won and worthily 
worn and his integrity in all life's relations was 
so marked that he connnanded uniform confi- 
dence and respect and won from those whom he 
met socially the deeper regard which we term 
friendship and love. 

]\Ir. AVoodrutt' was a native of New Haven, 
Connecticut, born February 26, 1821, his parents 
being Samuel Henry and Eliza M. (Root) Wood- 
ruff"." The father, a lawyer of Connecticut, won 
more than local fame in the practice of his pro- 
fession. The grandfather, Sanuiel Woodruff, was 
of English descent, as was the maternal grand- 
father, Joel Root, of New Haven, Connecticut. 
The former was agent for the Greek Relief Soci- 
ety in sending supplies to Greece for the sufferers 
from famine in 1828. His son, Samuel Henry 
Woodruff, died in the early '40s, 

James Woodruff" pursued his education in the 
schools of New Haven, Connecticut, and when 
fourteen years of age went to Pittsfield, Massa- 
chusetts, where he learned the trade of carriage- 
making, being engaged in that business until he 
attained his majority. The following year was 
spent by him in working at his trade in Hart- 
ford, Connecticut, and then he came to the west 
and was identified with Quiney and her interests 
until his demise. 

When the New York, Boston iJt Illinois Land 
Company divided its land among its stockholders. 
Charles Atwater, of New Haven, an uncle of 
Mr. Woodruff", being a large stockholder, came 
into possession of extensive realty holdings in 
the Illinois military tract. With his cousin, M. 
B. Denman, Air. Woodruff came to Illinois, in 
October. 1842, and they opened a real estate of- 
fice in Quiney, having the agency of over three 



hundred quarter sections of land in this part of 
the state. Mr. Woodruff' had to visit all the 
counties in this tract and pay taxes on the land, 
and, through the business in which he is now en- 
gaged, he was largely instrumental in securing 
settlements here. He had to make a similar trip 
each year until the lands were sold. He twice 
rode to and from Chicago on horseback and five 
times made that trip with horse and buggy. He 
gained an intimate knowledge of the country and 
its possibilities in pioneer times, and his labors 
were most beneficial in the substantial improve- 
ment of this part of Illinois. He continued as 
real estate agent for twelve or fifteen years, at 
the end of which time he and his cousin began 
dealing in lumber in Quiney under the firm name 
of Denman & Woodruff, conducting their yard 
for five years. In 1867, in company with Fred- 
erick Boyd, Mr, Woodruff" founded an industry 
in Quiney that has since become one of its lead- 
ing productive enterprises. This was the erec- 
tion and equipment of the paper mills and the 
introduction to the public of the first paper 
manufactured from the wild grass from the inun- 
dated bottom lands. As the years passed he made 
extensive and judicious investment in property, 
which increased in value because of the improve- 
ment placed upon it and the growth of the 
county's population, thereby causing a greater 
demand. Thus his income continually increased. 
He likewise invested in many industrial and com- 
mercial enterprises which proved of vast benefit 
to the city, as well as to the individual stock- 
holders. His work was ever of a character that 
largely promoted public welfare and progress. 
He obtained the right of way for the Quiney, 
Missouri & Pacific Railroad, also the subscrip- 
tions for the stock, and the new town and station 
sites from the Mississippi river to Kirksville, Mis- 
souri. Hebecameinterested in the carriagemanu- 
facturing business on the northeast and southeast 
corners of Fifth and Jersey streets as a member 
of the firm of Hayes & Woodruff, his partner 
being Henry Hayes. They erected buildings 
there, one on each side of the street, and con- 
ducted a very extensive carriage manufacturing 
business, continuing their operations in that line 
until after the outbreak of the Civil war, when 
the buildings were used for hospital purposes, 
and the firm retired from the trade. 

On the 30th of October, 1862, Mr. Woodruff 
was appointed a.ssistant provost marshal of the 
war department for the Quiney congressional dis- 
trict, and on the 7th of May, 1863, he was named 
by President Lincoln for provo.st marshal with 
the rank of cajitain. The following year, how- 
ever, he resigned and engaged in the manufac- 
ture of ambulances, light artillery, knapsacks and 
haversacks, which he furnished to the United 




AM.. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAjMS COUNTY. 



651 



States. He was thus engaged until the end of 
the war, and in this connection he had several 
interviews with President Lincoln in relation to 
supplies and also with General Scott concerning 
arms. Following the war ^Ir. Woodruff largely 
retired from business, merely superintending his 
investments, owning eonsidei'able real estate, as 
well as being a stockholder in a number of lead- 
ing corporations here. 

]\rr. Woodrutf was married twice. He first 
wedded Miss Mary Dalzell. of Philadelphia, who 
died in 1879. They became the parents of five 
sons: James, Mho died in infancy: John, who 
died about 1900 : Joel R. and William H.. of this 
city: and Charles A., who is married and has two 
children. He is engaged in mining in Alaska 
and in the operation of a water power enterprise. 
His family now live in ^Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 
In 1882 mV. Woodruff married Miss Anna Hunt- 
ington, of New York city, a daiighter of Owen 
Huntington, who died during the early girlhood 
of his daughter. He was at one time owner of 
an extensive iron manufactui'ing business in Con- 
necticut. The family is of English lineage and 
was founded in America in the seventeenth cen- 
tury. 

]\Ir. Woodruff attended the Unitarian church 
and was a generous contributor to this and other 
worthy causes which promoted the moral and in- 
tellectual development of the community or 
furthered its benevolent work. In early life he 
gave his political support to the whig party and 
afterward became a stanch republican. He had 
a portfolio containing the signatures of all the 
noted generals of the Civil war, together with a 
number of letters from President Lincoln. He 
Avas acquainted with many of the illustrious men 
of Illinois in his day. and from all he received 
the high regard which is ever given in recognition 
of true worth of character. He did not seek to 
figure in anj' public light, preferring to devote 
his energies to his business interests in earlier 
years and to the welfare of his city at all times. 
As the champion of many measures for the pub- 
lic good, he proved himself a valued resident of 
Quincy. As the day, with its morning of hope 
and promise, its noontide of activity, its evening 
of completed and successful effort, ending in the 
grateful rest and quiet of the night, so was the 
life of this honored man. He stood, in his old 
age, when crowned with years and wealth, just 
where he had stood in early manhood, as the ad- 
vocate of all that is truly worthy and admirable 
in man; of all that is honorable in man's rela- 
tions with his fellownien. Ever loyal to his 
city, faithful to his friends, his greatest devotion 
■was given to his wife and children, his interest 
centering in his home, where his noble traits were 
most often manifest. 



William H. Woodruff, born in Quincy, August 
29, 1860, entered the public schools at the usual 
age, eventually became a high school student, and 
afterward matriculated in the Chicago Univer- 
sity, where he spent two years, leaving that insti- 
tution at the age of eighteen years. On leaving 
college he accepted a position in the First Na- 
tional Bank of this city, where he remained for 
several years, and evejitually he became the sec- 
retary of the Quinc.v Lumber & Sawmill Com- 
pany, which sold out in 1885. He then became 
associated with the Taylor Brothers' Milling 
Company, a relation that was maintained for 
twelve years, and in 1900 he associated himself 
with the Pure Ice Company and has since been 
its secretary. He possesses energy and enter- 
prise in his business affairs, and his counsel in 
commercial matters is regarded as reliable and 
valuable. In politics he is independent. 



JOSEPH B. VANDEN BOOM. 

Joseph B. Vanden Boom, now deceased, was 
engaged in business in Quincy for many years. 
He was brought to this city by his parents dur- 
ing his infancy, his birth having occurred in 
Germany, November 22, 1852. He is a son of 
Henry "and Elizabeth (Van Bimel) Vanden 
Boom, who are also natives of Germany. The 
father was a cabinet-maker by trade, following 
that pursuit until 1854, when he emigrated to 
America, settling first in St. Louis, Missouri, 
where he followed cabinet-making for a few 
years. He then came to Quincy, where he worked 
at his trade until the outbreak of the Civil war, 
when he enlisted and served throughout the 
period of hostilities, giving valuable aid to the 
Union cause. He then returned and lived a re- 
tired life in Quincy throughout his remaining 
days. His wife also died in this city. 

Joseph B. Vanden Boom obtained a common 
school education in Quincy and, after putting 
aside his text books, he learned the house paint- 
er's trade. He afterward worked as a house 
painter and finisher for many j^ears, continuing 
his labors along that line until 1890, when he 
entered into partnership with Charles H. Walker 
under the firm name of Walker & Vanden Boom, 
dealers in wines and liquors, at No. 500 J\Iaine 
street. They were in business together for sev- 
eral years, after which Jlr. Vanden Boom ad- 
mitted his son Charles H. to a partnership under 
the firm style of Vanden Boom & Son. They 
began conducting a saloon at No. 535 Hampshire 
street, and this business is still carried on by the 
son, the father having been connected therewith 
up to the time of his death, which occurred Au- 
gust 30, 1904. 



652 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



^Ir. Vandeti Boom was married in Quiuey to 
Miss Annie A. Forke. a native of St. Louis, ^lis- 
souri. and a daughter of Henry J. and JMargaret 
(Labin) Porlce, who were natives of Germany 
and became early residents of Qiiincy, where the 
father engaged in the nuinufaeture of brick until 
his death, which occurred October 10, 1900. ]\Irs. 
Forke now i-esides at No. 427 North Eighteenth 
street. ]\Jr. and Mrs. Vanden Boom became the 
parents of two children: ]\Iatilda, Avho is the 
wife of Phineas Yeariek, a tailor, located at the 
corner of Sixth and Hampshire streets inQuincy ; 
and Charles H., who married Frances Merman, 
resides on Vine street and is conducting the sa- 
loon which was established by his father. 

^Ir. Vanden Boom gave his political suppoi-t 
til the democratic party. He held membership 
in the St. Rose of Lima church on North Eighth 
street, in Quincy, to which his wife also belongs. 
He was very successful in his business engage- 
ments here. The Vanden Boom family is well 
known all over Quincy, several of its members 
being represented in this work. ilrs. Vanden 
Boom owns an attractive home at No. 1021 Oak 
street, wliich stands as a visible evidence of her 
huslianrl's thrift aiul abilitv. 



SYLVESTER P. BARTLETT. 

Sylvester P. Bartlett, who is serving as fish 
eonnnissioner of Illinois and agent for the 
United States commission at Quincy, was 
born in this city, January 2, 1842, and has con- 
tinuously I'esided here identified always with 
its interests and taking just pride in what has 
been accomplished in the permanent improve- 
ment and development of the city. He is a son 
of Sylvester ~Si. Bartlett. who for many years 
occupied the position of editor of the (^)uincy 
Whig, lie was one of the ftiunders of that i)aper, 
which was established in 1838 by the iirm of 
Bartlett & Sullivan. Pie was thus identified with 
journalistic interests until 1852, when his death 
occui'red and was deeply deplored throughout 
the entire community, for he had been the cham- 
pion and stalwai't support(>r of all progi-essive 
measures and his influence had been far-reacliing 
and beneficial. In early manhood he had wedded 
Julia Odell, a daughter of John Odell, who was 
one of the pioneer residents of Adams county, 
arriving in this locality soon after Ex-Governor 
John Wood had estalilished his home here. Mr. 
and ]\Ii-s. Bartlett l)ecame the parents of seven 
children, but only two are now livinu': Sylves- 
ter P. and Loring S.. the latter a resident farmer 
of Adams county. 

Sylvester P. Bartlett s))ent his boyhood days 
in Quincy and when not engaged with the duties 



of the schoolroom learned the jirinter's trade in 
his father's office. On starting out in business 
on his own account he opened a groceiy stoi-e and 
conducted the enterprise successfully until 1876. 
Pie next turned his attention to the fruit busi- 
ness, becoming an extensive shipper, and to that 
commercial enterprise devoted his attention until 
1879, when he was elected a mendier of the board 
of fish commissioners. A few years later he be- 
came agent for the United States in charge of the 
distribiition of indigenous fish, which ])osition he 
has since held with offices at the corner of Second 
and Oak streets in Quincy. In this connection 
lie has gained a national repiitation, his opinions 
being received as auth(n-ity on all matters re- 
lating to the propagation, preservation and dis- 
tribution of fish. His work in this state is of 
first importance from the fact that the Illinois 
river is one of the finest and most productive 
streams in the entire country and each year hun- 
dreds of carloads of young fish are reclaimed and 
saved under his direction from the shallow lakes 
and sloughs along the line and distributed 
throughout the state and country. ^Iv. Bartlett 
has conducted his work for the state and national 
commissions with a zeal and energy possessed by 
very few men. He has comprehensive knowledge 
of the nature and halnts of all the native fish 
and his success in this work has gained for him 
unusual distinction. Fish propagation and dis- 
triliTition has become an important field of activ- 
ity, claiming government attention because of its 
value to the general po])ulation, and ]\Ir. Bart- 
lett in the positions he fills is i-ecognized as a com- 
petent officer and has lieeome widely and favor- 
ably known, having an extensive acquaintance 
among public men. 

I\Ir. Bartlett is a stalwai't advocate of the re- 
jiublican party, ever giving his support to its 
]n'ineiples and upholding his policy by his ballot. 
Socially he is a JIasim and one of the prominent 
members of the order. He is one of the most 
highly respected citizens here with a large circle 
of friends. His manner is genial and affable 
and his qualities of comjianionship reiich-r him a 
favorite in all eirch^s. 



JOHN A. Aus:\rus. 



John A. Ausmus, living on section 29, Keene 
township, is a representative of one of the old 
pioneer families of Illinois, and his birth oc- 
curred in Clayton, Adams county, on the 1.3th 
of December, 1852. Ere Illinois was admitted 
to the ITnion his grandparents became residents 
of the territory, arriving in St. ('hiir county in 
1817. They settled tweiity-si'veii miles east of 
St. Louis and tln'i'e liegan life in ti'ue pioneer 




S. M. BARTLETT 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



655 



style, for the eountiy was hiricely wild and un- 
improved, only a few homes havinir been made 
within the borders of the county. 

Peter Ausmns. father of oiir subject, was born 
in Tennessee, ilay 30, 1811, and was, therefore 
a youth of six summers when brought by his 
parents to Illinois. He was reared iipon the old 
homestead farm in St. Clair county, amid the 
scenes and environments of pioneer life. After 
arriving at years of maturity, he was married 
on the 9th day of July, 1829, to :Mi.ss ilartha Bal- 
low, who was born in Tennessee, Februarj' 11, 
1811, and was also a representative of one of the 
pioneer families of this state. Following their 
marriage, they removed to Brown county, Illi- 
nois, and in 1832 came to Adams county, where 
tliey spent their remaining daj's. They lived in a 
little log cabin, in which curtains served instead 
of doors, and in such an insecure abode ilrs. 
Ausmus would remain alone with her children 
for two or three weeks at a time when her hus- 
band would go to ilorgan coiinty. where he could 
secure employment that would bring him ready 
mojiey and enable him to provide the necessities 
of life for his little family. The journey to 
Adams county had been made with an ox team 
and wagon, the wheels of which were made from 
blocks sawed from a log. ^Ir. and ilrs. Ausmus 
possessed the true spirit of the pioneers, meet- 
ing all dangers and hardships with courage and 
resolution, and, in the course of time, they were 
enabled to enjoy more of the comforts and con- 
veniences of life. jMr. Ausmus worked for Gov- 
ernor Wood, splitting rails in order to pay for 
the land which he entered at the land office in 
Clayt(m. As his financial resources improved to 
.some extent, he purchased a cook stove for his 
wife, this being the first in Tise in or near Clay- 
ton. On the 3d of Augu.st, 1835, he was elected 
constable for the Clayton district and was sworn 
in by Henry H. Snow, then clerk of the board 
of county conunissioners. He was also a farmer 
and a minister of the Hard Shell Baptist clnirch. 
Mr. AusnuTS continued a respected resident of 
Adams county until his death, which occurred 
Aiigust 5, 1875. His wife, .survi^nng him for a 
quarter of a century, pa.ssed away February 5, 
1900, at the age of eighty-nine years. Her 
brother. Hon. Charles Ballow, who now resides 
in the Anna Brown Home, has voted for seven- 
teen presidents, casting his ballot for sixteen of 
these in Clayton. 

John A. Ausmus pursued his education in the 
public .schools of Adams county, gaining a prac- 
tical knowledge which fitted him for life's duties. 
He was reared to farm work, early becoming 
familiar with the best methods of caring for the 
fields, and, after attaining his majority, he went 
to Smith county, Kansas, where he carried on 
farming for three vears. He then returned to 



his native county and settled in Honey Creek 
township, whence he removed to Keene township 
in 1897. Here he has one hundred and ten acres 
of land on section 29, about two miles south of 
Loraine, and his place con.stitutes one of the best 
farms in the locality because of the care and 
labor he has bestowed upon it. When he re- 
turned from Kansas, in 1876, with his wife and 
three children his cash capital consisted of only 
four dollars and fifty-five cents, and all that he 
now possesses has been acquired since that time, 
a fact which indicates that his has been an active 
and usefiil career. 

On the third of September. 1873, Mr. Ausmus 
was married to Miss Mary Johnson, who was 
born in Adams county February 12. 1853, a 
daughter of William and Mina (Lewis) Johnson, 
the former born in Ohio, July 31, 1820, and the 
latter in the Buckeye state on the 11th of June, 
1825. They became residents of Adams county 
in 1840. The father passed away October 3, 1867, 
and his widow now resides near Paloma, Adams 
county. ]\rr. and Mrs. Ausmus have three chil- 
dren who are j'et living and have lost one, 
namely: Alberta, who was born September 12, 
1875. and is the wife of William Reeee, a resi- 
dent of Keene township ; Anna May, who was 
born March 4, 1878, and is living at home ; Mabel, 
who was born May 21, 1880, and died March 6, 
1901 ; and Blanche, who was born Januaiy 29, 
1894, and is with her parents. 

ilr. and ^Mrs. Ausmus are members of the 
^lethodist Episcopal church, and his political 
sujiport is given to the democracy. His fellow- 
toAMismen, recognizing his worth and ability, 
have frequently called him to public office, and 
he served for two years as collector, for three 
terms as to\\'n clerk, for four years as super- 
visor and has been school director almost con- 
tinuously since attaining his majority. He has 
discharged his duties in a capable and able man- 
ner, with a conscientious understanding of the 
obligations that have devolved upon him, and at 
the same time he has never neglected his busi- 
ness afPairs, but has succes.sftilly carried on his 
work as a farmer and stock raiser. He has also 
raised some fruit, and the various departments 
of his farm work have brought him a good and 
gratifying financial return. 



FREDERICK TIIO:\rASMETER. 

Frederick Thomasmeyer, deceased, who was 
engaged in the trunk manufacturing business in 
Qiiincy for several years and whose success came 
as a legitimate reward for his own well-directed 
and earnest labor, was born in Germany, IMay 18, 



656 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



1H52, his pai'euls heing John and liOuisa Thoiuas- 
nieyer, b()th_ of whom were natives of the father- 
hind, whenee they came to America, in 1862, set- 
tling in Qniney. Just one week later the father 
was taken ill with smallpox and died here. The 
mother afterward made her home with her chil- 
dren nntil her death, whieh occurred when she 
was fifty-six years of a.ij'e. Only one of the fam- 
ily now survives, Louisa, who is the wife of Con- 
rad Smith and is a resident of Corder. IMissoiiri. 
Those deceased an': Henry IT., .lohii. Elizalieth 
and Frederick. 

Jlr. Thomasmeyer, of this review, received 
thorough educational training in Germany uj) to 
the time when he came to the new ^vorld and 
afterward broadened his knowledge through ex- 
perience, observation and reading. His brother, 
Hemy II. Thomasmeyer, was the first of the 
family to come to America, and, settling in 
Quiney, turned his attention to the trunk manii- 
facturing bu.siness, in which he prospered so that 
he sent for his jiarents and the others of the fam- 
ily to join liim in the new world. After reach- 
ing tiiis city Frederick Thomasmeyer began 
working foi' his brother, mastering the business 
in principle and detail, becoming a jn-actical 
workman in addition to understanding the finan- 
cial management of the concern, and at the age 
of twenty-one years was admitted to a partner- 
shij), ])urehasing one-half intere.st in the busi- 
ness. This relatiim was maintained successfully 
until the l>rofher"s death, when the business was 
incorpoi-ated under the name of the Gem City 
Trunk Manufacturing Company, and Mr. Thomas- 
meyer continued in this line iintil his own de- 
mise. The Imsiness grew with rapidity aiul 
brought excellent financial returns. He had a 
Avell-equipped plant, supjilied ^\ith all modern 
machinery, and the product of his house was 
sueh that a ready market was secured. 

In (Quiney Mv. Thomasmeyer was married to 
Miss Minnie Lageniann, a native of this city, 
born January 8, 1S54, and a daughter of Herman 
II. and Elizabeth (Ivuester) Lagemann, both of 
whom wei-e natives of Germany, whenee they 
came to the new world in 1836. Establishing his 
home in Quiney, the father here embarked in 
business, owning the first corn mill in the city. 
He engaged in the mill business and also in gen- 
eral merchandising i;ntil his latter years, when 
he retired from active life. Both he and his wife 
remained residents of Quiney until called to their 
final home. The Lagemanns were among the 
juoiux^r settlers of Quiney and were prominent 
and influential in early days, and the father con- 
tinued an active factor in business life for many 
years. His sons are now engaged in the hard- 
wai-e business uiuler the firm style of The Lage- 
mann Hardware Company. Both the Lagemann 
and Thomasmeyer families are prominent and 



influential here. Unto Mr. and ]\Irs. Thomas- 
meyer were Itcn-n seven children, three sons and 
four daughters. The daughters are yet living 
and are at home, uamel.v: Ella E., who is a 
stenographer; Louisa C, a milliner; Nettie; and 
Frida. Those deceased are: Henry, who died 
at the age of five years: Albert, who died at the 
age of three and a half years: and Franklin, who 
died in infancy. Thi' father's death occurred 
January 17, 1896. 

Mr. Thomasmeyer was influential and active 
in affairs relating to the city's welfare and up- 
building. He served as alderman of his ward 
for two terms, filling that position at the time 
of his death. He was a stanch republican, firm 
in his convictions, yet never bitterly aggressive. 
He belonged to the ilasonic fraternity and also 
the ilodern AYoodmen camp of Quiney and he 
held membei'ship in St. Peter's Evangelical 
church. He displayed in his life many of the 
sterling characteristics of the German race, in- 
cluding their perseverance, strong determination 
and unfaltering energy, and, becau.se of his un- 
tiring eft'orts in the business Avoi-ld, he built up 
an excellent business, becoming one of the lead- 
ing representatives of industrial interests here. 
After the death of ilr. Thonmsmeyer his widow 
was nuide jiresident of the Gem City Triink 
Manufacturing Company, at No. 642 Maine 
street, while E. TI. Kuhlo acts as manager. ]\Irs. 
Thomasmeyer owns a nice home at No. 830 Ken- 
tucky street, where she and her children reside. 
She has spent her entire life in this city and has 
a wide acquaintance and many warm friends. 



SA]\IUEL W. MrCLINTOCK. 

Samuel W. ]\IeClintock, living on section 7, 
Clayton towiiship, is one of the active and thrifts- 
fa rmers of his part of the county, owning and 
operating a farm of two hundred and forty acres 
of rich and pi'oduetive land. He also farms other 
lands and, through the careful management of 
his business affairs, is meeting with well-merited 
success. He was born in Adams county in 1849, 
his father, William iMcClintock, having been one 
of the early settlers here, coming from Kentucky. 
He ojiened iip a fann here in the midst of a pio- 
neer district and continued active in agricultural 
pursuits until his death, whieh occurred when 
his son Samuel was only about five years of age. 
His wife .survived him and reared a family of 
five children, of whom three are living. 

S. "W. MeClintoek renmined with his mother 
until he had reached man's estate and then be- 
gan farming on his own account, renting land, 
which he operated for several years. He inher- 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



657 



ited a part of the old homestead aud bought 
eighty acres where he now resides. This he 
placed under the plow and. through modern 
farming methods, has developed it into a rich 
aud productive tract. He ha.s also purchased the 
interest of the other heirs in the old homestead 
and now owns two hundred and forty acres of 
valuable land. His farm is splendidly improved, 
for he has erected a large and substantial resi- 
dence in attractive architecture and has also built 
good barns and all the necessary outbuildings 
for the shelter of grain and stock. His improve- 
ments are of a most substantial character, and 
everything about the place is neat and thrifty 
in appearance, indicating to the passerby the 
careful supervision of a practical and progres- 
sive owner. In connection with the tilling of 
the soil, he is also raising and feeding good 
grades of stock, and both branches of his biisi- 
ness are proving profitable. 

]\[r. i\IeClintock was married in this county in 
1876 to ^liss Lydia Bontortit'. a native of Adams 
county. They now have four children : Charles, 
Albert, Lottie and Irvin, all at home. The par- 
ents are members of the ]\Iethodist Episcopal 
church of Golden. Politically Mr. MeClintock 
is a stanch democrat, but has never desired or 
sought office, preferring to give his undivided 
attention to his farming pursuits. He is known 
as one of the honest yeomen of Adams county, 
en.joying the confidence, and good will of all with 
whom he has been associated. 



( ;E0R< i K ARR()W,s:\HTH. 

George .\rrowsinith, now deceased, was for 
many years a prominent farmer of Ellington 
township and one of its early settlers, taking an 
active and helpful part in the work of pioneer 
improvement. He was boi-n in New York state 
]\Iarch 20, 1818. and was a son of Edward Arrow- 
smith, also a native of New York. The paternal 
gi-andfather came from England to America and 
settled in the eastern inetropolis, where Edward 
Arrowsmith eventually became a successful busi- 
ness man, engaging extensively in the manufac- 
ture of sails. He was also the owner of several 
large schooners and was thus closely connected 
with shipping interests. He weddecl Miss ilary 
("Smith) Gleut worth, who was born in New York. 

George Arrowsmith was reared in the city of 
his nativity. His father died when George was 
fourteen years of age and in 1836. when a j'oung 
man of eighteen years, he came to Illinois. His 
father had purchased a half section of land in 
Adams county, and it was to take charge of this 
property ancl improve it that ^Ir. Arrowsmith 
came to the west. He was accompanied by his 



brother John and they settled upon this land, 
devoting their time and energy to its cultivation 
and improvement. The deed to this property 
was signed liy James ^Monroe, then president of 
the United States, and this valuable old paper 
is now in possession of Mrs, Arrowsmith. 

In 18i7 George Arrowsmith was married in 
Quincy to ]Miss Ann Eliza Berrian, who was born 
in New York city May 19, IS'21, and is a daugh- 
ter of William A. and Sophia (Riker) Berrian, 
both of whom were natives of New York. Her 
luicle, "Washington Berrian. and her great-uncle, 
Richard Berrian. di'ove to Illinois in 1819, visit- 
ing the present site of the city of Quincy, but 
did not settle here at that time. Her fathei', 
William A. Berrian, was a merchant of New 
York, ancl in 1883 he came to Illinois with his 
family, being six weeks in making the trip and 
arriving at Ins destination on the Tth of Novem- 
ber, 1833. The following j-ear he purchased a 
farm seven miles ea.st of Quincy, and there he 
lived iintii his death, becoming one of the en- 
terprising and successful agriculturists of the 
commiiuity. He owned one hundred and sixty 
acres of land which, responding to the cultiva- 
tion that he bestowed upon it, became very pro- 
ductive and valuable. In his political views he 
was an old-line whig, and he died at the age of 
seventy years, while his wife passed away at the 
age of seventy-seven yeaivs. Their living ehil- 
di-en are: James T. Ben-ian, who resides in Mis- 
souri : Mrs. Josephine Slaight. of ^Missouri : ilrs. 
Anna E. Arrowsmith: and Mary, who is living 
on the old Berrian farm. 

Mr. and ilrs. Arrowsmith began their domestic 
life upon the farm which is still their home. It 
is located east of Quincy and comprises .sixty- 
nine acres of land. He at once began its develop- 
ment, laboring earnestly for its improvement 
and cultivation, and, as years passed, he trans- 
formed it into a valuable property, on which he 
raises general crops and stock. Here he con- 
tinued to reside until his death, which occurred 
January 31, 1886, when he was sixty-eight years 
of age. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Arrowsmith were 
born six children: Geoi-gie, ^lary. Charlotte, 
Louisa, James and George. 

'Sir. Arrowsmith was an advocate of repub- 
lican jirinciples and kept well informed on the 
questions and issues of the day although he was 
never an office .seeker. For a niunber of yeai-s 
he served as school director and was ahvays in- 
terested in anything that tended to improve the 
mind. He was reliable in his business, faithful 
in friendship and won the respect and good will 
of all with whoiTi he was associated. Mrs. Ar- 
rowsmith still resides upon the old home farm, 
where she has now long resided. The place is 
operated by her sons and is devoted to the raising 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



of hay. grain and stock. There is a dairy of 
eighteen cow.s and this branch of the business is 
proving profitable. Mr. Arrowsmith was one of 
the early re.sidents of the county, coming here 
when it v>'i\h a wild, unimproved di.strict, few set- 
tlements having been made upon the prairies, 
and hi.s own labors along agricultural lines con- 
tributed in substantial measure to the improve- 
ment of Ellington township. 



GEORGE THEODORE PEATHERINGILL. 

George Theodore Featheringill. who for the 
past seven years has been overseer of the poor at 
Quincy. was born in Oldham county, Kentucky, 
on the 17th of ^lareh, 1845, his parents being 
William and Ellen (Dale) Featheringill. The 
father was of English lineage and was born in 
Kentiieky. He was one of a family of four 
children : John. Elias, Elizabeth and William, 
all now deceased. William Featheringill died in 
Adams county, Illinois, on the 14th of April, 
1860, when lie was fifty-nine years of age. His 
wife was of French lineage and M'as born near 
Dover, Missouri. Her death occurred May 3, 
1804, when she was seventy-four years of age. 
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Peathergill were born seven 
children : Mary E., the deceased wife of George 
H. Walker; Prances Ann, who is the widow of 
Jacob Carter and resides in Augusta, Illinois; 
George Theodore: IVIontroville E., deceased; 
Adeline L., the wife of S. T. Carr, of Oakwood, 
Missouri; Louisa Ellen and Laura Dale, both 
deceased. Jackson Featheringill, a nephew of 
William Featheringill, left the United States at 
the age of sixteen years, received a military 
education and became famous and Avealthy. 

George T. Featheringill spent the first eight 
years of his life in his native state and then ac- 
companied his parents on their removal to 
Adams county, Illinois, the family home being 
established first at Quincy, where he began his 
education in the jiublic schools. The family 
afterward removed to Fall Creek township but 
after a brief period the father sold his farm there 
and bought a tract of land of one hundred and 
sixty acres in Ursa township, upon which he 
continued to carry on agricultural pursuits until 
his death. In his youth George T. Featheringill 
was earl.v trained to the habits of the farm and 
following his father's death he assisted his 
mother in the conduct of the home property. 
He continued at home until his mother's second 
marriage to Jonathan Inman, a prominent citi- 
zen of Adams county, at which time he removed 
to Mr. Inman 's farm in Fall Creek township and 
operated that until the death of the owner. Mr. 
Featheringill then purchased fifty acres of land 



which he cultivated and improved in addition 
to operating the farm of the Inman estate. He 
was thus engaged for two years, when he dis- 
posed of his interests in Illinois and removed to 
Texas. There he turned his attention to the 
grocery and feed business, being for a time a 
representative of mercantile interests in Dallas. 
In 1876, however, he was called upon to mourn 
the loss of his wife and following her death he 
returned to Quincy. Here he became i^roprietor 
of the Missouri House, which he conducted for 
three years and then sold out. He afterward 
removed to Kansas City, ^Missouri, where he re- 
mained for a few months and upon his return 
to Quincy he conducted the Franklin House for 
a year. He next acceitted a p(«ition on the po- 
lice force, serving as patrolman for four years, 
afterward as city detective and later in various 
other positions in connection with the dejiart- 
ment, his entire service covering thirteen years. 
In 1897 he was appointed overseer of the poor 
and has since filled that position, covering seven 
consecutive years. 

On the 13'th of Febi-uary, 1873, Mr. Feather- 
ingill was united in marriage to Miss Mary E. 
Gant, of Quincy. a daughter of J. P. Gant. Fol- 
lowing their removal to Texas she went to San 
Antonio for medical treatment and died in that 
city in 1876, at the age of twenty-two years. 
On the L'4th of ^rarch.^lSSO. Mr. Featheringill 
was again married, his second union being with 
Jliss Olive Sammous, a daughter of Isaac Sam- 
mons, of Adams county. The children of this 
marriage are: Orin T., now living in Hester, 
Missouri; Ora Mabel, Zola Olive, and Roy Isaac 
and Ray Williams, twins, all of Quincy. ]\Ir. 
Featheringill is one of the best known men of 
Adams county. He is obliging in manner, pos- 
sesses a kindly disposition and is known as a 
good neighbor and an honest and reliable citizen. 
He belongs to the Christian church and his many 
good qualities of heai-t and mind have gained 
him the esteem of those with whom he has been 
associated. 



CHESTER A. BABCOCK. 

In the history of the legal profession of Quincy 
and Adams county and, incleed, of the state of 
Illinois, it is imperative that due recognition be 
accorded Chester A. Babcock, who was one of 
the leading attorneys at the Quincy bar. He was 
also a political leader of prominence. As an 
orator he had few equals, and his prominence 
in public life was the result of his devotion to 
the general good and his piiblie-spirited citizen- 
ship. 

Mr. Babeock was a native of this state, his 
birth having occurred in Metamora, Woodford 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



66i 



county, Illinois, January 17, 1849. His parents, 
Edgar and Julia Babeoek, were born in central 
New York, and there the father enga^red in farm- 
ing, but at an early day removed to the west, 
settling in Metamora, Woodford county, Illinois, 
where he followed various kinds of business. At 
one time he was county clerk of that county. 
Subsequently he returned to the Empire state, 
settling in Chenango county, where both he and 
his wife resided until their life's labors were 
ended in death. 

Chester A. Babeoek attended the common 
schools of his native state and then entered the 
Univer.sity of Chicago, where he was graduated 
in 1870. After teaching for a time, he came to 
Quincy, where he pursued his law studies in the 
office of Wheat. Ewing & Hamilton. His active 
business life was spent in Quincy. He always 
prepared his cases with great thoroughness, was 
original in his deductions, strong in his reason- 
ing, and presented his facts in a clear, concise 
and forcible manner in the court room. The 
public and the profession acknowledged him to 
be one of the leading practitioners at the Quincy 
bar, and his law practice grew to be very exten- 
sive, returning him, therefore, a gratifying in- 
come. He continued to engage in the practice 
until his death, and yet he did not confine his 
attention alone to law, for he found opportunity 
to inform himself thoroughly concerning the 
great problems which have divided political opin- 
ion. He often addressed public aiidienees upon 
the question and issues of the day, and his ora- 
torical ability, as well as his sound reasoning, 
enabled him to leave a strong impress upon the 
minds of his hearers. He was an advocate of 
democratic principles and was on one occasion a 
candidate for lieutenant governor of Illinois. He 
held various offices in Quincy, discharging his 
duties in a most capable and straightforward 
manner, and his devotion to the public good was 
unquestioned. 

Mr. Babeoek was married in Quincy to Miss 
Cornelia W. Marsh, a daughter of the Hon. Will- 
iam JMarsh of Quincy, who was at one time a 
leading representative of the bar. He was of 
English descent, his ancestors having come to 
America at an early period in the development 
of the new world. His grandfather, Captain 
Ebenezer ilarsh. was born in Hampshire county, 
Massachusetts, and his father, Zimri Marsh, was 
also a native of the Baj- state. He married ]Miss 
Creusa Hubbard, a daughter of Caleb Hubbard, 
familiarly known as Major Hubbard of the 
"plum trees," who resided in Massachusetts. He 
participated in the battle of Bunker Hill. Cap- 
tain Ebenezer [Marsh w^as also a soldier of the 
Revolutionary war and was one of the minute 
men at Lexington. Wlien advanced in vears Mrs. 



Creusa Marsh came to Quincy, where she died 
in 1864. 

Judge William ]\Iarsh was born in Cayuga 
county. New York, ilay 11, 1822, and was the 
fourth in a family of seven children. He at- 
tended a private school in Tompkins county, New 
York, and was afterward a student in an acad- 
emy and in Union College, New York, being grad- 
uated from the last named institution in 1842. 
He studied law in the office of Judge Jewett. of 
Skaneateles, New York, and was admitted to 
practice at the New York bar in 1845. He began 
practice in Ithaca, New York, where he remained 
until 1854, removing in that year to Quincy, 
where he entered into a law partnership with 
William H. Benneson. Thi-ee years later Judge 
Skinner was admitted to the firm imder the name 
of Skinner, Benneson & Marsh, and when Mr. 
Benneson joined the Union army as colonel of the 
Seventy-eighth Illinois Infantry in 1862 the firm 
continued as Skinner & ilarsh. this relation being 
maintained until the death of Judge Skinner in 
1877. Judge Marsh became a partner of William 
MeFadon, and in 1885 this partnership was dis- 
solved by his election to the bench of the circuit 
court, the district being then composed of Adams, 
Pike, Brown, Schuyler, Fulton and Hancock 
counties. For six years Judge ilarsh served on 
the bench, and his record there was in harmony 
with his record as a man and a lawyer, distin- 
guished by unswei'ving fidelity to duty, as well 
as by an unbiased administration of the law, with 
due regard to equity as well as precedent. He 
was recognized, too, as one of the most pi'ominent 
leaders in the democratic party in Illinois, labor- 
ing for its interests from the time he became a 
resident of this state to promote its growth and 
prosperity. He was ever a champion of govern- 
ment reform and improvement, and he did much 
to uphold the legal and political status of the 
state. 

On the 29th of August. 1848, Judge Marsh was 
married to Cornelia M. Woods, of Lockport, New 
York, a daughter of Judge J. L. Woods of that 
city. They became the parents of four children, 
but the third, William, died in infancy. The 
others are : Mary M., the wife of Don A. Sweet, 
of Amarillo, Texas, where he is general auditor 
of the Pecos Valley and the Southern Kansas 
lines, both southern branches of the Santa Fe 
system; Mrs. Babeoek; and Lawrence W., who 
resides at the old IMarsh home in Quincy. Judge 
Marsh and his family were well known in social 
circles of this city, and there his influence, as in 
other lines of life, was always for good. He was 
closely identified with many of the interests and 
enterprises which led to commercial development 
and the consequent prosperity of Quincy. He 
was a stockholder in the First National Bank, 



662 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



the Quiucy Gas Company and lu'esident of the 
Barlow Corn Phinter Company, and other busi- 
ness euterpi'ises felt the stimulus of his sound 
judgment and untiring energy. He died April 
14. 1894, and his wife died September 14, 1901. 

]\Ir. Babeoek passed away August 28, 1899, and 
his life, like that of Judge Marsh, was worthy of 
all respect. He had a wide acquaintance among 
the best citizens of Illinois, and especially in 
political and legal circles his ability and worth 
conniianded the esteem and confidence of all. 



JOSIAH RAYilONl) KELLY. .M. D. 

Dr. Josiah Raymond Kelly, who since 1889 has 
engaged in the general practice of im-dicine and 
surgery in Quincy. making a specialty of the 
treatment of lung dismsi's and of hay fever, in 
which department of his j)rofcssional service he 
has attained excellent success, was born Janu- 
ary 11, 1847, in Beverly, Adams county, Illinois. 
The family was originally from Ireland. Dr. 
Kelly being iif the fourth generation in this 
country. His parents were Eraser and Hannah 
(Raymond) Kelly. The father was born i)i 
Woodbridge, New Jersey, and came to Adams 
county about 1835, thereby liecDining one of its 
early settlers. He was empluyed by others for 
many years or nntil 1852, when he jnu-chased a 
farm of his own and he yet resides upon the old 
homestead, which is now managed by one of his 
sons. His life has been a busy, useful and hon- 
orable one, and now at the advanced age of 
eighty-seven years he receives the respect and 
veneration of all wlm know him. He married 
Hannah Raymond, a daughter of William Ray- 
mond, who came to Adams county in 1 835 from 
Beverly, Massachusetts, and purchased four hun- 
dred acres of land. Tlie tmvn of Beverly in 
this county was originally a part of his tract 
and his daughters, Hannah and Eliza, at a gath- 
ering of the early pioneers to estal)lish the town, 
were asked to give a name to the new place, and 
they called it Beverly in honoi' of their old home 
in the east. For several years William Raymond 
was engaged in business in Quincy, but eventu- 
ally retui-ned to his farm, where he died in 1862. 
His daughter, Mrs. Kelly, passed away in 1852, 
ten years prior to her father's demise, at which 
time Dr. Kelly was only five yeai's old. He is 
the eldest nl' fnui' chihli'i'ii, the others lieing 
John W., who v.'as Imrn in July, 1848, mar- 
ried Lotta Richardson and is a practicing physi- 
cian of Qiiincy; Charles W., who is married and 
operates his father's farm; and Hannah E., who 
wa.s born in November, 1852, and is the wife of 
William Funk, a farmer I'esiding near Beverly. 

Dr. Kelly attended the schools of his native 
town and afterward continued his education in 



tlie Quincy Methotlist College from 1867 until 
Ls(i9. In 1870 he was enrolled as a .student in 
Michigan Cniversity at Ann Arbor, and was 
graduated on the completion of the medical 
course ^larch 28, 1872. For a year lie engaged 
in practice in Kingston, where he was associated 
with Dr. J. (i. McKiuney, and in 1874 he re- 
moved to Boone, Hancock county, Illinois, where 
he [)racticed for six years. In 1880 he located 
in Augusta, that county, where he remained for 
nine years, and in 1889 he came to Quincy, 
vrhere he has since been located, devnting his 
time and attention to general jjractice and at 
the same time making a specialty during the last 
seven years of the treatment of lung diseases 
and hay fever. He has been especially success- 
ful in this department of the science and has 
built up a good practice, being the family physi- 
cian in many households in this city. He be- 
longs to the Hancock County iledical Society 
and to the Illinois State I\Iedical Society. 

Dr. Kelly is a Mason, holding membership in 
Boone lodge and his political affiliation is with 
the democracy. He was married June 15, 1874, 
at Beverly, Illinois, to Miss JIaggie E. Richard- 
son, daughter of James Richardson, who was 
then a merchant at Beverly but is now living 
m Paysou, Illinois, and is one of the old settlers 
of Adams county. Both Dr. and ilrs. Kelly are 
representatives of old pioneer families of the 
county and during the greater part of his life, 
covering fifty-seven years, Dr. Kelly has resided 
in Adams county and is, therefore, familiar with 
its history. He has taken a .just pride in its 
development and his own business career has 
lieen characterized by a similar progress leading 
toward perfection. 



ERXEST C. SELBY 



pji-nest C. Shelby is engaged in cultivating 
eighty acres of land and is an enterprising 
farmer, who in his chosen life work follows 
progres.sive and ]>raetical methods. He was born 
in Lima township, Adams county, December 10, 
1866, and is a son of Lewis and Anna (Bolt) 
Selby. His father was born in Kentucky, Au- 
giist 1, 1820. and was taken to ^Missouri by his 
parents when four years of age. There he lived 
until 1838, when he became a resident of Adams 
county, and in 1841 he located in Ijima town- 
ship. He became familiar with all of the ex- 
periences and hardships of pioneer life and 
was actively engaged in the arduous work of 
developing a new farm. He continued to en- 
gage in farm labor throughout his entire busi- 
ness career and spent his last days upon the farm 
which is now occupied by Ernest C. Selhy. He 




DR. J. R. KELLY 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



665 



died January 10, 1905. His first wife died in 
1854 and he subsequently married the mother of 
our sub.jeet, who died February 17, 1876. For 
his third wife he married Jlilly Orr, who sur- 
vives him. Three children of the family are yet 
living, namely: ]\Irs. Laura Finney, who lives 
in Keokuk, Iowa; William F.. a resident of Lima 
township : and Ernest C. 

At the usual age Ernest C. Selby began his 
education by attending the public schools of 
Lima township. He has always lived upon the 
old home farm, working in the fields through the 
summer months, while in winter seasons he mas- 
tered the branches of learning that constituted 
the curriculum of the district schools. He now 
owns and operates eighty acres of fine laud. His 
home is situated on section 13, Lima township, 
about one and a half miles southwest of the vil- 
lage of Lima. 

On the 16th of April, 1889, Mr. Selby was 
married to Miss Sarah E. Crenshaw, a daughter 
of Benjamin and ^lartha N. (Ellis) Crenshaw. 
Her father came to Adams county when a mere 
boy, and a few years later removed to Han- 
cock county, Illinois, where he has spent much of 
his life. He is one of the oldest settlers of this 
part of the state and is now living in Lima town- 
ship. His wife died in 1904. Unto Mr. and 
Mrs. Selby have been born four children : Laura 
E., born January 31, 1890 ; Ethan E., born Jan- 
uary 29, 1893 ; Edith, who was born December 
25, 1897, and died November 13, 1899 ; and Ema 
J., born Jlay 1, 1903. 

Mr. Selby is a stanch advocate of the prohibi- 
tion party, which indicates his attitude on the 
temperance question. He has served as school 
dii'ector for several years and he and his wife 
are members of the ]\Iethodist Protestant church, 
taking an active interest in its work and doing 
all in their power to promote its growth. Mr. 
Selby is a man whose entire life has been actuat- 
ed by honorable purpose and characterized by 
manlj- conduct and thus wherever known he is 
held in high esteem. 



LEAYIS L. THORNTON. 

Lewis L. Thornton is a worthy representative 
of the agricultural interests of Adams county, 
having a fine farm on which are excellent im- 
provements, including all the modern equip- 
ments that go to facilitate fa mi woi-k. A native 
of Kentucky, he was born in Pendleton county, 
January 18, 1836, his parents being John and 
Elizabeth (Smith) Thornton. At an early day 
the Thornton familj- was established in Virginia 
and the grandfather, John Thornton, who was 
born in the Old Dominion, removed from that 



state to Kentucky. His death occurred when his 
son John was a young lad. The latter was bom 
in Pendleton county, Kentucky, and spent his 
entire life upon a farm there, his death occurring 
in 1867. His wife was also a native of that state 
and was a daughter of William Smith, who was 
born in Virginia and was a soldier of the war 
of 1812. She long survived her husband and 
died in 1891. at the age of seventy-one years. 
Throughout her entire life she had been a con- 
sistent member of the Baptist church. Unto this 
worthy couple were born seven children, four of 
whom are yet living: Henry E., James S., Wil- 
liam T. and Lewis L. 

The boyhood days of Lewis L. Thornton were 
quietly passed in the work upon the home farm 
and in attendance upon the public schools of 
the neighborhood. The little "temple of learn- 
ing" in which he mastered the common branches 
was a log structure with a puncheon floor, slab 
seats and a huge fireplace. He attended school 
throiigh the winter months and throughout the 
remainder of the year assisted in the work of 
the farm. After attaining his majority he 
started out in life for himself and was employed 
at splitting rails at fifty cents per hundred. In 
this way he gained the money that enabled him 
to come to Illinois, and since the spring of 1857 
he has been a resident of Adams county. He 
fir.st rented land in Ursa township, and con- 
tinued farming until August, 1862, when he re- 
sponded to the country's call for aid and joined 
the boys in blue of Company B, Seventy-eighth 
Illinois Infantry. He was largely engaged in 
guarding prisoners in Chicago. Because of ill 
health he was attached to the Veteran Reserve 
Corps and did not see active service in the field 
that he otherwise would have done. In Septem- 
ber, 1864, he received an honorable discharge and 
returned home. He then resumed farming and 
since 1871 has made his home on section 19, Lima 
township. He purchased property that year 
and now has, in connection with his sons, two 
hundred acres of land, which is productive and 
yields them an excellent return. When he ar- 
rived in Adams county, in March, 1857, his capi- 
tal consisted of but three dollars and with that 
to serve as a nucleus he has added to his posses- 
sions until he is now the owner of a valuable 
property representing a large investment. 

Mr. Thornton was married to Miss Priscilla 
Taylor, of Ursa township, a daughter of Adam 
and Barbara (Grimes) Taylor, both of whom 
were natives of Kentucky' and were numbered 
among the pioneer settlers of Ursa township, 
where they established their home in 1837. The 
marriage of ]Mr. and Mrs. Thornton occurred 
November 20, 1859, and has been bles.sed with 
five children, of whom three are yet living, name- 



666 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



ly : Joliii A.. Eliznlietli A. ;ind Lewis A., while 
James C. and 'Shn-y C. have passed away. The 
eldest son, in connection with his father, is the 
owner of a fine apiary, containing three Imndred 
hives, and honey is one of the leading products 
of the farm. They raise Italian bees and have 
made a close stndy of bee culture. They sell 
bees as well as honey and also manufacture their 
own hives. 

Mr. Thornton holds membership in McCreery 
post. No. 567, (J. A. R.. of Lima, and thus main- 
tains pleasant relations with liis old army com- 
rades. In his religious belief he is a Free Will 
Baptist and has served as one of the trustees of 
the church. Politically he is a democrat and has 
been school trustee, town clerk and justice of the 
peace. His duty in every office is performed in 
a capable manner, and in all matters of citizen- 
ship he is public-spirited and progressive. His 
life record should serve to encourage and inspire 
others who have to start out for themselves as he 
did. without capital. His history proves the 
fiiri'c and value of earnest, honest labor and 
slidws what may be accomplished when one has 
Ihc will to dare and to do. At all times he 
has connnanded the good will of his fellow men 
for he has been straightforward in his business 
dealings, reliable in citizensliip and faithful to 
the obligations of friendsliip. 



JOHN J. PLYNN. 



John J. Flynn, who in the development and 
control of his business has accumulated a com- 
petence that ranks him with the substantial 
citizens of Quincy, was born in Blackstone, 
Worcester county, Jlassachusetts, April 9, 1854, 
and from a very early age has been dependent 
upon his own resources. His parents were 
Thomas and Rose (Hoye) Flynn, natives of the 
north of Ireland. They were married soon 
after their arrival in this country and for some 
years they resided in New England and both 
died in ilassaehusetts, when uku-c than seventy 
years of age. The father was a cotton broker. 

In the family were eleven children and John 
J. Flynn, the only son, early had to aid in the 
.support of the family. Wlien but ten years of 
age he secured employment in a cotton mill and 
was thus engaged until 1874, when at the age of 
twenty years he decided to try his fortune in 
the west, believing that better business oppor- 
tunities were here offered. He pursued a com- 
plete course of study in a commercial college 
here and then became a factor iji manufactur- 
ing circles of Quincy, turning his attention to 
the manufacture of spruce and root beer. The 
new enterprise prospered from the beginning 



and with thr early sales of his products he se- 
cured funds that enabled him to enlarge the 
business in its scope and purposes. He began 
liottling beer as soon as his limited capital would 
admit and in 1881 embarked in the soda water 
business, in which he has since continued. He 
has made a close and thorough study of every 
feature of e!>eiiiistry that enters into the pro- 
tluction of carbonated Avaters. It M'as his pur- 
pose to secure absolute purity in the manufac- 
tured product and from the excellence of his 
product it seems that he mu.st have attained this. 
Fi-om time to time he began the manufacture of 
other carbonated waters and the rapid growth 
of his trade taxed the capacity of the plant to 
the fullest extent and caused its enlargement 
as opportunity offered. The present model es- 
tablishment was built ; filters, distilled water and 
every modern improvement has been introduced : 
and Mr. Flynn is now at the head of an impor- 
tant business, which is conducted under the name 
of J. J. Flynn & ( '..nip.-my, at Nos. 200 to 208 
jMaine street. Tlirrc In- mainifactures soda 
water, ginger ali\ exiracts, syrups, etc., and 
also deals in bar fixtures, glassware and sun- 
dries, selling to the trade in Illinois, Iowa and 
ilissouri. He is a man of business discernment, 
capable in management and far-sighted in busi- 
ness. In addition to his soda water business, he 
has given considerable thought to mechanical 
processes, and his ticiiius in that dii'ection has 
found expression in tlu' invention of several im- 
provements for cotton hioiiis on which he has 
secured patents. 

In 1877 I\Ir. Flynn was married to ^liss ]\lary 
E. Larkin, of Quincy, and they have two sons 
and a daughter : James J., John L. and Lillian 
]\1. They have a beautiful home in Park place, 
and they are members <if St. Petei''s Catholic 
church. Mv. Flynn has been the architect of 
his own fortune and has buildcd wise]\- and well. 



KLAT^S LEENERTS. 



Klaus Leenei'ts is one of the native sons of 
Adams county, born on the 7th of October. 1873. 
His father. Oilman Leenerts, was a native of 
Germany and at an early epoch in the develop- 
ment and improvement of Adams countj' he took 
uj) his abode here. He was twice married and 
by the first union had the following named chil- 
dren : Frank, who is living in Northeast town- 
.ship : KlauK; Anna, the wife of Pleasant Bi-own, 
of IMaeomb, Illinois-. Eda, the wife of Rekus 
Block, of Cozad, Dawson countv, Nebraska ; 
Mary, the wife of THfert Block, 'of Nebraska: 
and Etta, wife of William Block, of Gothenburg, 
Nebraska. Bv his second iiiarriag<> Oltinan 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



667 



Leenerts liail rive cliikli'cn : -Idhii. at home; Ilat- 
tie, the wife of William Groiiewold. of North- 
east township: Oltmaii. Henry and Bertha, all at 
home. 

Klaus Leenerts was educated in the schools of 
Northeast towu.ship, early becoming' familiar 
with the common branches of English learniug;. 
and when his education was completed he turned 
his atteution to farmins. lie is now the owner 
of thirty-six acres on section 5. Clayton town- 
ship, where he is engaged in raising .stock and 
in the breeding of full-blooded Phnnouth Rock 
and rose comb white leghorn chickens. lie is 
sending r-ggs to all the breeders of fine chickens 
throughout the country and is likewise very suc- 
cessful in raising fine stock. His farm is well 
equipped for the purpose for which it is used 
and its neat and thrifty appearance indicates 
his carefid supervision. 

In 1897 ]\Ir. Leenerts was mari-ied to ;\lattie 
Buss, born in Adams county in 1874. and the.v 
have three children : Hattie, who was born Oc 
tober 1-t. 1897, and died May 25, 1901: Ella, 
born October 8, 1900 : and Hiika, born Jlarch 22, 
1904. The parents hold membership in the Lu- 
theran church and 'Sir. Leenerts gives his polit- 
ical support to the republican party. 



WILLIAM HUGHES. 



William Hughes, who owns a farm on section 
35, Concord town.ship, was born in Wa.shington 
eoimty, Pennsylvania. September 17, 1827, his 
parents being Jacob and Jane (Gunn) Hughes, 
the former born JIarch 6, 1784. The parents 
came to Adams county. Ma.y 9, 1840, arriving 
in Quincy after a trip by water that covered 
nine days. They located near Burton, Illinois, 
where they lived for seven yeai-s and in 1847 
removed to iMcKee township, where the father 
followed the occupation of farming. He served 
as a soldier of the war of 1S12 for three years 
and participated in the battle of the Wilderness 
under (ieneral William Henry Harrison. His 
death occurred April 18, 1868, when he was 
eighty-four years of age. 

William Hughes pui'sued his education in one 
of the old-time subscription schools. He was 
onlj' tw'elve years of age at the time of his pa- 
rents' arrival in Adams county and here he was 
reared amid the environments of pioneer life, 
early becoming familiar with the difficulties and 
hardships which wei'e borne by all who made 
early settlements in this locality. After i-each- 
ing manhood he operated rented land for .some 
time and in 1856 he purchased sixty-one acres 
on section 3. ]\tcKee township. He is to-day the 
owner of <>nc hundred and eightv aci'es of land 



in Concord township, cou.stituting a valuable 
property. 

On the 5th of October, 1851, Mr. Hughes was 
married to Plelen F. Keller, who was born Feb- 
ruary 12, 1835, in Adams county, Illinois, near 
Quincy, her parents being John Henry and Anna 
(Snyder) Keller, Her father was born in 
North Carolina, ilay 13, 1784, and the mother's 
birth occurred in that state, March 27, 1798. 
They came to Adams county, in October, 1831, 
driving across the country from North Caro- 
lina, and they reached Camp Point at the time 
the Indians were there encamped — a fact which 
gave the name to the place. Proceeding on 
their way to Quincy, however, they spent the 
winter in the city and then removed to a farm. 
The father a.ssisted in building the first mill in 
Quincy and afterward purchased three hundred 
acres of land, on a part of which the town of 
Kellerville now .stands. He died August 31, 
1886, at the age of ninety-two years, while his 
wife passed away May 11, 1872. 

Unto ;\lr. and ^Mrs. William Hughes were born 
eight children, of whom five are now living: 
Jacob, who was born June 13, 1852, married 
Julia Grady, and resides in California ; Corne- 
lius A., born ^March 24. 1854. married Ennna 
Davidson, and resides in Dodge Cit.v, Kansas ; 
Sylvester, born February 12, 1856, died Novem- 
ber 2, of the same vear; Amanda C, born De- 
cember 19. 1858, died March 1, 1881: Eva S., 
born April 19, 1866, became the wife of Thcmias 
Hendrickson, and died ]Mareh 2, 1895 : Dorothy 
J., born February 11, 1868, is the wife of Guy 
David.son, of Concord township : Edgar, born 
September 2, 1869. married Gertrude Huffman, 
and lives near his father: and Ralph, born No- 
vember 30, 1875. married ]\ryrt]e Huffman, and 
lives in Kellerville. 

^Ir. Hughes is a democrat in his political views 
and has served as school director for sixteen 
.vears and as road commissioner for eighteen 
years. He and his family are members of the 
Christian church and enjoy the warm esteem of 
many friends throughout this part of the .state. 
He is to-day one of the honored pioneer settlers 
of the county, having an intimate knowledge of 
events which have formed the early history of 
this section of Illinois as well as those which in- 
dicate its later progress and development. 



R. :m. gray. 



R. M. Gr;iy. who has spent his entire life in 
Adams comity, and who is well known as a 
stock-raiser and Imyer, was born in Honey Creek 
township, on the 26th of April. 1851. His father, 
Richard I. Grav. was born Januarv 15. 1815, 



668 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



ou the Isle of Wight, England. He came to 
Anaeriea in 1828, landing at New York, and 
later proceeded westward to Indiana by way of 
the river route. In 1835 he came to lioney Creek 
township, where he has since lived. Here he has 
always devoted his energies to the farm. He 
purchased land from the government, paying 
two hundred dollars for a tract of one hundred 
and sixty acres, which is now worth one hun- 
dred dollars iier acre. His life has been a busy 
and useful one, his energies being devoted in 
untiring manner to his farming pursuits through 
long years. He is .still quite a hale and hearty 
man, although now well advanced in age. He 
has been twice married, his first union being 
with JMiss Hart, by whom he had two children : 
Maria, who is now the wife of W. H. Henderson ; 
and Albert H., who is living in Coatsburg. After 
the death of his first wife Mr. Gray was nmrried 
to Miss Elizabeth Rhea, who was born in Ken- 
tucky, and died in 1867. There are four chil- 
dren of that marriage : Z. T., who is living in 
Kansas; R. M., of this review; W. S. and George 
TT.. who are in Coatsburg. 

R. ;\I. Gray was reared to farm life, assisting 
his father in the cultivation of the fields at an 
early day. and when he started out in life on 
his own account he, too, became a farmer and 
has always been identified with agricultural pur- 
suits, or liindred interests, save for the period 
when he represented his county on the list of its 
public offices. In 1880 he was elected county 
sheriff by a large majority. He served for two 
years, being faithful and fearless in the dis- 
ehai'ge of his duty. Since his retirement from 
office he has dealt in stock. He also conducted 
a hotel in Coatsburg for one year and for one 
year in Camp Point, but has given his undivided 
attention to stock-raising and dealing since 1887. 
He lives on his father's farm on section 25, 
Honey Creek township, which is a good farm of 
one hundred and sixty acres. Being an excel- 
lent judge of cattle, horses and hogs, he is ena- 
bled to make careful purchases and profitable 
sales and is rarely mistaken in the value of any 
animal. 

On the 4th of July, 1873, was celebrated thi^ 
marriage of Mr. Gray and Miss Mary A. Bar- 
low, and unto them have been born ten children, 
who are yet living-, and two who have passed 
awaj'. Those who still survive are: Jlrs. Josie 
Lummis, living in Quincy; 'Sirs. Dolly Brosi, of 
Coatsburg; H. O.. Gay P., Richard R., Owen, 
Frank, Grover, Fred, and Maria, all at home. 
Mrs. Gray's father. Perry Barlow, is deceased, 
but her mother. Mrs. Sarah J. Barlow, is now 
living with i\Irs. Gray, and ]\Ir. Gray's father 
is also a member of the household and has 
reached the advanced age of ninety vears. 



Mi: (iruy is a member of the Modern Wood- 
men camp and also of the Masonic fraternity 
and his political allegiance has always been given 
to the democratic party. 



JOHN ENOS LIXIHAN. 

John Enos Linihan, treasurer and general 
manager of the Battle Creek Breakfast Food 
Company, Limited, of Quincy, was born at Battle 
Creek, ilichigan, January 21, 1866, his parents 
being Martin and Catherine (Cogan) Linihan, 
the former a farmer by occupation. Both are 
natives of Ireland and the father came to Amer- 
ica in 1852, living for a time in the state of New 
York, whence he removed to Michigan. His wife 
came to America in her early girlhood with her 
parents, who first settled in Canada. 

Mr. Linihan of this i-eview obtained his edu- 
cation in the district schools of Michigan and in 
a business college. He was reared upon the home 
farm, assisting in the labors of the fields through 
the summer months, while in the winter seasons 
he attended school. He continued upon the 
farm until twenty-five years of age, with the 
exception of one year spent as a clerk in a hard- 
ware store. He then engaged in the retail drug 
business in the city of Battle Creek, owning a 
store and continuing in the business from 1892 
until 1898, when on account of the long hours 
and close confinement he sold out and turned his 
attention to buying and shipping grain and to 
the conduct of a feed and fuel business. He 
was thus engaged from 1898 until 1901, when he 
again sold out, in order to engage in the manu- 
facture of Ijreakfast foods. He promoted and 
organized the Cero-Fruto Food Company at 
Battle Creek, ilichigan, placed this upon a pay- 
ing basis and in 1902 sold the controlling intei'est 
to a Chicago company, who operated the plant 
for less than a j'ear, when it went into the hands 
of a receiver and the Egg-0-See company pur- 
chased the same. 

On the 1st of January, 1903, ]\Ir. Linihan came 
to Quincy to assume the management of the 
Battle Creek Breakfast Food Company, Limited, 
manufacturers of Egg-0-See. and ha.s" since then 
been general manager and treasurer of the com- 
pany, which is his present business connection, 
— and one which is bringing to him an excellent 
financial return, for since establishing the busi- 
ness here it has had a remarkable growth, the 
annual sales amounting to a million dollars, 
while the trade extends into twenty states. 
The firm does an extensive advertising 
business, thus making its product known, and the 
cpiality of the output is such that when once in- 
troduced on the market, the continuance of sales 





C. vi^^^^^'i^.^^ 



PAST AND PRESENT OB^ ADAMS COUNTY. 



671 



is assured. .Mr. Linihairs previous experience 
in this line of business well qualified him for his 
present position, and under his capable direction 
the business has grown most rapidly and satis- 
factorily, indicating his capacity, keen discern- 
ment and enterprise. 

On the 13th of June, 1893, at Erie, Pennsyl- 
vania, ilr. Linihan was married to ]\Iiss Gertrude 
L. Gates, a daughter of Dr. E. D. Gates, for many 
years a resident of Pennsylvania— Fairview and 
Erie. The family has been represented in the 
state of New York for many years and it is of 
the same family that General Gates of Revolu- 
tionary fame was a member. Dr. Gates served 
as a surgeon with the Army of Virginia in the 
Civil war. Mr. and Mrs. Linihan had two chil- 
dren : Martin Gates, eleven years of age, and 
Catherine Gav, who was born September 2, 1902, 
and died September 26, 1904. 

In his political views Mr. Linihan has always 
been a republican but not a partisan, and while 
living in Battle Creek, JMiehigan, .served as alder- 
man from the first ward. He became a member 
of the Knights of Pythias fraternity in 1895, has 
held all the offices in the local lodge and is now 
a past chancellor. He attends the Congrega- 
tional church and the greater part of his time, 
outside of business hours, is devoted to his fam- 
ily. In his business career, his course has been 
marked by steady progress, that has resulted 
from the utilization of opportunity, strong and 
earnest purpose and diligence. 



WILLIAM M LOGUE. 

William M. Logue, well known in Adams 
county as Deacon Logue, is living on section 2-1:, 
Clayton township, and is a worthy representative 
of agricultural interests of this part of the state. 
Prosperity has attended him and furthermore 
he has gained the good will and confidence of his 
fellownicn. his life record proving that success 
and an honored name may be won simultaneous- 
ly. He has lived in Adams county since 1855. 
His birth, however, occurred in Brooke county. 
West Virginia, July 8, 1839. His father, John 
Logue, was a native of that state, born in 1810, 
and the mother, who bore the maiden name of 
Elizabeth Mahan, was also a native of West Vir- 
ginia. Following their marriage they settled on 
a farm in Brooke county, where the father car- 
ried on agricultural pursuits for a number of 
years and nine children were born unto them 
there. In 1855 they came to Adams county, Illi- 
nois, and the father purchased land where his 
son William now resides. Pie at first had three 
hinidred and twenty acres, which he began to 
till and improve, and later he boiight more land 



until he owned about six hundred acres. The 
family had been residents of Adams county for 
onl.y a brief period when six of the children 
died. They had become ill with the measles 
while on board the boat coming down the river 
and the illness proved fatal. The father con- 
tinued to make his home in Adams county until 
his death, which occurred in August, 1888, while 
his wife passed away in 1875. The surviving 
members of the family are : William M. ; and 
J. C. Logue, a resident of Nebraska. 

Under the parental roof Deacon Logue spent 
the days of his boyhood and youth, acquiring 
his education in the public schools of West Vir- 
ginia. He afterward went to Pennsylvania sub- 
sequent to the removal of the family to the west 
and attended the high school at Paris, that state. 
He then returned home and took charge of his 
father's farm and business and he has led an 
active and useful life, being long associated with 
agricultural interests here. 

Mr. Logue was married in Adams county, in 
October, 1861, to Miss Harriett Ellen Davis, 
who was born in Clayton township, and is a 
daughter of Washington and Nancy Davis, the 
former a native of Virginia and the latter of 
North Carolina. Mr. Davis was one of the pio- 
neer residents of this part of the state and 
opened up a farm here, transforming his fields 
into productive tracts. Mr. and Mrs. Logiie 
took up their abode upon the farni where they 
yet reside, and in connection with the cultivation 
of the fields he is engaged in the business of 
raising and feeding high grade stock and makes 
a specialty of polled Angus cattle. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Logue have been born five 
children: C. E., who assists in the operation of 
the home farm; Nannie C. the wife of B. F. 
Clark, of Clayton; William C, who is engaged 
in merchandising in Clayton; Leona, the wife of 
G. W. Sargent, of Clayton ; and Julia V.. who 
died when a child of two yeai's. The parents are 
nieml^ers of the Bapti.st church of Clayton and 
l)oth formerly were active Sunday-school woi-k- 
ers, while Mr. Logue has long been a deacon in 
the clnu-ch. They have assisted materially in 
the growth and upbuilding of the church and 
are actively interested in its many departments 
of work. Mr. Ijogue also belongs to the Ancient 
Order of United Workmen and the Modern 
Woodmen of America. In his politics he is a 
stanch democrat where national issues are in- 
volved but in local ranks he votes independently 
of party ties. He was elected and served as 
road commissioner for fourteen or fifteen years 
and was found to be a faithful and competent 
officer. He is regarded as one of the most 
thrifty and substantial .stock-raisers of his com- 
munity. A man who is trustworthy in business. 



672 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



progressive and piihlic-spiriti'd in citizenship 
and reliable in friendship, he and his wife enjoy 
the hospitality of the best homes of this part of 
tlie ponntv. 



WILLIAM II. 1 X.MAX. 



William 11. Iiimaii is a retired fanner li\-iny' 
on section 17, L'rsa township. lie was l)orn 
^larch 2(), LS48, and is a son of Daniel and Rnth 
(Feathering-ill) Inman. His father was a native 
of Little Truckle, Tennessee, and in 1850 went 
to California, where he resnained for twenty-five 
years, being attracted to the far west Ijy the dis- 
covery of gold and the business opportunities 
that were afforded on the Pacific coast. Botli he 
and his wife are now deceased. 

AVilliam TI. Inman was born in Fall Ci'eek 
townshi]!, this county, and there remaiiieil until 
ISI):!. Ills education was obtained in an old 
log sclioolhousc east of ]Marblehead. hut at the 
age of fourteen years he started out to earn his 
own living and worked by the month as a farm 
fai-ni himd until he was married. He has also 
followed farming and is now the o\vner of one 
Innidred and seventy acres of very valuable land, 
\vliicli is jileasantly located about two and one- 
fourth miles southeast of the village of Ursa, in 
T^rsa townshi] I. There he carried on general 
farming and in iuldition to the cultivation of his 
crops he also raised some fruit and stock. He 
has now retired from active life and rents his 
land. His success is due to his careful mana.u'i'- 
ment and his untiring industry, together with 
the assistance of his wife, who has been to him a 
faithful helpmeet on life's journe.v. Thej^ had 
no capital when they were married, but as years 
have passed they have accumulated a comfoi't- 
able competency and are now en.ioying the fruits 
of their former labor. 

j\Ir. Innum was married to Adeline Wright, of 
j\Iendon township, a dauuhter of John and 
Phoebe (Nut) Wright, whose parents came to 
Ohio from England at an early day and after- 
ward renioviHl to Adams count.y. Illinois, where 
they s])ent the remainder of theii- lives. Mrs. 
Inman was born April 7, 18-47, and their mar- 
riage occurred March 3, 1867. She has one 
brother living in ]\Iendon township and two 
brothers who are residents of Texas. Unto Mr. 
and Mrs. Inman have been born five children : 
Celestia, who was born April 18, 1870, is the wife 
of Henry Bollman, a resident of Ursa township, 
and they have two children : Clarence H., born 
February 5, 1894, and Ethel M., born August 25, 
181t7. Florence V., who was born July 21. 1875, 
was married February 24, 1904, to Bert Flack, 
of Ursa township, and they have one child, Linn 



L., horn Novemlii'r 9, 1904. .Myrtle A., who was 
born March 18, 1880, is the\vife of Charles 
O'Brien, of Mendon township, and they have 
two children, Vernon E., born Mai'ch 11, 1900, 
and Ruth V., born Jime 15, 1902. Vernon S.. 
who was born ]\Iarch 7, 1883, married L^na 
Nicholson, who was born August 25, 1881, a 
daughter of J. W. and Idealia (King) Nichol- 
son, and they make their home upon the Inman 
farm. They have one child, Cecil W^., born Sep- 
tember 9. 1904. Elsie M., who was born May 13, 
1887, is at home with her parents. 

]Mr. Inman is an active member of ^tendon 
lodge. No. 449, A. F. & A. M. In politics he is 
a democrat, but takes no active part as an office 
seeker. His entire life was directed to his farm 
work until he retired and rented his property. 
The rest which he is now en.ioying is well mer- 
ited. 



JOHN S. TOT^T. 



John S. Tout, who became a citizen of Adams 
county at an early day, was born in Flemings- 
burg, Kentucky, October 18, 1806, his parents be- 
ing Basol and Sarah Tout, the former born about 
1777 and the latter about 1781. Basol Tout was 
a farmer by occupation, following that imrsuit 
near Flemingsburg. Tlie ancestral records of the 
family were lost in a fire, so little is known con- 
cerning the early history of the family. 

John S. Tout received only a common-school 
education. Wlien a young man he learned the 
tanner's trade, working in Grant & Company's 
tanyard in Kentucky, Avhen General Grant was a 
small boy. He worked there for several years 
and then removed to Clermont county, Ohio, 
where he became manager of the Griggs' tan- 
yard, acting in that capacity for several years. 
In the fall of 1842 he came to Adams county, 
Illinois, giving his attention to farming, which 
he followed until the infirmities of age prevented 
him from continuing his work longer. He then 
purchased jiroperty in Mareelline, where he lived 
until his wife died, October 25, 1887. His home 
being thus broken up, he lived among his chil- 
dren until he became a permanent member of the 
family of his son Asbiiry, at Ursa, with whom he 
remained until his death, which occurred Jan- 
uary 9, 1893, when he had reached the advanced 
age of eighty-six years, two months and twenty- 
two days. 

In 1826, in Flemingsburg. Kentucky, Mr. Tout 
was married to Miss Elizabeth Tatman, a daugh- 
ter of Nehemiah and Nancy Tatman, and a native 
of Flemingsburg, born November 17, 1800. Their 
children were : James II., born July 14, 1827 ; 
George W., who was horn November 17. 1828, 





MR. AND MRS. JOHN S. TOUT 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



675 



and died Sei)tember 12, 1847 ; William V., who 
was born April 15, 1830, and died September 1, 
1846 ; Basol, who was born November 9, 1831, aud 
died October 21, 1847 ; Pollv Ann, who was born 
IMarch 18, 1833, and died December 15, 1894; 
John 6., who was born Hay 8, 1835, and died 
January 9, 1893 ; Asburv, born December 21, 
1836 ; Sarah J., born April 30, 1839 ; Nancy C. 
born February 26, 1841, and now the wife of 
"William Bennett, living at Smith Center, Kan- 
sas: Elizabeth F., who was born ]\Iay 6, 1843, and 
died IMarch 1, 1883; and Thomas E.. who was 
born April 19, 1845, and was killed in the battle 
of Altoona, October 5, 1864. having- become a 
member of Company A, Fiftieth Regiment of 
Illinois Infantry. 

John S. Tout was A\idely known and highly I'e- 
spected. He was a vei\y honorable man aud a 
devoted Christian, holding member.ship in the 
Methodist Episcopal church for many years. He 
was a man of good physique and fine presence, 
possessed a kindly, genial disposition and was 
liked by everybody who knew him. He was a 
personal friend of General U. S. Grant, who, 
when he became president, tendered Mr. Tout the 
]30sition of postmaster of Quiney, but the latter 
declined the honor, giving as his reason that he 
was so old and the position so hard that he was 
afraid he might not be able to fill it. From the 
time of the organization of the party he was a 
stalwart republican and he took a very deep in- 
terest in the campaigns, both local and national. 
He always Icept well informed on the questions 
and issues of the day and never swerved in the 
.slightest degree from a course which he believed 
to be right. He received his first degree in 
Masonry, August 27, 1852, and w'as one of the 
charter members of Marcelline lodge. No. 114, 
A. F. & A. i\I. He also belonged to the ^Methodist 
Episcopal church of Marcelline. For more than 
a half century he was a resident of Adams county 
and the sterling traits of character which he dis- 
played made him one of the representative citi- 
zens of this part of the state. 



WJLLIA:\r B. L.VRKWORTHY. 

William R. Larlcworthy, deceased, was one of 
tlie be.st known contr.Tctors in western Illinois, 
and a number of the fine structures of Quiney. 
as well as .sections of th^ railroads in this part 
of the country, are evidences of his handiwork, 
his business capacity and ability. He was a 
native of Devonshire. England, born August 11, 
1823. His parents. William and Mary (Bark- 
will) Larkworthy, were both natives of England 
and the father was a blacksmith by ti-ade, follow- 
ing that pursuit in his native land during the 



greater part of his life or until his retirement 
from active business cares. Both he and his 
wife always remained residents of England. 

William B. Larkworthy obtained a good edu- 
cation in the schools of his native country and 
there learned the carriage-maker's trade, which 
he followed until his emigration to the new 
world. He had heard favorable reports concern- 
ing America and its bu.siness opportunities and 
this led him to seek his fortune in the new 
world. He thus located in Ontario, Canada, 
where he worked at his trade for several years. 
Siibseqiiently he removed to Kansas Citj', Mis- 
souri, where he also followed carriage-making 
for about three years. He came to Quiney aboiit 
1863 and hei'e turned his attention to conti-act- 
ing. After building several of the prominent 
stnxctures of this city he began railroad contract- 
ing and was thus connected with the construc- 
tion of all of the railroads running into Quiney. 
I-Te also built several of the other railroads in 
the western part of the state, including lines 
I'unning into Jacksonville and Springfield. He 
was a warm pei'sonal friend of Amos Green, a 
pioneer railroad owner of Quiney. Mr. Lark- 
worthy continued as a railroad contractor until 
his death and also did contract work in the 
building of public structures and private resi- 
dences in Quiney. Among those which stand as 
monuments to his handiwork are the Adams 
county courthouse, the Soldiers Home, and many 
other important structures which give to the city 
its substantial and attractive appearance. His 
])usiness steadily increased in volume and im- 
portance and he became very well-to-do. 

Mr. Larkworthy was married in Canada to 
IMiss Ann Penliale. also a native of Devonshire, 
England, born February 11, 1822, and a daugh- 
ter of George and Ann (IMillman") Penhale, both 
of whom were natives of England, where the 
father followed the occupation of farming. At 
an early day they crossed the Atlantic and set- 
tled in Canada, where he again devoted his at- 
tention to agricultural pursuits. While on a 
visit to his son in Cleveland. Ohio, his death oc- 
cui-red, and his wife died in Canada. Jlr. and 
;\lrs. Tjaj'lsworthy were the parents of two chil- 
dren ; ^Fary is the deceased wife of William 
Evers. who is engaged in the grocery business in 
Quiney, his home being near the residence of 
^frs. Larkworthy. Frances, who always lived 
with her mother, died Jaimary 10. 1897. 

The death of I\Ir. Larkworthy occurred June 
20, 1890. He w^as also deeply interested in poli- 
ties from the time that he became a naturalized 
American cilizen and gave an unfaltering sup- 
port to the republican partv and its principles. 
xVt an early day he served as alderman of Quiney 
and in many ways contributed to the growth, 
progress and improvement of the city. In the 



676 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



ilasoaic fratei'uity he attained the Knight 
Tenii)lar degree and in his life he exemplified the 
beneficent spirit of the craft. Both he and his 
\vife were members of the Episcopal church here. 
Mrs. Larkworthy now owns a fine brick resi- 
dence at No. 535 Lind street, wliere she resides 
during the summer months but in the winter 
seasons she makes her home with lier friend, Mrs. 
S. F. Elliott, at No. 735 North Fifth street. 



TIIOJIAS S. ELLIOTT. 

Thomas S. Elliott^ who is engaged in general 
farming on section 29, Payson township, was 
born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, Octo- 
ber 7, 1841, and is the seventh in a family of 
four sons and five daughters, whose parents were 
Joseph and ilargaret (Sturgiss) Elliott. Joseph 
Elliott was born in Chester county, Pennsyl- 
vania, April 18, 1803, and on the ISth of Octo- 
ber, 1826, was married to Margaret Sturgiss, 
who Avas also liorn in Chester county, in Novem- 
ber, 1803. She was of Irish descent, while he was 
of Welsh and Irish lineage. They came to Adams 
county, Illinois, in 1849, settling on section 
18. Payson township. i\Ir. Elliott was a con- 
tractor and bridge builder and was engaged in 
building oi^erations in Illinois and ^Missouri up 
to the time of his retirement from active busi- 
ness. Pie died in April, 1892, at the age of 
eighty -nine years, and his wife passed away in 
December, 1887, at the age of eighty-four years. 
Both were members of the Congregational church 
of Payson and IMr. Elliott contributed in no 
small degree to the development and substantial 
improvement of his adopted county. 

Thomas S. Elliott was educated in Payson, 
attending school where it was necessary to pay 
tiiitioji. lie Avas reared to farm life and has al- 
\\;iys carried on agricultural pursuits. In his 
>outh and early manhood he engaged in the 
operation of the old homestead, his father own- 
ing one hundred and sixty acres of land where 
the family home now stands. Mr. Elliott of this 
review has become the possessor of four hundred 
acres of valuable land, constituting one of the 
best farms in Payson toMTiship, and the modern 
improvements he has placed upon it are a visible 
indication of his progressive spirit. 

On the 2d of November, 1864, :\lr. Elliott was 
married to Miss Celena Whitcomb, a daughter 
of Jasper and Elizabeth (Duff) "Whitcomb. 
Her father was born in West Hartford, Ver- 
mont, September 23, 1807, and liis wife was a 
native of Ireland, but was of French descent. 
They came to Illinois about 1833 and Mr. Wliit- 
comb. prominent in public affairs, served as 



magistrate of Payson for t'wi^'nty-four years. 
His brother, Wyman Whitcomb, was a member 
of the board of supervisors for sixteen years 
and was chairman of the board for eight years, 
being the second supervisor of his township. 
Jasper Whitcomb died in 1885, at the age of 
seventy-eight years, and his wife's death oc- 
curred in January, 1902. They were prominent 
pioneer people. Mrs Elliott was born in Pay- 
son, November 4, 1841, and by her marriage 
became the mother of two children, but one died 
in infancy. The other, Florence, born April 14, 
1876, was ediicated in the schools of Payson and 
at Oberlin College, Oberlin. Ohio. She was 
married December 25, 1903, to R. G. Kay, and 
they reside with her parents. 

Mr. Elliott exercises his right of franchise in 
support of the men and measures of the demo- 
cratic party and has been honored with several 
local offices. He has been assessor, was super- 
visor for fifteen years and chairman of the 
board of supervisors for two years. He has been 
a member of the board of review for five years 
and has acted as its chairman. All of the duties 
\vhich devolve upon him in this connection have 
been faithfully and efficiently discharged and 
in all life's relations he has commanded confi- 
dence and respect by reason of his fidelity to 
manly principles, ilr. Elliott has been called 
upon to execute many estates and has some es- 
tate continuously on his hands, l^iving in Ad- 
ams county since eight years of age, he has a 
wide acquaintance and is spoken of in most 
favorable terms by a large circle of friends. 



WILLIA:\I B. DUNCAN. 

William B. Duncan is the owner of a fine 
farm of one hundred and ten acres of land, a 
part of which is in Ursa township, and the re- 
mainder in Ellington township. He was born 
Jlav 9, 1863, in Adams county, and is the son 
of John W." and Mary (Booth) Duncan. The 
father, also a. native of this county, was liorn 
July 16, 1830, and died here, April 2, 1890, be- 
ing at that time the oldest native son living 
within the Ijorders of the county. His parents 
were Gavin V. and Elizabeth (Frazin) Duncan, 
who came to this state from Kentucky and were 
pioneer residents of this part of Illinois, taking 
an active pai't in promoting the earl.v upbuild- 
ing and progress of the county. John W. Dun- 
can was a farmer and died upon the farm now 
owned by his son William. At the time of his 
demise he had one hundred and thirty acres of 
good land, which liad been acquired througli his 
own labor and which he had placed under a hich 
state of cultivation. His wife survived him for 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



677 



several years and died on the old homestead in 
1898. They were the parents of three children : 
Mrs. W. H. Putnam, who was born December 
5, 1861, and lives in Ellington township ; Wil- 
liam B., of this review; and ^Irs. R. A. Chase, 
who was born December 2(3, 1867, and is also 
living in Ellington township. 

William B. Duncan Mas educated in Quincy, 
spending one year at high school and two years 
in Chaddock College. He is living on the home 
farm and early in life gained practical experi- 
ence of the best methods of tilling the soil and 
caring for the crops. His home is about four 
miles southeast of Ursa, on section 32, Ursa 
tov/nship. He owns eighty acres of the old 
homestead and thirty acres in Ellington town- 
ship, adjoining this place. Here he carries on 
general farming and his land is highly culti- 
vated, bringing him good crops in return for 
the care and labor he bestows on the fields. 

On the 16th of January, 1896, ]Mr. Duncan 
was married to Miss Cora Perkins, a daughter 
of W. II. and ]\Iary (Felt) Perkins, of ]\Ielrose 
townshij). She was born ]\[arch 23, 1874. and 
by her marriage has become the mother of two 
childi-en: Johnnie W., born October 16, 1899; 
and Richard P., born April 10. 1904. Mr. Dun- 
can is a republican in his political views, biit 
never seeks or desires ofSee. preferring to give 
his undivided attention to his farm interests, in 
which he is meeting with well merited success. 



AUGUST J. NIEMETER. 

August J. Niemeyer, a partner in the ^lodern 
Iron Company, manufacturing plumbers' sup- 
plies, in Quincy, was born in this city August 
6, 1857, his parents being Henry and Carrie H. 
(Altheide) Niemeyer. The father came from 
Herford, Germany, while the mother was a na- 
tive of Duhlfeldt. Germany. He came to Amei-- 
ica about 18.50, when twenty-nine years of age. 
He was a stone-mason by trade and followed 
that pursuit for a long period but retired from 
active business life in his later years and en- 
.I'oyed a well earned rest until his death in 1874. 

August J. Niemeyer attended the i:)arochial 
schools until eleven years of age, after which 
he entered the employ of the firin of Joseph & 
Nelke, retail dealers in dry goods and hats and 
caps. He was with that house for about sis 
and a half years, during which time he gained 
an intimate and comprehensive knowledge of the 
business and the best methods of conducting 
mercantile interests. He then left the farm and 
embarked in business on his own account as a 
dry-goods merchant on State street, where he 
conducted his store for ^seventeen years, having 



a well efjuipped establishment and securing 
from the public a liberal patronage. He dealt 
in dry goods exclusively and owned his own 
building. At length he retired on account of 
ill health and for several months was connected 
with no business enterprise, but indolence and 
idleness were utterly foreign to his nature and 
not liking this enforced idleness he again entered 
the field of commercial activity in December, 

1901, organizing the Modern Iron Company, 
which opened its plant for business in ^March. 

1902. The comisany manufactures plumbers' 
supplies and sewerage equipments and employ- 
ment is furnished to about sixty men, while the 
house is represented upon the road by traveling 
salesman. ]\Ir. Niemeyer is treasurer of the 
company. 

On tlie 12th of February. 1880, Mr. Niemeyer 
was married to Miss Carrie J. Bostert, of Quin- 
cy, a daughter of J. H. Bostert, who is one of 
the oldest pioneers of the city and of Adams 
county, and who is yet industriously engaged 
in the fire insurance business. Mr. and ilrs. 
Niemeyer are the parents of four children: 
Charles H., who was boni in 1882 and is agent 
for the John Hancock Insurance Company, of 
Boston; Arthur B., who was born June 2, 1895, 
and is attending the public schools; and Clara 
I., who was Iwrn December 25. 1881, and is now 
the wife of a 'Sir. Rickerd. nuinufacturer of 
Noah's arks in Quincy. 

The parents attend the Congregational church 
and Mr. Niemeyer gives his political support to 
the republican party, of which he is a most 
stanch advocate. Fraternally he is connected 
with Red Cross lodge. No. 44, K. P., of Quincy. 
His has been a successful and honorable busi- 
ness career, marked by steady progress and the 
wise utilization of opportunities. His .judgment 
is reliable, his opinions Tipon business matters 
seldom at fault and upon his untiring labor he 
has builded the superstructure of his prosperity. 



JOHN AVILLIA:\1 BOLT. 

John William Bnlt. born October 5, 1860, in 
Adams count.v, Illinois, is engaged in general 
farming and fruit-raising in Lima township. 
Pie is a son of David and Nancy A. (Howes) 
Bolt, the former a native of Pennsylvania, and 
the latter of KentucW. The father arrived in 
Adams county in 1844, locating near Quincy. 
He made his way to the middle states down the 
Ohio river and up the ^Mississippi from St. Louis 
and he took up his abode in Lima township 
about 1859. For many years he carried on gen- 
eral agricultural pursuits but for the past thir- 
teen ^'ears has lived retired in Lima, enjoying 



678 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



a well merited rest, lie has i-eaclied the ai;e()f 
seventy-six j-ears, while his wife is sixty-tive 
years of age. 

William Bolt is indebted to tlie i)iihlie-sehool 
system of Lima for the edueational privileges 
he enjoyed in his youth and whieh titled him for 
life's practical and respoiisilile diitic-^. In his 
early manhood he engaged in gi'iicral merchan- 
dising in Lima, establishing a stun- in 18^0. He 
was also postmaster of that town, conducting 
the affairs of the office in adilition to the con- 
duct of his store. In 1886, lidwcv.-r, he removed 
to his farm on section 11. Lima tnwnship, and 
liere lie has forty acres nt line land, which is 
well cultivated and improved, lie has an or- 
chard covering ten acres, hu'gely ])l;nited to 
apple and peach trees. Everything alxiut his 
place is neat and attractive in ajipearance, indi- 
cating the careful supervision of 1lie progres- 
sive owner. 

On the 3d of October, 1883, ilr. Bolt was mar- 
ried to Miss Carrie jM. Jacol>s, a, daughter of 
Francis il. and Celatha (Ci-enshaw) Jacobs, 
who were living south of Lima. Six children 
have been born to this marriage: Eva L., liorii 
August 8, 1887, and educated in .Macomb. Illi- 
nois: Edward V., boi'u September L':i. 18SS; 
Frank H., born Octobei- .'), 18;i3; Blanch, liorn 
October 8,' 1895; i\Iarvin .1.. born Seiitember li-J, 
1892, and Cecil E., b.n'n Octobei' '_'. T.tOl. are 
all at home. 

lS\r. Bolt and his wife are i-irnest and lo.xal 
members of the ^Methodist Episcopal church at 
Lima, and he gives his political allegiance to tin- 
republican iiarty. He has semeil as assessor for 
two years and as school din-ctor for nine year.s. 
Fraternally, be is connected with Lima lodge. 
No. 13'), A. F. & A. .M. and with Lima camp. 
No. -i.-ilO, Al. W. A. Having always resided in 
Adams county, he has a wide ac(|naintance here 
and the fact that many of his wariiiesi fi-iends 
are tho^i' who lia\e l;nown him from his boyliood 
to till' |ireseiit time i. Mil iii!lic:ition tliat his has 
been an honorable and iipriuiit life. 



CHARLES W. SKYAIOUR. 

Charles W. Seymour, who was a farmei- and 
stock-raiser of Fall Creek township and was num- 
bered among the pioneer settlers of Adams 
couidy, M'as onl\- twelve months old when 
brought by bis parents to this part of the state. 
His birth occiii-red in West Hartford, Connecti- 
cut, Auunst "23, 1834, and he was a son of ]\Iartin 
and Lucy (Butler) Seymour, wlio were also na- 
tives of West Hartford and resided there until 
the fall of 1835, when they came with their fam- 



ily to the west, settling on a small farm in Fall 
Creek township, this county. The father was 
then a poor man, but, by hard work and econ- 
omy, he was soon enabled to purchase more land, 
and ultimately became the owner of a large farm. 
There he carried on his agricultural pursuits and 
stock-raising, and both he and his wife died on 
the old homestead. Only one of their family is 
now living: iliss Eveline Se>nnour, who is eighty 
years of age and resides with the eldest son of 
her brother Charles on the old homestead. 

Charles W. Seymour began his education in 
the district schools si;ch as were common at that 
early day and afterward he enjoyed the advan- 
tage of instruction in the high school at Payson, 
Adams county. In early youth he assisted in 
the work of field and meadow and he continued 
to aid his father in carrying on the farm until 
the latter "s death, when he and his brother as- 
sumed the management. He was a lover of fine 
stock and carried on general farming pursuits 
and stock-raising, always having some high-grade 
animals on his place. 

.Mr. Seymour was married to IMiss Emily Kay. 
a daughter of Rohert G. and Cynthia M. (Bur- 
roughs) Kay, both of whom were natives of Ken- 
tucky, where they lived until 1833, when Mr. Kay 
and his brother, Oabriel Kay, came to Adams 
county with tlieir families and settled in Payson 
townshiii, where they carried on farming until 
their deaths. The Burroughs family were also 
l)ioneers of the county. There were five children 
born unto ilr. and ilrs. Seymour: Henry il., 
who mai'i'ied Tjucy Nicholson, resides on the old 
homestead in P'all Ci'eek town.shi]). Lyman K., 
who first mari'ied Airs. Clara Robbins and, after 
her death, wedded .\gnes Jaratt, of an old and 
prominent family of this county, also resides on 
the homestead farm in Fall Creek township. 
Julia A. died at the age of five years and six 
months. Loren Butler married Susan Jaratt. a 
twin sister of his brother's wife, and resides in 
California. Stella :\1. is the wife of .1. \. Star, 
of (Jmaha, Nebraska. 

While going to Pike comity and driving across 
a narrow bridge near his home ;\[r. Seymour's 
bnoo'v was overturned and he was instantlv 
kille(l. This occurred Octoher 11, 1898, and his 
family believe that it was an attack of heart 
troulile that caused his death. In politics he 
was a reimbliean, but never an office seeker. He 
attended the Congregational church in Payson, 
while his wife is now a member of the Vermont 
Street Baptist cliurcli in Quincy. He was a 
very industrious man, successful in whatever he 
undertook, and he had many friends in Quincy 
and throua'hout the country. His wife is still in- 
terested in the old home farm in Fall Creek 
township, where she resided after her husband "s 
death until her two oldest sons were married and 




^ 



y^^ i^-u^n-"-^ 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



took cluirge of the farm. She then removed to 
Qiiinev and purchased a residence at No. 333 
North Twenty-fourth street at the corner of 
Broadway, while in the adjoining home resides 
her sister, I\Irs. S. E. Hewes. ]\Irs. Seymour has 
a beautiful home and has gained many friends 
since taking up her abode here. 



MRS. SARAH HAMRICK WILKES. 

Mrs. Sarah Hamrick Wilkes, whose home is 
on section 33, Camp Point township, was Ijorn 
in this township, Februaiy 16, 1835, her parents 
being Farrow and Polly (Wilkes) Hamrick. 
Her grandparents were Virginian people and 
her father was born in Culpeper county, Vir- 
ginia, January 1. 1806. He eanie to Adams 
county, Illinois, in September, 1831. driving 
across the coimtry in a wagon, and on the 3d of 
Janiiary, 1833, he was married to iliss Polly 
Wilkes, who was born in Jefferson count.y, Ken- 
tucky, July 24, 1811, and also came by wagon 
to this county in 1831. This was the year fol- 
lowing the "deep snow" and the county was a 
pioneer district, where ever-ything was wild and 
unimproved, the work of development antl i)ro- 
gress seeming scarcely begun. Mr. and iNIrs. 
Hamrick began their domestic life on a farm 
and for many years he carried on general agri- 
cultural pursuits, but finally removed to Camp 
Point, where he died on the 1st of May. 1891. 

i\Irs. Wilkes, spending her girlhood da.vs in 
her parents' home, acquired her education in 
the public schools and was trained to the duties 
of the household by her mother. She gave her 
hand in marriage to John Wilkes, Februarv 16, 
1853. He was^ born September 15, 1830. in 
Kentucky, and was a son of Coleman and jMar- 
garet (Smith) Wilkes, the formei- born in Vir- 
ginia in 1794, and the mother in Pennsylvania 
in 1790. The,y came to Illinois in 1831, joui'ney- 
ing by way of the water route to Quinc.v, Illi- 
nois, and they made their home in Columbus 
township. It was in that township that John 
Wilkes was reared and educated, and there he 
engaged in farming, living on the old Wilkes 
homestead. He died March 7, 1904. after an 
active, useful and honorable career of more than 
seventy years. 

Unto IMr. and ^Irs. Wilkes were born eleven 
children: I\Iary E.: IMargaret A., who was liorn 
August 11, 1855. and is the wife of Josiah Ta.v- 
lor, of Columbus township : James ^I., who was 
born April 30, 1857, and died December 20, 
1894: r4eorge W. : William H. : Florence: Ar- 
villa ^r. : Mattie E. : Johnnie and Sissy, twins: 
and Frank M.. who was born Julv 12. 1876, and 



married Ella Walker, their lionie being in Camp 
Point township. 

In his political views ]\Ir. Wilkes was a demo- 
crat, unfaltering in his support of the party, 
and took an active part in political affairs. He 
served as township commissioner, was also 
school trustee and was president of the county 
central committee of his party, his labors in its 
behalf proving effective in promoting its growth 
and extending its influence. He was always in- 
terested in public progress and improvement 
and never withheld his support from any meas- 
ure which he believed would advance the general 
welfare. 

Mrs. Wilkes is now the owner of one hundred 
and sixty acres on section 33, Camp Point town- 
ship, and one hundred and ninet.v-one acres on 
sections 29 and 32. Columbus township, where 
her husband first located. This property re- 
turns to her an excellent income, being now 
verv valuable owing to the many excellent mod- 
ern improvements which have been placed upon 
it. She is numbered among the worthy pioneer 
ladies of the county, having for seventy 
years been a witness of its growth and develop- 
ment, and her mind bears the impress of many 
of the early historical events of the countj', from 
the time when it was largely a region of log 
cabin homes, widely scattered over broad prai- 
ries much of the land being still nncnltivated. 



FRED ~S\. ELLIOTT. D. D. S. 

Dr. Fred il. Elliott, deceased, who for many 
years was a practicing dentist of Quiney, settling 
here in 1863, was a native of Willinuuitie Con- 
necticut, born on the 8th of February, 1841, and 
was a son of George C. and Phoebe (Smith") El- 
liott, both of whom were natives of London, 
England, whence they came to America in 1838, 
settling in Willimantic, Connecticut. The father 
was a merchant tailor and conducted business 
along that line throughout his renuiining days, 
his death occurring in 1867, while his wife sur- 
vived him until 1880. 

Dr. Elliott attended school in South Windham, 
Connecticut, and after completing his prelimin- 
ary education entered college at Worcester. 
Massachusetts, where he studied dentistr.v and 
was graduated. Pie then came to St. Louis, Mis- 
souri, where he entered upon the practice of his 
chosen profession, residing there until 1863. when 
he came to Quiney. Here he opened an office on 
Elaine street and was enaaged in dental in-actice 
until his death. He had a well equipped office, 
kept in touch with the progress made by the 
profession and by liis modern methods, his skill 
and mental ability in the line of his chosen call- 



682 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



iug, lie won a patvonage which constantly grew 
until it reached large and profitable proportions. 
Dr. Elliott was nnited in marriage to Miss 
Sallie F. Metcalf, who was l^orn in Mendon, 
Adams county, and is a daughter of Western 
and Susan (Riddle) iletcalf, early settlers of 
Adams county, her father following the occupa- 
tion of farming in Mendon township, where he 
and his wife lived until death. Dr. and Mrs. 
Elliott became the parents of two children : Fred 
^I., who is living in Jacksonville, Illinois, and 
Willie L.. who died at the age of two years. Dr. 
Elliott's death occurred August 2, 1878, being 
occasioned by an accident at the Chicag'o, Bur- 
lington & Quiney Railroad station here. Mrs. 
Elliott has a nice home at No. 735 North Fifth 
street, where she and l\Irs. Larkworthy are now 
residing. Dr. Elliott ranked high in pi'ofessional 
circles and was popular in social circles, his 
genial manner and social disposition winning 
him manv fi'iends. 



CARL BECKER. 



The derma n element in the citizenship of 
Quiney has been an important one. A native 
son of the fatherland, Carl Becker, now con- 
nected witli the manufacturing interests as 
a member of the Wiebmer-Becker Machine Com- 
pany, was born in Rhine Pfalz, Germany, No- 
vember 27, 1860, his parents being Peter and 
Katherina (Bergmann) Becker. The mother 
died in 1883, but the fatlier is still living in 
Germany, at the advanced age of eighty-two 
years, and thnmghout his business career he has 
followed the trade of millwright. 

Mr. Becker of this review spent the days of 
his boyhood and youth in his native country. 
He was one of a family of nine children, eight 
sons and a daughtei'. of whom all are living with 
the exception of John, who died at the age of 
forty years. Of the surviving children three 
sons are in this country and the others have re- 
mained in Germany. One now lives in Missouri 
and is a wagonmaker and millwright, while a 
second brother of oiir subject is a farmer of 
Nebraska. 

Carl Becker attended tlie public schools of his 
native land until the age of fourteen years, 
when he became his father's assistant at the mill- 
wright's trade, being thus employed until he 
reached the age of seventeen years, when he 
learned the machinist's trade, following that 
pursuit until his emigration to America. He 
came to this country immediately after his 
mother's death, locating first at Warsaw, Han- 
cock eount.y, Illinois, where he operated an en- 
gine for two years. He then removed to Quiney 



in 1885, after which he was emi)loyed for three 
years in the Famous Hay Press works and for 
three years for the Collins Plow Company and 
the Smith Hill Elevator Company for four 
years. In 1898 he organized the Wiebmer-Becker 
Machine Company, which entered upon a pros- 
perous existence, its business steadily increasing 
until employment is now furnished to fourteen 
men. His partner is Anton Wiebmer, and they 
manufacture all kinds of machinery, having a 
well-eciuipped plant at the southeast corner of 
Seventh and York streets. They are general ma- 
chinists and also make a si^ecialty of engine re- 
pairing. Mr. Becker has a thorough knowledge 
of mechanical pursuits and the gi-eat principles 
which underlie this department of activity, and 
his practical skill has been one of the features 
in the success of the business, enabling him to 
capably control the labors of his men. 

On the 12th of October, 1885, Mr. Becker was 
united in marriage to Miss Lizzie Heddrich, a 
daughter of Philip Heddrich, who was a stone- 
cutter by trade and died in 1903. Mr. and Mrs. 
Becker are the jiarents of two sons: Walter C, 
who was born December 2, 1888, and, having 
graduated from the public schools, is now attend- 
ing the Gem City Business College ; and Elmer 
L., who was boi-n ]\Iarch 4, 1894, and is now at- 
tending the pulilic .schools. 

Mr. Becker belongs to the Modern Woodmen 
of America and gives his political allegiance to 
the republican party. He has never had occasion 
to regret his determination to seek his fortune 
in the new world, for here he found the business 
opportunities he sought and his hopes have been 
more than realized, for, in this country where 
labor and energy are rated at their true worth, 
lie has gained a comfortable comi^etence. and he 
also has the esteem and admiration of many 
friends who recognize his value as a business 
man and citizen. 



benja:min a. s:mitii. 

Benjamin A. Smith, who is now living a re- 
tired life upon the old home farm on section 14, 
Ursa township, was born December 12, 1830, his 
parents being Caleb B. and Marv Ann (Reuck) 
Smith, both of whom were natives of Kentucky. 
The father came to Illinois about 1840, bringing 
with him his family and settling in Hancock 
county, seven miles east of Carthage. There he 
continued to reside until his death, which oc- 
curred about 1894. His wife died in 1884. They 
were worthy people, respected by all who kne^' 
them. 

Benjamin A. Smith was a lad of ten years 
when he became a resident of this state. He 




CARL BECKER 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



685 



attended the public schools of Hancock eoiiuty 
and came to Adams county in 1850, when a 
young man of twenty years. He then settled 
upon the farm which has now been his home for 
more than a half century- and where he has 
labored as the years have gone by, his efforts 
being attended with good results. He chose a 
companion and helpmate for life's journey, be- 
ing married on the 23d of July. 1851, to Miss 
Delilah Spears, who was born August 7, 1828, 
and was a daughter of John and Catherine 
(Grimes) Spears of Adams county, who came 
to this state from Kentucky at the same time 
the Smith family removed to Illinois. Mr. 
Spears died in 1870. He is survived by one son, 
Abraham, who now resides in Ursa township. 

Mr. and Mrs. Smith began their domestic life 
upon the old home farm where they are now 
living and which has been their place of resi- 
dence throughout all these years. He placed 
the land under a high state of cultivation, plow- 
ing and planting in the early springtime and 
harvesting good crops in the autumn as a result 
of the care and labor which he bestows upon the 
fields. His life has been a very useful one and 
he is now in possession of a comfortable compe- 
tence which supplies him with all of the neces- 
saries and comforts which go to make life worth 
the living. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Smith have been born four 
children, three of whom are living : John T., born 
April 18, 1854, who married Ella Campbell and 
resides two miles north of the old home; Sarah 
E., born October 22, 1856, who is the wife of 
Lorenzo Worley and resides near Ursa: Levi A., 
who was born January 23. 1865, and married 
Alice Young, their home being upon the farm 
adjoining his father's land. 

Mr. Smith rents his farm, which comprises 
one hundred and thirty-six acres, to his son. and 
is now enjoying a well earned rest. He gives 
his political suppoi't to the demoerao.v. having 
always advocated its principles. He is still a 
very active and energetic man for one of his 
years, having passed the seventy-fourth mile- 
stone on life's journey, yet he possesses the 
vigor of a man in his prime and in spirit and 
interests seems yet in middle life. He com- 
mands the confidence and good will of all with 
whom he has been associated and is well worthy 
of representation in this volume. 



J. H. RICE, M. D. 



Dr. J. H. Rice, whose careful preparation and 
superior natural qualifications for the practice 
of medicine have gained him prestige among the 
members of the profession in Quincy, where his 



identilication with the medical fraternity dates 
from 1892, is a native son of Adams county, his 
birth having occurred upon a farm in Richfield 
township, on the 13th of April, 1856. In pioneer 
times in the history of this county, his father, 
"William Rice, established his home here, and 
from 1834 until his deatli was engaged in agri- 
cultural pursuits in this count.v, winning suc- 
cess thi'ough well directed efforts. Reared upon 
the home farm and educated in the public 
schools Dr. Rice supplemented his literary stiid- 
ies by a course in medicine in the Cincinnati 
Medical College, being graduated with the class 
of 1878. 

Opening an office for practice in Niantic, ila- 
eon county, Illinois, Dr. Rice remained there 
until his removal to Mendon, where he entered 
upon a very successful professional career, win- 
ning a patronage so extensive that his fame 
spread abroad throughout this part of the state 
and thus he did not come unheralded to Quincy, 
when in 1892 he removed to this city to join its 
medical fraternity. From the beginning of his 
residence here he has been accorded a prominent 
position as a physician and surgeon, and he is 
m close touch with the progressive spirit of the 
times as manifest in the marked advance made 
in the methods of medical practice. In order 
to still further perfect himself in his chosen life 
work he pursued a post-graduate coTirse in the 
Chicago Clinical School of Medicine in 1900 
and was graduated at Rush Medical College. 
He also attended surgical clinics at St. Luke's, 
the Chicago, Presbyterian and other leading hos- 
pitals in Chicago, gaining knowledge in theory 
and practice and thoroughly informing himself 
concerning the latest improvements in medicine 
and surgery. It has always been his wish and 
determination to give his patrons the benefits 
of the latest discoveries and researches of the 
medical fraternity. In addition to a lai'ge pri- 
vate practice he is acting as surgeon of the Quin- 
cy. Omaha & Kansas City Railway and a mem- 
ber of the staff of Blessing Hospital, and is a 
member of the Adams County, the Tri-State and 
State Medical Societies, the American Medical 
Association, and the National A.ssociation of 
United States Pension Examining Surgeons. 

In his social relation.s Dr. Rice is a Mason, 
belonging to Quincy lodge, A. F. & A. ]\I. ; Men- 
don chapter, R. A. i\I., of which he is past high 
priest: and El Aksa commandery, K. T., of 
which he is past eminent commander. Dr. Rice 
was married in 1878 to Miss ]Mar.v St. Clair, of 
^lechaniesburg. Illinois, and they have a daugh- 
ter. By nature the Doctor is social and genial 
but has comparativel.y little opportunity for so- 
cial enjoyment owing to the hea^'^^ demands 
made upon his time and attention by profession- 



686 



PAST AND PKESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



al duties which are eonstantly growing- in vol- 
ume and importance. Of strong: mentality and 
marked intellectual attainments, the public and 
the profession accord him prominenee in the 
field of his chosen endeavor. 



REV. WILLIAM R. LIERLE. 

Rev. William R. Lierle, who has reached the 
eighty-seventh milestone on life's journey and 
is now living with his children in Adams 
county, was for many years an able representa- 
tive of the ministry and his influence proved a 
potent element for good in this section of the 
state. He was born in Montgomery county, 
North Carolina, August 16, 1818, his parents 
being William and Catherine (Sell) Lierle. His 
paternal grandfather, Zachariah Lierle, was one 
of the patriots of the Revolutionary army, 
serving under Washington for eight years, or 
throughout the entire period of hostilities that 
resulted in the establishment of American inde- 
pendence. Coming to the west at an early day 
his I'eniains now rest in a cemetry about four 
miles north of Liberty, Illinois. William 
Lierle, the father, removed from the south to 
Illinois about 1821, settling first in Union 
county, which was then a pioneer district in 
which the work of improvement and develop- 
me7it had been scarcely begun. He then came 
to Adams county, locating in Liberty, where he 
and his wife spent their remaining days. He 
was a farmer by occupation and always fol- 
lowed that pursi;it in order to provide for his 
wife and children. 

William R. Lierle was but three years of age 
when brought to Illinois and for seventy-three 
years has lived in Adams county. Few indeed 
of its settlers have longer witnessed its develop- 
ment and progress or have a more intimate 
Imowledge of its pioneer history. He pursued 
his education in Ui:ion comity and in the pub- 
lic schools of Adams coimty and through the 
period of his boyhood and youth he assisted 
largely in the work of the home farm, aiding in 
the arduous task necessary for the cultivation 
and improvement of new land. 

He lived with his parents until twenty-fiv^e 
years of age and then established a home of his 
own, being united in marriage on the 12th of 
October, 1843, to Miss Penina Hendricks, of 
Missouri, a daughter of Abraham and Jennie 
(Cox) Hendricks, who came to Adams count.v 
at an early day, spending the greater part of 
their lives here. Mrs. Lierle died February 20, 
1895, at the age of sixt,y-nine .years. There 
were eleven children born of that marriage, 
but four died in infancy. The others are : Mrs. 



Annie Lucas, who resides near i\Iounds, Illi- 
nois; Albert and William, who are living in Des 
Moines, Iowa ; IMrs. J. Miller, -whose home is in 
Kansas; ilrs. Caddie Enlow, also of Kansas; 
Mrs. Nora Gillis, of Clayton ; and Mrs. Addella 
Lucas, of Clayton,. 

Although Rev. Lierle made his home with his 
parents until twenty-five years of age, he be- 
gan earning money when biit a boy. He here 
split rails at fifty cents per day and thiui he 
gained the nucleus of his later desirable posses- 
sions. He worked hard year after year and 
as his financial resources increased he pur- 
chased land until he was at one time the owner 
of two hundred and eighty acres, but he has 
since sold one hundred acres of this. He now 
retains possession of one hundred and eighty 
acres and in addition he has residence projv 
ert.v in Clayton. For many years he was classed 
with the energetic, practical and diligent farm- 
ers of the county, beginning work in the fields 
at an early hour and continuing his labors until 
after simset. Day after day was passed in this 
manner and as the result of his labors he at 
length accumulated a handsome competence. 

His Sundays were devoted to preaching and 
to the worship of God. Pie became actively 
connected with the ministry in 1850 and for 
fifty-four years continued preaching, going for 
a quarter of a century each Sunday to a church 
five miles from his home. He now divides his 
time among his children, having retired from 
farm labor and also the work of the ministr.v. 
but his interest in his church has never abated 
and his entire life has formed an example that 
is well worthy of emulation. He has alwa.vs 
voted with the democracy and iii early da.vs 
he heard the famous Douglas and Lincoln de- 
bate that was held in Qiiincy in 1856. Rev. 
Lierle is one of the most favorable known citi- 
zens of Adams county — a patriarch in his com- 
munity, honored and respected by all. His 
works of Christian teaching have not fallen 
on barren fields and his own life has been an 
exemplification of the doctrines and princijiles 
w-hich he has proclaimed from the jiulpit. 



HENRY F. NAUMANN, D. M. D. 

Dr. Henry F. Naumaim. dental practitioner 
of Quincy, was boi-ii in I^elleville, Illinois, 
March 30, 1871. his parents being Rev. Philip 
and ^Melvina (Frederick) Naumann. earl.v set- 
tlers of Hancock county, Illinois. The father 
was born in Germany in 1827 and came to the 
United States when nineteen years of age, lo- 
cating in Illinois, where for some years he fol- 
lo-\ved farming and then became connected with 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



687 



the ministry as one of the [lioneer preachers (it 
the German Methodist Episcopal ehureh,. lie 
is now living retired in Quiney, at the age of 
seventy-eight years, and his wife is now sev- 
enty years of age. They were the parents of 
nine ehiklren, six of whom are yet living. 

Dr. Naumann began his education in the pub- 
lic schools of Muscatine, Iowa, later continued 
his studies in Decatur and then in Quincy. lie 
also attended the Iowa Wesleyan University, 
at ]\Iount Pleasant, where he spent a year, when 
he entered upon a special course of study in 
Warrenton, ^lissouri, at the Central Wesleyan 
College. When twenty years of age he liegau 
preparation for his chosen profession in the 
dental department of the Washington Univer- 
sity at St. Louis, where he was graduated in 
1892, after which he returned to Quincy, wliere 
he has since practiced with constantly increas- 
ing .success, when viewed from both a profes- 
sional and financial standpoint. His patronage 
comes from many of Quincy 's best citizens, and 
in his practice he keeps in touch with the latest 
discoveries and improved methods of dentisti-y, 
thus giving to his patrons the best possible ser- 
vice. 

On the 25th of October, 1894, Dr. Naumann 
Avas married to Miss Nellie, daughter of Henry 
Grimpe, one of the early settlers of Warsaw, 
Illinois, where Mrs. Naumann was born. They 
now have two children : Eleanor, born August 
1, 1899 ; and Chester, born March 6, 1902. The 
parents are members of the German Methodist 
Episcopal church, and Dr. Naumann is a re- 
publican in his political views, while fraternally 
he is connected with Herman lodge. No. 39, 
A. F. & A. M., and Quincy chapter. No. 5. R. 
A. M. He is a member of the Illinois State Den- 
tal Society and the First District Dental Soci- 
ety and in his practice maintains a high stand- 
ard of professional ethics and individual profi- 
ciency. 



HENRY C. CUPP. 



Henry C. Cupp, who is well known in Adams 
county and throughout Illinois as a horticul- 
turist, was born October 30, 1848, in Steuben 
county, Indiana. He is of Holland-Dutch lin- 
eage and the name of the family was originally 
spelled Kop. His father, Jacob Cupp, was a 
native of Pennsylvania and after arriving at 
years of maturity wedded Dorcas Smith, whose 
birth occurred in Maryland. They removed to 
Shelby county, Missouri, when their son Henry 
was a youth of ten years. The father was an 
outspoken abolitionist and at the time of the 



Civil war and during the trying period which 
preceded its outl)reak he was many times 
threatened with violence. His home was in the 
hotbed of secession and several horses and other 
property was taken from him. He would un- 
doubtedly have forfeited his life had not Gen- 
eral McNeal said that if Mr. Cupp was killed 
he would execute ten of his rebel neighbors. 
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Cupp were born the follow- 
ing children : Catherine, the eldest, is a widow 
residing in Fall Creek township. Lewis C, who 
was a member of the Third ^lissouri Cavalry 
during the Civil war, married and had three 
children. He died in Ralls county, ]\Iissi)uri, 
in 1901. John S., also a member of the Third 
Missouri Cavalry for three years and six 
months, is a farmer and stockraiser, residing 
at Elm City, Kansas, and has two sons and 
three daughters. Theodore, of Ralls county, 
Missouri, who served as a private in the Thirty- 
ninth Missouri Infantr.y, is mai-ried and has a 
son and two daughters, the former being a 
Christian minister at Platte City, Missouri. 
George W., who died in 1882, at the age of 
forty years, was a farmer by occupation and 
at his death left a son, who is now in Washing- 
ton. Henry C. is the next in the family. Fran- 
cis M. is a farmer of Marion county, ^Missouri, 
and is married, but has no children. 

Henry C. Cupp, having accompanied his par- 
ents on their removal to the west, acquired his 
elementary education in the country schools of 
Shelby county, Missouri, and later he attended 
Palmyra College, at Palm.vra. He became a 
resident of Adams county in 1870, when about 
twenty-two years of age, and here he turned his 
attention to farming. He was married in 1871 
to ]\Iiss Frances L. Rankin, a daughter of Robert 
Rankin, who was one of the wealthy farmers of 
Fall Creek township, owning nearly a section 
of land. ]\Ir. Cupp took his bride to his farm 
and continued general farming for several 
years. He was the first to introduce polled 
Angus cattle into his section of the county, but 
he has now abandoned stock-raising in order to 
give his undivided attention to fruit growing, 
which he carries on extensively. He has now 
four thousand peach trees in bearing. He has 
made a close and scientific study of the best 
methods of raising fruit and is a firm believer 
in spraying his trees and in clean cultivation. 
He has made arrangements to spray one hun- 
dred acres of apple orchard four times with a 
gasoline engine and will be the first man to 
use a gasoline spray in Fall Creek township. 
He has ten thousand apple trees and between 
four and five thousand of these are in bearing. 
He has raised as many as thirty-six hundred 
barrels in a year. He stores his apples for the 
winter market and finds a ready sale for his 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



])rodut't because of its excellence as to size, 
(iuality and flavor. His is to-day the largest 
apple orchard in Adams county and he is re- 
garded as authority upon any question regard- 
ing the raising of fruit. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Cupp has been born but 
one child, Lillie J., whose birth occurred Jan- 
uary 28, 1872, and who was educated in the 
country schools and also spent four years in 
Chaddock College in Quincy, where she grad- 
uated. She was married July 26, 1893. to 
Perry W. Sapp of Macomb. Illinois, who is now 
recording clerk and assistant bookkeeper at the 
Insane Asylum at Bartonville, Illinois. He was 
appointed by Governor Yates in recognition of 
his efficient work in his campaign of 1900. l\Ir. 
and Mrs. Sapp have three children, the eldest 
being Stanley Cupp Sapp, who is ten years of 
a'ge. The others are Whitney Francis, eight 
years old, and Miriam Luro, six years old. 

Mr. Cupp is recognized as one of the promi- 
nent republicans of Adams county, having been 
identified with the party since attaining his 
majority. He has held no office although he 
has been offered the candidacy of state repre- 
sentative. He prefers to do his public duty 
as a private citizen and his labors have been of 
material assistance in the promotion of many 
measures which have proved of value in his 
part of the state. He has been president of the 
Adams Count.y Fair Association, was levee com- 
misioner for two years of the Quincy levee, and 
for five years has been president of the Mississ- 
issippi Valley Apple Growers' Association. 
He has also been president of the Cen- 
tral Illinois District Horticultural Society and 
since 1893 has served as delegate to the 
National Farmers Congress, these delegates be- 
ing appointed by the governor of the state, and 
Mr. Cupp has received the appointment from 
both democratic and republican executives. He 
was appointed by the governor of Illinois to 
a.ssist the president of the United States in lay- 
ing the corner stone of the government build- 
ing at Chicago, October 9, 1899, this being 
laid by President McKinley. The paper of ap- 
pointment was signed by John R. Tanner, gov- 
eror, and Carter H. Harrison, mayor of Chi- 
cago. Fraternally Mr. Cupp is a Mason, be- 
longing to Payson lodge. No. 379, the chapter 
and commandery in Quincy, and also to the 
Eastern Star, and his daughter is a member 
of the Eastern Star, while his wife and daugh- 
ter hold membership in the Methodist Episcopal 
church of Fall Creek. It was through the ef- 
forts of Mr. Cupp that the Union church of Fall 
Creek was built there, raising every dollar of 
the fund himself and all denominations are wel- 
come to use this house of worship. :\Ir. Cupp 
is a very progressive and public-spirited man, 



realizing that the spirit of the times is one 
of progress and keeping in touch with the uni- 
verse of thought and advancement. His en- 
tire career has been characterized by an on- 
ward movment as seen in his business affairs, 
in his citizenship and in all his relations with 
his fellowmen. 



BENJAMIN A. CURRY. 

Benjamin A. Curry was lidrii .May S, 182.5. 
near Louisville, Kentucky, and was the eldest 
son of the thirteen children of Thomas and Ma- 
linda (Murphy) Curry, who came from Ken- 
tucky to Adams county, Illinois, with their four 
children in 1837 and bought and settled upon 
three hundred and twenty acres of raw prairie 
land, which he developed into a rich and beauti- 
tnl farm, upon which he lived for many years, 
nine children being born there. Later he built 
a home in the village of Clayton. He died on the 
1st of December, 1891. reaching the venerable 
age of uinet.v years. His wife died in 1879, be- 
ing seventy-one years old. Twelve of the thir- 
teen children reached adult age, one died in 
infancy and three were soldiers, two filling sol- 
diers' graves before the close of the war. 

The subject of this sketch was brought to Illi- 
nois when a lad of twelve years by his parents, 
with whom he remained imtil he was twenty-five 
years of age. Ilis early opportunities were lim- 
ited to the district school, in w^hich he displayed 
marked ability as a mathematician. In 1849 he 
purchased of the government one hundred and 
sixty acres of land in Clayton township and 
upon it built a frame house. On October 10, 
1850, he was married to ^Mary A. Majors, a na- 
tive of Ohio. He lived upon his farm first until 
in December, 1864. In 1863 Mr. Curry bought 
forty acres of land adjoining the village of Clay- 
ton, and in the following year built upon it a 
substantial and commodious house in which he 
now resides, it being one of the prettiest homes 
in the village. 

In April, 1864, Mr. Curry buried his first 
wife. To this union was born five daughters, 
the two eldest dying in infancy. The three re- 
nuxining are : Linnie A. Wilson of Quincy, Illi- 
nois, widow of David B. Wilson: Dora A., the 
wife of C. E. Cain, a farmer of Clayton town- 
ship; and Nellie G., of Quinc.v, wife of J. W. 
Potter, postal clerk. In 1865 Mr. Curry mar- 
ried Lucy J. Ho.skins of Ohio, who died October 
2, 1881, leaving three children : Edgar T., a suc- 
cessful business man of Clayton ; Charles S., a 
ph.vsieian of Beatrice, Nebraska; Caroline B., 
wife of F. C. Andrews, a manufacturer of Kan- 




iB. ^- 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



6gi 



sas City, Missouri. Mr. Curry was married a 
third time to ilrs. Lavinia il. Bentou. nee De- 
puy, widow of Dr. Benton of Rushville, Illinois. 
She had one son by her former marriage, C. G. 
Benton, a grain merchant of Kansas City, Mis- 
souri. 

ilr. Curry never took an active part in poli- 
tics, but is a stanch republican, his first vote 
being east for the whig candidate, when he was 
twenty-one years of age. He served several 
years as supervisor, assessor, school trustee and 
in other local offices. His principal business has 
been farming, but he has engaged in merchan- 
dizing, in manufacturing stock scales and hay 
presses, in wagon-naaking and various industries. 
He is the builder and owner of the largest busi- 
ness house in Cla.'V'ton, besides other business and 
dwelling houses, and is the owner of eight hun- 
dred acres of rich farming lands. 

His enterprise, force of character, sterling in- 
tegrity, fortitude and good sense amid the dis- 
couragements in the management of complicated 
affairs have made him a leader in the commer- 
cial and agricultural interests of the community 
where he is best known. He not only has met 
with success in his biisiness but also in social 
life. Aside from his large circle of relatives 
he has many warm friends among his acquaint- 
ances and especially among the little children 
and the poor. His wife is a member of the 
Methodist Episcopal church and they are held 
in high esteem by the community. He is strictly 
temperate in his habits, as a result of which he 
is at the age of eighty enjoying good health, and 
his children, re.joicing in the fact, gathered at 
I'.is home on the 8th of May, 1905, to celebrate 
his eightieth birthday. Six children and seven 
grandchildren gathered around the festive board 
with him and expect to make an annual affair of 
it for manj- years to come. He is in the true 
sense of the word a self-made man, being the 
architect and builder of his own fortune. 



RICHARD HARNESS. 



Richard Harness is one of the extensive land 
owners of Adams county, having four hundred 
acres lying partly in this county and partly in 
Hancock county. He has followed general 
farming for many years, but now largely leaves 
the active improvement of his land to others, 
while he is enjoying a rest that has been richly 
earned and is truly merited. He was born 
February 28, 1841, and is a son of Joseph and 
Nancy (Worley) Harness. The father, who 
■was born in July, 1793, in St. Clair county, Illi- 
nois, was married on the 6th of ^lay, 1816, to 
Miss Nancv Worley, daughter of Richard and 



Nancy Worley, of Virginia. In 1828 they came 
to Adams county. Illinois, locating on a farm 
on section 1, Lima township, now owned by 
Richard Harness. There was only one house 
between their pioneer residence and Bear creek. 
Mr. Harness secured his land through the home- 
stead act and entering it thus from the govern- 
ment he became the possessor of a tract that 
was entirely wild and unimproved. He bore 
the usual hardships and trials of pioneer life 
but possessed the courage and perseverance 
which is a requisite quality of the frontier set- 
tler. He often worked for twenty-five cents 
per day in order that he might get a little ready 
money, which was very scarce in the west at 
that time, most articles being traded for other 
commodities. He would frequently kill deer, 
tan the hides and sell them for clothing, and 
with the money he thus gained he entered his 
land. He at one time owned nine hundred 
acres and in connection with general farming 
he conducted a nursery, operated a tannery 
and also a sawmill. He was thus one of the 
most active and energetic residents of his lo- 
cality and contributed in a large measure to 
the earl.v business development of the county. 
He grafted the first apple tree that was ever 
grafted in Adams county. He started out in 
life on his own account when only thirteen 
years of age and his possessions at that time 
consisted of a horse, a dog and a gun. Leaving 
home he came to the north and, possessing a 
resolute, determined spirit, he acquired in the 
course of years a handsome property. He was 
an excellent shot and at one time he killed 
sixteen deer with seventeen shots. He reared 
a family of eleven children, of whom five are 
now living, but Richard H., the subject of this 
sketch, is the only one residing in Adams 
county. 

In the public schools Richard Harness ob- 
tained his education and upon the home farm 
he was trained in all of the work that falls to 
the lot of the agriculturist, gaining a practical 
knowledge that has proved of much value to 
him in his later years. He was married on the 
23d of December, 1863, to Miss Anna Cren- 
shaw, who is a daughter of Paschal and Cather- 
ine Crenshaw, of Hancock countj', and was born 
]\Iay 22, 1844. By their marriage they became 
the parents of seven children : George B., born 
September 10, 1864, married Lizzie Vinson and 
resides in Hancock county, Illinois ; Charles C, 
born September 10. 1867, married Lena Bell 
and lives in California ; Carrie (3ertrude, born 
September 27, 1869. became the wife of George 
Bolt, and after his death in March, 1902, mar- 
ried Elmer ililler, their home being now upon 
the old Harness homestead ; Jasper, born May 
31, 1873, married Bernice Nichols and lives on 



6g2 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



the old hoiiiostead : 'Effie V., boi'ii ^lareli 7, 188:2, 
married Prank Busby Parker and is living in 
Lima; and two children died in infancy. 

In order to provide for his family ilr. Har- 
ness carried on general agricultural pursuits 
for many .years and is to-day the owner of four 
hundred acres of valuable land in Hancock 
and Adams counties. His land in the latter 
county is situated on sections 1. '2 and 8, Lima 
township. He now rents much of his land, 
while he is enjoying a well earned rest. He 
has always been an advocate of the democracy 
but would never accept public office. He and 
his wife belong to the Methodist Protestant 
church. He is a worthy repi-esentative of an 
honored jiioneei- family and the work of de- 
velopment and iiiipi'iivemi'nt wliich was begun 
1)y his father has been carried foi-Avai'd liy him. 
he bearing his full shai'e in all thi^ duties of 
citizenship. 



JOHN A. CHITTENDEN. 

John A. Chittenden, one of Quincy's honored 
dead, was born December 24, 1827, in Guil- 
ford, Connecticut, and died October 26, 
1872. From the old records found in Guilford, 
Connecticut, it appears that all of the Chitten- 
dens in this country were descendants of one 
"William Chittenden, who was among the tirst 
settlers in the old town of Guilford, and that he 
was in middle life at the time the records were 
compiled. He brought with him from England 
his wife, Joanna, and three sons, John, Thomas 
and Nathaniel, and one daughter, Mary. The 
family home was established in Guilford in 1639. 
History recounts that the deeds for the land re- 
ceived from the Indians were made to six promi- 
nent planters who were appointed as trustees on 
behalf of the whole colony, and that William 
Chittenden was one of these trustees. 

Colonel John B. Chittenden, father of John A. 
Chittenden, was born in Guilford, Connecticut, 
January 16, 1790, and Avas married there on the 
12th of January, 1814, to Miss Elizabeth Robin- 
son, whose birth occurred March 12, 1791. His 
early life was spent upon a farm in his native 
place. He became an active member in the Con- 
gregational church at an early age and in his 
twenty-first year was chosen deacon, which posi- 
tion he continued to fill until his removal to Illi- 
nois in September, 1831, at which date, accom- 
panied by his wife and four sons in a covered 
wagon drawn by two horses, he started for 
Quincy. lie was .joined by Samuel Bradley and 
his family and others at East Haven, Connecti- 
cut, making in all an emigrant train of tive 



wagons and thirty-six persons, (ijuincy being the 
destination of the entire party. In this under- 
taking Mr. Chittenden was prompted by two 
objects: First to establish, strengthen and ex- 
tend the Christian religion by the organizati<in 
of churches, Sunday-schools and Bible classes in 
the middle west: and second, to better provide 
for his family of sons in a new coimtry. Further 
mention is made of ]Mr. Chittenden on another 
page of this work. 

John A. Chittenden pur.sued his education in 
the common schools and also under the private 
tutorship of his father, who was a mnn of more 
than ordinary gifts. lie spoke with readiness, 
his voice was pleasing to the ear and his words 
gave instruction to the heart. Under his guid- 
ance John A. Chittenden Avas destined to receive 
the best education obtainable in that time amid 
the circumstances binder which they were sur- 
rounded. It was a pioneer district and advan- 
tages were somewhat limited, but he made good 
use of his opportunities and the lack of privileges 
which might have been enjoyed in the east prob- 
ably developed in greater force his latent talents 
and character. He began farm work eaT-ly in 
life and Avas thus identified Avith agricultural 
]3ursuits until a feAV years prior to his death, 
when his infirmity prevented further connection 
Avith farming interests. In all his Avork he Avas 
practical and pi-ogressive and in the control of 
his affairs displayed keen discernment and 
marked enterprise. 

In his political vieAvs Mr. Chittenden Avas an 
earnest republican, giA'ing hearty support to the 
party and its candidates, yet never seeking or 
desiring office for liimself. He Avas a member of 
the Congregational church throughout almost his 
entire life and gave a strong, helpful and liberal 
support to all matters pertaining to the Avelfare 
of the church and its kindred interests. He Avas 
very actiA'e in Sunday-school Avork and for a 
number of years served as superintendent of the 
school, Avhile at all tiuies he Avas knoAvn as a con- 
sistent Christian man, his religion forming a 
part of his earh' existence. 

On the 10th 'of June, 1852, in Mendon, Illi- 
nois, ]\Tr. Chittenden was united in marriage to 
IMiss Elizabeth P. Frisbie, Avho Avas born at Bran- 
ford, Connecticut, December 25, 1831, and Avas a 
daughter of Lyman and Ann (Barker) Frisbie, 
of JTendon, Avho came from Connecticut to 
Adams county in the spring of 1837, .settling in 
Mendon, where they spent their remaining days. 
Three children Avere born unto Mr. and Mrs. 
Chittenden, as follows: Charles A., born April 
7, 1857, Avas married December 24, 1884, to Fran- 
ces E. Young, who Avas born Aiigust 4, 1861, a 
daughter of Dr. Peter aiul Virginia C. f^liller) 
Young. Emeline F., born October 23, 1860, mar- 
ried LeAvis L. Allen, Avho Avas born October 3, 






«*.....- 




PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



695 



1856, and was a son of L. L. L. and Corinne 
Allen, and they live in Pierce City, Missouri, and 
have a daiijrhtcr, Elizabeth C, who was born 
December 25, 1892. Elizabeth R., born January 
21, 1864, is living with her mother on the old 
Chittenden homestead, where Mrs. Chittenden 
has resided continuously since her marriage in 
1852. 

John A. Chittenden died October 26, 1872, in 
the forty-fifth year of his age, his family thus 
losing a devoted husband and father, his friends 
a loyal and entertaining companion and his com- 
munity a valuable and representative citizen. 
He lived his life in discharge of the duties which 
grew out of the varied relations he sustained to 
his fello\vmen. In business he was a pattern of 
moral integrity, every trust being safe in his 
hands, and as a citizen he was public-spirited, 
placing himself on the side of religion, good 
order and philanthropy. Such was the life iiis- 
tory of John A. Chittenden — a record that is 
worthy of emulation and causes his memory to 
be cherished bv all who knew him. 



JACOB CUPP. 



Jacob Cupp was born in Pennsylvania and 
was a representative of one of the leading 
Pennsylvania German families. He was mar- 
ried in Ohio to Dorcas Ann Smith, who was 
of French and English lineage and was born 
in ilaryland and removed from that state to 
Ohio. They became the parents of seven chil- 
dren, namely : Catherine, who was born Novem- 
ber 18, 1839, became the wife of William Cook, 
who was born in 1824, and died in 1876. His 
parents were Richard and ]\Iary Cook, natives 
of Yorkshire, England, whence they came to 
America during the early boyhood of their son 
William, establishing their home in Indiana, 
not far from Sturgis, ^Michigan. They were 
farming people and owned land there. William 
Cook was educated in the public schools of In- 
diana and in 1860 he married Catherine Cupj) 
and settled at Newark, Missouri, w-here he con- 
ducted a grocery .store until the breaking out 
of the Civil war, when he located on a farm. 
He also became a mail contractor at Palmyra. 
Missouri, where he remained for eight years 
and then removed to ]\Iacon City, ^Missouri, 
where he resided until his death, his remains 
being interred in the cemetery east of ^Macon 
City. Mr. and Mrs. Cook became the parents 
of eight children, of whom seven are living : 
Lewis S., a farmer of Saline county, Missouri, 
who is married and has four children : Jacob 
E., a farmer of Saline county, who is married 
and has two children: Fred, a farmer of Fall 



Creek township, who is married and has two 
children ; Frank, who is a twin brother of Fred, 
and lives upon his mother's farm with his wife 
and two children ; Ed T., at home ; Ulrick H., 
who is mail clerk on the Burlington road be- 
tween Quincy and Kansas City ; Annie, the wife 
of Benjamin Boring, who owns a farm in Sa- 
line county, ilissouri, and has one child : and 
William, who died in infancy. 

The other children of Jacob and Dorcas 
(Smith) Cupp are: Louis, deceased; John S.. 
who is a farmer, residing in Kansas and has 
five children; Theodore, a farmer living near 
New London, IMissouri, who is married and has 
three children ; George, who died at the age 
of thirty years, leaving one child, Wilmer, who 
is living at Spokane, Washington : Henry C, 
who is a resident of Fall Creek township, Ad- 
ams county, and Frank, who married and lives 
near Philadelphia, ^Missouri, where he is fol- 
lowing farming. 

It was about 1858 that Jacob Cupp removed 
with his family from Steuben county, Indiana, 
to Shelby county, ^lissouri, and there he car- 
ried on farming for some time. He was living 
there during the period of the Civil war and 
was a staimch abolitionist at a time when it 
required great personal courage to advocate 
that cause. In fact his life was many times 
threatened by his secessionist neighbors but he 
was not killed undoubtedly from the fact that 
General McNeal said that if the life of ^Mr. 
Cupp w-as taken he would execute ten of his 
rebel neighbors. He gave his political support 
to the republican party and his sons have fol- 
lowed in his footsteps in this direction. 

Mr. Cupp died in 1874 in Shelby county. ^lis- 
souri, and his remains were iTiterred at the 
cemetery at Benbow, ^lissouri. His wife died 
in 1859, her remains being buried by his side. 
He furnished three sons for the Union army : 
Lewis C. and John S., both members of Com- 
pany B. Third Jlissouri Cavalry, and Theodore, 
a member of the Thirty-ninth Missouri Infan- 
try. 



GEORGE IHRIG. 



George Ihrig, who is living on section 1, 
Camp Point township, was born January 3, 
1855. in ^lelrose town.ship, four miles south of 
Quincy, his parents being Henry and Elizabeth 
(Dingledine) Ihrig, both of whom wei'e natives 
of Germany. The father, who Avas born De- 
cember 24, 1828, died March 24, 1893. He had 
become a resident of Adams county in 1852 
and for more than forty years was engaged 
in agricultural pursuits here. His wife, who 



696 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



was born ilay 27, 1830, died in Jauuary, 1903. 
George Ihi-ig has oue brother and one sister 
in Adams eoimty: Henry, who is living in Hous- 
ton townsliip; and Mary, the Avife of William 
Boyer, who is living in Burton townshij). near 
Newtown. 

^[r. Ihrig of this review was edueated in the 
schools of Melrose township and was reared to 
farm life, working in the tields with his father 
during his bo.yhood days. Having arrived at 
years of maturity he was married February 7, 
1882, to iliss Susan Ann Lummis, who Avas horn 
August 1. 1849, and is a daughter of John and 
Ann (Bridge) Lummis. Her father was born 
January 30, 1804, and her mother, October 1, 
ISOi). They were natives of Ohio and came 
to Adams county in 1S44. lis'ing in (Tilmer town- 
ship. Here jMr. Lniiiiiiis dii'd .laiiuary 1, 1863, 
while his wife survived him thirty years, pass- 
ing away ^iay 14. 1S1)3. Aii-. Lummis aided in 
building the lirst .MctliDilist church in Gilmer 
townshij), nine miles east of (-juincy and was 
class-leader for forty years. The family took 
a very active part in church work and the 
great-grandfathei' of Mrs. Ihrig was a .Metlio- 
dist preacher of (_)liio. She has one brother. 
B. B. Lummis, of Quincy. ilr. and ilrs. Ihrig 
had two children: John Henry, born July 11, 
1883; and Anna Belle, who was boi'u March 3, 
1887, and died on the 1st of August following. 

The family home comprises one hundred and 
sixty acres of land on section 1, Camp Point 
township, and is a well imiiroved jtroperty, all 
of which has been acquired through the untir- 
ing Inliors of ilr. Ihrig and the assistance of 
his estimable wife, who has indeed been a help- 
mate to him. He is a general farmer and stock- 
raiser and his persistency of piirpose and un- 
faltering energy have been the foundation upon 
which he has builded his success. He is now 
well known as a representative farmer of the 
county. He and his wife are members of the 
.Methodist church and well merit the uncpiali- 
tied esteem in which thev are held. 



URI S. PENFIELD. 



I"ri S. Penfield, who rose from a humble posi- 
tion to prominence through the open door of 
opportunity, which is the pride of our Ameri- 
can life, and who is j^et held in loving remem- 
brance by many of the most prominent citizens 
of Quincy, although more than two decades 
have passed since he was called from this life, 
was born in Harperstield, Delaware county. 
New York, June 22, 1822, his parents being 
David and Boadicen Penfield, while his pater- 



nal grandfather was Peter Penfield. His edu- 
cation was acquired in the place of his nativ- 
ity, where he remained until sixteen years of 
age, when the family removed to Quincy, arriv- 
ing here in 1838. They found a little village 
of minor commercial and industrial inqiortance, 
yet it was a good shipping point and the future 
seemed to hold in store f(n- it excellent busi- 
ness possibilities. 

Soon after his arrival iMr. Pentield entered 
upon a clerkship and Lorenzo Bull, also a pio- 
neer settler, was employed in the same store 
about the sami' timi'. A strong and enduring 
frieridshii) spi'ani; up lietween them which last- 
ed through the ])assing years and through all 
the changes of their liusiness career, being ter- 
minated onl.y by the death of Mr. Penfield. They 
were together in clerkshijis for several years, 
and while thus employed Mr. Penfield gained 
a I'oniprehensive and accurate knowledge 
of connnercial methods and laid the foundation 
for his success in later life. Following the 
period of his service as a salesman, Mr. Pen- 
Keld turned his attention to the milling busi- 
ness, forming a partnership with John R. 
Brown, in eoiiiiert ion with whom he erected the 
Star Mills, whicdi stood near the corner of 
Front and Sjiring streets, but were removed 
when the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Rail- 
road bought that district for its depot yards. 
The next change in the business interests of 
.Mr. Penfield occurred when he accepted the 
position of cashier in the First National Bank 
of Quincy, which position he creditably filled 
for twenty-eight years or imtil his death, be- 
coming one of the leading representatives of 
the financial interests of the city. His soi;nd 
business judgment, keen foresight, accuracy in 
.judging men, and his unfailing coiu-tesy to the 
patrons of the bank were qualities which con- 
tributed in no small degree to its success. He 
had the entire confidence of the business com- 
nuuiity and was justl.y regarded as a man whose 
business integrity was unassailable. 

Mr. Penfield was married on the 7th of April, 
1853, to Miss Amanda Ward, of Quincy, a 
daughter of Eber and Sarah Ward. Mrs. Pen- 
field Avas born in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and 
her parents were natives of Hartford. Connec- 
ticut. Mr. Ward was in the employ of the 
government during the greater part of his life 
and traveled all over the world. He was a 
government inspector of arms during the Revo- 
lutionary war, a position which he held for 
several years, discharging the duties connected 
therewith for some time at Valle.v Forge. He 
was a patentee of gun barrels in ^Massachusetts, 
which were used during the war with Great 
Britain. Eventually he and his wife became 
residents of St. Louis, IMissoiu'i. Avhere he died. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



697 



while Mrs. Ward afterward came to Quiney 
and spent her last days with Mr. and Mrs. 
Penfield. 

[Into Mr. jiiul Mrs. Penfield were born six 
children, and with the exception of Mary E., 
the eldest, all are yet living, namely: Charles, 
of Quiney; Fannie H., at home; Jnlia : Jennie, 
the wife of E. P. Fassett. of Chicago; and Uri. 
:\Ir. Penfield was very devoted to his family, 
counting- their happines.s his, and he put forth 
most earnest effort to promote their welfare. 
In polities he was an unfaltering advocate of 
republican principles, and fraternally he was 
connected with the Independent Order of Odd 
Fellows and the Royal Arcamim. He held 
memliership in the Congregational church, tak- 
ing a helpful part in its work and contributing 
generously to its support. He died in that 
faith ilarch 25, 1883, after a residence o." forty- 
five years in Quiney, dii.ring which he had ever 
enjoyed the trust and respect of his fellowmen. 
In his business career he had gained consecu- 
tive advancement through close application and 
earnest purpose, guided by correct judgment. 
His path was not strewn with the wrecks of 
other men's fortunes, and others benefitted by 
the ever-widening circle of his effort. Without 
special advantages in his youth he constantly 
developed along moral and intellectual lines, 
and the breadth of his nature and the growth 
of his humanitarian spirit was indicated by his 
considerate and kindly treatment of all witi; 
whom he was broiaght in contact. He held 
friendship inviolable and was never known to 
betray a trust or forget a kindness. His con- 
versation was refined, his sympathy unbounded 
and all who knew him spoke of him as a true 
and upright man. 

There was great congeniality of taste and 
temperament between Mr. and ilrs. Penfield, 
so that his death came as a great blow to the 
wife. They Avere not only mutually interested 
in their home and their children, but also in the 
church work and I\Irs. Penfield still retains her 
membership with the Congregationalists here. 
When she came to Quiney the meetings of that 
denomination were held in Avhat was known 
as the "Lord's Bam." During the war nearly 
every business house in Quiney was used for 
hospital purposes and Mrs. Penfield carried 
food to the injured soldiers each day and when- 
ever the news of victory was received she 
would unfurl a flag from her housetop. She 
was a member of the Needle Picket, which 
was the first society organized in Quiney after 
the war. She has been a witness of the growth 
and development of Quiney from pioneer times, 
her memory forming a connecting link between 
the village with its primitive conditions and fcAv 



improvements and the enterprising city of the 
present, with its varied interests and great 
commercial, industrial, intellectual and reli- 
gious activity. Wlien she came with her hus- 
iiand to her present home it was all surrounded 
by hazel brush. The home was built by jMr. 
Penfield fifty-two years ago and has since been 
occupied by the family. Improvements and 
additions have modernized it until it is now one 
of the fine residences of that part of the city — 
situated at No. 1427 Hampshire street. She 
has been active in many events of prominence 
here, both sociall,y and otherwise, and she and 
her children have a very wide and favorable 
acquaintance in Quiney. 



GEORGE A. TENTER. 



George A. Yenter, an honored veteran of the 
Civil war and one of the valiied citizens of 
Loraine. was born June 8. 1839. in Buffalo, 
Xew York, and is the son of John and Eliza- 
beth (Boteman ) Yenter. The father was a con- 
tractor and builder and died in 1900, at the 
age of seventy-one years, while his wife passed 
away during the early childhood of their son 
George. 

ilr.. Yenter of this review was but six years 
of age when the father n^noved from Buffalo. 
He left home when only fifteen years of age. 
starting out in life on his own accoiuit. Tlie 
previous year he had accompanied his father 
to Iowa and has since been identified with the 
middle west, exemplifying in his life its spirit 
of enterprise and progress. He acquired his 
education largely through his own efforts, 
working in the summer months at farm labor, 
while in the winter seasons he attended school. 
In 'Slay. 1861, he responded to the country's 
call for troops, enlisting as a member of Com- 
pany C. Sixteenth Illinois Infantry, with wliich 
he served until July 24, 1865, pi-oving a valu- 
able soldier and one who was always ti'ue to 
the old flag and the cause its represented. 

On the 16th of April, 1866, Mr. Yenter was 
united in marriage to ^liss Nancy J. ilurray, 
who was born January 10, 1838, in Tennessee, 
a daughter of John and ]\Iar.y (Fike) Murray, 
the former a native of Kentucky, and the lat- 
ter of South Carolina. ]\Ir. Ihirray was born 
August 8, 1803. and died September 11, 1872, 
while his wife, who was boi-n in 1805, passed 
away August 23, 1881. Unto Mr. and :\Irs. 
Yenter have been born three children: Ellis, 
the eldest, born August 11, 1868, Avas married 
to Laura Dearwester and lives in Rock Creek, 
Adams county; Charles A., born February 3, 
1870, married Laura Kennedy and lives near 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



Lewiston, Missouri; IVIary Emma, born April 
7, 1874, is the wife of William Gimloek and 
their home is at Lima, Adams county. 

Mr. and Mrs. Yenter now reside in Loraine, 
where he has an attractive residence. lie is 
engaged in the operation of a sawmill and does 
a contracting business, fui'nishing raih-oad tim- 
ber. He supplies timber used by the Chicago, 
Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company and 
thus does an extensive and profitable business. 
He has always been energetic and enterprising 
and has carried forward to successful comple- 
tion whatever he undertakes. In his political 
views he is an earnest republican and although 
he keeps well informed on the ciuestions and 
issues of the day and is interested in the suc- 
cess of his party he has never sought public 
office. He belongs to Mendon lodge, No. 449, 
A. P. & A. M.. and in his life exemplifies the 
beneficent spirit of the craft, while in all mat- 
ters of citizenship he is as true and loyal to 
his country as when he followed the starr,y 
banner of the nation upon soutlierii liattlefields. 



•irLirs LOT'is kle:\i:\ie. 

Julius Liiuis Klenuiie, the present well kmiwu 
secretary and manager of the Qiiiney Stove 
Manufacturing Company, was born in this 
city, July 6, 1867, his parents being John Phillii) 
and Predericka (Kickert) Klemme. The father 
came to America when about twenty years of 
age, arriving in 1854. His future wife was also 
a passenger on the same vessel and they were six 
weeks in making the voyage, eventually reaching 
the harbor of New Orleans. Mr. Klemme at once 
made his way direct to Quincy. He learned the 
trade of bi'ick-laying in this country and after- 
ward became a contractor, following that busi- 
ness until 1890. when he retired to private life. 
He is living in Quincy at the age of seventy years 
and is well known and highly respected as one 
who has contributed in substantial measure to 
the improvement and upbuilding of the city. He 
built tlie Huffman block, the Cottrel block and 
many other substantial structures here. His wife 
;ilso snrviv(>s. In his political views he has long 
been a republican and at one time he served as 
city commissioner, but has never been an active 
politician in the sense of office seeking. Unto 
him and his wife were born six sons and three 
daiighters, but three of the sons are now de- 
ceased. The family record is as follows : Emma, 
the wife of Peter Strenger, of Quincy; Martha, 
the wife of William Tenhans, of this city; Clara, 
the wife of John Huseman, of Quincy; William, 
Albert and John, all deceased ; Julius L., Charles 
and Harry, living in this city. 



Julius L. Kleumie attended tlie public schools 
until twelve years of age and thus spent a year 
and a half as a student in tlie German pai'ochial 
schools. At the age of fourteen years he ac- 
cepted a position with the Jensen Purniture 
Company at a dollar and a half per week and 
was in that employ for seven months, when he 
secured a position as clerk in a retail grocery 
store, where he remained for two years, being in 
the employ of C. D. Behrensmeyer at the corner 
of State and Tenth streets. At the age of six- 
teen years he entered the employ of H. L. 
Lageman, with whom he continued for two years 
and later he took eluirye of the retail department 
of the Tenk Ilai-dwai-e Comjiany, acting in that 
capacity for four years, after which he spent six 
years as a traveling salesman, his territory being 
Illinois and Missouri. In 1895 lie became con- 
nected with the Sinnnons Hardware Company of 
St. Louis, ^lissouri, with which he continued un- 
til Jannai'v 1, 1900, traveling through Illinois 
and .Missouri. On severing his connections with 
that house he assumed the management of the 
Quincy Stove ^Manufacturing Company and at 
the present time is one of its leading stockhold- 
ers and its secretary. This company was organ- 
ized on the 17th of ilay. 1899, and began opera- 
tions on the 11th of October of the same year. 
;\lr. Klemme became manager on the 1st of Janu- 
ary, 1900. and under his capable direction the 
expansion of the business has been very satis- 
factory and substantial. Sixty-five men are em- 
ployed in tlie ]ilant in Quincy and five .salesmen 
are upon the road and there are branch houses 
in ^Minneapolis, ^Minnesota, and Grand Rapids, 
^Michigan. Their trade covers the entire couu- 
tiy and is constantly increasing. The policy of 
tlie house is such as commends the company to 
the confidence and business support of the pub- 
lie and tlie trade is being gradually extended 
until it has reached extensive and jirofitable pro- 
portions. 

]\rr. Klemme was married to iliss ilinnie Korte 
on the 14th of April, 1887, a daughter of Henry 
Korte. one of the pioneer settlers of Adams 
county, originally from Germany. Her parents 
are still residents of Quincy. ^Ir. and Mrs. 
Klemme have two children; Prieda, born April 
19. 1888; and Elwood, bcirn August 24, 1896. The 
former finished the junior year work in the 
high school in 1893 and is now attending the Gem 
City Business College. 

^Fr. Klemme is one of the trustees and dii'ect- 
ors of the German Lutheran Evangelical church 
on Ninth and York streets. He is a thirty-second 
dea'ree ]Mason. belonging to Lambert lodge. No. 
659, A. P. & A. M. ; to Quincv chapter. No. 5, 
R. A. :M. ; El .\ksa commandery. No. 55, K. T. ; 
and Quincy consistory. He is senior warden of 
the lodge, captain of the host in the chapter, and 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



701 



senior warden in the commandery. He is like- 
wise a member of Red Cross lodge, No. 44, K. P., 
of which he is past chancellor, and is in hearty 
sympathy with the principles these fraternities 
have for their basic element — mntnal helpful- 
ness and brotherly kindness. In politics "Sir. 
Klenime is a republican. He was elected a mem- 
ber of the board of education in 1901 and in 1904 
was again chosen for his second term of two 
years. Among the enterprising and public-spir- 
ited citizens of Quincy he is numbei-ed, taking a 
deep interest in its material, intellectual and 
moral advancement, and he manifests in his 
career the qualities which contribute to the im- 
provement of his home connnunity and which 
have won for him high regard and warm friend- 
ships. 



JOHN SPECIvHART. 



John Speckhart is an extensive land owner 
of Adams county, living on section 8, Fall 
Creek township. He owns seven hundred and 
seventy-eight acres of rich land, all of which 
has been acquired through his own labors and 
lu' may well be called a self-made man, deserv- 
ing of all the credit and praise which that term 
implies. He was born July 4, 1848, in the 
township where he yet lives, his parents being 
John and Eva (Furniif) Speckhart, both of 
whom were natives of Germany, born in Hesse- 
Darmstadt. The father came to America in 
early life and settled in Fall Creek township, 
Adams county, where he purchased land. He 
was married in this coiint.y and took his bride 
to his farm, continuing its cultivation for many 
years. He at tirst bought one hundred and 
twenty acres but as opportunity offered he 
added to his propei'ty until his landed posses- 
sions aggregated eleven hundred acres. He 
suffered many hardships and trials at an early 
day, however, and his financial resources w^ere 
so extremely limited that he faced starvation 
on more than one occasion but he was willing 
to do any work that would yield him an hon- 
est living and in the course of time gained a 
fair start. He could not speak English at the 
time of his arrival and was the first Crerman 
settler in Fall Creek township. He acquired 
a knowdedge of the language through contact 
with his felloM' townsmen and as years passed 
he learned the business methods and customs of 
the people among whom he had cast his lot. 
Quincy at that time was but a small village, 
to which he would haul a load of wood, selling 
it for seventy-five cents, and then he liad to 



take the amount out in trade. He plowed his 
land and did his hauling with oxen, his market 
being Quincy, to which he had to take all his 
products and there make all liis purchases. He 
cradled his grain and received thirty-five cents 
per bushel for his wheat. His life record should 
serve as a source of inspiration and encourage- 
ment to others, showing what can be accom- 
plished through determined purpose and unre- 
mitting diligence. He was a democrat in poli- 
ties and both he and his wife were memljers of 
the Lutheran church. They have passed away 
but are yet remembered by many of the pioneer 
settlers of Adams county. 

John Speckhart, whose name introduce.s this 
review, received very limited educational privi- 
leges but in the school of experience has 
learned many valuable lessons. He was one of 
a large family of ten children : Lizzie, who mar- 
ried Nick Macker and is deceased ; Mary, who 
married George Keil and is now a. widow, liv- 
ing in Fall Creek township; Barbara, who mar- 
ried William ]Meyer and both are now deceased 
but six of their children are living: Elizabeth, 
the wife of Henry Heithold of Fall Creek town- 
ship : Katherine, who became the wife of Henry 
Kaufman, a farmer of Melrose township, and 
died leaving seven children ; Lena, who lives on 
the old home place with her brother Adam; 
Fred, who married Lena Harms and resides 
about a mile and a half north of Quincy: John, 
of this review; Adam, who wedded Mary Buck 
and lives in Fall Creek township ; and William, 
who married Margaret Reich and is living in 
Fall Creek township. 

John Speckhart was reared to farm life and 
at a ver,v early age began work in the fields. 
After attaining man's estate he married Han- 
nah Sehaetfer, a daughter of William and Flor- 
entine (Kruger) Schaeffer. ]\lrs. Speckhart 
was born in Lippe, Germany, (October 7, 1851, 
and was brought to America by her parents 
when two years old. She attended the German 
school in Quincy and remained at home until 
she gave her hand in marriage to Mr. Speck- 
hart, April 15, 1869. They became the parents 
of the following: Elizabeth, who was boi*n 
October 7, 1871, is the wife of John Echten- 
eamp, a farmer of Fall ('reek township, and 
has six children. John, born June 28, 1875, 
and living on his father's farm in Fall Creek 
township, married Annie Westholdt and has a 
son and daughter. Ennna, born Januarv 25, 
1878. died March 8. 1882. and was buried in 
Bluff Hall cemetery. William, born February 
7. ISSO. married Letta Albsmeyer. and is living 
with his father, who is now building a home 
for him. IMaggie, born August 25, 1882, is the 
wife of John Hulcher, proprietor of a general 
store in Quincy. and has one son. Charles, 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



boi-ii May 21, 188(j, is at hoiiit'. Dauiel, a twin 
l)n)l:her of Charles, died when only a day old 
and was buried in Bluff Hall cemetery. Au- 
gust, born March 1, 1889, died May 8, 1889. 
Ella, born June 3, 1894, is a student in Bluif 
Hall school. 

Mr. Speckhart inherited two hundred and 
sixteen acres of laud from his father and with 
this as a nucleus he has extended his posses- 
sions until he now owns seven himdred and 
seventy acres of very valuable land all in Fall 
Creek township. Plere he raises hogs, corn and 
wheat. He learned when a boy to use the cra- 
dle and grub hoe, the ax and the scythe and 
during his life has done mucli hard work. From 
the time he was fourteen years of age he could 
stack wheat and that formed a part of his 
yearly labor until he reached the age of fifty- 
two years, the weather never being so inclem- 
ent that he did not perform his part in the 
held work. Without educational advantages 
to assist him in liis business career he has stead- 
ily worked his way upward, gaining knowledge 
through experience and observation and so 
managed his business affairs that he is to-day 
one of the substantial citizens of the county. 
In those early days game was plentiful and 
whou a boy Mr. Speckhart shot many a duck 
or goose in his own dooryard, game furnishing 
an important article of diet on the tables of 
the pioneers. His career has been a busy and 
useful one and he has always been honorable 
in his trade transactions. Both he and his 
wife are faithful members of the Congrega- 
tional church and his political views are in 
accord with the principles of the democracy. 



FRANCIS A. ANEALS. 



Francis A. Aueals, a well-to-do farmer of El- 
lington township, who has long been a resident 
of Adams county, was born in Boone county, 
aiissouri, October 30, 1826. His father, Francis 
Aneals, was born in New York in 1800 and died 
during the early boyhood of his son Francis. 
He had married Margaret Burke, a native of 
Penn.sylvania. He was a house joiner and fol- 
lowed that trade in New York and in Pennsyl- 
vania. At the time of his marriage, which oc- 
curred about 1822, he removed from the east 
to Missouri and entered government land, there 
spending about two yeai-s in the development 
and cultivation of the farm. He afterward 
went with his father to Schuyler county, Illi- 
nois, where he carried on agricultural pursuits 



and. in 1831, he removed to what is now 
(c^uincy, although the city at that time con- 
tained only three houses. He died the follow- 
ing year and therefore was a resident of Adams 
county for only a very brief period. He had 
purchased eighty acres of land one and a half 
miles northeast of the farm upon which Francis 
A. Aneals now resides and had broken, ten 
acres with oxen and, being unable to split rails, 
he constructed the first sod fence in Adams 
county. He had also erected a log cabin ot 
(iiic rdOHi, sixteen feet by fifteen feet square. 

In his political affiliation he was a whig and 
in religious faith a IMethodist. He aided in 
building the first IMethodist Episcopal church 
in Ellington township and was one of its local 
pi'eaehers. Every two weeks he would walk to 
Quiney, a distance of ten miles, in order to 
preach the gospel there and thus he aided ma- 
terially in the moral development of the pio- 
neer locality in which he made his home. 

Francis A. Aneals accompanied his parents 
on their various removals in his early child- 
hood, being but about five years of age when 
the family came to Adams county. Here he 
pursued his education in the public schools, 
walking a distance of three miles. He was 
reared upon the home farm and early in life 
began eai'niug his OAvn living by working as a 
farm hand at six dollars per month. He was 
thus employed until his marriage, which oc- 
curred December 17, 1847, Miss Almira Frost 
becoming his wife. She was born in Ohio in 
1827 and is a daughter of Elam Frost, who was 
a native of Maine and died at the advanced 
age of eighty-two years. His wife, who bore 
the maiden name of Louisa Pierce, was also a 
native of the Pine Tree state. Mr. Frost came 
to Adams county in 1834 and entered land 
from the government, ultimately becoming the 
owner of seven hundred acres in Adams county. 
He aj?sisted largely in the pioneer development 
of this part of the state and his naine is en- 
rolled among the honored early settlers to 
whom the present generation owes a debt of 
gratitude for having laid the foundation for 
tlie present prosperity and progress of this por- 
tion of the state. In his family were twelve 
children. 

Mr. Aneals purchased his home farm in 1850, 
becoming owner at that time of a tract of fifty 
aei'es, to which he has since added until he now 
has one Inmdred and forty acres in tlie home 
farm, while at one time he owned one hundred 
and twenty acres additional that he has given 
to his son, Willie Ellsworth, Unto Mr, and Mrs. 
Aneals have been born two daughters and a 
son : Ellen, who is the wife of William Rey- 
nolds Orr: Willie Ellsworth, who carries on 




MR. AND MRS. F. A. ANEALS 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



705 



general farming in Adams coiiuty ; and ^Irs. 
Minnie Dempsey of this conuty. 

With the exception of a brief period of four 
years spent in Qnincy, J\Ir. and ilrs. Aneals 
have resided upon the home farm continuously 
since their marriage, covering a period of fifty- 
seven years. Mr. Aneals now rents his land, but 
is still an active man, possessing the strength 
and vigor of a man of much younger years. 
His farm is situated ten miles northeast of 
Quincy and. while iie takes no active part in 
the work of the fields, he gives it his general 
supervision. For many years he carried for- 
ward the Avork of tilling the soil and kei)t his 
place in excellent condition, everything on the 
farm being in good repair, while the fields are 
well tilled and yield to him rich harvests. 

He has always been deeply interested in 
political questions concerning the welfare of 
county, state and nation and has given an un- 
faltering support to the republican party since 
its organization. He served as supervisor of 
Ellington township for three years and justice 
of the peace for fifteen years, has been a mem- 
ber of the school board and has filled other 
township offices, discharging his duties capably 
and efficiently that he has won high commen- 
dation therefor. He and his wife hold mem- 
bership in the Vermont Street Methodist Epis- 
copal church of Quincy and they enjoy and 
merit the warmest regard of all with whom 
they have been associated. 

Mr. Aneals has been a resident of Adams 
county for more than the allotted Psalm- 
ist's span of three score years and ten axid 
what to most people is a matter of record is 
largely to him a matter of experience or obser- 
vation in connection with the events which 
form the history and have marked the progress 
and improvement of Adams county. He farmed 
in early days with the crude machinery then 
in use, living in a pioneer log cabin and expe- 
riencing all the hardships and privations of 
frontier life, but as yeai-s passed his labors 
enabled him to secure the advantages and im- 
provements that were introduced, and today 
he is the possessor of an excellent property 
that supplies him with all the comforts and 
many of the luxuries of life. 



MRS. ANNA BAKERBOWER. 

IMrs. Anna Bakerbower, living in Clayton, 
was born in Schuyler county, Illinois, ^larch 
25, 1867, her parents being Conrad and Cather- 
ine (Bedenbender) Smith. Her father was 
born in Switzerland in 1830 and her mother's 



birth occurred in Germany in 1840. After com- 
ing to this country they located in Schuyler 
county, Illinois, and subsequently removed to 
Cass county, Missouri, where Mrs. Smith passed 
away in 1899. but her husband is still living 
in that county. 

]\Irs. Bakerbower was educated in the com- 
mon schools of Cass county, Missouri, and spent 
her girlhood days luider the parental roof, 
where she was carefully trained in the duties of 
the household so that she was well prepared 
to take charge of a home of her own at the 
time of her marriage. On the 23d of Decem- 
ber, 1890, she became the wife of Joseph Wil- 
liam Bakerbower, who was born March 14, 
1868, in Clayton, Illinois, a son of Michael and 
Mary (Bolinger) Bakerbower. His father was 
a harness-maker by trade but is now living re- 
tired, he and his wife having a good residence 
in Clayton. J. W. Bakerbower was a stock- 
buyer and shipper, following that business for 
some years, but eventually he became ill and 
went to Thomasville, Georgia, for his health. 
The change did not prove beneficial as had 
been anticipated and he passed away February 
23, 1901. He was a member of the Mystic 
Workei-s and also of the Mutual Protective 
League, in both of which he carried large in- 
surance policies. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Bakerbower were born 
two children: Harold, born March 22, 1893; 
and Eva, born May 6, 189.5. The mother owns 
her own home in Clayton and also has other 
property there, from which she derives a good 
income. She is a memljer of the Christian 
church and she enjoys the hospitality of the 
best homes of tlu' town, having gained many 
friends during licr residence in this part of 
the countv. 



JOHN R. HUTCHISON. 



John R. Hutchison, manager of the National 
Business College and School of Correspondence 
at Quincy, is a native son of Pennsylvania, his 
birth liaving occurred in Plymouth, that state, 
on the 18th of January, 1870. He is a son of 
James Hutchison, who was born in Scotland in 
1829 and is now living in Ames, Iowa. He came 
to the United States with his parents, locating 
in Plymouth. Pennsylvania. His father was a 
coal operator and James Hiitchison engaged in 
business along that line. Leaving the east he 
removed to Boone county, Iowa, in 1873, and 
there remained until 1889, when he retired and 
established his home in Ames, Iowa, where he 
yet lives. He is a member of the Congrega- 
tional church, a Mason in his fraternal relations 



7o6 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



and a republican in his jiolitical views, — affili- 
ations wliich stand for upright life, good citi- 
zenshij) and fidelity to honorable, manly prin- 
ciples. He married Jean Love, who was born 
in Scotland and died September 8, 1903, in the 
seventy-third year of her age. She was brought 
to America during her early girlhood by her 
parents, who located in Nova Scotia and even- 
tually became residents of Pennsylvania. Her 
father, Alexander Love, was also a coal opera- 
tor. iMrs. Hutchison held iin'iiibei-ship in the 
Congregational church and was a devoteil 
Christian woman. By her marriage she be- 
(•am(> tile mother of seven sons and one daugh- 
ter, all of whom are .vet living, namely: liruee, 
a coal operator at Daw.son, Iowa : Alexandei-, 
who is a farmer at Gilbert, Iowa : Lillie, the 
widow of James Gilchrist and a resident of 
Ames, Iowa: David, who is a civil engineer and 
is living in Denver, Colorado; William, a eoal 
opcT'ator at Dawson, Iowa : John R., of this re- 
view : Stuart, a practicing physician of Harri- 
son, Arkansas; and James, who is city engi- 
ne(^r at San Diego, California. 

John R. Hutchison was only three years of 
age when taken by his parents from Pennsyl 
vania to Iowa. Under the jja rental roof he was 
reared and when a .vouth of thirteen he began 
working in his father's store, being thus em- 
ployed until the early spring of 1888. At that 
time he became a student in Cedar Rapids Busi- 
ness College at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he 
completed a commercial course by graduation 
in July of the same .vear. During the four 
succeeding years he devoted his time to study 
in the Iowa State College and kept books for a 
eonl and mining company. In 1892 he entered 
upon an independent business venture at Gowie, 
Iowa, wliei'e in connection Avitli his brother he 
establislie(l a general mercantile store, conduct- 
ing this until 1894, when he withdrew and 
turned his attention to busines.s college inter- 
ests. As a teacher in that line he was located 
successively in San Jose, California : Salt Lake 
City, Utah; and Des ■\Ioines, Iowa : and in 1899 
he purchased the Iowa Business College, which 
he conducted successfully until 1903, when in 
connection with several others he purchased 
the Union Business College, the Qniney Busi- 
ness College and the Quiney School of Corre- 
spondence, all of Quiney, Illinois, and consoli- 
dated these various institutions under the name 
of the National Business College and School 
of Correspondence. Mr. Hutchison .became 
manager of the new enterprise and not a little 
of his success is atti'ibutable to his untiring 
efforts, his capability and executive force. He 
is a model business penman and an able in- 
structor in all commercial branches. Through 
the complexity of business conditions at the 



present time there has sprung up a demand 
for employes who are well trained for varif)us 
departments of commercial life and the school 
with which Mr. Hutchison is connected is meet- 
ing this demand in excellent manner, his course 
of instruction being of a most practical, bene- 
ficial character. 

That Mr. Hutchison is himself a man of 
strong intellectuality and well developed men- 
tal force is indicated b.v the fact that he gained 
the degrees of Bachelor of Science, Master of 
Arts and Bachelor of Laws, having been ad- 
mitted to the bar in 1897. 

In 1892 occurred the marriage of 'Sir. Hutch- 
ison to Miss Jennie Paris, a daughter of John 
and ]\Iartha Paris, the former a farmer by oc- 
cupation. l\Irs. Hutchison was born in Lo.st 
Nation, Iowa, and by her marriage has become 
tile niolher of an interesting son, Rankin, who 
was born in 1894. They are members of the 
Presbyterian church, wdiile Mv. Hutchison is 
identified with the ^lasonic and Odd Fellows 
fraternities. His political view^s accord with 
the principles of the republican party and he 
gives to it his stalwart support but has never 
been an asjiirant for office. He and his wife 
have made f(n' themselves an enviable position 
in cultui'cd society circles during flic period 
of their residence in Quiney. 



:MKS, VIRGINIA AGARD. 

ih's. A'irginia .Vgard, who is the owner of a 
fine farm of eighty acres situated about four 
and a half miles northwest of Ursa, was born 
]Mareh 15, 1845, in Schu.vler county. Illinois, 
her parents being Edward and Mary (Hag- 
gard) Wade, the former a native of Virginia 
and the latter of Tennessee. For many years 
they resided in Illinois. The father died April 
7. 1884, while his wife passed away in i'lvmonth. 
this state. May 22, 1882. 

]\Irs. Agard spent her girlhood da.vs in her 
parents' liome and acquired her education in 
public schools. After reaching womanhood she 
gave her hand in marriage to Wa.shington I. 
Agard, on the Kith of Jul.v, 1863. He was born 
in Ohio and was a son of James and Nancy 
(Vales) Agard. who eanie to Adams count.v 
during the early boyhood of their son. Here 
the mother died in 1875, having .survived hei' 
hu.sband for a number of years. In 1851 ^Fr. 
Agard located on what is now the old Agard 
homestead and he became the OAvner of the 
entire farm in 18(i.'). which lies on section 35, 
Ursa townshi]! and to its improvement and cul- 
tivation he uavi' bis undivided attention, ti-ans- 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



707 



forming the land into very productive fields 
and also keeping upon his place good grades 
of horses, cattle and hogs. He was a man of 
determined purpose and resolute will and car- 
ried forward to success whatever he undertook, 
overcoming all obstacles that could be sur- 
mounted by determined and honorable effort. 

Unto Mr. and ^Irs. Agard were born eight 
children as follows: Albert E., born iMay 10, 
186-4, married Olive Ellis and lives is Califor- 
nia ; James E., born November 26, 1867, makes 
his home with his mother ; John I., born Jan- 
uary 24, 1869, died August 30, 1874: Alta A., 
born July 21, 1872, is the wife of Charles ^Miller, 
a resident of Knox county, Missouri; Lena B., 
born March 10, 1875, became the wife of James 
Clapper, ilareh 7, 1895, and resides in Marcel- 
line ; Walter, born May 1, 1877. assists in th(! 
operation of the home farm : Bertie W.. born 
December 3, 1884, died August 4, 1898: and 
one son died in infancy. 

Mr. Agard was a nu^mber of the !Jlasoni(^ 
lodge at Marcelline, and James E. is likewise 
a member of that lodge. He also belongs to the 
Modei-n Woodmen camp, the Royal Arch chap- 
ter of Masons, the Eastern Star lodge, and the 
Christian church at ilarcelline. The father 
was a republican and the sons have followed 
in his political footstejjs. lie died June 10. 
1895. I'espected by all who kn'=w him. and. ow- 
ing to liis earnest labor and carefully managed 
business interests, he was enabled to leave his 
family in comfortable financial circumstances. 
]\rrs. Agard is now the owner of a very desira- 
ble farm and it returns to her a good annual 
income. She belongs to the Christian church 
at jMarcelline and is well known in the com- 
nnuiity. wliile the family occujiies an enviable 
po.sition in social circles and in the ]inblic i-(>- 
gard. 



JOIIX J. FISHER. 



John J. Fishei-. pmminent in the business cir- 
cles of Quiney. has been the proprietor and is 
now the president of one of its leading indus- 
trial entei-prises and has earned for himself an 
enviable reputation as a careful man of business 
M^ho in his dealings is known for his prompt 
and honorable methods. 

Mr. Fisher was born in tliis city July ti. 1869. 
and is a son of Jolm C. and ilary A. ( Weilage) 
Fishei'. His father was boi'n in Baltimore, 
^laryland, and was the second in a family of 
six children, all of whom are now deceased. 
Through many years of his business career he 
had ])een n stove molder and hi' dii'd in Quiney. 



His wife was born in Hanover, Germany, and 
when she was an infant her father was killed. 
Brouglit to this country, she spent her girlhood 
days in Quiney and here gave her hand in mar- 
riage to ^Ir. Fisher. She is still Jiving. 

John J. Fisher was a student in St. ^Mary's 
parochial school in his early youth and entered 
upon his business career as a clerk in a confec- 
tionery store, after which he was employed in 
a grocery establishment, thus gaining intimate 
knowledge of modern business methods. In 
1884 he turned his attention to the stove trade, 
being employed as clerk in the office of the Ex- 
celsior Stove Works, which company discon- 
tinued business in 1890. On May 1, 1890. :\Ir. 
Fisher entered into the stove rejjair business, 
conducting this business under the firm style 
of Excelsior Stove Repair Company. In 1893 
this business was incorporated under the laws 
of the state of Illinois, and in 1896 the capital 
of said company was increased and the firm 
name changed from Excelsior Stove Repair 
Company to Excelsior Stove & ^Manufacturing 
Company, when the manufacture of stoves and 
ranges was actively begun, since which time the 
products of this company have been marketed 
in every state in the Union, as well as foreign 
countries, under the popular trade mark, 
known the world over as "National Stoves ami 
Ranges." I\Ir. Fisher is its ]iresident and 
treasurer, while Nikolaus Kohl is vice-i)resi- 
dent, Anton Ohnemus is secretary and Theo- 
dore Ehrhart is superintendent. Th'- house 
emp'oys four hundred workmen and the out- 
put amounts in value to a million dollars an- 
nually. This is one of the important produc- 
tive industries of the city, a factor in its growth 
and commercial development. Tlie establish- 
ment manufactures all kinds of stoves, hard- 
ware and other products of iron, making a sjjc- 
cialty of the National stoves and ranges. The 
main office and foundry are located at 509-615 
South Front street with warerooms at 221-241 
Delaware street. A large amount of business 
is annually transacted and the house sustains 
an enviable reputation in trade circles. JMr. 
Fisher is also the vice-president of the Quiney 
Stamping Company and a director of the 
Quiney freight bureau. 

On 'the 31st of :\Iay, 19(12, Mr. Fisher was 
married to JMiss Ellen Cecelia Nolen. of Quiney. 
and they are members of St. Peter's Catholic 
church. He is a thorough-going business man, 
whose singleness of purpose, concentration of 
his energies and keen business discernment have 
proved the foundation upon which he has build- 
ed the superstructure of his success. He has 
battled earnestly and energetically and by in- 
domitable courage and integrity has achieved 
botli character and a fortune. Bv sheer force 



7o8 



PAST AND PEESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



of will and uiitiring effort he has worked his 
way upward and is miiiihered among the lead- 
ing business men of Quiiicy. 



JOHN DICK. 



John Dick, deceased, who for years was 
one of the prominent and well-to-do business 
men of Quiney and had a wide acquaintance 
throughout the middle Rlississippi valley, estab- 
lished his home in this city in 1856, and from 
that time on until his death was closely associ- 
ated with its manufacturing and commercial in- 
terests. A native of Germany, he was born on 
the 9th of October, 1827, his parents being John 
and Anna M. Dick, both of whom wei'e natives 
of Germany. His father was engaged in the 
wine business in that countr.y throughout his 
entire life, and both he and his wife died there. 

John Dick acquired his education in the pub- 
lic schools of Germany, ant", when a young man, 
hoping to benetit by the better business oppor- 
tunities of the new world, he crossed the Atlantic 
to America, locating first in Belleville, St. Clair 
county, Illinois, where he conducted a saloon 
and also engaged in the bakery business. He 
remained a resident at Belleville until 1856, 
when he disposed of his interests there and came 
to Quiney. Here he joined his brothers in the 
conduct of a brewing business, they becoming 
owners of what was known as Dick Brothers 
Brewery. They began operations on a small 
scale, but their trade steadily increased and they 
enlarged their plant to meet the growing patron- 
age until the brewery is to-day one of the largest 
in the state. It is still operated under the name 
of Dick & Brothers Quiney Brewing Company, 
and is the most extensive plant of the kind be- 
tween Chicago and St. Louis. After placing 
their brewing business upon a paying basis the 
brothers turned their attention to the milling 
and grain trade and built a large mill at the 
corner of Front and Delaware streets. They also 
erected a large elevator at No. 235 South Seventh 
street and were engaged in the grain and milling 
business, this enterprise being still conducted 
under the name of Dick Brothers Milling Com- 
pany. Mr. Dick of this review was connected 
with the various lines of activity mentioned up 
to the time of his death, which occurred on the 
30th of October. 1891, and liis enterprise, sound 
judgment and business discernment proved im- 
portant factors in the successful conduct of his 
varied commercial and manufacturing interests. 
It was while living in Belleville, Illinois, that 
Mr. Dick was united in marriage to Miss Louisa 
Steigmeyer, who was born in Philadelphia, Penn- 



sylvania, on the l:th of August, 1838, a daughter 
of Saffield and Nutberger (Steigmeyer) Steig- 
meyer, both of whom were natives of Germany. 
On coming to America they first settled in Phila- 
delphia. Mr. Steigmeyer was a shoemaker by 
trade, and afterward removed to Lisville, Ohio, 
where lie engaged in the shoe business for several 
years. His wife died there and he later removed 
to Belleville, Illinois, where his death soon oc- 
curred. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Dick were born nine chil- 
dren : Anna is the wife of August Dorkenwald, 
of Quiney, the president and manager of the 
Dick & Brothers Quiney Brewing Company, and 
a very prominent and influential man here. Ber- 
tha is the wife of August Glassner, a resident of 
Quiney. Frank, the treasurer and superinten- 
dent of the brewing company, married IMiss Rosa 
Ertel, their home being in Quiney. Matilda 
became the wife of Edward H. ]\Ienke, of this 
city, and is now deceased. Emma resides with 
her mother. Ida is the wife of Franklin Lunifel, 
a resident of St. Louis. Missouri. John E. is a 
partner in the firm of Bergstrosser & Dick, pro- 
prietors of the Phoenix sample room in Quiney, 
and he married Miss Nannie Tate. Louisa and 
Katie are both deceased. 

Mr. Dick gave his political allegiance to the 
democracy, but was never an officeseeker. He 
belonged to the Turner Society here and had a 
wide acquaintance, being especially prominent in 
German-American circles. Coming to the United 
States with limited capital, yet desirous of win- 
ning success, he gradually advanced by reason 
of his close application and unfaltering energy 
until he stood among the leading representatives 
of trade interests in Quiney. having gained a 
reputation for straightforward business dealing, 
while at the same time he won a handsome com- 
petency. His widow is still interested in both 
the brewing and milling business and owns a 
large and beautiful residence at No. 310 State 
street, where .she has resided for many vears. 



IDA SANFTLEBEN. 



Miss Ida Sanftk'ben, who is contluctiiig an 
extensive and profitable business as a manufac- 
turer and dealer in hair goods in Quiney, was 
born in this city. Her father, John Sanftle- 
ben, was born in Hamburg, Germany, and is 
now living in Quiney at the age of seventy- 
four years. He came to the United States at 
the age of twenty years, setting in St. Louis, 
where he engaged in business as a bookbinder, 
remaining there for seven or eight years. Fol- 
lowing the outbreak of the Civil war in 1861, 







/r//// / ^rA 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAI\IS COUNTY. 



711 



he enlisted in the Sixteenth Regiment of Illi- 
nois Volunteers and served for three years, be- 
ing mustered out in 1864, at which time he 
held the rank of orderly sergeant. He mar- 
ried Beatrice Schleieh, who was born near Ber- 
lin, Germany, and is now living at the age of 
sixty-three years. She came to the United 
States with her parents when six years of age; 
and located at Quincy. Her parents were 
Franz Julius and Wilhelmina (Matthews) 
Sehleich and her father was a dyer who car- 
ried on business at the corner of Sixth and 
State streets. He died during the cholera epi- 
demic many years ago. Mr, and ^Irs. Sanftle- 
ben were the parents of six children : Ida ; 
Clara; Beatrice: Anna, the wife of Charles 
Peterson, ticket agent for the Wabash Rail- 
road : Antonia, the wife of William Frey. buyer 
for the Gardner Governor Works: and Bettie 
Marie. 

Miss Sanftleben was educated in the public 
schools of Quincy and afterward became an 
apprentice to the trade of manufacturing hair 
goods imder Louise Sehoeneman. She has to- 
day the oldest hair and wig manufacturing es- 
tablishment in Quincy and the most popular, 
receiving her patronage from the best class of 
citizens. Her trade has reached extensive pro- 
portions and she is now conducting a profitable 
and growing business, located at 6O8V2 Maine 
street. ]\[iss Sanftleben was reared in the Lu- 
theran church and has a wide and favorable 
business and social acriuaintance in Quincy. 



WEBSTER BISELL. 

Webster Bisell is the owner of fifty-one acres 
of fine land just west of Marcelline and has 
one and two-fifths acres in the township of Ursa 
where he resides. He was born September 4, 
1846. in Adams countv. his parents being Felix 
and Elizabeth (Schiiltz) Bisell. The father 
was born in Pennsylvania in 1782, and the 
mother's birth occurred in Kentucky in 1802. 
They became residents of Illinois in 1842, re- 
maining for a short time in Quincy and then 
removed to Ursa township, where the father 
opened a grocery store one mile south of Hart- 
ford, carrying on that business for some time. 
Later he retired from active life and returned 
to Quincy. where he spent his remaining days 
in honorable retirement from further labor. 
He died December 9, 1850, and his widow after- 
ward became the wife of Lynch ilcKinney. in 
1854. They then removed to Lima township, 
where she lived until the death of her second 
husband in 1858. She afterward made her 



home with her son Webster, living with him 
until she was called from this life in July, 1896, 
at the very advanced age of ninety-four years. 

Webster Bisell had no educational advan- 
tages in his youth, for at a very early age he 
was obliged to earn his own living and what- 
ever success he has achieved is due entirely to 
his own labors. He worked upon a farm for 
some time, but during the Civil war he put 
aside all business and personal considerations, 
enlisting at the age of eighteen years as a mem- 
ber of Company 6, Fifty-eighth Illinois Infan- 
try. He joined the army on the 21st of May. 
1865, and served for one year. After the war 
he returned to Adams comity, where he rented 
land and engaged in farming, thus carrying on 
agricultural pursuits until his labors had 
brought him capital sufficient to enable him to 
purchase a farm of his own. In 1876, he bought 
fifty-one acres of land in Ursa township, con- 
stituting the farm Mdiich he owns. Through 
characteristic energy he began the further de- 
velopment and improvement of this place and 
soon had it under a good state of cultivation 
so that the fields returned to him excellent 
crops. He continued farming for many years, 
but in 1885 retired from active life and rented 
his farm to his son. He then took up his abode 
in Marcelline, where he has a beautiful home. 

In ;May. 1867. 'Sir. Bisell was married to Miss 
^latilda C. Gearard, a daughter of Samuel and 
Cynthia (Piper) Gearard, the former a native 
of England and the latter of Vermont. Both 
died in Ohio during the early girlhood of Mrs. 
Bisell, who was born July 16. 1846, and came 
to Adams county when eighteen years of age. 
Unto ilr. and Mrs. Bisell have been born six 
children, of whom two are yet living, namely: 
William E., who was born February 9, 1868, 
and married Almeda Shepard, their home being 
on the old farm belonging to his father: and 
Samuel Felix, who was born January 12. 1881. 
and is still at home. 

^Ir. Bisell has served as school director for 
more than twenty-five years and Avas deputy 
sheriff for four years, while for more than fif- 
teen years he was road commissioner. He dis- 
charged the duties of these positions in a most 
capable manner, being always loyal to the pub- 
lic good. In politics he is a staunch republican, 
taking a deep interest in the party and keeping 
well informed on all the questions and issues 
of the day as every true American citizen 
should do. He is an active member of IMarcel- 
line lodge. No. 114, A. F. & A. M.. and has 
held the office of trea.surer for more than 
twenty-two years, a fact which indicates his 
fidelity to the duties of the position and the 
tru.st reposed in him by his fellow members 
of the craft. His wife is a member of the 



712 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



Christian church at Ursa, and they are a most 
estimable couple, being held in high esteem by 
all because they have manifested in their lives 
the sterling traits of character which ever 
command contidence and respect. 



WILLIAM II. KEECE. 



William H. Reece, a veteran of the Civil 
war, who did valiant service for his country in 
her hour of need and now a well known and 
respected citizen of Adams county, was born 
in Clermont county, Ohio, in 1840, his parents 
being Samuel and Elizabeth (Seals) Reece. 
Both were natives of Greene county, Pennsyl- 
vania, and the father was born April 28, 1817, 
while the mother's bii-th occurred March 7, 
1811. They established their home in Keene 
township, Adams county, in 1847, easting in 
their lot with the i>ioneer settlers, and for many 
years the father did his full share in the work 
of developing and improving this part of the 
state. He died July ;50, 1877, and his wife 
died September 10, 1904. 

William H. Reece was a lad of only eight 
years when brought by his parents to Illinois, 
and his education was acquired in Keene town- 
ship. He was trained to farm work, laljoring 
in the fields from the time he was old enough 
to handle the plow. He thus gained practical 
experience that has proved of value to him in 
his later career, while carrying on farm work 
on his own account. His possessions now rep- 
resent one hundred and forty acres of arable 
and productive land on section 27, Keene town- 
ship, two miles southeast of Loraine. 

Mr. Reece was a young man of twenty-two 
years of age when on the 15th of August, 1862, 
he responded to his country's call for troops, 
enlisting as a member of Company K, One 
Hundred and Eighteenth Illinois Infantry. He 
served for three years and three months and 
was mustered out in October, 1865, for the 
war had ended and his country no longer need- 
ed his aid. He took part in nineteen regular 
battles and about three hundred skirmishes. 
He was in the two charges at Vicksburg and 
was often in the thickest of the fight but never 
faltered in the performance of any duty and re- 
mained a valiant defender of the stars and 
stripes until the close of the war. 

On the 13th of December, 1866. Mr. Reece 
was married to Miss Amelia A. Ward, who was 
born September 10, 1842, and is a daughter of 
William J. and Patience ]\Iarie (Rogers) Ward. 
Her father was born in Roxbury, Connecticut, 
July 22, 1810, and her mother's birth occurred 
in Washington county. New York, September 



tj, 1818. Coming to Illinois in early manhoo^l 
Mr. Ward met and married Miss Rogers in 
this state, the wedding ceremony being per- 
formed in 1836. They returned to the Empire 
state in 1844, where they continued to reside 
until 1851, when they again came to Adams 
county. Here 'Sirs. Ward died on the 18th of 
January of the following year, but Mr. Ward 
long survived her, his death occurring Decem- 
ber 23, 1879. Mr. and Mrs. Reece have become 
the parents of four children : Lydia Anna, who 
was born Augu.st 28, 1867, is the wife of Charles 
IJunyon and lives in Keene township; William 
.1.. l)orn June 8, 1870, married Alberta Aiisiiius 
July 15, 1902, and lives near his father; ^lary 
E., born September 3, 1873, died January 8. 
1905; Olive F., born September 16, 1875, M-as 
married November 21, 1897, to Charles Hester 
and resides in Loraine. Mr. and Mrs. Reece 
have three grandchildren. 

Mrs. Reece and her daughters are members 
of the Christian church. Mr. Reece gives his 
political allegiance to the democracy and be- 
lieves firmly in its principles but has never 
sought or desired office, preferring to give his 
undivided attention to his business affairs. He 
is, however, faithful in citizenship, being as 
true to his country in days of peace as when he 
loUowed the old flag on the battlefields of the 
south. 



HON. CHARLES BALLOW. 

No history of Adams county would be complete 
without mention of Charles Ballow, who for 
sixty-eight years has resided within its borders, 
and who now, at the age of eighty-seven years, 
is living at the Anna Brown Home for the Aged 
in Quincy. His has been an active and useful 
career, and in the evening of life he receives 
the veneration and respect which should ever be 
accorded by the younger generations to these 
who have traveled far on life's journey and 
whose careers have been marked by all that is 
honorable and upright in their relations with 
their fellowmen. 

Mr. Ballow was lioi-ii in Williamson county, 
Tennessee. November 6, 1818, hi.s parents being 
William Henry and Priscilla (Menier) Ballow, 
the former a native of Cumberland coiinty, Vir- 
ginia, and the latter of Kentucky, he being of 
Scotch lineage, while she came of French ances- 
try. The paternal grandfather, Charles Ballow, 
served as a nia.ior in the war foi' independence 
and died in Virginia. William II. Ballow served 
under General Jackson in the war of 1812. Be- 
fore his marriage he removed from Virginia to 
Kcntuckv, where he carried on farming for a 




CHARLES BALLOW 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



715 



few years, and theu removed to Williamson 
county, Tennessee, where lie followed agricnltn- 
ral pursuits until he took up his abode in ilor- 
gan county. Illinois. There he carried on farming 
for four years, after which he purchased a farm 
near White Hall, Greene county, Illinois, resid- 
ing thereon from 1831 until 1846, when he re- 
moved to Clayton CQunty, Iowa. He afterward 
lived in Linn county. Jlissouri, and gave his 
supervision to his farming interests there until 
his death, which occurred when he had reached 
the advanced age of ninety-three years. His wife 
died in Morgan county, Illinois. They were the 
parents of eight children, but only two are now 
living: Charles Ballow and his sister. Temper- 
ance, who is the widow of S. L. McAllister and 
resides in Ganado, Texas, at the age of eighty- 
nine years. The decea.sed are as follows: Ann 
Eebecca, born in 1807, became the wife of John 
Ausmus, of Adams county, Illinois, and both 
have passed away: Elizabeth died at the age of 
eight years; Patsy Iludson, born in 1811, was 
the wife of Rev. Peter Aiismus, a Baptist min- 
ister in JMorgan and Adams counties, and both 
are deceased ; John ]\I., born in 1813. was engaged 
in farming and merchandising in Hunt county, 
Texas, where he died in 1880; Henry M., who 
was born in 1821, followed fanning and died in 
Audubon county, Iowa ; Albert Galiton, born in 
1824, was a farmer in Clayton county, Iowa, 
where he was drowned in 1849. After losing his 
first wife, William H. Ballow was again mar- 
ried, in 1846, and had two children by that union. 

Brought to Illinois by his parents at an early 
age, Charles Ballow attended school in this state 
as opportunity oifered, but his educational privi- 
leges were very meager, and in the school of ex- 
perience he learned the lessons which made him 
a practical, successful and well-informed bi^si- 
ness man. He was in his nineteenth year when 
he came to Adams county in 1837. He had hith- 
erto assisted his father in farm labor, and now 
began leai-ning the carpenter trade at Clayton, 
following that pursuit for several years. He then 
turned his attention to commercial pui'suits and 
for many years conducted a general mercantile 
store in Clayton, securing a good trade, which 
was extended to him throughout the years of his 
connection with commercial interests. Thus he 
became the possessor of a very comfortable com- 
petency, a goodly share of which he yet has in 
his possession. At length, however, he retired 
from active business life and has since enjoyed a 
well-earned rest. 

ISlr. Ballow has been married twice. In 1848 
he wedded Araminta P. Berry, of Vermont, Illi- 
nois, and they became the pai*ents of two chil- 
dren : Charles, who was born in 1857 and en- 
gaged in railroading thi'oughout his entire life, 



died at Poplar Bluff, Missouri; and ]\Iartha Jane 
was a milliner and died in St. Louis. Mis,souri. 
Mr. Ballow has two nephews who ,are prominent 
citizens of Carthage, Illinois: 0. F. Berry, an 
attorney and bank president and former senator 
from his district; and ]\I. P. Berry, an attorney 
and bank cashier. "Slra. Ballow died in Cla\-ton, 
January 13, 1870, and in June, 1881, :\Ir. Ballow 
married ilrs. Charlotte L. Kinnear, who was 
born in New York state in 1837 and was residing 
in Trinidad, Colorado, at the time of their mar- 
riage. She was a daughter of Arnold Dickinson 
and the youngest of nine children. Her family 
was one of prominence in the Empire state and 
her father was a member of congress. Her first 
husband died in Trinidad, Colorado, in 1868, and 
:\rrs. Ballow died February 28, 1897. Both wives 
were devoted and loyal members of the Presby- 
terian church and were deeply interested in 
church, temperance and charitable work. 

For many years Jlr. Ballow was prominent in 
public affairs in Adams county and for two years 
represented his district in the state legislature. 
He Avas postmaster in Clayton for several years, 
was also notai-y public and is the oldest justice 
of the peace of the county, his first commission 
being dated at Quincy, j\Iay 6, 1850. He has 
always been a stanch democrat since casting his 
first presidential vote for Martin Van Buren, 
and no public trust reposed in him has been be- 
trayed in tlie slightest degree. He has long been 
an exemplary Mason, belonging to Clayton lodge, 
No. 147, A. F. & A. M., and is the only living 
charter member. He has an antique relic of the 
lodge — a jNIasonic apron which has been in his 
possession for fifty-three years. He is also con- 
nected with the Royal Arch chapter and the 
Eastern Star, and is a member of Jeptha lodge. 
No. 100, I. 0. 0. F. He assisted in the organiza- 
tion of the Adams and Brown Counties Old Set- 
tlers Association and served as its president for 
several years. He is a member of the Presby- 
terian church and served as elder in Clayton for 
over a half century. He has always taken an 
active interest in church and Simday-school work, 
is an unfaltering advocate of the catise of tem- 
perance, and, in fact, has been the champion of 
all measures tending to uplift man and promote 
his higher development. 

]Mr. Ballow lived a retired life in Clayton for 
a number of years when, having lost both chil- 
dren and being thus left alone, his friends ad- 
vised him to come to Quincy and enter the Anna 
Brown Home for the Aged. He decided to take 
this step in October, 1900, but remained at his 
home in Clayton a month longer in oi-der that 
he might cast his sixteenth presidential vote, and, 
on the 6th of November, 1900, his eighty-second 
birthday he entered the home. He is still en- 



7i6 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



joying very good )iealtli for one of his years. 
He lias many friends in Qnincy who visit him 
often, and many of his old friends of Clayton 
come frequently to see him. His memory is par- 
ticularly good, and he can relate many interest- 
ing incidents of life in Adams county at an early 
day. With the passing years he developed a 
character that has ever commanded unfailing re- 
spect, and his life presents main^ phases and dis- 
tinguishing traits that are well worthy of emu- 
lation. 



MRS. JENNIE DAVIS. 

Mrs. Jennie Davis is the owner of a valuable 
farm of two hundred acres on sections 20 and 
21, Lima township, her home being pleasantly 
located four miles southeast of the town of 
Lima. She was born July 21, 1833, in Adams 
eoimty, Pennsylvania, and is a daughter of 
John and Susanna (Maekey) Bingaman, of that 
county. Both were born and reared in the 
Keystone state. Mr. Bingaman was a stone- 
mason and plasterer and followed those pur- 
suits for many years in order to provide for 
his family. His death occurred in Mount 
Pleasant, Pennsylvania, after which Mrs. Bing- 
aman with her family came to Illinois, spend- 
ing her remaining days in Adams county. 

Mrs. Davis remained a resident of Pennsyl- 
vania during her girlhood days and acquired 
her education in the public schools there. She 
was married in Mount Pleasant, that state, on 
til J 1st of October. 1854. to Levi Davis, also a 
native of Adams county, Pennsylvania. He was 
born on the 18th of February, 1828, and was of 
English lineage, his grandfather, Samuel Davis, 
having emigrated from England to America 
prior to the Revolutionary war, at which time 
he located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. There 
occurred the birth of John Davis, April 12, 
1786. When a young man he learned the tail- 
or's trade but subsequently devoted his ener- 
gies to railroad contracting, grading a section 
of the Cumberland Valley Railroad. Thinking 
that he might have better business opportuni- 
ties in the west he came to Adams county, Illi- 
nois, in 1855, and for several years was a resi- 
dent of Payson. Later he took up his abode 
in Mendon, where he lived retired, passing 
away in 1871, in the eighty-fourth year of his 
age. He served as a sergeant in the war of 
1812 under General Scott and participated in 
the battle of Lundy's Lane. Throughout his 
entire life he held membership in the Christian 
church and his upright career and fidelity to 
duty made him one of the honored residents of 



every comimiiiity in which he spent any time. 
He was married to Barbara Schafer of Cumber- 
land county, Pennsylvania, who died in 1831. 
They were the parents of twelve children. 
After the death of his first wife the father 
married again, his second union being with Bar- 
bara Poorman. They had five children. 

Levi Davis, the tenth in order of birth in the 
first family, was reared under the parental roof 
in Pennsylvania and acquired his education in 
a log schoolhouse. He assisted largely in the 
arduous task of developing and cultivating a 
new farm. He remained with his parents until 
twenty years of age but in the meantime 
worked as a farm hand at six dollars per 
month. On leaving home he entered upon an 
apprenticeship to the carpenter's trade in 
]\Iount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, and following 
his arrival in Illinois, in the spring of 1851, he 
was employed at carpentering in Quiney for a 
year. Attracted by the discovery of gold in 
California he then started for the Pacific coast, 
traveling by way of New Orleans and the Isth- 
mus route. He was employed in the mines of 
California from July, 1852, until April, 1854, 
receiving five dollars and a half per day when 
working at his trade. His return trip proved 
a successful one and with a good capital saved 
from his earnings he started for home, sailing 
from San Francisco on the 1st of May, 1854. 
The return trip was made by way of Central 
America to Philadelphia, and there his gold 
dust was coined. He again went to Adams 
county, Penn.sylvania, and following his mar- 
riage, which occurred in October after his re- 
turn, he settled in McLean county, Illinois, 
purchasing a farm in Nornml township, where 
he resided until 1866. On selling that property 
he located in Lima township, Adams county, 
and after two years purchased the farm upon 
which his remaining days were passed. He 
was an enterprising agriculturist, was ener- 
getic, and whatever he undertook he carried 
forward to a successful completion. 

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Davis wei'e liorn six chil- 
dren: Emma, who was born July 16, 1855, Avas 
married November 20, 1872, to* Alfred Bittle- 
ston, and they reside in ]\Iarion county, ]\Iis- 
souri; Ella, born August 8. 1857, was married 
February 19, 1885, to Charles Wallace, and is 
living in Warsaw, Illinois; John C. born Au- 
gust 5, 1859, died Mhy 8, 1880; Frank A., born 
October 7, 1861, was married April 16, 1889, 
to Annie Thompson, a daughter of Lewis and 
Catharine (McAdams) Thompson, and resides 
upon the old homestead farm ; Levi, born Jan- 
uary 13, 1865, and Jennie, born January 21, 
1867, are at home with their mother. 

Mr. Davis was a member of IMarcelline 
lodge, No. 127, I. 0. 0. F., joining that organi- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



717 



zation in 1849. His political allegiauee was 
given to the democracy. He exerted consider- 
able influence in local and political circles, serv- 
ing frequently as a delegate to county and con- 
gressional conventions. He was justice of the 
peace of Lima township for nine years, a mem- 
ber of the county board of supervisors for four 
years, school treasurer for twenty j'ears, and 
also school director and road commissioner. 
Public progress was a matter of deep interest 
to him, and he rendered aid of particular value 
to the public school .system. He greatly desired 
the advancement of agricultural interests also 
and for many j^ears was director and stock- 
holder in the Adams County Fair Association, 
working at all times for its interests. He com- 
manded the good will and trust of his fellow- 
men, while among his friends and in his family 
he en.ioved the deepest regard and love. He 
died ilay 31, 1894. 

Since her husband's death Mrs. Davis has 
managed the farm with the assistance of her 
youngest son. She has a very valuable place 
of two hundred acres, the land being rich and 
arable. The farm is improved with a large and 
attractive frame residence, good outbuildings 
and all modern improvements. Mrs. Davis and 
her daughter are members of the Christian 
church, and the entire family is held in high 
esteem throughout this portion of the state. 



FRANCIS M. JACOBS. 

Francis JM. Jacobs, who is carrying on general 
agricultural pursuits on section 18, Lima town- 
ship, where he owns and operates one hundred 
and ninety-six acres of land, was born August 
10, 1838, in Adams county, and is the son of 
William and Caroline (Kirkpatriek) Jacobs. 
The mother died in 1839, when her son was only 
about a year old, and the father afterward mar- 
ried Louisa Nicholson. He was a native of Ken- 
tuckj' and came to this county in 1832, settling 
first in Quincy when it was a mere village. Land 
was of little value, and he was offered the lot 
upon which Newcomb hotel now stands for three 
dollars. He was a blacksmith by trade and fol- 
lowed that business in Quincy for a nmnber of 
years but afterward resided in Ursa, ]\Iareelline 
and Lima. He owned town property in the last 
two places, and his death occurred in ^Marcelline 
in 1871. 

Francis M. Jacobs obtained his education in 
the common schools of T'rsa and ]\Iendon town- 
ships, and when about eight years of age was a 
pupil in the schools of Quincy for a short pe- 
riod. When his education was completed he be- 



gan learning the cooper's trade, which he fol- 
lowed for ten years in Lima. He subseciuently 
went to Warsaw, Illinois, where he engaged in 
merchandising for two years, and on the expira- 
tion of that period he sold his store and bought 
land in Ursa township on Bear Creek. There he 
lived for two years, when he sold his propert.v 
and bought a farm on section 18, Lima township. 
He now owns one hundred and ninety-six acres 
of rich and valuable land, which he has placed 
under a high state of cultivation, making excel- 
lent improvements thereon until his farm now 
displays all the modern equipments found upon 
a model farm of the twentieth century. He has 
about three hundred fruit trees iipon his place, 
and his fields are well cultivated, while in his 
pastures are seen good grades of stock. He oper- 
ates nearly all of this land himself and is a veiy 
hale and hearty man for one of his years. 

On the 31st of October, 1861, ilr. Jacobs was 
married to Miss Celatha Crenshaw, a daughter 
of Theophilus and Martha (Martin) Crenshaw, 
the former born in 1815 and the latter in 1822. 
Mrs. Jacobs was born October 31, 1841, in Lima, 
Avliere her parents were then residing. Her fa- 
ther was a blacksmith and biiilt the brick black- 
smith shop in Lima. At one time he was the 
owner of the farm iipon which IMr. Jacobs now 
resides, and there he made his home for a num- 
ber of years prior to his death, which occurred 
Ma.y 25, 1891, his wife surviving him for a few 
,vears, passing away on the 18th of November, 
1894. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs have been born 
six children : Alice M., born ]\Iarch 9, 1863, is 
the wife of I. ]\I. Vincent, living upon a farm 
ad.joining the old homestead: Clara ]M., born 
May 25, 1865, is the wife of William Bolt, who 
resides west of Lima: Edwai-d F., born August 
22, 1868, married Effie A. Bolt and resides west 
of Lima : John T., born April 12, 1871, died Au- 
gust 9, 1892 ; James W., born June 5, 1874, mar- 
ried Dais.v Clark and lives in Lima; and Dolly 
J., born February 10, 1880, was married in 1896 
to Frank Griffin, living about a mile south of 
Lima. 

Mr. and ]\Irs. Jacobs reside about a mile south- 
east of Lima. They are consistent members of 
the ]\Iethodist Episcopal church, and Mr. Jacobs 
belongs to Lima lodge. No. 135, A. F. & A. M.. 
of which he has been a representative for thirty- 
five years, while he and his wife belong to East- 
ern Star lodge. No. 234. He votes with the de- 
mocracy and has served as supervisor for six 
years, as commis.sioner of highways for six years 
and as school director for three years. In all 
matters of citizenship he is public-spirited and 
progressive, interested in all that pertains to the 
general welfare, and doing everything in his 
power to promote public progress. Having lived 
in Adams county throughout his entire life, cov- 



7i8 



PAST AND PEESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



ering a period of sixty-seven years, he lias a wide 
acquaintance here and his circle of friends is 
almost co-extensive with the circle of his acquain- 
tances. 



DAVID SHEER. 



David Sheer, one of the prominent and pros- 
perous farmers living on section 4, Melrose town- 
ship, is a native of the Empire state, his birth 
havins; occurred in Buffalo, New York, October 
10, 1828. He is of German descent, his parents, 
John and Margaret Sheer, having been boi-n in 
Bavaria, Germany, where they resided until 1SL*2, 
when they came to the United States and settled 
in Buffalo, residing there for a year. They then 
removed to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where they 
made their home until 1827, when they again 
located in Buffalo, and it was during this period 
of their residence in that state that David Sheer 
was born. In April, 1827, however, they went to 
Tuscarawas county, Ohio, where the father culti- 
vated and improved a farm of eighty acres. He 
sold that i^roperty in 1845, and, I'emoving to 
Adams county, Illinois, took up his abode in Mel- 
rose township, where he carried on general farm- 
ing until his death. Both he and his wife were 
devoted members of the German Lutheran church 
and in that faith reared their family, their chil- 
dren also becoming communicants of that denomi- 
nation. One of their sons, Jacob, died near De- 
catur, Illinois, leaving a family: Mary became 
the wife of Jacob Gheme and lives in Ohio ; Chris- 
tina is the deceased wife of David Beamer ; jMich- 
ael resides in Cherokee county, Kansas: Mrs. Mar- 
garet King is deceased : Caroline is the wife of 
Fred Herchenroder, and Peter makes his home in 
Slater, Missouri. Michael Sheer served as a sol- 
dier in both the Mexican and the Civil wars, .join- 
ing the Union army in 1862. Being a valiant 
soldier, he never faltered in transacting any duty, 
whether assigned to the firing line or the lonely 
picket line. He died at his home in Kansas. 

David Sheer pursued his echication in the ])ub- 
lic schools of Ohio and was reared to farm life 
He has always carried on agricultural i)uisuits. 
save for a brief period which was passed in Cali- 
fornia. He went to that state in 1850, whei-e hi^ 
remained for two years. Following his return 
to the east, he was married in 1853 to Miss FA'v/.-a- 
beth Herlemaini and they became the parents of 
eight children, as follows: Leonard; William; 
IMargaret, the wife of James Abel; Mary; Mar- 
ion; Matilda: Annie, and Walter. After the 
death of his first wife Mr. Sheer wedded l\Iiss 
Henrietta Garand. who was born in St. Louis, 
IMissouri, and is a daughter of Fred Garand, 



whose birth occuiTed in (lerinany. ;ind he became 
a resident of St. Louis in 1848. The two children 
of this marriage are Antoinette and Isabella M. 
l\Ir. Sheer is the owner of four hundred and 
thirty-nine acres of valuable hind. He now rents 
his home farm and since 18;t2 has resided at his 
present place of residence, at Forty-eighth and 
State streets, in Melrose township. Here he has 
nine acres of land. He has been a most progres- 
sive agriculturist, working along modern lines of 
improvement, and his labors resulted in bringing 
him very gratifying prosperity. His home was 
built in 1876. In his political views he is a demo- 
crat and he has been called to a number of local 
offices. He served as supervisor of Melrose town- 
ship for seven vears. He is a member of Posey 
lodge. No. 379," A. F. & A. M.. and belongs to 
the chapter and connnandery at Quincy. He is 
widely known foi- his sterling worth, being a man 
of upright principles, of manly disposition and 
mai'ked generosity. In all public matters relating 
to the general welfare he has been progressive 
and helpful. He is now almost seventy-seven 
years of age, but is still hale and hearty, en.ioying 
life, and in spirit and interests he seems yet in 
his jirime. 



I\IRS. SARAH J. BENNETT. 

Mrs. Sarah J. Bennett, residing in Clayton. 
where she owns a fine home, is also the owner 
of a valuable farm property of one hundred 
and sixty acres a mile north of the town. She 
was born in Adams county, January 24, 1846, 
and is a daughter of John and Catherine (ilar- 
shall) IMarrett. The father's birth occui-red in 
Delaware, September 2(i. 1794, and from that 
state he removed to (Jhio. where he followed 
the occupation of farming. Later he became 
a resident of Adams county, Illinois, where he 
also engaged in agricultural pursuits. He mar- 
ried j\Iiss Cathei'ine Marshall, who was boi'n 
in Tennessee, October 20, 1812. His death oc- 
curred August 24, 1868. 

]\Irs. Bennett pursued her education in the 
schools of Clayton and spent her girlhood days 
in her parents' home. On the 30th of October, 
1865, she became the wife of Zachariah Ben- 
nett, who was born in Adams county. Decem- 
ber 19, 1836, and was a son of Othie and Nancy 
(Ferguson) Bennett, the former born in Indi- 
ana on the 18th of August, 1801, and the lat- 
ter on the 9th of November, 1805. He was a 
farmer by occiipation, and following his reiiinN- 
al to Illinois established his home in Ci>nc(ii'(l 
town.ship, Adams county, where he (-aiTieil on 
general agi'icultural pursuits. Both lu' and his 
wife have now passed away. 




/U)^ldnJy^j\A^^^ 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



721 



The home of ^Ir. aiul ]\Ir.s. Zaehariah Hemiett 
was blessed with cue daughter — Lillian F., who 
was born October 20, 1867. and is the widow 
of George A. Farmer, who was born August 4, 
1863, and was a stock dealer and general agri- 
culturist. He died November i, 1903. leaving 
his widow, and one child, Reva Blanche, born 
October 14, 1899. 

]Mr. Bennett was a member of the IMasonic 
fraternity, in which he attained the Knight 
Templar degree, and in his life he manifested 
the beneficent spirit of the craft. His wife and 
daughter are members of the Christian church. 
They also belong to the Eastern Star, the la- 
dies' auxiliary of the ]\Iasonic fraternity, and 
have taken the Rebekah degree of Odd Fellow- 
ship. ]\Irs. Bennett is also a member of the 
Woman's Relief Corps. She has good realty 
interests which provide her with a liberal in- 
come, a farm being a well improved property, 
while her home in Clayton is one of the attrac- 
tive residences of the town. 



ELISHA BENTLET HA]MILTON. 

General Elisha Bentley Hamilton, deceased, 
of Quincy. lawyer, soldier and orator, whose 
fame was wider than the state and whose ver- 
satile attainments were utilized for the benefit 
of his fellowmen, making his a life of service, 
was born in Carthage, Hancock county, Oc- 
tober 5. 1838, — a period in which history was 
being rapidly made in Illinois, and when the 
men who later were to shape the destiny of the 
nation were then molding the policy of the 
state. He was the youngest in a family of six 
children, whose parents were Artois and Atta 
(Bentley) Hamilton. The father conducted the 
village tavern there for several years, a hos- 
telry which became famous as the place of en- 
tertainment of such men as Lincoln, Douglas, 
Mitchell, Logan, Browning, Bushnell and other 
prominent men of the period, to whose words 
of wisdom the boy often listened with interest. 
He also witnessed the stirring scenes that ac- 
companied the ]\Iormon troubles in Hancock 
county. He saw the Smiths killed at the Car- 
thage ,iail on June 27, 1844, and saw the little 
army that marched to the battle of Nauvoo. in 
1846, when the settlers, no longer willing to 
bear the contamination of polygamous doc- 
trines, thus put an end to ^Mormon domination 
in Illinois. These events made a deep impres- 
sion upon the mind of Elisha B. Hamilton, then 
but a boy. He early became the steadfast 
friend of law and order, as well as the sworn 
foe of mob violence and all forms of rebellion 
against properly constituted authority. 



Save for such occurrences which made a last- 
ing impression upon his mind, the youth of Gen- 
eral Hamilton passed quietly, the summer 
months being devoted to the labors of the farm, 
while in the winter seasons he attended the 
country schools. Ambitious of obtaining a bet- 
ter education he eagerly embraced the oppor- 
tunity which was afforded him at the age of 
eighteen years, of attending Illinois College 
at Jacksonville, where he graduated in June, 
1860, at which time he won the Bachelor of Sci- 
ence degree, while in 1873 his alma mater con- 
ferred upon him the honorary degree of Bach- 
elor of Arts, Following his graduation he en- 
tered upon the stud.y of law. At the same time 
he watched with interest the progress of events 
in the south, involving the questions which had 
called forth the championship or opposition of 
two of his father's old time guests, Lincoln and 
Douglas, now risen to national prominence. 
Full of the martial spirit. General Hamilton, 
in his youth, was a member of the famous old 
Carthage Guards, and in 1862 his patriotism 
found tangible proof in action when, in Au- 
gust, he enlisted as a private of Company B, 
One Hundred and Eighteenth Illinois Infantry, 
"for three years or during the war." With his 
command he participated in all the campaigns 
against Vieksburg. also in the Western Louisi- 
ana and Red River campaigns of 1863 and 1864, 
.sharing all the dangers and hardships of the 
service and manifesting many meritorious and 
soldierly qualities. Tuitil mustered out October 
1, 1865, In recognition of his gallant service 
he was commissioned first lieutenant in No- 
vember, 1863, and near the close of the war 
was promoted to assistant ad.jutant on the staff 
of General Fonda, at Baton Rouge. Louisiana. 
In the discharge of the responsible duties which 
were frequently assigned him. he was always 
found trustworthy and capable and was pop- 
ular with the men and officers with whom the 
fortunes of war brought him in contact. His 
interest in military affairs never abated and 
some of his happiest hours were spent with his 
old army comrades at their annual reunions. 
Following the clo.se of hostilities he aided in 
organizing the Quincy Guards, of which he 
was elected captain. In 1877 he was in com- 
mand of the Eighth Illinois Infantry during 
the great strike at East St. Louis. Illinois, and 
for the valuable service he there rendered the 
state he was commissioned by Governor CviUom 
as brigadier general. He then served as in- 
spector general of the Illinois ]Militia iinder 
Governors C'ullom, Hamilton and Oglesby, re- 
signing in 1887, and prior to, during and after 
that period he labored earnestly to promote 
the militia organization of the state and con- 



722 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



tribiitpd generously towards its iniprovenient. 
Also deeply interested in the Grand Army of 
the Republic, he became one of its early mem- 
bers, served for a number of terms as comman- 
der of John Woods Post at Quincy and was 
senior vice commander of the Illinois Depart- 
ment in 1893-4. He was also a member of the 
Society of the Army of the Tennessee and of 
the Loyal Legion. No gathering of the veter- 
ans of Illinois was ever considered complete 
without General Hamilton, whose attractive 
and entertaining addresses, sometimes pre- 
pared, often extemporaneous, always made him 
a popular orator, while his genial manner and 
social disposition made him a favorite with all. 

Following his return from the Civil war. 
General Hamilton resumed the study of law 
and from 1866 until his death was a resident 
of Quincy and an honored and capable member 
of its bar, save for a brief period spent in the 
west. He first became a law student in the 
office of Warren & WTieat, then practicing at- 
torneys of Quincy, and was admitted to prac- 
tice in January, 1869. He was successively 
a nioniber of the law firms of Warren. Wheat 
tt Hamilton (being admitted to a partnership 
by his former preceptors) : Wheat. Ewing iSi 
Hamilton ; and Ewing & Hamilton. In the 
summer of 1887 he removed to Kansas City, 
Missouri, where he engaged in law practice 
until the spring of 1891, when he returned to 
Quincy, and for a nmnber of years was the 
senior member of the law firm of Hamilton & 
Woods in Quincy, which was his liusiness con- 
nection at the time of his death. The favorable 
opinion which the public passed upon him at 
the outset of his career w-as in no degree set 
aside or modified during the years of his prac- 
tice, but on the contrary was strengthened. 
His clientage became large and of a distinc- 
tively representative character. He possessed 
strong intellectual force, a logical mind, keen 
discrimination and power of accurate analysis, 
and his natural gift of oratory still further 
strengthened his position as one of the fore- 
most lawyers who has ever practiced at the 
Quincy bar, and the records of the courts bear 
evidence of his marked ability and professional 
industry. 

His efforts in behalf of Quincy Avere of a 
varied character — always ])ractical. always 
progressive, always resultant. His labors in 
this direction had the stamp of statesmanship. 
An orator who was frequently called to the 
paiblic platform to address the people upon di- 
versified questions, he used his talent in this 
direction as the basis of a public library, de- 
livering a series of lectures the proceeds of 
which were used as a nucleus of the funds that 
were gathered for the building of this public 



institution of which the city has every reason 
to be proud. He was also active and efficient 
in founding the Quincy Historical Society, 
serving as its vice-president until his death, 
and he was a valued member of the Illinois 
State Historical Society. He was the chaiiqiion 
of every movement for the dissemination of 
helpful knowledge and did effective service for 
the system of public instruction in Quincy, while 
Illinois College had no more loyal supporter 
among its alnmni. He found great pleasure in 
revisiting the scenes of his college life and the 
faculty and students came to anticipate with 
pleasure his visits to the school when any note- 
worthy event was there transpiring. 

Prominent in Masonry, he took the degrees of 
lodge, chapter and connnandery. His political 
position none need question. He was an out- 
spoken republican, firm and unswerving in his 
convictions, yet never bitterly aggressive and 
his partisanship awakened the respect of his 
opponents, so fearless was he and yet so just. 
He seemed to have no political aspirations for 
himself and held few offices. He was appointed 
surveyor of the port of Quincy in 1868 and re- 
appointed by General Grant in 1872. He also 
served as United States deputy marshal nndei' 
Mar.shals Tanner and Wheeler, and his influence 
bore weight in the councils of his party in county 
and state. When political differences seemed 
to engender personal animosity he often per- 
formed the part of peacemaker. This was be- 
cause of his innate and impulsive fairness. Hi- 
was never so blinded by self-interest that he could 
not see some good in the opposing force and his 
mind was always free from bigotry. 

General Hamilton was married on the 10th of 
September, 1878, to Miss Mary E. Fisk. of 
Quincy, who with two children survive him. The 
son, Elisha Bentley Hamilton, Jr., like the fa- 
ther, was educated in Illinois College. The 
daughter, Lucy A. Hamilton, was educated at 
Andover, Massachiisetts. (icneral Hamilton 
possessed strong domestic tastes and while he ac- 
complished much in the business world and rati- 
fied his friendships by kindly sympathy and 
thoughtful consideration for others, his greatest 
depth of love was reserved for his family. The 
accumulation of wealth was never an actuating 
force in his career, but a means to an end — and 
that end was the good that might be accomplished 
through the use of his means, and the comfort 
and happiness that he could afford his family. 

General Hamilton, having driven into the 
country that he might argue a point concerning 
a local election where he thought unfairness and 
in.iu.stice were being displayed, died suddenly, 
while thus engaged, ^larcli 20, 1902, and thus his 
career of iisefulness and activity extended almost 
fo his last moment. Siich was his wish, but the 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAJIS COUNTY. 



723 



blow came with telling force to the state, where 
he was honored for his public-spirited devotion 
to the general good and for his high ideals of 
citizenship ; to the city, where he was eherislied 
as friend and brother ; and to his family, to whom 
he bore an almost ideal relation of luisliand and 
father. Re.solutions of respect and sympathy 
were passed by the Qnincy bar and the various 
civil, militaiy and fraternal organizations with 
which he was identified. Rev. Dr. Dana, in the 
funeral service said : ' ' Everj^ community has 
men who are respected and men who are loved, 
but this man had the esteem and affection of all 
who laiew him. Few, if any, stood higher in 
the general regard. He possessed certain quali- 
ties of the mind and heart that endeared him to 
the multitudes. The vigor of his manhood was 
not merely physical: it was moral. Truth was 
his ally, sincerity his close companion. As a 
lawyer he honored his calling. He was a public- 
spirited citizen, ready to sacrifice himself if he 
could aid the well being of the community. The 
trait of his manhood which characterized him 
most strongly was his loyalty. He was every- 
where loyal — to friend, to comrade, to the right, 
to his party and to his country." He was laid 
to rest with military honors, attended by an 
escort of the militia and naval reserves, as well 
as his old comrades in arms and the Knight Tem- 
plars, and following the ritual service of the 
Grand Army of the Republic the last taps were 
sounded. 



JOHN willia:m lease. 

Although he has passed the Psalmist's allotted 
span of three score years and ten, John W. Lease 
is yet actively interested in farming, giving gen- 
eral supervision to his property, which comprises 
five hundred acres in Adams county, his home 
being on section 26, Payson township. He is 
also one of the pioneer settlers of the county and 
a wonderful transformation has been wrought 
along all lines of endeavor since he came here. 

He was born in Hampshire county, Vii-ginia, 
June 7, 1828, and is a representative of an old 
southern family, his grandfather having served 
in the Revolutionary war. His parents were Ja- 
cob and Phoebe Ellen (Cadwallader) Lease, both 
natives of Virginia, and the father there followed 
the occupation of farming. He came to Illinois 
in 1844, accompanied by his son John and a 
daughter. They made their way down the Ohio 
and up the ]\Iis.sissippi river and Jacob Lease 
settled in Payson. His two brothers, Henry and 
Jacob, had previously come to Adams county and 



William Thompson, a brother-in-law, came with 
Jacob Lease and his children. Jacob Lease pur- 
chased forty acres of land, which he afterward 
sold, and then bought forty acres in Pike county 
This he later sold but again invested in a small 
tract in the same county. He made his home, 
however, across the line in Adams county, where 
his death occurred. His wife had previoush' 
passed away at the home of their son Jacob in 
Pike county. 

John W. Lease, the fifth in a family of six 
children, four sons and two daughters, .spent 
the first sixteen years of his life in the state 
of his nativity and acquired his education in the 
subscription schools there, for there were no pub- 
lie schools in that state at the time. After com- 
ing to Illinois he soon began farming on his own 
account and was engaged in this way for several 
years before his marriage. On the 1st of June, 
1854, he married Eleanor Lewton. a native of 
Carroll county, Ohio, born December 3, 1837, 
and a daughter of John and Mary (George) 
Le%vton, also natives of Ohio. The former was 
a farmer by occupation. His father, Isaac Lew- 
ton, had purchased land in Adams eount.y for 
his children and in 1839 John Lewton came to 
the west and settled in Pike county, near where 
Barry now .stands. His family at that time num- 
bered five children and Mrs. Lease now has one 
sister and a half-brother and half-sister who live 
in Kinderhook, Illinois. 

At the time of his marriage Mr. Lease had just 
forty dollars in money and one horse. He first 
bought forty-five acres of land, for which he went 
into debt as he had no money to make a payment 
thereon, but be at once began to cultivate the 
place and from the sale of his farm products he 
secured the capital that later enabled him to 
purchase more land. He lived upon his first 
farm until the fall of 1855, and to that place 
took his bride, who did the cooking over the fire 
in an old time fire-place. Later he sold and 
bought other property and has kept adding to his 
land until he now has five hundred acres, worth 
at least seventy-five dollars per acre. 

As the years went by twelve children were 
added to tlie family : William H., the eldest, mar- 
led and at his death left seven children. Mari- 
etta is the wife of Asbery Wagj', of Dawn, Liv- 
ingston county, Missouri, and they had four chil- 
dren, three yet living. Susan .Marie is the wife 
of John S. Thompson, postmaster of Plainville, 
Adams county, and has four children. Charles 
Emery, livinsr on his father's farm, lost his wife 
and one child and has four living children. 
George Albert, living on the old homestead, mar- 
ried Sarah E. Ramer and has one child. ^lar- 
garet became the wife of Charles Wingfield. of 
Kansas, and died leaving three daughters. Louis 



724 



PAST AND PKESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



Elmer, livinj;' on the old homestead, married Lu- 
ella Iliggiiis and lias one child. John Norman, 
also living on the old home farm, married Fannie 
Bemont and has one child. Alice died at the age 
of a year and a half. Fannie is the wife of Mer- 
ritt Rice, a dentist, of Viola, Illinois, and has 
one child. Dai.sy died when three years old. Altie 
is tlie wife of Roy Lease, living on a part of the 
old homestead, and has one child. 

Mr. Lease votes with the democratic party Imt 
has never sovight or desired office, preferring to 
give his undivided attention to his business af- 
faii's, which have resulted successfully because 
of his close application and unfaltering energy. 
His mind bears the impress of many pioneer 
events, and lie has seen great changes since he 
came to the county. No longer are seen the log 
cabins and the other evidences of pioneer life, 
and 'Sh-. Lease has alway.s taken a deep interest 
in what has been accomplished as the Avork of 
civilization has been carried fm-ward. 



TITO:\rAS J. FRAZIER. 

Thomas J. Fraziei-, one ol' Ihc most extensive 
farmei-s and stock-raisers of Adams county, was 
1)orii June 25, 1S57, in the county which is still 
his home, his jiareuts being Lemuel G. and Eva 
l\r. (Ahalt) Prazier. The father was born in 
Cynthiana, Kentucky, and was a son of George 
and Lucretia (Blackburn) Frazier, and the 
mother was born in ]\Iiddletown, Maryland, and 
was a daughter of Isaac and Margaret (Rems- 
berg) Ahalt. In 1828 Lemuel G. Frazier came to 
Adams county, Illinois, locating in the southern 
part of Ursa township, whei'e he lived for some 
time. Lie afterward sold his ])ropei-ty thei-e ;ind 
bought a farm just north of tlie one upon which 
his son now resides, malting it his home until his 
death, on the .'ith of Octobei'. ISsO. II,. h;i<l 
twelve children, all of whom ;in' still living. 

Thomas J. Fraziei' was educated in the jiublic 
.schools of Ursa township and. when his education 
was completed, he rented land and liegan farm- 
ing on his own account, being thus engaged until 
1897, when he bought two hundred and sixty 
acres of land in Lewis county, Missouri. He 
retained ownershii) of the property until 1901, 
although he never lived upon it. In the spring 
of tliat year he sold his IMissouri farm, and in 
1903 he bought the farm on which he now makes 
his home. He has two hundred and forty acres 
of very fine and productive land located on sec- 
tion 29, Ursa township, and this is one of the 
best improved properties in the county. He has 
recently completed a very fine barn, fort.v-four 
b.v eight.v feet, with a basement eight feet and 
four inches in height, and there are twenty-foot 



posts and gable roof. The high w;dl under 
the barn is stone, and all of the other walls are 
concrete. In the basement there are stalls for 
thirty-two liead of horses, with a feed driveway 
between the row of stalls and a wagon driveway 
throughout the whole length of the basement, so 
that he can drive a wagon in and load through 
grain spouts from the granary above. The hay 
loft aliove will contain one hundred and twenty 
tons of hay. There are also five large granaries 
above, with jileiity of room for thi> machinery 
and two large driveways for wagons. The floor 
is all hardwood, as are the stalls, and the fioors 
over the basement are all dovible and are hard 
maple. It is by far the finest barn in Ursa town- 
ship and one of which the owner may be .iustly 
proud. j\[r. Frazier owns a large amount of hogs, 
and raises corn on an extensive scale, often ship- 
]nng several hundred hogs to market at one time. 
He also raises a large number of cattle and horses 
and as a stock-raiser is well kno\ni throughout 
the county, the extent of his business bringing 
him a very gratifying financial return. 

On the' 15th of June, 1881, ]\Ir. Frazier was 
wedded to iliss Belle Woodruff, a daughter of 
Freeman and P^rauces (Ilari'ison'l Woodruff, of 
Ursa. ^Irs. Fi'azier was born February 3. 1859, 
anil by liei' marriage has become the mother of 
three children: .Mabel E., born December 10, 
1882 ; Ida M., born August 27, 1885 ; and Grover 
L., born Decemlier 16, 1890. The second daugh- 
ter has attended the (|>uincy high school, and the 
others have lieen I'ducatcd in the piihlii' schools 
near home. 

Mr. Fi-azicr votes witli the dciiioi-ratic i)arty, 
keeping well informed on th<' (piestioiis and is- 
sues of the day, and is able to support his posi- 
tion by intelligent argument, but has never 
sought ov desired office, save that lie has served 
as school director I'nr sc\-cral \r;irs. Ili' is an 
active member of .Marcclline lodg,-. .V,,. lU, A, 
F. and ^\. ^1., and his family are members of the 
Christian church of U)-sa. He may well be called 
a self-made man. for he stai'ted out in life with 
little caiiital. .\s the years have advanced he 
lias overcome all the difficulties and obstacles in 
his path, and liy diliiicncc .-ind good management 
has woi'ked his way upiward to a position of 
affluence. 



HENRY P. BEHRENSMEYER. 

Henry Philip Behrensmeyer, in charge of the 
penmanship department of the Gem City Busi- 
ne s College, was boi-n in Quinc.y, February 18. 
1868, his parents being Henry Charles and Fi-ed- 
erieka (Dickmann) Behrensmeyei'. The parents 
were married in Prussia, Germany, and came 




T. J. FRAZIER AND FAMILY 



PAST AND PKESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



727 



from that country to America. In 1881 the fa- 
ther became the senior partner of the firm of 
Behrensmeyer & Company, pork packers. Sev- 
eral changes in the ownership of the business 
occurred and in 1890 the firm style of Behrens- 
meyer, Achelpohl & Tuffli was assumed. For a 
number of years before becoming connected with 
the pork-packing business the father had lived 
in this city, the year of his arrival being 18(33. 
He worked for the firm of ]\Ioss & "Wild for a 
number of years and later became connected with 
A. H. Achelpohl in the pork-packing business 
under the firm style of Behrensmeyer & Com- 
pany. The old Curtis distillery plant was pur- 
chased and transformed for the purposes of their 
business and ^Ir. Behrensmeyer continued an 
active factor in the management of the enterprise 
until 1892. He died in the spring of that year. 
In polities he was a republican. His widow still 
survives. In their family were nine children, 
but six have departed this life. Those still liv- 
ing are Fredericka, widow of A. H. Achelpohl; 
Edward T. and Henry. The younger brother 
married ]\Iiss Ida Ebert and is living in Denver, 
Colorado. He travels for J. B. Clow & Com- 
pany, a plumbing supply hovise, and for a num- 
ber of years was connected with the Gardner 
Pliunbing and Heating Company as manager. 
He has one child. 

Henry P. Behrensmeyer was a student in the 
public schools and in the Salem German .school, 
and after putting aside his text-books he was 
employed as a clerk in the Achelpohl grocery 
store for a year. At the age of fifteen years he 
entered the Gem City Business College and was 
graduated in 1885. During the winter he was 
employed in the packing house, having charge 
of the retail store, and after completing his 
course in penmanship he entered the office of the 
college as office boy. acting in that capacity luitil 
1887. He then took charge of the classes in 
business penmanship and in 1890 was given full 
charge of the penmanship work in the normal 
department and has since continued to act in that 
capacity. He is also secretary of the Lahan 
Stove & Manufacturing Company of Quincy and 
is interested, as a stockholder, in several other 
enterprises of the city. 

On the 11th of June. 1890, Mr. Behrensmeyer 
was married to ]\Iiss IMinna Bitter, a daughter of 
J. H. Bitter, formerly connected with the IMenke 
Stone & Lime Company. He was also influential 
in community affairs and served as alderman 
from the fourth ward in the 'SOs. He died in 
1892. Mr. and ^Irs. Behrensmeyer have one 
daughter. Helen, who was born June -S, 1891, 
and is a student in the public schools. ]\Ir. 
Behrensmeyer is a member of Lambert lodge, 
Xo. 6.^7, A. F. & A. M. : Quincy chapter. R. A. 
M. : El Aksa commandery, No. .5.5, K. T. ; and 



Medinah Temple of the .Mystic Shrine of Chi- 
cago. He is also connected with the Benevolent 
and Protective Order of Elks, and in politics is 
a staunch republican. The development of his 
latent powers and energies through proper train- 
ing and the continued use of his talents have 
won for Iiim an excellent position in the busi- 
nes life and educational circles of Quincy and 
have brc>ught to him a wide aei|uaintanee. 



WILLIAM F. SELBY. 



William F. Selby. who has farming interests 
well represented by an excellent tract of land of 
one hundred and fifty acres on section 24, Lima 
township, is a native son of Adams county, his 
birth having occurred March 7, 1850. His fa- 
ther, Lewis Selby, was born in Bourbon county, 
Kentucky, and came to Adams county, Illinois, 
about 1837. locating in Lima towni;hip, where he 
cari-ied on general farming. He became the 
owner of land on section 13, where he died Jan- 
uary 10, 1905. He was one of the pioneer set- 
tlers of this part of the state, having for sixty- 
eight years resided within the borders of Adams 
county, during which time he witne.ssed almost 
its entire development. His mind formed a con- 
necting link between the primitive past and the 
progressive present, and he could relate many 
interesting incidents concerning the count.y when 
it was a frontier locality. His first wife died 
in 185:^; his second wife died in 1876. and his 
third wife survives him. 

William F. Selliy, reared upon the old home 
farm, assisted in the labors of the fields throiigh 
the summer months and in the winter .seasons 
was a student in district school No. 13. After 
putting aside his text-books he continued to assist 
his father for two or three years and then began 
farming on his own account, buying land on 
section 13. This he afterwards sold and bought 
a farm on section 24. Lima towaiship. He has 
now one hundred and fifty acres of good land 
on section 24, where he carries on general farm- 
ing. 

As a companion and helpmate for life's jour- 
ney ]Mr. Selby chose IMiss Lizzie Spencer, to 
whom he was married October 9, 1872. She was 
born December 25, 1853, a daughter of William 
and Elizabeth (Baker) Spencer, the former a 
farmer by occupation. Her parents are now 
deceased. ^Mr. and Mrs. Selby had four chil- 
dren, namely r Finney, who was born July 24. 
1873. and died Feliruary 7. 1878 : Nellie, who was 
born December 8, 1876. and was the wife of 
Henry Ippenson of I\Tendon township, but died 
September 30, 1904, leaving two small sons. Carl 
and Curtis, who are now living with their grand- 



728 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



fatlier. Mr. Sclhy; liou, wlio was l)orii Fcbniary 
21, 1880, and is the wife of Joseph C. White- 
lield of !Marcelline : and James, who was born 
Autrnst 6. 189.":), and is at home. ]\Ir. Selby is 
a member of the Court of Honor at IMarcelline 
and is a member of tlie Jlethodist Pi-otestaut 
church, while his wife belongs to the Methodist 
Episcopal church. Ilis political support is given 
to tlie proliibitioii party, and he has served as 
scliool director for several years and as school 
tru.stee. His life is honorable and upright, as 
is indicated by his suppoi't of tenipei-ance prin- 
ciples and by his adherence to his church. At 
all times he has been actuated by .straightfor- 
ward motives and in his relations with his fel- 
lowtiien has ever Ix^en just and many times 
gciieri)iis. 



KFDOLPll C. POGER. 

liiiil()l|ih ('. ISiiucr. who "was very successfully 
engaged in the wholesale coufectioneiw busi- 
ness in (,|)uincy and in C'incinnati, Ohid, for 
many years, represented one of the early families 
of this city, lie was born here June 2li, LS():i. 
his parents being Christoph and Steplumia 
(Lacherman) Boger, who were natives of Ger- 
many, whence they came to America in early 
life, settling in Quincy. The father was a baker 
by trade and followed that pursuit in Quincy 
until his death, November 30, 1869. His widow 
afterward married Gustave W. ITutnuichcr. and 
they now reside in Riverside town.ship. 

Rudolph C. Boger attended St. Boniface 
Catholic school in Quincy and afterward was a 
student in the Gem (Jity Business College, where 
he pursued a thorough course and was graduated, 
thus becoming well e(|ui|)ped for life's practical 
and responsible duli.'s. lie then began as a 
bookkeeper in a purk packing liouse of Quincy 
and later he accepted a ]i(isiti(in as Ixiokkeejier 
with John J. Wessels, who \v;is eiigag(Hl in the 
wholesale confectionery business in Quincy. Mr. 
Boger was liookkeeper there for three vears. In 
1883 he and .Messrs. :\Iiller and Pfeifter, of 
Quincy, purchased the business of Mr. Wessels 
and the jMiller, Boger Cracker and Confectionery 
Company was organized, with Mr. Boger as 
manager. That firm continued in the wholesale 
confectionery business imtil December, 1889, 
Avhen their store was destroyed l)y fire. Mr. 
Boger then accepted a yiosition Avith a .Milwaukee 
wholesale confectionei-y house as traveling sales- 
man and after a few months he received an offer 
from 0. II. Peekham, one of the largest wholesale 
confectionery houses of St. Louis. Accepting a 
position with him as traveling salesman, he went 



ujion the road in the east and acct)rdingly moved 
his family to Cincinnati, Ohio, residing at No. 
938 :Me:M'illin street. He traveled for the St. 
Louis hou.se for ten years and in the s]>ring of 
1900 he again endiarked in business on his own 
account, in Cincinnati, entering into partnership 
with Adolph Goelitz under the firm name of 
Boger & Goelitz, proprietors of a wholesale 
specialty confectionery house at No. 220 Main 
street. Cincinnati. ]\lr. Boger continued in the 
business there until bis death, building up an 
excellent tr;ide. 

]\Ir. Bogei- was iiiari'ied in Quincy, February 
fi, 18S3, to ■Miss .Mai-y J. Wessels. a native of this 
city and a daughter of John J. aiid Margaret 
(Schmidt) AVessels, luttives of Germany, who 
died in Quincy. ]Mr. and ilrs. Boger l)eeame the 
parents of two cliildi-en : Edgai- S.. who died at 
the age of six years; and Eva ^lay. v.ii.i is with 
her mother in Quincy. 

Mr. Boger diivl in' Cineiiuiati', .\ugus( 1, 1900, 
at the early aL!'e of thii'ty-seven years. After 
his death ^Irs. Poucr sold her interest in the 
business there to .Mr. (loelitz and returned to 
(Quincy. where she has since made her home. 
She has some valiial)le i-esiilem-e pmpei'ty on 
Vermont street and she and lier danuliter I'cside 
at No. 516 South Twelfth street. 

^Ir. Boger was a memlier of (^uiiiey council, 
X<i. 195, Royal Arcanum. Politically he was a 
re]iul)lican. He and liis wife attended the Pres- 
byterian church. He had many friends in 
Quincy, wluM-e he was well known and held in 
the highest respect. Perhaps I\Ir. Boger 's most 
marked characteristic was his devotion to his 
family, fi-om whom he never was long separated, 
returning from all of his travels as often as his 
business woidd in any degree y)ermit. He 
eounted no personal sacrifice on his part too 
great if it would enhance the welfare and happi- 
ness of his wife and children. 



\VII>ld.\.M BOWLES. 



William Bowles, now d<'ceased, was for many 
years a resjx'eted. ]iroiuinent and influential 
farmer of Adams county. He was born in Bour- 
bon county, Kentucky. September 29, 1829, and 
in 1830 was brought to Adams county l)y his 
parents, who settled upon the fann whei'e his 
widow now I'esides. It was then a pioneer dis- 
trict in which few settlements had been made. 
Large tracts of land were still in possession of 
the government and on these not a furrow luul 
been turned nor an improvement made. 

William Bowles attended the frontier schools 
of his locality, pursuing his studies in an old log 
schoolhouse, with its slab seats and big fii-e-plaee. 




at a 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



731 



The methods of iusti-uctioii were also very primi- 
tive, lie was mie of five ehiklren, of whom four 
are still living-. Like the others of the house- 
hold he became familiar with the hardships and 
trials of frontier life and with the arduous task 
of developing a new farm. The machinery used 
at that time was very crude in comparison with 
the improved farming implements of the present 
day and nnieh hard manual labor was required in 
the tilling of the soil. At the time of the dis- 
covery of gold in California, Mr. Bowles, then a 
young man of twenty years, crossed the plains 
to the Pacific coast, four months being spent in 
making the trip. He was ([uite fortunate in his 
ventures, there making considerable money in 
the mines. He remained there for two years, 
while his brotlier Jesse, who went to California 
in 1850, is still there. He resides in town but is 
the owner of a large ranch which he conducts. 
Anne Bowles, a sister of William Bowles, became 
the wife of Alford T^rton and lives in Dunlap, 
Missouri. She has five children. J\Iary, another 
sister, is the wife of William Metz, a farmei-, re- 
siding near Guthrie, Oklahoma, and they have 
five children. Warren, another brother, lives 
north of Quincy, his home being near Mendon. 
He married Jane Carr, a daughter of L. G. Carr. 
and has four sons and two daughters. 

Following his return from the far west Wil- 
liam Bowles was married in 1851 to JMiss Aman- 
da Beebe, a daughter of Silas and Lucinda 
(Dupee) Beebe. Her father came from New- 
York to Adams county, Illinois, at a time when 
the settlers in this part of the state often lived 
twenty miles apart. He purchased land for one 
dollar and a half per acre, buying from the gov- 
ernment and eventually he became the owner of 
seven hundred acres, which in the course of time 
was very valuable, owing to the improvements 
made upon it and the rapid settlement of the 
county. The family home was upon the farm now 
occTipied by Fred Keasel and Mr. Beebe built 
there a brick residence which is yet a very fine 
country home. There were three children in his 
family. The eldest. Albert, who was born in 
1832, died at the age of forty-eight year.s, leaving 
a son, Frank, who is now living in Quincy. 
Mary, the youngest, became the wife of George 
JMorris and both ai-e deceased. They left on(> 
child, A. A. Morris, who is a lawyer, living in 
Pittslmrg, Pennsylvania. 

Mrs. Bowles, the second member of hei- fa- 
ther's family, obtained her early education in 
the district schools. She was married when six- 
teen years of age and has lived ui>on the farm 
which is now her home for fifty-four years. She 
became the mother of the following children: 
Jesse lived in Missouri at the time of his death. 
His remains were brought back for burial in 
Craigtown, Hlinois. He had four sons and his 



widow is now living in Quincy. Lucy is the wife 
of Milo IMeCormick, a street-car employe in St. 
Jjouis, ^Missouri, and they have three children. 
.\nnie died in infancy. Charley is living on the 
old homestead. Augustus died at the age of 
twenty-one years. Mary died when ten years of 
age. Olive pas.sed away at the age of three 
years. Lucinda died at the age of one year, and 
one child died unnamed. 

]\Ir. Bowles was a very successful farmer, was 
active and enterprising in his business affaii-s 
and was thoroughly reliable at all times. He 
had one hundred and sixty acres of vnluaiile land 
which he left his family. In his fi'aternal rela- 
tions he was a Mason and was buried by the 
lodge in Craigtown cemetery. He voted with 
the democracy and was a member of the Chris- 
tian church, to which ]\Irs. Bowles also belongs. 
He enjoyed the respect and good Avill of all and 
his death was deeply mourned by man>' friends 
as well as by his family. ]Mrs. Bowles, a most 
estinmlile lady, representing one of the worthy 
pioneer families of Adams county, yet resides 
on the old homestead to Avhich she w-as taken by 
her husband when a bride of sixteen vears. 



HENRY CHARLES MUELLEK. D. .M. D. 

Dr. Henry Charles Mueller, successfully en- 
gaged in the practice of dentistry in Quincy. his 
native city, was born ]\Iarch 23, 1877, a son of 
Stephen and Fredericka (Pfeiffer) iMueller. The 
fatlier came from the city of Suhl, in Thuringen, 
Germany, to America about 1872. making his 
way to St. Louis, Missouri, and thence to Peoria. 
Illinois. He afterward came to Quincy. In 
early life he learned the trade of a gunsmith, 
but in Quincy turned his attention to pattern- 
fitting at which he is still engaged, being now 
connected with the Channon-Emery Stove Com- 
pany, at No. 5 Ohio street. LTnto him and his 
wife were born five children, all of w'hora are 
living: Emma, who is married and resides in 
ilontana. the wife of J. C. Feisel; Henry C. ; 
]\Iinnie, Louis and Anna, all thi-ee living at home. 

Dr. Mueller, at the usual age, entered the pub- 
lic schools wherein he continued his studies until 
he had completed the high school course, and 
later he was a student in Chaddoek College, com- 
pleting a business course. In 1896 he matricu- 
lated in Washington University, at St. Louis, 
where he took up the study of dentistry and com- 
pleted his course by graduation with the class of 
1899. Returning to Quincy he at once opened 
an office for practice and was not long in secui-- 
ing a fair patronage, which lias steadily in- 
creased. He is thoroughly familiar with the 



732 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



latest iiiipfovt'd methods and devices of dentistry 
and his work is of a character that has given 
entire satisfaction to his patrons, wlio find him 
careful, courteous and obliging, as well as skill- 
ful. 

On the 5th of Octolier, 1904, Dr. Mueller was 
married to Miss Hester Helen Naumann, a 
daughter of the Rev. Philip Naumann and a sis- 
ter of Dr. Naumann of this city. They are mem- 
bers of the Bethel (iernian Methodist Episcopal 
church and Dr. Mueller is a memlier of the board 
of the Young Men's Christian Association. In 
his political views he is a republican, but has no 
political aspirations for himself. lie belongs to 
the Mutual Protective League and in the line of 
his ])rofession he is connected with the Illinois 
State Dental Society and the District Dental So- 
ciety, wherein he keeps in touch witli the progress 
that is continually being made in the line of his 
profession, as invention perfects the instruments 
of dentistry and knowledge broadens concerning 
the best methods of the care and treatment of the 
teeth. He has displayed a laudable ambition 
that promises W(>11 for still further success and 
already he is known as one of the more callable 
]>i"ictitiimcrs of Ouincy. 



LEO J. KADESKI. 

Leo .]. Kadeski. who as ])i'esident of the Defi- 
ance Garment Manufactui'ing Company of 
Quincy, is prosninently coiuiected with indus- 
trial interests in this city and who has an exten- 
sive acquaintance throughout the country as 
commander-in-chief of the Catholic Knights of 
America and the founder of its uniform rank, 
was boi'ii ill ]>udsiu. (leriiLauy, -lanuary 16. 1867. 
His fatlier, Stephen Kadeski, was l)()i-n in Sie- 
lieusch Loeschen, Germany, and was a proniiueut 
and influential citizen of his locality. He 
served as a soldier, was also in the civic depart- 
ment of the government service and was a large 
landowner. To this day many members of Mr. 
Kadeski 's family on his father's and mother's 
side are holding positions of trust in the father- 
land. In 1882 Stephen Kadeski came to the 
LTnited States, locating at Chester, Illinois, but 
a few weeks after his arrival he was killed in a 
railroad accident, his death occurring when he 
was fifty-five years of age. His family contin- 
ued to reside in Chester for four years and then 
removed to ^Marshall, Illinois, where they re- 
mained until 19lf2, when the mother, l\Ii's. Anna 
Kade.ski, came to Quincy to live with her son 
Leo and here she died in 1903, at the age of 
sixty-five years. In the family were eleven chil- 
dren, but only three are now living, the brother 
of our subject being Frank J. Kadeski, who is 



engaged in the dry-goods business at Marshall. 
Illinois, while the sister is JMartha, the wife of 
ilartin Stepszyn.ski, who is engaged iu the coop- 
ering business in Peoria, Illinois. After the 
death of his father the subject of this sketch be- 
came the pi-ovider and care-taker of the family. 
Leo J. Kadeski acquired his education in pul)- 
lie and private schools in his native country. 
He also I'cceived military instruction there and 
on leaving school he came to the United States. 
His first employment in this country was as a 
clerk at Chester, Illinois. He afterward worked 
for a short time upon a farm in IMissouri in 
order that his health might be benefited by out- 
door exercise and later he returned to the store. 
Subse(|uently he went upon the road as travel- 
ing salesuum, rc|)i'esenting New York, Terre 
Haute, Indiana, and Chicago houses for over 
nine years. He was resident agent at St. Louis 
for three and a half years, and in 1900 he came 
to Quincy, where he embarked in the manufac- 
ture of skirts and petticoats under the name 
of the Defiance (iaruicnt Manufacturing Com- 
]>any, controlled by the firm of L. J. Kadeski i<: 
Comp;\ny. This business has stcculily grown and 
the output of the house is now large, an excel- 
lent business having been developed, IMr. A. 
Doerr being the senior member of this fii'ui. 

In 1899 Mr. Kadeski was married to Miss 
Doi'othea M. Doerr, a daughter of Anilrew 
Doerr, proprietor of Doerr's large department 
store of Quincy. She was born in this city in 
1879 and both* Mr. and Mrs. Kadeski are n'lem- 
bers of the Catholic church. He is also identi- 
fied with the ^lodern Woodmen of America, the 
Knights of Columbus, the Iowa State Travelei's 
Association and llii> Catholic Knights of Amer- 
ica. In the last named he has attained high 
I'ank, being i-e-elected and now commander-in- 
chief with headquarters at Quincy. He is also 
the founder of the uniform rank of the Catho- 
lic Knights of America and is sei-viiiu with i-aulc 
of major-general since its estalilishmenl in IS!).'), 
lie was instrumental in establishing its ladies 
auxiliary in 1895 and as the supreme delegate 
from Illinois lu' had adetiuate rates adopted in 
1904 at a special session of the su])reme council, 
thus being instrumental in putting the society 
upon a sound financial basis. He has always 
been a strong gold democrat and he received his 
[larty's unanimous endorsement for secretary of 
state in 1896, but refused to become a candidate, 
although taking part in that memorable cam- 
paign. In political ((uestions, however, he is 
deeply interested and is a speaker of ability, 
having command of several languages, address- 
ing his audiences with ease and in his oratoi'ical 
powei- displaying a frankness that indicates a 
r(^ady mastery of the subject. His arguments 




-<f^ / <-^^etfe^f' 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



735 



are strong- and eonvineiug and he is recognized 
as one of the capable leaders in party ranks in 
Illinois. The extent of his business interests 
and liis activity in fraternal and political cir- 
cles make him one of the distinuuishcd citizens 
of (^uincy. 



ISAAC :m. larimore. 

Isaac 'SI. Larimore, the owner of a valuable 
fruit and grain farm on section 23, Payson town- 
ship, Avas born iu IMacon county, Missouri, Feb- 
ruary 25, 1844, a son of John W. and Elizabeth 
(Pahs) Larimore. His paternal grandparents 
were James and Naomi (Wolverton) Lari- 
more, natives of Hampshire county, West 
Virgina, born about 1785 or 1790. The 
parents of our subject removed to the west in 
1842, settling first in ilacon county, Missouri, 
where they remained until 1844, when they took 
up their abode on a farm in Payson township, 
Adams county, Illinois. Here the father pur- 
chased a farm, on which they remained nntil 
1874, and then removed to Plainville, where their 
remaining days were passed. The father was an 
enterprising, practical farmer, who prospered 
in his undertakings and was thus enabled to 
spend his last days in well earned rest. In the 
family were six children : Albert W., born De- 
cember 11, 1838, resides east of Payson: William, 
born December 20, 1840, was a .soldier of the 
Union Army and died April 13, 1862, of a wound 
received at the battle of Shiloh on the 6th of 
that month ; Isaac M. is the third of the family ; 
Rebecca, born June 9, 1848, is now ]Mrs. Price: 
James A. was born September 13, 1850, and 
Naomi was born ilarcli 25, 1856. 

Isaac M. Larimore was educated in the pub- 
lie schools of Payson township and worked on the 
home farm when not l^n.sy with his books. He 
continued to assist his father up to the time of 
his marriage, which was celebrated ]\Iareh 25, 
1866, the lady of his choice being Lydia M. Ren- 
ner. a danghter of Peter and Jane (Pond) Ren- 
ner, and a native of Crawford county, Penn.syl- 
vania, January 25, 1845, being her natal day. 
The year following their marriage they located 
on the farm where they now reside biit in 1870 
they removed to Fulton county, Illinois, where 
they remained until the fall of 1874, when they 
returned to their old home in Payson township, 
where they have since lived. Here Mr. Larimore 
owns two hundred and fifty acres of land, which 
joins the villaae of Plainville and is well im- 
proved, everything about the place being kept 
in good repair so that its neat and thrifty appear- 
ance indicates the careful .supervision of a prac- 
tical and progressive owner. 



Unto ^Ir. and j\Irs. Larimore have been born 
four children : John P., living in Kinderhook, 
Illinois, married Anna Penick and has two chil- 
dren. Nellie is the wife of T. 0. Behymer, who 
for eleven years has been engaged in the real 
estate business in Chicago; Clarence C. lives at 
home and drives the hack to Quincy. Freddie 
was shot and killed at age of twenty-five years 
near his home by an unknown person. 

!Mr. Larimore is an exemplary member of 
the ]\Iasonic lodge at Plainville and has served 
as master for a number of years. Both he and 
his wife are members of the Order of the Eastern 
Star and she is a past matron. She is also a 
member of the Baptist church in Plainville and 
their son Clarence l)elongs to the ^lethodist 
church. In politics Mr. Larimore has always 
been a staunch republican and is never remiss 
in his duties of citizenship. His attention, how- 
ever, has been mainly given to his business affairs 
and he is now a successful farmer, raising grain 
and stock, and also extensively engaged in the 
cultivation of apples and peaches. He has sixty 
acres in his apple orchard and raises Ben Davis 
and Jonathan apples principally. He also has 
a large peach orchard and raises Alberta, Ford 
No. 1, Alexander, Foster and Nixon freestone 
peaches. The fruit which he ships to market 
is of excellent size and quality as he secures the 
best nursery stock, and this branch of his busi- 
ness brings him a good income. He is one of 
the leading fruit-raisers of his part of the county 
and his opinions are largely regarded as author- 
ity on the niattor of eiiltivating apples and 
peaches. 



WILLIAM A. GUSE:\IAN. 

William A. Guseman, one of the enterprising 
farmers of Adams county, living on section 17, 
Keene townshij), is a. native of West Virginia, 
his birth having occurred in Monongalia county 
on the 25th of October, 1827. His ancestors were 
of German birth and the family was founded in 
America by his great-grandfather, who was born 
in Germany and came to the new world with 
his brother. They arrived safely in New York 
but never saw each other aftei-ward. The 
grandfather was a farmer and had large milling 
interests in Virginia. 

Lsaac Guseman, father of William Guseman, 
was a native of the Old Dominion, born in Fred- 
ericksburg in 1791. He began learning the ti'ade 
of a silversmith when seventeen years of age 
and followed that pursuit throughout his busi- 
nes career. He and two of his brothers served 
their country in the war of 1812. In 1858 he 
removed from the south to Illinois, where he 



736 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAJIS COUNTY. 



.spent liis rcmaiiiiny days. lie was a local min- 
ister of the Methodist Episcopal church and for 
over fifty years engaged in preaching the gospel 
and in holding snccessful revival meetings, 
whereby many were induced to become follow- 
ers of tiie Christ. He died in 1871 in the eighty- 
first year of his age. The family of which he 
was a representative was noted for longevity, his 
eldest brother having died when eighty-eight 
yeare of age, while two other brothers reached 
the venerable age of ninety-three. Isaac Guse- 
man was married in early manhood to Jane 
Reed, also a native of Virginia and a member 
of one of the old families of that state. She, 
too, was a devoted Christian, holding member- 
ship in the Methodist church, and she died in 
1861 at the age of fifty-eight years. In their 
family were five sons and five daughters. 

AVilliaiu A. Ouseman, the third in order of 
birth, acquired his education in one of the old- 
time log .schoolhouses with its puncheon floor 
and slab seats. There were few text-liooks and 
little was taught beyond the three Rs. When 
eighteen years of age he became manager of a 
store in Morgantown, West Virginia, which he 
conducted for three years, and then embarked 
in business for himself as a merchant on attain- 
ing his majority. For twelve years he conducted 
his store with growing success and also gave a 
part of his time and attention to lumbering 
and milling but in 1856 his sawmill was de- 
stroyed by fire, causing a heavy loss as he car- 
ried no insurance. Thinking to recuperate his 
lo,st possessions in the west ilr. Guseman came 
to Illinois in the spring of 1858 and for three 
years was a resident of Hancock county. He 
settled in Adams county in 1861 and through the 
years that have since come and gone has lived 
on section 17, Keene township, where he has de- 
veloped a splendid farming property. He owns 
eighty acres here and also has another tract of 
one hundred acres in the same township. His 
land is very valuable and he has made substan- 
tial improvements upon the home place until 
his farm is now one of the best in the locality. 

Nothing has interrupted his labor save his 
service in the Civil war, he having enlisted in 
August, 1862, as a member of Company B., 
Seventy-eighth Illinois Infantry. He was after- 
ward transferred to Company D of the same 
regiment and was at the front for eighteen 
months. He was, however, a member of the 
Reserve Corps and particijiated in no regular 
battles. Being injured at Bridgeport, Alabama, 
lie was taken to Chattanooga on a wagon and 
there received his discharge in November, 1863, 
on account of physical disability. He at once 
resumed farming and to that occupation has 
since devoted his energies. 



On the 8th of December, 1868, Mr. Guseman 
was married to Miss Laverna E. Breneman, who 
was born in West Virginia, December -1, 1839, 
and was brought to Illinois at the age of three 
years by her parents, who resided in Hancock 
county, where both died. J\Ir. and Mrs. Guse- 
man have two .sons : William II., the elder, born 
May 20, 1875, was married to Ida Estus, who 
was born June 25, 1875, a daughter of John 
and ilargaret (Dunbar) Estus, who were na- 
tives of Adams coxmty and are now living at 
Boston, Illinois. There are three children of 
this marriage: Nellie L., born January 13, 1899: 
Goldie M., January 13, 1901 ; and Gladys C, 
September 25, 1903. Harry Sterling Guseman, 
born July 30, 1879, was married to Gertie How- 
ard and lives in Hancock county, Illinois. They 
have two children : Esther E., born December 4. 
1900; and William Roy. born :\Iarch 25, 1904. 
In 1892 Mr. Gusenum was called upon to mourn 
the loss of his wife, who died on the 17th of 
May of that year. 

His political allegiance was given to the whig 
party until the organization of the republican 
party, when he joined its ranks and has since 
supported its principles. He has frequently at- 
tended its local conventions and is deeply inter- 
ested in its success. He has been called to pub- 
lic office, serving for four years as supervisor, 
for si.x years as school treasurer, and as a mem- 
ber of the town board of trustees for a long 
period, acting for two years as its president. He 
belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic and 
is a member of the l\Iethodist Episcopal church, 
in which he has served as steward, trustee and 
class-leader. His life has been in consistent 
harmony with his profession, characterized by 
integrity and all that is honorable in matters 
of relation with his fellowmen. 



LOREN CHERRY COX. 



Loren Cherry Cox, deputy revenue collector at 
Quincy, was born in Northfleld, Des IMoines 
county, Iowa, September 25, 1869. In the pa- 
ternal line he descended from English ancestry 
and the first representatives of the name located 
in New Jersey at an early period in the history 
of the new world. Later generations removed 
to Ohio, where Richard Cherry Cox, the father 
of our subject, was born. When a yoimg man 
he removed with his parents from Ohio to Iowa 
and for several years prior to his death he was 
proprietor of a woolen mill at Nt)rthfield. He 
died when his son Loren was only seven weeks 
old. His wife, who bore the maiden name of 
Mary Ann Campbell, was born in southern Illi- 
nois and when a .young lady went with her par- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



737 



ents to Iowa. She was again luarried December 
25. 1873, her second husband being Frederick 
Courts, who died in Jul.v. 1890. She is now liv- 
ing in Qnincy at the age of sixty-seven .vears. 
Her father, "William S. Campbell, was a direct 
descendant of one of the dukes of Argyle, the 
title being held by the Scotch family of Camp- 
bells. His wife was of Scotch-Irish descent and 
was a representative of a titled family. Her 
father was one of the Revolutionary heroes and 
was also a member of a South Carolina i-egiment 
that took part in the battle of Lundy's Lane 
during the war of 1812. He served as drum 
ina.jor of the regiment. His daughter, ilrs. 
Campbell, was liorn on the day that the battle 
was fought and her father did not see her until 
she was six months old. Prior to and during 
till' Civil war William S. Campbell took an active 
part in working for the freedom of the slaves 
and his home in southern Illinois .sheltered man.y 
a runaway slave escaping from the south. 

Loren C. Cox obtained his early education in 
a public school at Northfield and later attended 
grammar schools of Peoria, Illinois, and Bur- 
lington, Iowa, residing for a few years in each 
city. He did not continue his course to grad- 
uation, being earl.v thrown upon hi.s own re- 
sources. A lover of nature, he spent much of 
his time in early life in tramping over the hills 
and along the bro()ks, deriving great enjo.vment 
from this companionship with the trees and the 
fields. He also eai'ly displayed a taste for me- 
chanics, which he doubtless inherited from his 
father, and he eagerly read all books, papers 
and magazines which he could procure, bearing 
upon the sub.i'ect. When still ([uite young he 
worked upon a farm and in a woolen mill, find- 
ing the former pursuit uncongenial but enjoying 
the latter. The mill, however, was onl.v in opera- 
tion a part of the year. It was in 1883 that he 
i-emoved with his mother and .step-father to Peo- 
I'ia. Illinois, where he attended school and later 
he continued his studies following their removal 
to Burlington, Iowa. While there he also se- 
cured a position as general utility lioy on the 
Burlington Hawke.ve. In 1885 he returned to 
his old home in Northfield and in 1887 removed 
to Quiney. He secured a position in a printing 
office as pressboy and later worked on a weekly 
.society paper, remaining in that position for 
about twelve years as business managei-. 

In his political views Mr. Cox has always been 
a republican, active in the work of the party 
and his efforts have not been without desirable 
results. He organized the Kickapoo club of 
Quiney — a young men's republican club — in 

1900, and it has taken an active and helpful 
part in polities since. On the 18th of April, 

1901, Mr. Cox was appointed deputy revenue 
collector at Quiney by Isaac R. ^lills. collector. 



who was killed in a railroad wreck at Litchfield, 
Illinois, July 3, 1904, after which Frank L. 
Smith was appointed collector and he re-ap- 
pointed Mr. Cox deputy on the 15th of Sep- 
tember, 1904. Fraternally a ^lason, Mr. Cox 
.ioined Lambert lodge in 1901. He belongs to 
the Vermont street Methodist Episcopal church 
and for years was active in Christian Endeavor 
work. 

On the 17th of October, 1901, in Quiney, Mr. 
Cox wa.s married to iMiss Emma Anderson, a 
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. S. ]\I. Andereon, 
an old and respected famil.v of the city, her 
father having been prominently connected with 
Quiney 's history for more than fifty years. They 
have one daughter, ]\Iarv Virginia, lioi'ii Novem- 
ber 25, 1903. ]Mr. Cox cares little for society 
but is a man of domestic tastes, devoted to his 
family. Much of his leisure time, aside from 
the duties of his office, he devotes to experiment- 
ing and the reading of scientific books and maga- 
zines. It is his fir.st impulse, upon seeing a new 
mechanical contrivance, to learn how it is opera- 
ted and then determine how the same effect 
might be produced in some other manner. He 
has been successful with some of his inventions 
and is continually experimenting on others. He 
is also fond of outdoor sports and delights in 
camera work and in hunting and fishing. 



willia:\i a. millen, m. d. 

Dr. William A. ilillen, who is successfully 
engaged in the practice of medicine in Marcel- 
line, was born ilarch 22, 1872, and is a son of 
Abner H. and Anna (Dewe.y) ^Milieu, the former 
a native of New York, and the latter of Ireland. 
The father was a captain on the ocean and on 
the Great Lakes, sailing for more than forty 
years. He is now deceased, but the mother is 
.vet living, making her home at Cape Vincent, 
New York, at the age of sevent.v .vears. There 
were eight children born to them, four of whom 
are living: Carrie, wife of Tolbert H. AAHieriy. 
living at Storm Lake, Iowa ; Abner D., of Cape 
Vincent, New York; Luc.y, wife of William 
Ma.jo, of Cape Vincent, New York : and William 
A. 

Dr. Millen, a native of the Empire state, early 
formed a strong determination to acquire ar 
education and as he saw no opportunit.v for ac- 
complishing this while remaining at home, he 
left the parental roof and soiight employment, 
hiring out for a .vear for five dollars per month. 
At the end of the .vear. however, his famil.v took 
his wages, for he was a minor. He then went to 
another farm, whi^re he made arrangements to 
work for eight dollars per month, but again his 



738 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



people eollec-twl his wages. This led Dr. :\Iillen 
to come to the west and iu Iowa he eutered the 
employ of a hardware merchant as an appren- 
tice to learn the tinner's trade. He worked 
hard during the day and devoted his evenings 
to study, in which manner he improved his edu- 
cation until he was able to secure a second gi'ade 
certificate. During this time he had also read 
medicine with the idea of some day mastering the 
science and becoming an active member of the 
profession. He could not be admitted to a school 
of medicine, however, upon a second grade cer- 
tificate, and going before the board of exam- 
iners he took the re<iuired examination, making 
such a good record that he was admitted to the 
college without a knowledge of Latin. While 
attending college he labored most strenuoiisly to 
master the course and finally won his diploma 
in the face of almost insurmountable obstacles 
caused by his lack of early educational privi- 
leges. He was graduated March 3, 1&96, from 
the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Keo- 
kuk, Iowa. His clothes were worn and thread- 
bare and he had not a cent in his pocket on the 
day of his graduation, but he said it was the 
proudest moment of his life. He came directly 
to ^lareelline with his diploma in one hand and 
in the other his little medicine case containing 
a few drugs antl instruments, and thus he began 
his life work. He lias built up an excellent prac- 
tice until he now has more business than he can 
attend to. He has also kept well informed con- 
cerning the progress made liy the m<'dic;d fra 
ternity and has been quick to adojit any new 
methods which promised to jn-ove of practical 
benefit in the healing art. That he enjoys the 
entire confidence of the community is indicated 
by the large patronage extended to him and he 
also has the entire respect if his professional 
brethren, for he is a close adliercnl of llic ctliirs 
of the medical fraternity. 

On the ^Tth of May, ISIKi. two i ths aftei 

his graduation. Dr. Milieu was married t(. 
Teresa E. Crenshaw, of Keokuk, who was born 
February 21, 1878. and is a daughter of John 
T. and Cornelia (Underwood) Crenshiiw. Her 
father- is euLiaged in the implement business in 
Keokuk, Iowa, where he and his wife have a 
pleasant home. Dr. and Mrs. IMillen now liav( 
one son, Joseph H., born November 4, 1SI>7. 
They have an attractive home which was erected 
in 1904, at a cost of two thousand one hundred 
and fifty dollars and its chief charm is its gra- 
cious and warm hearted hospitality. 

Di-. :Milleu belongs to IMareelline lodge. No. 
114, A. F. & A. M.. also to the :\lodern Woodmen 
of America and the Court of Honor. In poli- 
ties he is a republican and he and his wife are 
nii'mbers of the Presbyterian church. Person- 



ally he is a man of pleasant manner, genial tlis- 
position and sterling worth, possessing great en- 
ergy and determination. He certainly deserves 
great credit for what he has accomplished, for 
many a man in the face of obstacles such as he 
has met would have been utterly discouraged 
and disheartened. From early boyhood, how- 
ever, he worked on with the determination to 
gain success if it could be Avon by honorable, 
persi.stent effort, and toda.y he is one of the lead- 
ing and capable members of the medical pro- 
fession of Adam.s county. He belongs to the 
Adams count.v, the State j\Iedical and the Ameri- 
can Medical Associations and in his profession 
has gained a most creditable position. 



JOSIAH J. PERRY. 



Josiah J. Perry, a contractor in plastering in 
Quincy, with a large and growing business, was 
born iu this cit.v, on Broadway, June 29, 1843. 
His father, JoshiTa Perry, a native of England, 
was born August 8, 1809, and in early life 
learned the trade of plastering. He came to the 
United States when twent.y-two years of age, 
believing that he might have better business op- 
portunities in the new world, and on the 1st of 
■May. 183(i, he came to Quincy, being induced to 
taki' this step by Governor John Wood, for 
whom he worked for a, time. Later he was em- 
ployed as a journeyman plasterer and subse- 
i|uentl.v he engaged in business on his own ac- 
count as a contractor in that line, and as the 
population of the citv increased rapidly his 
trade gi-ew in corresponding proportions. He 
worked on the old courthouse and also on the 
First Baptist church on Fourth and Jersey 
streets. He followed his trade until 1850. when 
he retired fi'om active business life to enjoy tlie 
rest which he had trul.v earned and rieldy meri- 
ted. He Av;is two weeks over eighty years of age 
at the time of his demise. His political allegi- 
ance was given the republican party but he was 
never an olfiee seeker. Before leaving England 
he was married to ]\liss Susan Brown, a native 
of that eoiHitry, ;ind inito them were boi'u ten 
ehildi'eu. of whom six ai'c now living: Eunice, 
of Quincy: ^lartha ; Josiah J.: "^Ii-phen: 
Isaiah: and ('ornelius. of Normal, lIliiKiis. 

Josiah J. Perry pursued his education iu the 
])ublic schools of Quincy and nnci-^r his father's 
direction learned the plasterer's trade. For 
forty-four years he has been engaged in business 
in Qninc.v and has long connnanded a liberal 
patronage, securing a large trade because of his 
faithfulness and promptness in executing the 
terms of a contract. He is a uu^mber of the firm 
of Perry, Tenk & Company. 





^o 





MR. AND MRS. JOSHUA PERRY 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



743 



Mr. Perry has been married twice. lie first 
wedded Nannie Roberts, who died leaving- three 
children : Isaac, Oscar and Frank. In 1884 lie 
Avas united in marriage to Miss Lizzie Knorr. 
and they have two daughters and a son, Lillian, 
Edgar and Viola. The family home is at No. 
2975 Hampshire street. 

Mr. Perry is a republican in his political 
views, but has never been an office seeker, pre- 
ferring to give his inidivided attention to his 
business interests, in which he has met with 
gratifying success, because of his excellent work 
and reliable business naethods. A pleasant man- 
ner and many stei-ling traits of character have 
also made him popular with the business com- 
munity and his many social acquaintances and 
he therefore has a large circle of friends in the 
city in which his entire life has been passed. 



JOHN H. YELDELL. 



John H. Yeldell, who for many years was asso- 
ciated with agricultural interests in Adams 
county, but is now practically living retired, 
making his home on section 23, Concord town- 
ship, was born May 20, 1841, and is a son of J. 
W. and Rebecca R. (Hockaday) Yeldell, the 
former a native of South Carolina and the lat- 
ter of Kentucky. Two daughtei-s of the family 
are yet living: Mrs. Margaret McAtee, who re- 
sides in Kansas; and Mrs. Martha Richardson, 
of Chicago. 

John H. Yeldell came to Adams county from 
Missouri with his mother in 1852 and located 
on the farm where he yet resides. Mrs. Yeldell 
drove across the country with her children, loca- 
ting in Concord township, where she put forth 
every effort to make a good home for her little 
ones. Her son John pursued his education in 
the subscription schools and worked iipou the 
home farm through the period of his youth, in 
fact remained with his mother until her demise. 
At the time of the Civil war, however, he left 
home to aid in the preservation of the Union, 
enlisting as a member of Company B, Fiftieth 
Illinois Infantry, in 1861. He was discharged 
in 1862, but in the same year he re-enlisted as a 
member of Company C, Third IMissouri Cavalry, 
with which he served until the cessation of hos- 
tilities. He participated in the battle of Little 
Rock and other battles in the southwest. 

Following the close of the war Mr. Yeldell 
returned to his home in Adams county and re- 
sumed agricultural pursuits. Here as a com- 
panion and helpmate for life's journey he chose 
jliss Emmarine Bennett, their marriage being 
celebrated December 5, 1867. She was born 
in this countv, October 11. 1842, and was a 



daughter of Othie H. Bennett, who was a native 
of Indiana, as was his wife. Three children 
were born unto Mr. and ilrs. Yeldell: Elmer E., 
born September 17, 1868, married Ida Thorn- 
berry and now lives near his father; Ernest 0., 
born December 31, 1870, married Anna Mcore 
and lives upon the home farm ; Mary, born May 
18, 1875, is the wife of Granville Lynn, and is 
living in Adams county. The mother of these 
children passed away March 19, 1901, her death 
being deeply regretted by many friends. 

For many years Mr. Yeldell continued to en- 
gage actively in general farming and when he 
retired from active business life was the owner 
of three hundred and sixty acres of land, but 
has since deeded to each of his two sons a farm 
of one himdred acres so that he is now the pos- 
sessor of one hundred and sixty acres of land on 
section 23, Concord township. His life has been 
a busy, active and useful one and the success 
he enjoyed was attribiitable entirely to his own 
efforts. Since the organization of the republi- 
can party he has been one of its supporters and 
he served as supervisor for two years, while for 
one year he was collector. He belongs to the 
Grand Army of the Republic and to the Mod- 
ern Woodmen camp. No. 493, at Clayton. He 
is also a memlier of the Christian church. In 
all matters of citizenship he is as true and loyal 
as when he followed the starry banner of the 
nation upon the battlefields of the south. 



MRS. HELEN :M. COE. 

:Mrs. Helen M. Coe, well known in Clayton, 
where she has an extensive circle of friends, was 
born in Boone county, Missouri, in 1837, her 
parents being Alexander and Sarah (Miller) 
Brown, the latter a native of Tennessee. Her 
parents came to Quincy, Illinois, in 1847, when 
their daughter was a little maiden of ten sum- 
mers. Her father became pronnnent in local 
political circles and for two years served as coro- 
ner. They had four sons, all of whom are now 
deceased. Three of the number were in the army 
and the military record of the family is cer- 
tainly most creditable. 

Mrs. Coe pursued her education in the public 
schools of Quincy and after passing through 
successive grades became a high school student. 
In early womanhood she gave her hand in mar- 
riage to Joseph Lesage. and they had two chil- 
dren but both are now deceased. Mr. Le- 
sage was well known in the business circles of 
Quincy in the middle portion of the nineteenth 
century, conducting a grocery store there. His 
death occurred in 1861. After remaining a 
widow for about ten vears ^Ii-s. Lesage was mar- 



744 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



ried to Henry (Joe on the 22d of ^lareh, 1S71. 
He was born in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1818, 
and after his first marriage removed to Adams 
county, Illinois. He had three children by his 
first wife : James, who is now living in Quincy : 
Heni-y Porter, a resident of Chicagn, Illinois; 
and Chris, who is in the Black Hills. 

"SIv. Coe was a farmer by occupation and ful- 
some time engaged in the tilling of the soil antl 
in the raising of stock. Later he left the plow 
and turned his attention to general merchandis- 
ing, becoming proprietor of a hardware store in 
Clayton, which he conducted with success until 
his death, which occurred in January, 1897. He 
was a member of the .Masonic fraternity and 
displayed numy sterling traits of character which 
gainecl him the regard and friendship of those 
with whom he was associated. Unto Mr. and 
Mrs. Coe was born a son, Edwin Coe, whose 
birth occurred ]\Iay 8, 1872. He married .Mari- 
etta Watkins and they live with his mother. 
Edwin Coe is now proprietor of a large hardware 
store in Clayton, carrying an extensive and well 
selected line of goods and receiving a liberal pa- 
tronage. i\Irs. Helen M. Coe is a member of the 
Methodist P^piscopal church and takes a deep 
interest in its work. She is also a memlier of 
the Oi'der of the Eastern Star. She owns an 
attractive residence in Clayton and also other 
property, being left in comfortable circnm- 
stances liv her husband. 



DAVID H. I;A\VIJ.\S. 

David B. Rawlins, superintendent of the 
Quincy schools, was born at (iuilfoi'd, .)o J)aviess 
county, Illinois, Februai'y 21. 1871, his ])an'nts 
being Lemmon Parker and Julia (ilonnier) Raw- 
lins. His great-grandfather in the paternal line 
was a patriot of the Revolutionary war, a fact 
whicli indicates the colonial connection of the 
family with American interests. Later genera- 
tions i-esided in Kentucky, whence I'cpresenta- 
tives of the naiiir came to Illinois in 1828, set- 
tling in (falena. Ijemmon P. Rawlins was a 
bi'ollicr ol' .lolm A. Rawlins, ^\ ho sei'ved as 
(iiMHt's chirr of stair. He was a raniier by occu- 
l)atiiiii and wedded Julia Monnier, who was of 
SavIss-i li-i-iiiaii lineage, her ancestors having come 
to Aniei'iea with the Red I'iver colony. Her 
father was of French descent. 

Professor Rawlins acf|uii-ed his early education 
in tile public scliools of his native city and. entei'- 
ing the Xorthwcs1ci-n Academy, was graduated 
from that institution with the class of 1891. De- 
sirous of further ]iromoting his educational at- 
tainments, he then ent(>red the Northwestern Uni- 



versity at Evanston, Illinois, from which he was 
graduated in 1895 with the Bachelor of Philoso- 
[ihy degree. He pursued the study of history, 
philosophy, law and English, his course being 
sclccteii with a view of eventually becoming a 
iiiciiilicr of the bar, but, changing his mind in 
rcgai-d to a ])rofession, he devoted the last two 
ycai's of his college cour.se to the stiidy of peda- 
u'ouy. He was reared as a typical farmer boy, 
eai'l.\' manifesting a marked love of live-stock and 
of mechanics, and, after completing his school 
course, he worked at the cavpeijter's trade in or- 
der that he might have inunediate employment. 
Within a month, however, he was chosen to the 
l)rincipalship of the Duquoin high school, filling 
that position in 1895-6. From 1896 until 1901 
he Mas superintendent of the schools of Duquoin 
and in the latter year accepted the principalship 
of the high school of Quincy, which ])osition he 
resigned in 1903, when chosen superintendent of 
the city schools. These changes made in his pro- 
fessional careei' have indicated a promotion in his 
jn-ofession and has been a public acknowledg- 
ment of his marked capability as an educator. 
Few men of his age have advanced to so promi- 
nent and responsi)>le jiosition in educational cir- 
cles as Professor Rawlins has done ; yet. under his 
guidance, the various schools of which he has had 
cliarge have made consecutive advancement, the 
standard of education has been raised, and the 
improvements which he has inaugurated have 
been of a practical and beneficial character. 

Piofessor Rawlins was made a ]\Iason in June. 
1896, and has since affiliated with the craft, be- 
longing to Quincy lodge No. 296. In politics he 
is an independent democrat and is a member of 
the ^Methodist church. On the 14th of August, 
]895. he was married in IMilledgeville, Illinois, to 
Miss ilildred A. Bigbee, who was a graduate of 
the ^IiHedgeville high schools and was a student 
at Northwestern University. Of their children, 
the eldest, Lennnon Parker, born June 24, 1896, 
died in infancy, and the others are Edward Big- 
bee, born Mav 26. 1898 ; Benjamin Wade. Novem- 
ber 15, 1899 ;"llerbert LeGrande, January 4. 1901, 
and Albert Leander, born April 6, 1902. 

Personally, Professor Rawlins displays those 
traits of character which mark the student and 
scholar rather than the active business man, his 
tem])erament is of the judicial type, and he has 
always found his chief source of recreation in his 
reading. He cares little for society, is intensely 
democratic in feeling and is much opposed to 
show or ])arade of any kind. Bending every en- 
ergy to the accomplishment of the task on hand, 
his labors have uniformly been attended with a 
desired measure of success, and as an educator 
he ranks among the leaders of his profession in 
Illinois. He has an extreme love for c(rantry life, 
with the highest -appreciation of nature in its 




D. B. RAWLINS 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



747 



varioTis phases, and his deepest interest centers in 
his home, the ehief ambition of the labors of both 
Mr. and Mm. Rawlins beine- for their four sons. 



ADAM SPECKHART. 



Adam Speekhart, a very prosperous farmer 
and extensive land owner of Fall Creek town- 
ship, whose possessions aggregate nearly one 
thousand acres, much of which he rents, was 
born on his present farm on section 9, his natal 
day being October 1, 1849. His parents were 
John and Eva (Furniff) Speekhart, both of 
whom were natives of Hesse-Darmstadt, Ger- 
many. The father came to America in IS-tO and 
after spending a few weeks in Quincy removed 
to the farm now occupied by Adam Speekhart. 
He at first owned only a small tract of land but 
as his crops returned to him a good income, he 
was enabled to make further investment in land 
and ere his death his realty holdings were exten- 
sive. He took an active interest in the early 
development and upbuilding of the county and 
his efforts were particularly helpful along agri- 
cultural lines. He died March 16, 1894, at tlie 
age of eighty-one years, while his wife passed 
away June 2.5, 1884, at the age of sixty-eight 
years, her birth having occurred in 1816. In 
their family were five sons and six daughters, of 
whom four sons and three daughters are ,vet 
living. 

Adam Speekhart spent his youth in a manner 
not unlike that of most bo.ys of the period. He 
attended school in Craigtown and when not busy 
with his text-books assisted in the labors of the 
home farm. He has alwa.ys lived upon his pres- 
ent place, has carefully managed his business 
affairs, has prospered in his undertakings and is 
now the owner of nine hundred and seventy 
acres of land. He is one of the most prosper- 
ous farmers in Fall Creek township ancl he has 
considerable bottom land. He has engaged ex- 
tensively and successfully in the raising and 
feeding of hogs and cattle. Much of his land 
he now rents and a characteristic of Mr. Speck- 
hart's is indicated in the liberal terms on which 
he leases his propert.y. He believes in the old 
motto. Live and let live, and he has always been 
fair and .iust in his business transactions, so 
that his path has not been strewn with the 
wrecks of other men's fortunes. 

Mr. Speekhart was married in ]\larch. 1878, to 
Miss Mary E. Buck, a daugliter of Daniel and 
Fredericka (Gasser) Buck, who were natives of 
Waldeck, Germany, while Mrs. Speekhart was 
born in Melrose township. Adams county. Illi- 
nois. She is the eldest of nine children, the 
others being as follows : William, living on the 



old home farm in Melrose township, is married 
and has four childi'en, and has lost one son ; 
Fred, employed in the wheel factory in Quincy, 
Is married and has three children; Philip, living 
in Fall Creek township, is married and has 
three children; John, working at bridge building 
for the railroad, was killed while thus engaged 
and buried in Fall Creek cemetery ; Minnie is the 
wife of Fred Reich, of Fall Creek township, 
and has one son ; Henry, a farmer of Fall Creek 
township, is married and has one son ; Katie 
makes her home in Quine.y; and Henrv died in 
childhood. The father of this famil.v is .vet liv- 
ing at the age of seventy-six years, and the 
mother died in 1880, at the age of fort.v-two 
years. 

IMrs. Speekhart was reared and educated in 
Meh'ose township. By her marriage she has 
become the mother of eight children : Katie, born 
December 5, 1878, is the widow of (leorge Beil- 
stein and resides at home-. Elizabeth, born in 
November, 1880. is the wife of Nicholas Ka- 
lentz and lives in Fall Creek township: Fred- 
erick, liorn January 29, 1883 : Anna, born May 
22, 188.5 : :\linnie, born November 7, 1887, are 
all at home; Henry, born August 1, 1890, died 
Januarv 29, 1891: Emma, born September 7, 
1892, died January 6, 1893; and Karl, born 
January 25, 1894, is attending the Craigtown 
school. 

Since age conferred on ^Ir. Speekhart the 
right of franchise he has been a stalwart demo- 
crat but never an office seeker. He and his fam- 
il.v are members of the Bluff Hall Congregational 
church, and the.y are well known in the county, 
the members of the household en.ioying the warm 
regard of many friends. Mr. Speekhart. through 
industry, honesty and economy, has amassed a 
handsome fortune, and moreover he commands 
the trust and respect of his fellowmen because 
his business methods have ever been straight- 
forward. 



GERRY W. VANDEN BOOJl. 

Gerry W. Vanden Boom, manager at Quincy 
for the Anheuser-Busch Brewing Company, was 
liorn in Germany in 1864, his parents being An- 
ton and Marv (Freehouse) Vanden Boom. The 
father, who was a manufacturer of furniture, 
spent his entire life in Germany. The mother, 
who was born in that country, eame to the 
TTnited States in 1878 with her son Gerry and 
located in Quinc.v, where her remaining days 
were passed, her death occurrins;' in 1900, when 
she had reached the advanced age of eighty 
vears. In the family were nine children, of 



748 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



whom six nix' liviiiu-. Botli parents were mem- 
bers of the Catholic church. 

Gerry W. Vanden Boom acquiretl liis education 
in the phtce of his nativity and in St. Francis 
Collcjie of (^uincy, liaviiig come to the new world 
in 1878, when al)out fourteen years of age. Com- 
pleting his education, he traveled on the road 
selling furniture for a Quincy house and in 1893 
became manager of the Quincy branch of the 
Anheuser-Busch Brewing Company. At that 
time the business here was carried on on a small 
scale, there being but one wagon. It has so in- 
creased under the management and dii'ection of 
]\Ir. Vanden Boom that five large wagons are 
now in constant use in the delivery of the prod- 
uct of the factory. His territory extends over 
an area of one hundred miles around Quincy 
and also into Missouri. The business was finst 
conducted on Front and Maine streets but in 
1901 new buildings were erected at the corner 
of Sixth and State streets, consisting of a hand- 
some pressed brick edifice, containing .shipping 
rooms and cooling I'ooms. The jilant also com- 
pi'ises the finest barn in the cit.v. wliich was erect- 
ed at a cost of three hundred thousand dollars. 
Mr. Vanden Boom now employs ten people and 
is conducting a most successful business. 

In 1883 occurred the marriage of Mr. Vanden 
Boom and Miss JIargaret Wand, a daughter of 
William Wand, who was a farmer and came 
from Germany in 1848, accompanied by his wife. 
Mrs. Vanden Boom was born in Melrose, Adams 
count.v, in 1865, and by her marriage has become 
the mother of three children : Grace, Ralph and 
Gerry. They are members of the Catholic 
church and Mr. Vanden Boom has fraternal re- 
lations with the Elks, the Eagles, Odd Fellows, 
Knights of Pythias, Modern Woodmen, the Mu- 
tual Aid, the AVagou and Carriage IMakers' So- 
ciet.v, and Firemc7rs BencvolcMit Association. 
In politics he is a democrat and has served as 
supervisor of Qnincy township. He owes his 
success entirely to his unremitting diligence and 
perseverance, which are the basis of all indus- 
trial and connnercial prosperity. He has a wide 
acquaintance in Quincy and is popular with an 
extensive ciivle of friends. 



SETir SlIAILOR AR.XOLD. 

Seth Shailor Arnold, now deceased, was a man 
whom to know was to resin^-ct and honor and dur- 
ing the period of his residence in Adams county 
he won many warm friends. He was born ]\larch 
12, 1830, and was a descendant of an old New 
England family. The history of the Arnold an- 
cestry is uTost intei-esting. They were among the 



foundei's of tile town of Iladdam, Connecticut, 
early in the seventeenth eentviry. ]\Ir. Arnold's 
paternal and nmternal great-grandfathers wei'e 
both officers of the Revolutionary war. The 
former lived to be one hundred and one years of 
age and became ;i church menilxa- at the age of 
ninet.v yeai-s. lie served throughoul tlie war fur 
independence, liis name being one of the first on 
the Lexington alai'm roll. He was UTider Wash- 
ington at the battle of White Plains and was 
captni'ed and confined on a British prison ship 
in New York harbor, but, making his escape, he 
returned to New England. Later he purchased, 
or rather rented, land for nine hundred and 
ninety-nine years, as was the custom at that time, 
paying his rental of one measure of barley corn 
per year if called for. The maternal great-grand- 
father likewise espoused the cause of the colonies, 
and aided in throwing oft' the yoke of British 
o]1ln■(^ssion. He reached the very advanced age 
of one hundred years. The father of Seth S. 
.Vrnold was a Congregational minister and re- 
moved with Ids frimily to Westminster, Vermont. 

Seth S. Arnold spent the days of his iH.yhod 
and youth in Colchester and Waterbury. Coii- 
neetient. and acquired an academic ediu-atinn. 
His l)rotliei-s were afforded the privilege of at- 
tending college, and several of them entered pro- 
fessional life, but ]\Ir. Arnold thought he ought 
to be a breadwinner at an early age, and, while 
he was quite young, he went to Baltimore, where 
he leai'ued the machinist's trade, there building 
and testini; mie of the first engines in use by the 
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Cdinpany. When 
twenty-four years of age he came to the west, 
going first to St. Louis, ]\Iissouri. and thence to 
Keokuk, Iowa, where an older bi-other was pro- 
fessor in a medical college. Not long after, liow- 
evei', he came to ]\Iendon, whei'e another brother. 
John Arnold, resided. In 1S.")S he went to Cali- 
foi-iiia and spent several yeai's on the Pacific 
coast, sharinu' in tlie hardships and dangers inci- 
dent to the develo])ment of that i-egion and also 
in the ])leasures which are connnon in a frontier 
district. He was engaged in prospecting in the 
west, and in 1865 returned to Illinois. Not long 
after this he established a tile and sewer pipe fac- 
tory at White Hall, and was interested in that 
enterpi-i.se until his latter years. 

On the 31st of December, 1869, was celebrated 
the nitirriage of ;\Ir. Arnold and iliss Sai'ah .1. 
Benton, the eldest daughter of Abram and Sarah 
D. (Ciiittenden) Benton, the former now de- 
ceased. They established their home at White 
Hall, but when the year had passed yielded to 
the solicitation of Mrs. Aniold's parents and re- 
turned to the village of ]\Iendon, where ilr. Ar- 
nold continued to reside until called to his final 
rest, and where ]\Irs. Arnold still makes her home. 
Foi' several years he had charge of the merean- 





>^^-.^-^-^<^ 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



751 



tile l)usiuess established by his father-in-law. His 
eiitei-prise and activity made this a prosperous 
b\isiness concern, and he tig'ured prominenth' in 
commercial circles, having' the entire contidence 
and trust of the business eonmiunity. 

The home of Mr. and ]\Ii's. Arnold was blessed 
with two daughters: Sarah L., born October 1, 
1878, was married September 5, 1900, to R. V. 
Clark and died January 15, 1902, leaving one 
child. Alma J., who is now Avith her grandmother, 
Mrs. Arnold ; Frances B., born Oetoljer 28, 1880, 
was married April 29, 1903, to Lawrence Boogher, 
of St. Louis, jMissouri, and they have one child, 
Sarah, born October 8, 1904. Mr. Arnold was a 
most genial companion, kindly in manner, social 
in disposition, and in matters of citizenship he 
was always ijublic-spirited, and his deep interest 
in the welfare of the community was shown in the 
tangible support which he gave to every measure 
that tended to benefit his town or eountj-. 

For many years he was connected with the 
Congregational church, and his life was in har- 
mony with his professions. While to his friends 
he was considerate, his best traits of character 
were reserved for his family, his wife and daugh- 
ters knowing him as a most devoted, tender and 
loving husband and father. He passed away 
Januarj' 11, 1900, when about seventy years of 
age, and his death was deeply deplored by all 
who knew him, but most of all by the members 
of his own household. 



BERNARD AWERKAjMP. 

Bernard Awerkamp, assistant cashier of the 
Ricker National Bank of Quincy and the presi- 
dent of the Evers Produce Company, was born 
in Cosfeldt. Germanj-, October 6, 1849, his par- 
ents being Frank and Theresa (Grasmeter) 
Awerkamp. The father, who was a cabinet- 
maker in C4ermany, died when his son Bernard 
was two years old, and the mother afterward 
came to America A\ith her sons, William and 
Bernard, in 1854. landing at New Orleans, 
A\'henee they made their way wp the river to St. 
Louis, arriving at Quincy in the spring of 1855. 
The mother's death occurred about 1888. 

Bernard Awerkamp, a youth of five years 
when he came -with his mother to the TTnited 
States, attended St. Boniface parochial school 
until eleven years of age, when in 1861 he started 
out to make his own way in the world, becoming 
a clerk for George Shardon. proprietor of a gro- 
ceiy store. He worked for him about three 
years, after which he entered the employ of 
George Laage, with whom he continued for about 
four years. At the age of eighteen he accepted 
a clerkship with A. J. Lubbe, dealer in dry goods. 



at the corner of Eighth and Hampshire streets, 
continuing there for two years, when, in De- 
cember, 1869, he became a clerk in the bank of 
Ricker & Hoehnc, but in 1872 Mr. Ricker be- 
came .sole owner of the banking business. The 
correspondence and remitting parts of the busi- 
ne.ss were entrusted to ilr. Awerkamp until he 
was made teller, in which position he rendered 
capable service for some time. Upon the re- 
organization of the business under the name of 
the Ricker National Bank, in 1881, he was chosen 
assistant cashier and has since served in that 
capacity. He is well known in banking circles 
and to the business public, and as an official he 
has ever been found courteous and obliging in 
his dealing with the patrons of the bank, while 
the institution recognizes in him a most trust- 
worthy representative of the house. He is finan- 
cially intei-ested in the Evers Produce Company, 
an incorporated stock company, of which he is 
the president, while William F. Awerkamp is 
serving as treasurer and Theodore F. Awerkamp 
is secretary. They carry on a produce commis- 
sion business amounting to over fifty thousand 
dollars per year. The business was organized in 
1900 and the company occupies a position in 
business circles most creditable. 

On the 9th of May, 1876, Mr. Awerkamp was 
married to Miss Louisa Diefenbaeh, a daughter 
of Captain Michael Diefenbaeh, who was the 
first man to build an ice house in Quincy. He 
was a river captain and was well known in 
Quincy at an early day. Unto ilr. and Mrs. 
Awerkamp were born seven children, all of whom 
are living: Theodore F., who was born in 1877, 
is secretary of the Evers Produce Company and 
also teller of the Ricker National Bank; William 
F., who was born in 1879 and is treasurer of the 
Evei's Produce Company, married Miss Edna 
Steinbach, a daughter of Philip S. Steinbach, a 
brick contractor, and they have a little daugh- 
ter, Phyllis; F. A., who was born in 1881 and is 
1>ookkeeper for the Evers Produce Company, 
married ]Miss Nora Wand: Eugenia, born in 
1883. is at home; Carl, born in 1885, is a ma- 
chinist ; Arthur A,, who was born in 1887. is 
plumber for the Gardner Plumbing Company; 
and Walter, who was born in 1890, is now a 
public-school student. 

The family are communicants of St. Francis 
Catholic church, and in his political views ^Ir. 
Awerkamp is independent. He displays many 
of the sterling characteristics of his German an- 
cestry, having the indefatigable energy and reso- 
lute purpose of the Teutonic race. With a .just 
appreciation of the value of labor and capable 
management, he has so performed his duties in 
the bu.siness world as to find in each transition 
stage opportunity for further progress and ac- 
complishment, and thus he has advanced from 



752 



I'AST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



humble clerkships to a ])ositi(in iu financial and 
eonamercial circles that is creditable and honor- 
able, winning him an enviable name among the 
leading business men of the city which has been 
his home throughout almost his entire life. 



ALBERT W. LARIMORE. 

Albert W. Larimore is the owner of valuable 
farming property in Payson township. He was 
born December 11, 1839, in Hampshire comity, 
West Virginia, and is a son of John "W. and 
Elizabeth (Pahs) Larimore, both of whom were 
natives of West Virginia, born near Romney, in 
Hampshire county. The first representatives of 
the Larimore family in America came from Ii-e- 
land and as far as is known settled first in West 
Virginia. There were five Ijrothers who crossed 
the Atlantic to the new world and one of the.se 
became a resident of Ohio. His paternal grand- 
Ijarents were James and Susan (Wolverton) 
Larimore. His maternal grandparents both died 
in AVest Virginia. The grandfather was a black- 
smith by trade and follo«-ed that pursuit 
throughout his entire business career. 

Jolm W. Larimore was a farmer liy occupa- 
tion and thus provided for his family, which 
numbered six children, Albert W. being the eld- 
est. The others were : Isaac M., James A., Mrs. 
Rebecca Price, William and Naomi. The last 
named died when twenty years of age and was 
buried in Shiloh cemetery. William was wound- 
ed in the battle of Shiloh. April 6, 1862, and died 
just a week later. His father went south for his 
remains and the interment was made in Shiloh 
cemetery, in Adams county. 

Albert W. Larimore in 18-1-2 accompanied his 
parents on their removal to Macon county. ^lis- 
souri, where they remained for three years. Plis 
father then started to return to West Virginia 
on account of illness liut on the way he heard 
of the Payson windmill and knew that a Mr. 
Baker lived near that windmill so that when he 
reached the vicinity of Payson he inquired for 
Jacob Baker, who was a cousin of his wife and 
had settled here some time previous. l\h-. Baker 
induced Mr. Larimore to I'emain until spring and 
during the winter the latter purchased eighty 
acres of land, which was afterward owned by 
Huah Rutter and now belongs to the Seymour 
estate. On disposing of his original property he 
bought land where James A. Larimore now re- 
sides. Bringinu' his family to this county he 
carried on agricultural pursuits for many years 
and prospered in his undertakings. At the time 
of his death he was the owner of three hundred 



and forty acres of valuable land. Both he and 
his wife have passed away. 

Albert W. Larimore was only about six years 
of age when brought by his parents to Adams 
county and was educated in the Whitcomb 
schoolhouse, which was a frame building with 
slab seats, while desks were around the wall. 
There were no backs to the seats and the entire 
building was a crude, primitive structure. Later 
he attended the Hinckley school and when not 
engaged with his school books he devoted his time 
and attention to the work of the farm. The 
occupation to which he was reared he has always 
made his life work and he began for himself on 
section 24, Payson township, where he now re- 
sides. Practical and progressive in his methods, 
managing his business interests with great care, 
he has through his diligence and perseverance 
been enabled to become the possessor of extensive 
landed interests. He was at one time the owner 
of seven hundred and twenty acres of land but 
has given the sons three hundred and twenty 
acres so that he now retains possession of four 
hundred acres. 

On the 6th of i\Ia.v, 1862, ]Mr. Larimore was 
united in marriage to Miss Julia F. Pottle, a 
daughter of Brackett and Mary (Woodruff) 
Pottle. The father was a native of New Hamp- 
shire and the mother of Connecticut, her birth 
having occurred near West Hartford. When a 
boy Mr. Pottle went to Boston, where he worked 
for six dollars per month and out of that sum 
he had to pay for a hogshead of molasses which 
he had spilled when draying. Not long after 
this several men spoke to him about coming to 
Illinois. These were Jolm Wood, Willard Keyes 
and a iMr. Kimball. Mr. Pottle accepted their 
]iroposition and came overland with them in 
covered wagons to Quincy. They entered land 
fr-om the government by pre-emption at one dol- 
lar and a quarter j^er acre. John Wood after- 
ward became governor of Illinois. It was in the 
year of 183.3 that ]\Ir. Pottle arrived in Quincy 
and in partnership with John Wood and Deacon 
Kimball he entei-ed nine hundred acres of land, 
including a part of the town site of the village of 
Payson, and when the land was divided this por- 
tion fell to T\Tr. Pottle's lot and he aftei-ward 
sold it to Deacon Scarborough, who laid out the 
town of Payson. Mr. Pottle settled on a farm 
three miles east of Payson and for many years 
carried oii agricultural pursuits, being one of 
the pioneer farmers of that county and a man 
whose labors contributed in large and important 
measure to the substantial improvement and ma- 
terial upbuilding of the county. In 1870 he re- 
moved to Payson, wheiT he owned considerable 
property, and his efforts there also proved an 
important feature in the upbnildins of the town. 
He was a iirominent and valued member of the 



PAST AND PKESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



753 



Congregational clinreh and was the last sui'viv- 
ing charter member among those who organized 
the society at Payson. Mv. Pottle, who was born 
May 18, 1804, passed away January 3, 1893. in 
the eighty-ninth year of his age. He was one 
of the most respected and honored of the pioneer 
settlers and his name shonld be inscribed high 
on the roll of the early residents of this part 
of the state. His wife bore the maiden name of 
Mary Woodruff, and was a daughter of Darius 
and Ruby Woodruff. They became the parents 
of four children : Julia F., Elijah Lovejoy, Ra- 
chel and Albert. Two of the number are now 
living, — Mrs. Larimore, and Elijah L. Pottle, 
who is married and engaged in merchandising 
in Chicago. 

The home of 'Sir. and ^Irs. Larimore has been 
blessed with four children : William 0. married 
Blanch Huuiphrey and they have three sons and 
three daughters. Aunie died at the age of one 
year. Edward N. married Winnie Hartshorn 
and lives south of the old home farm. Mary N. 
is the wife of Frank Penick, a lawyer of Quincy. 
and has one son. Albert Mark, at home. 

In his political views Mr. Larimore is a stal- 
wart republican. He is a man of strong tem- 
perance principles and is himself a total ab- 
stainer, having iised neither tobacco nor intoxi- 
cants. His wife belongs to the Congregational 
church. They usually spend the winter in the 
soiTth, largely in Florida. Their home property 
is a well improved place, where they live comfor- 
tably. Mr. Larimore has also visited California. 
Colorado and Texas, usually leaving Adams 
county diiring the inclement weather seasons. 
He is the possessor of a handsome competence 
that has been acquired entirely through his own 
labors and as the years have passed he has not 
only won success but has also gained the uncpiali- 
fied regard of his fellowmen. The greater part 
of his life has here been passed and he has been 
a witness of Adams county's wonderful trans- 
formation through more than half a century. 



wnjLTA:^r barnett. 



William P>arnett. who was formerly an active 
representative of the farming interests in Adams 
county! but is now practically living n retired 
life in ]Mareelline, was born October 12, 1838. 
in the county which is still his home, his parents 
being Davis and Lucy (McFarland) Barnett. 
The father was a native of Kentucky, born De- 
cember 12. 1800. w'hile the motlier's birth oc- 
curred in Virginia. October 25, 1802. They be- 
came residents of ^Missouri in 1823. and five years 
later removed to Adams countv, Illinois, which 



was then a pioneer district, the city of Quincy 
containing only a. few houses, while a number of 
the now thriving towns and villages had not yet 
sprung into existence. They settled near Mar- 
celline and there remained until the death of the 
mother, June 7, 1847, after which the father 
removed to C'amp Point, where his death oc- 
curred November 14, 1886. 

William Barnett was educated in the public 
schools and after acquiring a good knowledge 
of the branches of English learning, he worked 
upon his father's farm for foiir years, thus gain- 
ing practical knowledge of the best methods of 
caring for the fields and stock. He then removed 
to Missouri, where he purchased a farm, making 
it his home for two years. He afterwards sold 
out and returned to Adams county, biiying a 
farm two miles northeast of Marcelline. where he 
lived for thirty-four yeai-s, at the end of which 
time he retired fi"om business life. He was an 
active and energetic agriculturist, working earn- 
estly in the fields from the time of the early 
■-■pring planting until the crops were all harves- 
ted in the late autmnn. He placed his fields 
"nder an excellent state of cultivation and used 
the best improved machinery to facilitate his 
work. He owns one hundred and sixty acres of 
p;ood land lying partly in ^lendon and partly in 
T/ima tow-nships. He also has a home and six 
fine lots in IMarcelline and the rental from his 
farm brings him a good annual income. 

On the 22nd day of February, 1863. Mr. Bar- 
nett was married to Miss ]\Tartha Tarr. a daugh- 
ter of William and Mary JI. (Adair) Tarr, both 
of whom are natives of Kentuelc^'. They came to 
Adams county at an early day, settling about 
one and a half miles east of Marcelline. Mr. 
Tarr was born January 14. 1810, and died De- 
cember 10, 1878. while his wife was born De- 
cember 10, 1813. and died October 8. 1891. Mrs. 
Barnett was born on the old Tarr homestead, 
March 27, 1841. Unto our subject and his wife 
have been born five children : James, who was 
born November 25. 1863, married Evaline Wait 
and lives in Marcelline; John W., boni August 5, 
1865, married Amanda Cate, and is engaged in 
the operation of the old home farm east of ]\Tar- 
celline: Dodley, born October 13. 1868, married 
^tvrtle Eshom. now deceased, and resides with 
hi'; narents: Eldora. born September 22, 1871, 
died in September of the following year: Mai'y 
^1.. born ]\Tarch 22, 1873. is the wife of George 
B. TTe«s of Oklahoma City. 

"Mr Barnett gives his political support to the 
republican party and has been honored with n 
tev: local offices. He served as road commission- 
er for five years and has been school director for 
several years. He is always interested in the 
public welfare and is champion of many meas- 
ures that have contributed to the general pros'- 



754 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



ress. He manifested his allegiance to his eo-au- 
tiy in Jnly, 1861, when in response to the call 
for troops he enlisted in ComiDany L, Second Illi- 
nois Cavalry, with which he served for fifteen 
months and was then honorably discharged be- 
cause he was disabled at Cairo. In times of 
peace he has been equally loyal to the best inter- 
ests of his country. He is a member of Marcel- 
line lodge. No. li-t, A. F. & A. M., and enjoys 
the regard not only of the brethren of his craft. 
but <if all who know him. 



CALOT E. BAKER. 



Calot E. Baker was one of the best known gro- 
cery merchants of Quincy, carrying on business 
on Hampshire street for more than twenty years. 
He arrived here in 1865, having about that time 
attained his majority, and thus a yoi;ng man, he 
came to the west imbued with the sj^irit of en- 
terpi'ise and progress which have been the dom- 
inant factors in the upbuilding of this section of 
the country. He labored to goodly ends, acquir- 
ing a comfortable competence for himself and 
also advancing the city's jirosperity through his 
commercial activity. 

He was born in Schaghticoke, near Troy, New 
York, April 21, 1844, his parents being Bryan and 
Janette (Calot") Baker. His maternal grand- 
father was a native of France. Dr. Baker, the pa- 
ternal grandfather, devoted his life to the prac- 
tice of medicine and under his direction Dr. 
Bryan Baker began studying. He afterward at- 
tended the Wesleyan Medical College, of New 
York city, and was graduated therefrom, subse- 
quent to which time he began practice at Schaght- 
icoke. New York, where he remained until his 
death. He passed away during the early boyhood 
of his son Calot. One S(m, D. Bryan Baker, be- 
came a practicing physician and followed the pro- 
fession in Quincy. After the death of her first 
husband Mrs. Baker married Dr. Bassett, of 
Quincy, and resided here initil her demise, while 
Dr. Bassett also died in this city. 

Calot E. Baker acquired a common-school edu- 
cation in his native county. He went to live with 
his grandparents at the time of his father's 
death and was just seventeen years of age at the 
time of the outbreak of the Civil wni-. Thrilh^d 
with a patriotic spirit and impulse he ran away 
fi'om home and enlisted as a bugler in Comjiany 
F of a New York cavali-y regiment, servinsr in 
that capacity llii-oiighont the period of hostilities, 
after which he was liouoi-ably discharged at Rich- 
mond. Virginia, in 1865. 

His mother was then living in Quincy and ^Ir. 
Baker was therebv influenced tn come to this eitw 



lie ari'ived the same year in which the war closed 
and Ijegan here as a clerk in a tby goods store, 
following that pursuit until he had attained his 
majoi-itA'. He then began travelling for a whole- 
sale candy house of Quincy, of which Williana 
Brown was the owner and later he traveled for 
the Warfield "Wholesale Grocery House, remain- 
ing ujion the road for several years. He after- 
ward entered into partnership with Charles U. 
Colburn in the conch^ct of a retail grocery busi- 
ness and from that time forward Mr. Baker was 
a well known merchant of this city, carrying on 
business on Hampshire street between Fifth and 
Sixth streets for almost twenty years. His store 
was always filled with excellent goods and the 
finn secured a very liberal patronage, having a 
trade which constantly developed as the years 
went by. The business methods of the house, too, 
were also such as would bear closest investigation 
and scrutiny and Mr. Baker won for himself an 
enviable position in trade circles. 

In this city occurred the marriage of Charles 
E. Baker and Miss Isabella A. Brown, a native of 
Quincy and a daughter of William and Jane 
(Begg) Brown. Her father was a native 
of Scotland and came to Quincy at an early day, 
making for himself a place among the leading 
business men of the city. He engaged in the 
wholesale and retail confectionery and bakery 
business here until his death and his wife also 
died in Quincy. 

The death of Mr. Baker occurred on the 9th 
of September, 1903. He was a member of the 
Masonic fraternity and was laid to rest with 
JTasonic honors. He had attained the Knights 
Templar degree in ]Masonry, and was also a mem- 
ber of the Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks 
and the Grand Army of the Republic. In poli- 
tics he was a republican, but without political as- 
pirations. He became very well-to-do as the re- 
sult of unremitting diligence and enterprise in 
business and was one of the prominent and lead- 
ing merchants of Quincy. flis wife is a member 
of the Unitarian church. After his death Mrs. 
Baker carried on the grocery business, but is now 
selling oiit the stock and expects to close her 
interests in the store. She owns a beautiful home 
at No. 628 Spring street, where she resides, and 
she has a wide and favorable acquaintance in the 
city. 



]\IRS. MARY A. E. ORTON. 

Mrs. IMary A. E. Orton, living in Clayton, 
was born in Richmond, Warren county, In- 
diana, March 4, 1832, and when three years 
of age was brought to Illinois by her parents, 

(he family liome Ix'ing established in Quincy, 




C. E. BAKER 



PAST AiND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



757 



where they remained for four years, and then 
removed to BroAvn county, Illinois, where the 
father carried on farming for a long period. 
He died in 1872 at the age of seventy-six years, 
wliile his wife passed away in 1898 at the age of 
ninety-four years. 

Their daughter. ]\Iary A. E. Kellar, was edu- 
cated in the public schools near her home and in 
Quincy, and after attaining womanhood she gave 
her hand in marriage on the 11th of September, 
1856, to Clark Orton, who was born in the Gen- 
esee valley of New York, in December. 1826. 
When a young man he came from the Empire 
state to Illinois, settling in IMorgan county, and 
throughout his remaining days he carried on gen- 
eral agricultural pursuits. He was also a school 
director and was active and influential in com- 
munity affairs, taking a deep interest in all that 
pertained to public progress and improvement. 
His political allegiance was given to the republi- 
can party and his sons have followi'd in his foot- 
steps in this dii-ection. 

I'nto ^Ir. and ^Irs. Orton have been born eight 
children : Rosella, born December 13. 1857, is 
the wife of "William 'Slay and resides in Kansas: 
Barintha. born July 8. 1859. became the wife of 
John Black and died in September, 1892 ; Charles 
F.. liorn November 25, 1861, lives at home: Ida, 
born in October, 1863, died in infancy : Eva, born 
in June. 1865, became the wife of Harvey Wil- 
liams and died in 1901 ; Tandever, born June 10. 
1869. married Alta Robbins and lives with his 
mother in Cla\i;on: Clark, died in infancy in 
1871 : and Elsworth. born April 13, 1873, was 
married to Mamie Lee and resides near his moth- 
er's home in Clayton. He is a school teacher. 

Mr. Orton departed this life February 29. 
1896, respected by all who knew him. His widow 
is now the owner of one hundred and twenty-five 
acres of land on section 13. Clayton township, 
about four and a half miles from the village of 
Clayton and this land is operated by her son. 
Mrs. Orton and her sons are all members of the 
Christian church and are deeply interested in 
its work and upbuilding. She has won many 
warm friends during her residence in this part 
of the state and has a favorable aci|uaintance in 
Clavton. 



CHARLES LIONBERCER. 

Charles Lionberger. living on section 23. 
Pay.son township, was born ilarch 15. 1862, in 
Adams county, his parents being John and 
Elizabeth (Kite) Lionberger. His paternal 
great-grandfather was Peter Lionberger, who 
lived in Rockingham county, now Page count.v. 
Yiririnia. but was born in Cermany. coming to 



America about the time of the Revolutionary 
war. He was three times married and Peter 
Lionberger. a son of the first marriage, became 
the grandfather of our subject. Peter Lion- 
berger, having arrived at years of maturity, 
was married to Elizabeth Snnth, and among 
their children was John Lionberger, father of 
our subject, who was born in Licking county, 
Ohio, near Newark. At the time of the oiit- 
break of hostilities between the colonies and 
the mother country Peter Lionberger espoused 
the caiise of independence and served as an 
officr in the Revolutionary war. 

In the family of Peter Lionberger Avere ten 
children, of whom Christina, Sallie, Samuel, 
John and Katie, are deceased. Jemima became 
the wife of Aber Lamberson, who was a farmer 
in Crawford county, Illinois, near Robinson, 
but is now deceased. His widow is eighty -nine 
.vears of age. She had six children. Elizabeth 
Lionberger died December 14, 1882, and was 
buried in Stewart cemetery. ^Michael Lion- 
berger married Sophia Laiighrey and lives at 
Newark, Licking county, Ohio. William Lion- 
berger. born January 1, 1829, in Licking coun- 
ty, Ohio, has followed farming throughout his 
entire life. He married Amanda Taylor, who 
belonged to a Virginia family, that was estab- 
lished in Ohio at an early day. Willitm Kite 
followed farming in Ohio for some time, after- 
ward removing to ^lissouri, thence to Adams 
county, Illinois, and later to Huntington. In- 
diana, where he remained from 1860 until 1864. 
He then returned to Adams county, where he 
spent four years, after which he lived for eight 
years in Missouri and then spent one season in 
Sherman, Texas. He afterward lived for three 
years in Indian Territory, where his wife died 
and was buried. They had four children. 
William Kite afterward removed to Ohio, but 
when seven months had yiassed he removed to 
Crawford county, Illinois, and later came to 
Adams county. Again he located in Missouri 
and his remaining days were spent among his 
children and at the home of Charles Lionberger 
of this review. Nancy Lionberger. the young- 
est member of the family of Peter Lionberger, 
nuarried Ross Brown, a farmer and land owner 
living three and a half miles south of Newark, 
Ohio,. They have nine children. 

John Lionberger was born Aiigiist 11. 1816. 
and died June 16. 1887. He came to Illinois 
with Benjamin Lionberger and William ^Morris 
in 1842. He remained in Adams county for 
about a year and a half and then returned to 
Ohio, but soon afterward he again came to this 
.state and took up his abode on what is now 
the old Lionberger homestead, his house being 
a little log cabin. He married Miss Elizabeth 
Kite, a daughter of Adam and Sarah (Parr) 



75H 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



Kite. Tli(^ Kites removed from Page county, 
Virginia, to Ohio about 1804. The grandfather 
of Mrs. John Lionberger was a native of 
Hesse, Germany, and came to America prior to 
the war for independence. One of the family 
was a colonel in the Hessian army. Adam Kite, 
at the time of the Revolution, was detailed to 
stay at home and keep guard over the people 
who resided in his locality. The children born 
iinto John and Elizabeth (Kite) Lionberger 
were eight in number: Sarah, born April 2, 
1842, is deceased. George, born ilarch 20, 
1844, has passed away. Alfred, born April 22, 
1846, married Maggie Greene, and they reside 
near Dawn, Livingston county, Missouri, with 
their family of five sons and two daughters. 
Alvira, born June 16, 1848, is the widow of 
George Green, by whom she had eight children, 
and her home is at Hull Station, Illinois. Cal- 
vin, born April 28, 1850, is deceased. Isaac, 
born March 10, 1852, has passed away. Louisa, 
boi-n June 20, 1855, is the wife of John Ray, 
a carpenter living in California, and they have 
three children. 

Charles Lionberger pursued his education in 
the coimtry schools and in Gem City Business 
College at Quincy. He has always followed 
farming and resides upon the old home place 
which has been in possession of the family 
from pioneer times to the present. He worked 
for his father until twenty-one years of age, 
and then started out in life on his oavu account. 
He was married April 14, 1891, to Miss Ollie 
Blauser, who was born March 4, 1872, and is 
a daughter of John and Amanda (Wag.y) 
Blauser. Her father, who was born November 
27, 1844, is now living a retired life at Hull 
Station, but her mother passed away in No- 
vember, 1877. He is a native of Pennsylvania 
and was brought to Illinois about 1854 by his 
father, the .iourney being made by water. The 
family is of German descent. Here Mr. Blau- 
ser was reared amid the wild scenes of frontier 
life, and after beginning farm work for him- 
self he accumulated a valuable tract of land 
of one hundred and nine acres. Pie was twice 
married, and by his first wife had two daugh- 
ters — Mrs. Lionberger and Nellie, who was 
born November 28, 1873, and is the wife of 
Frank Waters, a merchant of Plainville, by 
whom .she had three children. By the father's 
second marriage there were two children : El- 
mer, who died when seven years of age ; and 
Florence, born July I'l, 18SS. now at hnme with 
her parents. 

Mr. Lionberger is the owner of two hundred 
and four acres of land, acquiring one-half of 
it by purchase. He has one hundred and sixt.y 
acres on section 23, the rest being on section 
24, Payson township. Ilis farm is a splendidly 



developed property, well impr(jvcd with all 
modern equipments, and as a business man he 
enjoys the entire confidence of the conununity, 
being straightforward and honorable in all his 
dealings. His political allegiance has always 
been given to the democratic party on whose 
ticket he was elected road commissioner. 



LOUIS WOLF. 



The strength of character, persistency of jrar- 
pose and carefully planned and well executed 
labor which constitute the basis of all success 
have been manifest in the career of Louis Wolf, 
to-day a j^rominent repi'esentative of industrial 
and financial interests in Quincy. Honored 
and respected by all, his position in trade circles 
commands uniform admiration not alone be- 
cause of what he has accomplished, but also by 
I'eason of the straightforward methods lie has 
ever followed. 

He was born in Alexander, Missouri. August 
14. 1857, his parents being Charles and Flori^n- 
tine (Klump) Wolf. The father came to Amer- 
ica in 1852, when but twenty-eight years of age, 
from the state of Brunswick, (Jernuiny. He 
landed at New Orleans, where he worked for a 
year or more at his trade of harness-making 
and later he proceeded up thi' river \n St Ijoiiis, 
Missouri, where he resided luitil lS.")t) and 
again worked at his trade. In the year men- 
tioned he removed to Alexander. Missoiu'i, 
where he embarked in the harness-making busi- 
ness for himself and this he conducted until 
1861. when on account of his extreme northern 
syjupathies he was forced to leave that ]ilace 
and removed to Warsaw, Illinois. II(^ remained 
a champion of the Union cause throughout the 
period of hostilities. He continued in the har- 
ness business at Warsaw from 1861 until the 
time of his ileatli. which occurred in 1886. His 
wife died ten years later, passing away in 
Warsaw, April h. ^S9^^. 

Louis Wolf was a ]iublie-seho(il student in 
Warsaw, jiassing through successive grades 
until he had completed the high school course, 
after which he attended a business college at 
St. Louis and was there graduated at the age 
of seventeen years. During his boyhood days 
he learned the harness-maker's ti-ade in his 
father's .shop and following the eiim)ile1i(ni of 
his education he returned to Warsmv, where 
he entered his father's employ, remaining 
there for three years. On the 1st of January, 
1877. he removed to St. Louis, where he 
entered the employ of a wholesale saddlery 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTT . 



761 



(•()iii|)aiiy \\itli which he was connected for 
nearly I'our years and during that time he was 
offered the management of the factory, but 
owing to his youth he wisely refused. In 
September, 1880, he came to Quiucy and iden- 
tified himself with J. B. Schott Saddlery Com- 
pany as manager. In that position he lias since 
been retained and is now one of the leading 
stockholders of the company. Largely to his 
enterprise, his thorough understanding of the 
business and his executive management the 
success of the house is attributable. He has 
seen the business increase from year to year 
until it now covers more than tive tinies the 
space that it did when he became interested 
therein. The excellence of the output has been 
the basis of the prosperity which has attended 
the undertaking and this is due to the capable 
management of ^Ir. Wolf, whose practical 
kno'SA'ledge of harness and saddlery-making in 
every department made him splendidly quali- 
fied for the control of the factory. The J. B. 
Schott Saddlery Company employs ninety men 
throughout the year and is one of Quincy's 
large wholesale concerns. He has, as the years 
have advanced, become interested in various 
business enterprises in Quincy and is to-day 
the president of the Quincy National Bank, 
while for twelve years he has been a director 
in the Central Iron Works of Quincy. 

IMr. Wolf was married to Miss Antoinea 
Schott, in October, 1881, a daughter of J. B. 
Schott, one of Quincy's oldest and most es- 
teemed citizens. Their position socially is 
equal to his place of prominence in the business 
world and their circle of friends in Quincy is 
extensive. In his political views Mr. Wolf has 
always been independent, yet he is never re- 
miss in the duties of citizenship, giving to all 
progressive and practical measures a stanch 
and helpful support. His industrial career has 
been characterized by coiitinued advancement, 
for he has brooked no obstacles that could be 
overcome by persistent purpose : and one ele- 
ment in his success is the fact tliat he has 
always continued in the business in which as a 
young tradesman he embarked and in which, 
gaining a thorough mastery, he has been 
( iiabled to so direct the labors of otliers as to 
win gi'atiFying jiro-iperity. 



ASA W. BLAKESLEY 



Asa W. Blakesley. deceased, was one of the 
prominent early residents of Quincy and took 
a very active part in public affairs. He was 
identified with the early educational develop- 
ment of the comity and for many years was an 



office-holder, discharging his duties with 
marked promptness and fidelity. His birth 
occurred near Perryville, in Madison county, 
New York, April 21, 1818. His parents were 
farming people of that state and spent their 
entire lives there. Relatives of Mr. Blakesley 
still reside upon the old homestead in New 
York that has been in possession of the family 
since the early part of the eighteenth century 
and is still owned by the descendants of the 
original proprietors. 

Asa W. Blakesley aided in the work of the 
home farm until he attained his majority, and 
although his opportunities for acquiring an 
education were only such as the district 
schools afforded at that early day, he mani- 
fested special aptitude, and was well qualified 
for teaching in early manhood. Turning his 
attention to that ])rofession, he was connected 
with the district schools of his native county 
for a time. In July, 1841, he came to Illinois 
and first located in Carthage, Hancock county, 
where for two years he engaged in teaching 
school and then served as clerk in the post- 
otifiee and recorder's office for three years. 

In August, 1846, ]\Ir. Blakesley removed to 
Payson, Adams count.y, and after teaching 
school at that place for one year he located in 
Quincy on the 1st of September, 1847, becom- 
ing principal of the female department of the 
public schools, which position he occupied for 
seven years. In April, 1854, he was appointed 
clerk of the city and served in that capacity 
for five years. In the meantime he was elected 
county superintendent of schools in 18-56 and 
filled that olfice for two years. 

In 1859 ilr. Blakesley was honored with the 
position of superintendent of the Quincy & 
Toledo Railroad, which appointment was made 
during the great strike and about the close of 
the "Brown county war." Under his ener- 
getic and successful management the strike 
was soon broiight to a close and good order 
and success followed. From the time of his 
retirement from that position in November, 
1861. until his death he held various public 
positions, serving as police magistrate eight 
years and justice of the peace for the same 
length of time. For two years he was assessor 
of Quincy and was assistant assessor for four- 
teen years, while his coimection with the boaz'd 
of education covered many years. He was 
also superintendent of the city schools in 1864 
and 1865, and was a notary public from 1855 
until his death, which occurred on the 30th of 
March, 1899. In the various offices held by 
him during a long nnd eventful life he was 
active, vigilant and untiring in the discharge 
of the trusts committed to his care. 

Mr. Blakeslev was three times married, first 



762 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



in Perryville, New York, wliei'e liis wife died 
after a short married life of nine months. 
She left an infant daughter who died at the 
age of fourteen years. In Payson, j\Ir. Blakes- 
ley wedded Miss Hannah Avise, of New York, 
who died in Paj'son about three year.j later. 
There were two children of that marriage but 
the younger died unnamed, and Martha, who 
became the wife of William E. (_)wen, is ;)ls(i 
deceased as is her husl)and. 

For the third wife Mr. Blakesley chose .Miss 
Mary L. Watson, and they were married in 
Quincy in 1850. She was a native of Bridge- 
port, Connecticut, born July 20, 1828, and was 
a daughter of George D. and I\Iary Ann (Lit- 
tle) Watson, both of whom were natives of St. 
Albans, England.. Her father came to America 
at an early age and the voyage covered three 
months. Two days after landing in New York 
city he wedded Jliss Mary Ann Little and they 
then came to the west, settling in Clayton, 
Illinois, where they resided for three years. 
On the expiration of thnt p-i'iod tlioy I'enioved 
to Quincy and Mr. \V;itson bcu:i;i wnrk-ing in 
the old Brown mill, llo was aftci'Avai'd made 
city marshal and held that nflicc for iii;iny 
years, after which lie retired to jirivatc life. 
He dietl in Quincy, while his wife passed away 
in Augusta, Illinois, They have one daughter 
stiJl living, Mrs, A. B. ^Miller, who resides with 
a daughter in Denver, ( 'oloi'ado. Unto ]\Ir. 
and Mrs. Blakesley Averc boi'n two children : 
I\Iarion, who is still a resident of Quincy ami 
is employed as jiacking clerk in the wholesale 
boot and shoe liouse of Upham, Gordon & Com- 
pany; and Isabella, the widow of Arthur Stock- 
well and a resident of Chicago. The mother 
of these children died in Quine>- on flie IlMIi 
of November, 1904. 

In polities jMr. Blakesley was a deiiiod'at of 
the old Jacksonian style, believing in a govern- 
ment by the people, for the people and a sound 
money basis as the foundation for all financial 
prosperity and a strong advocate in favor of 
taxing the money of the i-iidi and corporations 
in the same proportions as tlie poor man with 
his small house and lot. He was a iirominent 
Knight Templar Mason, belonging to F,oilley 
lodge. No. 1, A. F. ct A. M. : Quincy ehajiter. 
No. 5, R. A, M. : Quincy council. No. 1.5, R. & 
S. M. ; and Beauseant comnianderv. No. 11, K. 
T, He not only filled all the ofiices in th.-se 
bodies but also served in inipoi-tant ]iositions 
in the grand lodge, chaiitiM- and cimiinandi^ry. 
and ranks among the early members of the 
Masonic Veteran Association of Illinois. His 
funeral services were conducted by the Ma- 
sons. During his long residence in Quincy hi' 
always lived so as to command the esteem and 
confidence of those who knew him. and in his 



death the city lost one of its worthy pioneer 
residents. 



JAMES KNOX 

James Kno.x. deceased, who was one of the 
native sons of Adams county, and for many 
years was a practical and progressive farmer, 
was born on the old family homestead on sec- 
tion 15, Ellington township, his natal day being 
January 16, 1851, His parents were Samuel 
and Mary (McLean) Knox, both of whom were 
natives of Ireland, where their marriage was 
celebrated in 1837. The following year they 
bade goodby to the Emerald Isle and sailed for 
America. Making their way to Pennsylvania, 
the father worked in the mines at Summit Hill 
for about six years, and in the autumn of 184-1: 
he brought his family to Adams county, Illi- 
nois, where his remaining days were passed. 
He ])urchased a tract of land on which not a 
furrow had been turned or an improvement 
made, this being located on section 15, Ellington 
township. Desinnis of making a good home 
for his family he at once began to place this 
under the plow, to add substantial buildings 
for the shelter of grain and stock, and as time 
passed he secured the improved farm machin- 
ery to facilitate his work. The first home of 
the family was a log cabin and Mr, Knox broke 
his prairie •with ox-teams. The arduous work 
of developing a new farm was carried on year 
after year with good results and Mr. Knox 
was known as one of the enterprising agricul- 
turists of the county. Upon the old homestead 
he continued to reside until his death, which 
occurred IMareh 30, 1884, when he was seventy- 
seven years of age. His wife passed awa.y 
three days previous. Both were members oF 
the Presbyterian church at Ellington and on 
its organization Mr. Knox was chosen as elder, 
serving in that position until his death and 
doing all in his power to promote the growth 
of the church and extend its influence. He 
was one of the substantial citizens of the com- 
munity, respected and honored by alb 

James Knox was reared upon the old home- 
stead farm now owned by his brother, Samuel 
Knox, and there he early became familiar ■\\ith 
the labors of field and meadow, assisting in the 
farm woi'k when not engaged with the duties 
of the schoolroom. He always followed the 
occupation to which he was reai-cd and be- 
came the owner of a good tract of land of 
eighty acres, nine miles nortlu'ast of Quincy. 
The improvements Mhich he placed on his farm 




JAMES KNOX 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



'65 



wrought a marked transforiiiatiou iu its ap- 
pearance. About 1898 he ex-eeted a fine two- 
story frame residence, containing nine rooms, 
and other buildings were in keeping with the 
residence. Ilis tields, too, were well tilled, and 
an air of neatness and thrift pervaded the 
place. 

In 1888 ilr. Knox was married to ^Miss Em- 
ma Meyer, a native of Ellington township and 
a daughter of Gotlieb and Henrietta (Iliener) 
j\Ieyer, the former now deceased and the lattei' 
now a resident of Hamilton. Illinois. They 
were natives of Berlin, Germany. Her father 
came to Quiney and purchased a farm about a 
half mile east of that on which Mrs. Knox now 
resides, comprising one hundred acres of land. 
They became the parents of eight children, who 
are Mrs. Augusta Schlipman, of this county: 
Mrs. Louisa Koch, of Mendou; Gotlieb, \v\v> 
was a member of the Jefferson Guards, at St. 
Louis, during the Louisiana Purchase Exposi- 
tion and a soldier in the Cuban and Philippine 
war; William, a farmer. IMrs. Caroline Ros- 
knap: Anna, who is living in Quiney; Emma, 
now Mrs. Knox, and Mrs. Fredericka Dissel- 
horst, deceased. ]Mr. ileyer continued to en- 
gage in farming imtil his death and left a good 
farm property to his widow. He was a repub- 
lican iu his political views. He died at the age 
of seventy-one years and his widow is now liv- 
ing at the age of seventy-four. Unto Mr. and 
Mrs. Knox were born the following named: 
Mary E., Grace J., Samuel H., Peaid N., James 
Mc. and W. Everds, all at home with their 
mother. Mrs. Knox rents her land, but oceii- 
pies the residence which was erected by her 
husband a few years prior to his death. 

ih'. Knox exercised his right of franchiBC in 
support of the men and measures of the repub- 
lican party and his fellow townsmen called him 
to the office of assessor and continued him in 
the position of school trustee for three years 
and school director for fifteen years. He was a 
member of the Presbyterian church and his life 
was in harmony with his professions. He died 
February 21, 1902, respected by all who knew 
him, and his death was deeply I'egretted by 
manv friends as well as his iniiiicdiate familv. 



ja:\ies e. halligan 

James E. Halligan, manager of the Central 
Union Telephone Company at Quiney. and dis- 
trict manager for Wliite, Hancock. Brown anil 
Adams counties, was born in Peoria. Illinois, in 



1866, his parents being Stephen and Catherine 
(Parker) Halligan. The paternal grandfather, 
Thomas Halligan, came from Ireland to the 
I'nited States and spent his remaining days in 
Peoria. His son Stephen Halligan was but a 
boy at the time of the emigration from the 
Emerald Isle to the new world and was reared, 
educated and married in Peoria. There he died 
in 1872, while his wife passed awtiy in 1868. 
They were the parents of six children, of whom 
five are living. 

In the imblic and parish schools of Peoria 
James E. Halligan acquired his early educa- 
tion and afterward continued his studies in 
Parish Business College, putting aside his text- 
books at the age of seventeen years, in order 
to enter business life. He became an employe 
of the firm of AUair & Reyburn, owners of the 
first Bell telephone in Peoria, and later was 
with the Central Illinois Telephone Companj^ 
He afterward entered the services of the Cen- 
tral Union Telephone Company, beginning as 
night operator. Later he was made collector and 
subsequently repairman and was inspector at 
Peoria for five years. He was next chief of 
inspectors and was then sent out as switch- 
board installer, and laid the first cable in 
Quiney in 1888, over the poles through Wash- 
ington Park. He traveled over the state of Illi- 
nois and a part of Iowa in that capacity for 
two years and was then stationed as manager 
at Ottumwa, Iowa, about 1889, being afterward 
transferred to Alton, Illinois, where he re- 
mained for nine years. On the 1st of ilay, 
1900, he came to Quiney as manager of the com- 
pany for this city and district manager for 
Pike, Hancock, Brown and Adams counties. 
Since he came to Quiney the business has great- 
ly increased, the number of the phones in use 
being noM' twenty-five hundred and fifty, while 
in 1900 there were only nine hundred and sev- 
enty-five in the exchange. He has also done 
away with the old magnetic system and in- 
stalled the common battery sy.stem, and has 
given the citizens of Quiney and the district 
a much improved telephone service. His long 
connection with the business and his active 
work in many positions have given him inti- 
mate knowledge of the work in its various de- 
partments, and his promotion has come because 
of his fidelity and capability. 

In 1891 occurred the marriage of ^\r. Halli- 
gan and Jliss Elizabeth Frey, of Hannibal, 
Missouri, a daughter of Germanius Frey, who 
was one of the early settlers of Hannibal and 
was one of the pioneer business men. He died 
before his daughter's marriage. Mr. and Mrs. 
Halligan had four children, but Catherine died 
in infancy. The others ai'e : Loyola, who was 
born in 1893 and attends St. Marv's Academy : 



766 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTT. 



.lolm Eldison, who was born in 189tJ and attends 
the public sehools; and Althea, Avho was born 
in 1899, and is a kindergarten student of St. 
Mary's Institute. The parents are comnuuii- 
eants of St. Peter's Catholic church, and Mr. 
Halligan is one of the cliarter members of the 
Knights of Columbus. In the telephone world 
he has worked his way upward to a responsible 
and lucrative position after over twenty years' 
of close attention to that business, while in 
fcocial circles wherever he has gone he has won 
inanv friends. 



JOSEPH FLETCHER, :\r. D. 

Dr. Joseph Fletcher, a prominent practicing 
physician living in Mendon, was born in Cler- 
mont county, Ohio, February (>, 1834, and 
comes of an old Virginia family of English 
lineage. His great-grandfather emigrated 
from Virginia to Ohio and was accidentally 
shot while on a surveying expedition. He 
left a wife and three children, one of whom, 
Jesse Fletcher, became the grandfather of Dr, 
Fletcher. He, too. was a native of the Old 
Dominion, and thinking he might benefit his 
financial condition in the new, but rapidly de- 
veloping west, came to Adams county in 1850 
and here spent his remaining days, passing 
away in 1864, at the age of seventy-four years. 
He prospered in his undertakings and accumu- 
lated a comfortable competence. Long a de- 
voted member of the Methodist Ejiiscopal 
church, he ranked with the leading and valued 
citizens of his community. In his family were 
nine children, of whom six are yet living, the 
l^octor's father, Charles Fletcher, being the 
oldest. Phoebe, horn in 1814, married A. C. 
Clancy and died at her home in Lee county, 
Iowa, aboiit 1885, leaving four children. 
Thomas, born about 1816, married Caroline 
Moore and died in Texas about 1890, leaving 
three children. Elias, born aboiit 1818, mar- 
ried a Miss IMarshall and died at Yates City, 
Illinois, about 1899, leaving three children. 
Ephraim, born about 1824, married Sarah 
I\Ieeks, and died in Kansas about 1900, leaving 
seven children. Amanda, horn about 1826, 
married L. D. Dewey, who died in Kansas 
about 1888. leaving four children. Caroline, 
born about 1828, married William Runyon and 
both died in ^lendon about 1885, leaving three 
children. William, born in 1833, married Mar- 
garet Trimble, who died in Wichita. Kansas, 
about 1897. leaving three children. 

Charles Fletcher, father of Dr. Fletcher, was 
a native of Clermont county, Ohio, born on the 
1st of November, 1812, and havincr arrived at 



man's estate he married Emetine .Moore, who 
was born in Cincinnati, in 1813, and was a 
daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Moore. Four 
children were born to them in Ohio, after 
which the family removed to Illinois, reaching 
Honey Creek township, Adams county, No- 
vember 2, 1842. Here the father purchased 
one hundred and twenty acres on section 4. 
The only improvement on the place was a log 
cabin, but he possessed determination and en- 
ergy and in course of time developed a well im- 
proved farm. The land was wild and uncul- 
tivated and the district was a ])ioneer region in 
which game of many kinds was plentiful — a 
fact which indicated that settlers were few. 
In connection with the tilling of the soil Mr. 
Fletcher purchased and operated a sawmill 
on Bear creek, conducting the business for 
several years. In 1848 he built a steam flour- 
ing mill in the same locality, probably the first 
in the county outside of Quincy. He continued 
in the manufacture of lumlier for twent.v .years 
and in 1869 he removed his flouring mill to 
Coatsburg, where two years later it was de- 
stroyed by fire. About 1873 Mr. Fletcher re- 
moved from Adams county to Minnesota, 
where he spent five years, and in 1878 he es- 
tablished his home in Warsaw, Hancock coun- 
ty, Illinois, where his death occurred April 10, 
1902, when he had reached the venerable age 
of ninety years. He had an extensive acquain- 
tance in this part of the state and was one of 
its most highly respected citizens. His wife, 
who for many years was a devoted member of 
the Ba])tist cluirch, died June 25, 1892. 

I\Tr. and ]\lrs. Charles Fletcher were the pa- 
rents of eight children, five of whom are yet 
living. The Doctor is the oldest of the family. 
Hannah, born January 1, 1836, married John 
Shriver and lives in Clark county, ^Missouri. 
Jesse, born March 8, 1838, died January 24. 
1860. Warren, born June 25, 1842, married 
Mary J. Hatton, by whom he has six children, 
and they live in Mendon. ^lary, born June 13, 
1845, died in infancy. William, born December 
7, 1846, died about 1856. :Melvina, born March 
26, 1850, is living in Warsaw, Illinois. Laura 
A., born December 7, 1852, married George 
Van Valer, by whom she has four children, and 
they live near Warsaw. 

Dr. Fletcher was a lad of eight years when 
he came with his parents to Illinois. He had 
entered the public schools of Clermont county. 
Ohio, and in this state he continued Ids studies 
in the subscription schools. The school build- 
ing was constructed of logs, with slab seats 
and an immense fireplace in the end of the 
room. The teachers "boarded round" among 
the scholars. In such a primitive school Dr. 
Fletcher acquired his early education, but 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



767 



tliroughoiit his entire life he has been a stu- 
dent and reading and investigation have con- 
stantly broadened his knowledge. He remained 
with his father until about thirt.y years of age, 
devoting his time and energies to farming and 
to the work of the mill. In 1855, however, he 
went to Quincy, where for two years he carried 
on merchandising and during that period he 
devoted his leisure hours to reading medicine. 
He then returned home and again resumed 
milling, but at the same time he continued his 
study of the text-books of medicine, prepara- 
tory to entering the profession. In 1864 he 
matriculated at the St. Louis Medical School, 
from which he was graduated in 1867. Once 
more he returned to the old homestead and in 
his home neighborhood he entered upon the 
practice of his profession, which he has now 
carried on for thirty-eight years with excellent 
success. His skill and ability have gained him 
s large and lucrative patronage and he has 
the full respect and confidence of his profes- 
sional brethren as well as of the general public. 
He is a member of the Adams County and the 
Illinois State Medical Societies and also the 
American Jledical Association. 

On the 5th of January. 1864. occurred the 
}narriage of Dr. Fletcher and ?iriss Elizabeth 
Hardy, Avho was born within four miles of her 
present home, her jiarents lieiug Baptist and 
Tamer (Patterson) Hardy, the former a native 
of Mississippi and the latter of North Caro- 
lina. At an early period in the development 
of this state they removed from Tennessee to 
Sangamon county, but after a few months 
came to Adams county, where in later j^ears 
both passed away. They were the parents of 
nine children, six of whom are yet living. 
Sarah, born in May, 1830, married Jackson 
Stitt, who died in Adams county, leaving five 
children. Elizabeth, born December 11, 1831, 
is the wife of our sub.ject. Thomas, born in 
June. 1833, married ^Margaret Rogers, and they 
died at their home in Hancock county, leaving 
two children. Jane, born about 1835, married 
Henry Stickler, of Adams county, and they had 
five children. Joseph, born about 1837, mar- 
ried a Miss McClung. by whom he had five 
children, and they lived in Adams county 
Avhere he died in 1899. Louisa, born in April, 
1839. married Jackson Harris, by whom she 
had nine children, and she died at her home in 
Hancock county. March 2, 1905. Frank, born 
about 1841, lives in Hancock county. He first 
married Jane Byler, who died leaving five chil- 
dren, and he subsequently married Mary Cline. 
h.v Avhom he also had five children. She died 
about 1901. ]\rary, born in November, 1845, 
married 'William Felgar, of Hancock county, 
and they had twelve children. Baptist, born 



in September, 1850, married Mary J. Stowe, 
by whom he has six children, and they make 
their home in Adams county,. 

Dr. and ^Irs. Fletcher have become the 
parents of five children : ]\Iary Ellen, born May 
20, 1855, is the wife of Thomas Hoye, a farmer, 
and to them were born four children but only 
two are now living. George W., boi-n October 
23, 1857, is a farmer. He married .Martha Gil- 
more and has two children. Joseph W., born 
August 39, 1859, married Mary E. Wible and 
had two children. He was a graduate of the 
Keokuk iledical College of Iowa and prac- 
ticed in Ursa, Illinois, up to the time of his 
death, which occurred December 24. 1898, 
when he was thirty-nine years of age. Francis, 
born ilarch 24, 1861. died in infancy. Sarah 
Elizabeth, born March 27, 1863, became the 
wife of William Kells. of ]\Iendon, and died 
r^faj- 13. 1892, at the age of twenty-nine years, 
leaving two children, Sarah E. and Joseph R. 

Dr. Fletcher has always been an advocate 
of democratic i)rinciples and upon the party 
ticket he has been elected tax collector, serving 
for one term, while for two terms he was sui)er- 
visor and for twenty-four consecutive years he 
was a member of the school board, putting 
forth effective and far-reaching effort in be- 
half of educational advancement. As a citizen 
he was public spirited and progressive, giving 
his co-operation to every movement that he be- 
lieves will contribute to the general good. As 
the years have passed he has made .judicious 
investments in property and was the owner of 
five hundred and sixty acres of land on Bear 
creek, btit has given some of this to his chil- 
dren. He started out in life without pecuniary 
or family advantages to aid him, and he has 
based his success upon earnest purpose and 
unremitting diligence. In his profession he has 
aimed at the highest, and continual reading has 
promoted his efficiency and made him one of 
the well-informed physicians of Adams couut.y. 
Since 1893 he has made his home in IMendon, 
where he owns a beautiful residence. Although 
he has passed the Psalmist's span of three score 
years and ten, he is yet in active practice and 
is ])roving a beneficial factor in community 
life. 



PERRY C, ELLIS. 



Perry C. Ellis, editor of the Quincy Whig, 
was born August 21, 1867, near Union, Boone 
county. Kentucky, a son of Dr. John W. and 
Sallie (Breckenridge) Ellis. The father is an 
attornev and educator, ranking high as a He- 



768 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



brew, Arabic and Sanskrit scholar. In the 
paternal line Perry Ellis is a representative of 
the Ellis faniilj' of colonial Virginia, i^rominent 
in Revolutionary times. He takes his middle 
name from and is related to the Canbys, one 
of M'hose distinguished representatives was 
General Canby, of the Union Army, while a 
former member of the family, securing land 
grants of the war of 1812, thereby located 
thousands of acres of land in Illinois, including 
a great part of the site of Quincy. This was 
lost, however, through the inattention of heirs 
and the lapsing of titles. On his mother's side 
]\Ir. Ellis is related to the distinguished Breck- 
enridge family of Kentucky. 

Pei'ry C. Ellis began his education in the 
public schools of St. Louis, afterward attended 
Woodland College at Independence, Missouri, 
and was graduated from Plattsburg College 
with the class of 1885. In 1886 he went on the 
Kansas City Times, under Dr. Morrison jMun- 
ford, and was afterward with the Kansas City 
Journal, under Colonel R. T. Van Horn, and 
was with the Kansas City AVorld in various 
capacities. lie left Kansas City in 1896 to 
accept a position on the St. Louis Post-Dis- 
patch, with which he remained until the retire- 
ment of Colonel Jones, when he accepted a 
position in the office of the Star, under former 
Congressman Nathan Frank. In 1899 he came 
to Quincy as managing editor of the Quincy 
Daily Whig, under the late John B. Ellis, after- 
ward becoming editor of the Whig, his constant 
policy being to maintain the high standard 
set by John B. Ellis during his proprietorship. 

The champion of republican interests through 
the columns of the Whig, Mr. Ellis is also a 
worker in the ranks of the party, and without 
political aspirations for himself — he having 
never held imblic office — he labors untiringly 
for the welfare and upbuilding of the party. 
One of his characteristics, shown particularly 
in the columns of the Whig, is a readiness to 
present fairly all sides of a controversy. He 
holds that strict adherence to the facts, with 
fairness to all political or other beliefs, is the 
best and only honest policy in giving the news 
and can injure no just cause. He was ap- 
pointed a delegate, by Governor Tanner, to the 
national trust conference of 1899, was repub- 
lican i)residential elector from the fifteenth 
congressional district in 1904. and is now 
chairman of the republican senatorial commit- 
tee of the thirty-sixth Illinois district. 

Mr. Ellis is a member of Quine^' lodge. A. 
F. & A. M. : is past sachem of Minuewawa 
Tribe of Red Men, of Quincy, and a member of 
Quincy lodge of Elks, No. 100. He has respect 
for sincere convictions and those who honestly 
and courageoTisly support them, whatever may 



be their religious or political beliefs. Keeping 
abreast with thinking men, giving earnest con- 
sideration to the great national industrial and 
sociological problems, including that, whose 
ultimate solution, he believes, will equitably 
adjust differences that arise between capital 
and labor, and standing unflinchingly in his 
exju'essiou of his honest convictions, he has 
-^^ron for himself an honored position in journ- 
alistic circles. 



JACOB DICK. 



Jacob Dick, deceased, was one of the early 
brewers of Quincy and a worthy representative 
of the German-American element in our citizen- 
ship. Pie was born in the Rheinpfalz, Germany, 
in 1834. His parents never left Germany, and 
throughtout his business career the father en- 
gaged in the raising of grapes and the manufac- 
ture of wine. The son, having acquired his edu- 
cation in his native country and also gained prac- 
tical knowledge of the brewing business came to 
America in the early '50s with his brothers, Mat- 
thew and John. They located first in Belleville, 
Illinois, where Jacob Dick engaged in clerking in 
a hardware store. About 1856 the brothers came 
to Quincy and established the Dick Brothers' 
Brewery, beginning operations on a small scale 
on the south side of Ninth street and opposite 
the |:)reseut place of business. Jacob Dick acted 
as bookkeeper and, being able to speak English 
better than his brothers, also had charge of the 
business management, while the others looked 
after the mechanical operation of the plant and 
the handling of the product. The relation was 
maintained between them until the death of 
Jacob, after which ]\Iatthe\v and John continued 
to run the business, their deaths occurring in the 
order named. They built up a large enterprise 
and derived therefrom a very gratifying income. 

Jacob Dick served as a guard during the Civil 
war. He voted the republican ticket during the 
greater part of his life and took an active interest 
in jiolitics and in all matters pertaining to the 
city's development and upbuilding. He was very 
chai-itable and was easily touched by a tale of 
sorrow or distress, being always very generous in 
his assistance. 

In 1861 Jacob Dick was united in marriage to 
]\Iiss ]\Iargaret Redmond, who was boi-n in Quincy 
in 1840, a daughter of Thomas and Mary (Don- 
levy) Redmond, who were natives of Ireland. 
Her father came to the United States when a 
youth of sixteen years, locating in Vermont, and 
he followed various pursuits that would yield him 
an honest living. After passing several years in 




O^^-^i^n.'-^f-^ 




PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



771 



New England, he started westward, and, after 
visiting in St. Louis, proceeded up the ilississippi 
river to Burlington, Iowa. He also spent a brief 
period at Galena, Illinois, and then returned 
down the river to Quiuey, where he settled in 
1837. He was among strangers and without capi- 
tal, but he was strong and vigorous and deter- 
mined to win success. He at once obtained em- 
ployment, and. by industry and economy, he soon 
aceunuilated capital enough to enable him to pur- 
chase a few horses, carts and wagons and. in com- 
pany with Samuel Holmes and "William Sliana- 
han. he obtained a contract for grading on the 
old Northern Cross Railroad, between Quincy 
and Clayton. He continued at that business for 
many years with excellent success, and he in- 
vested largely in real estate in Quincy, which in- 
creased in value with the growth of the town and 
made him one of the leading property holders of 
the city. He also took an active and helpful in- 
terest in couunuuity affairs, and his fitness for 
leadership and devotion to the public good caused 
him to be selected for office. In 1848 he was 
eh^cted to the city council and served in that body 
for twenty-one years, taking an active part in 
molding the piiblic policy and promoting the de- 
velopment of Quincy. He was three times elected 
mayor of Quincy and gave a business-like and 
progressive admijiistration, but at length re- 
signed in 18t)4 to accept a seat in the state legis- 
lature. He was one of Quincy 's foremost citizens 
in promoting: its advancement, growth and wel- 
fare. Through his own labor and capable man- 
agement becoming possessed of large wealth, he 
employed it to beautify the city and added a 
number of handsome structures to its business 
district. Unto him and his wife were born ten 
children, of whom five are now living : James 
Redmond, a contractor of Kansas City, Missouri ; 
Mrs. Dick : Katherine, wife of Prank Ricker, vice 
president of the Ricker bank: ^Follie, wife of 
CharlesFargoof Springfield: and Thomas, super- 
intendent of streets in Quincy. Those deceased 
are: Pati'ick H., a journalist, author of Red- 
mond's Men of Mark and at one time city editor 
of the Quincy Herald; Eliza, wife of Jolni Will- 
iams, and three who died in childhood. 

Mr. and Mrs. Dick were the parents of six chil- 
dren: Anna M., the wife of Jack Ellis, president 
of the Quincy Whig Company: Katie, wife of 
J. T. Smith: Julia, deceased: and Avigust Red- 
mond, secretary of the Dick Brothers' Brewing 
Company. 

Mr. Dick, who died in 1876, was a member of 
the Catholic church. He belonsed to the Hist<:iri- 
cal Society of Quincy and in his life record dis- 
played many commendable characteristics, in- 
cluding enterprise and reliability in business, de- 
votion to his family and to his adopted city. 



PETER E. MURRAH. 

Among the native sons of Adams county is 
numbered Peter E. Murrah, who at all times 
has been loyal to the best interests of this 
part of the state and is a worthy representa- 
tive of agricultural life here. He was born 
October 19, 1846, in Honey Creek township, 
and there he spent the days of his boyhood and 
youth. His father, John ^Murrah, was a native 
of Kentuckj' and married Miss Mary Fite, who 
is a native of Tennessee. In the year 1837, 
John Murrah started from Tennessee to Illi- 
nois, making the journey by team, and in the 
course of time reached Honey Creek township. 
Adams county, where he made a settlement. 
He was a farmer and stock-raiser and through- 
out his entire life followed those pursuits in 
order to provide for his family. He had nine 
children : ]\Irs. Sarah Evertson, who is living 
in Linn county, .Missouri; Alvin, and ]\Iary, 
both deceased ; Mrs. Caroline Dei-rick. a resi- 
dent of Coatsburg; Elizabeth, who lives in 
Coffey county, Kansas; ilrs. Jane Tenter, a 
resident of Loraine, Illinois; ;\Irs. Frances 
(iibbs, of Coatslnirg; John C. also of Coats- 
burg; and Peter. 

In the district schools near his home Peter 
E. IMurrah obtained his education, and when 
he had piit aside his text-booTis he gave his 
undivided attention to farm work. He had 
previously devoted the summer months to the 
labor of the fields, and it was with good prac- 
tical experience that he started out in life on 
his own account. He has been very successful 
in his farming operations and is today the 
possessor of a valuable j^roperty which is the 
visible evidence of his life of thrift and en- 
terprise. He now owns a farm of one hundred 
and sixty acres, which is devoted to the rais- 
ing of grain and pasturage. He raises consid- 
erable stock and his capable management and 
keen business discernment constitute the se- 
cret of his success. 

In the year 1869 Mr. Murrah was united in 
marriage to Miss Melissa Koontz, a native of 
West Virginia, born in 1846. At the age of 
nine years she was taken to Missouri by her 
parents, who remained residents of that state 
for six years and then came to Illinois, settling 
in ^Montgomery county, east of Springfield. 
Unto 'Slv. and Mrs. l\Iurrah have been born 
nine children, as follows: ^Irs. Mary E. Gunn,- 
who is living in Keene township ; Otho Frank- 
lin, deceased; Peter L., at home; Joseph Ar- 
thur: Mrs. IMinnie Rebecca Gunn, who is liv- 
ing in Kansas City ; ]Mrs. Clara L. McCormick, 
a resident of Coatsburg; Rosa Evelyn, and 
William E., at home; and one that died in in- 
fancy. 



772 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



Mr. ^IiiiTah is a democrat iu his political af- 
filiation but has never sought or desired office, 
preferring to give his undivided attention to 
his business affairs. During a long residence 
in the coimty he has enjoyed the high esteem 
of all who know him because his life has been 
iu harmony with principles that everywhere 
ponuiiand respect and confidence. 



LEWIS pitt:\ian. 



Lewis Pittman, the owner of an extensive 
and valuable farm of four hundred and fifty 
acres in Keenc township but now living a re- 
tired life in Loraine, where he owns and oc- 
cupies a fine residence, was born April 12, 
1842, in Waldeck, Germany, his parents being 
Lewis and Jane Pittman. After the death of 
tlie mother, which occurred in October, 1843, 
the father married again before leaving Ger- 
many and about 1851 brought his family to 
America. Landing at New Orleans they pro- 
ceeded up the Mississippi river to Quincy, 
where they remained for three months and 
then located on a farm in Liberty township, 
near Payson. At the end of two years the 
father removed to Keene township, where he 
purchased land and continued to make his 
home throughout the remainder of his life. He 
was born about 1799 and died IMarch 26, 1884. 

Lewis Pittman of this review was a lad of 
about nine years when brought by his parents 
to the United States, the voyage being made 
on a sailing vessel, which was seven weeks in 
crossing the Atlantic. They landed at New 
Orleans, proceeding up the ^lississippi river to 
Quincy and there spent three months, after 
which they went to Payson, where they lived 
for two years. They then removed to Keene 
township, where Lewis Pittman of this review 
has since made his home. He began his edu- 
cation in the public schools of the fatherland 
and continued his studies in the public schools 
ol Adams county. He remained with his 
father until twent.y-flve years of age, assisting 
in the operation and development of the home 
farm and then started out upon an independent 
business career. 

It was about this time that he was married, 
jMiss Phebe Swaim becoming his wife on the 
13th of December, 1866. She was liorn ^lareh 
30, 1851, ill jMendon township, Adams county, 
and is a daughter of John and Rachel (Cur- 
less) Swaim. Her father was born in West 
Virginia, February 13, 1811, and the mother's 
birth occurred in Clermont county, Ohio, Au- 



gust 16, 1814. They became residents of Ad- 
ams county about 1835, and remained here 
until their life's labors were ended in death, 
the father passing away April 26, 1874, his 
wife on the 26th of June, 1881. Mr. and Mrs. 
Pittman have become the jiarents of five chil- 
dren, who are yet living, namely : Anna S., 
who was born September 12, 1857, and was 
married August 28, 1887, to Samuel Shoemaker, 
their home being in Keene township; Rev. 
Henry E., a minister of the Dunkard church 
and farmer of Keene township, who was born 
November 2, 1869, married M^'ra E. Arnolds, 
June 22, 1904; Rachel P.. who was born No- 
vember 9, 1873, and on the 30th of August, 
1891, became the wife of Henry Hardy of Lo- 
raine ; Estella J., who was born September 22, 
1876, and was married October 13, 1904, to 
George C. Tate of Hester. ^lissouri, who is 
now living in Keene toAvnship ; and David D., 
who was born April 10, 1885, and married 
Rena Treatch, July 31, 1903, their home being 
in the northern part of Keene township. They 
also lost one son. John L., who was born Feb- 
ruary 24, 1887. and died :\Tareh 2, 1895. 

Mr. and Mrs. Pittman reside in Luraiiie .-iiid 
furnished each of their children a farm. In 
politics he has been a republiean since attaiii- 
mg his majority, giving an iinfalteriiig supjiort 
to the principles of his party. He and his Avife 
are members of the (Terinan Baptist, or Dunk- 
ard church, and their son Henry E. is minister 
and preaches in Ijoraine. ilr. and ]\Irs. Pitt- 
man have acquired through their own efforts 
all that they possess and he has long been 
accounted one of the progressive and enter- 
prising farmers of Adams county, where he 
has made his home for more than a half cen- 
tury, and is, therefore, entitled tn mention 
among the worthy ])ioni'er settlers dt tliis i)ni'. 
tion of the state. 



JOHN B. SCHOTT. 



Quincy finds a worthy representative of its 
manufacturing interests in Juliii H. Schott, 
-V'.iio lieloiigs t<i that class of valued citizens 
who while |n-iinii)ting their individual success 
also advance the general ])ros]ierity throuffh 
the employment which they give to large num- 
bers of Avorkmen and the impetus which they 
give to commercial activity — whereon the wel- 
fare and growth of every town and city de- 
pend. 

Mr. Schott. at the head of a large sad- 
dlery goods manufactory, was born in Ba- 
varia, Germany. ^larch 28, 1833. his jiarents 
being Philip Anthony and JIargaret (Fischer) 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



773 



Schott. Beared and educated in his native 
county, John B. Sehott eanie to America in 
1852 and removed thence to Cincinnati, Ohio, 
where he worked at his trade — that of a tanner 
and currier. He had no capital but he pos- 
sessed strong determination and resolved to 
win success if it could be gained through per- 
sistent, earnest efforts. On the 16th of May, 
1856, he arrived in Quinc.y, where he embarked 
in the tanning business on his own account, 
on Sixth and State streets, and this became 
the nucleus of his present extensive establish- 
ment. He at first employed six or eight men, 
and prospering' from the beginning he was 
enabled to purchase the property that he oc- 
cupied in 1861. In 1865 he extended the scope 
of his labors by piirchasing property at Nos. 
613 and 615 Hampshire street, where he em- 
barked in the general leather business, in ad- 
dition to conducting his tannery on Sixth 
sti'eet. In 1875 he again enlarged his business 
by beginning the manufacture of horse collars, 
and in 1877 he entered into the wholesale man- 
iifacture of saddler.y goods, at this time employ- 
ing twenty-five men. In 1879 he bought the 
fine building at the corner of Third and Hamp- 
shire streets and i;nder the name of J. B. Sehott 
& Company continues the biisiness, employing 
from seventy-five to a hundred men. In 1889 
he erected a five-story addition on Hampshire 
street, with a three-story building back of that, 
extending to a depth of one hundred and ninety 
feet. The business is carried on as a partner- 
ship concern and ilr. Sehott is president of the 
company, which under his careful management 
has been continually expanded until it is now 
one of the large and profitably productive in- 
dusti'ies of the city. Six traveling salesmen 
are employed on the road, selling to the trade 
north, west and south. 

On the 17th of February, 1859, Mr. Sehott 
was married to iliss Adolphina Sehleich, a 
daughter of Julius Sehleich, of Quincj'. who 
died in 1849. Her mother, long surviving, 
passed away ^lay 20, 190.3, at the advanced 
age of ninety-three years. 'Sir. and IMrs. Sehott 
are the parents of six children : Anthonie, 
wife of Louis Wolf, president of the Quincy 
National Bank and manager of the J. B. Sehott 
Saddlery Company; Julia, the wife of Charles 
H. Lauter. who is interested in the saddlery 
business ; Emma, at home ; John F., who mar- 
ried Miss Zehna Herr and is interested in the 
saddlery business ; Adolph. also with the firm ; 
Eobert. who is married and is traveling sales- 
man for the business. 

Mr. Sehott is independent in his political 
views, but as a citizen is well known for his 
i;ati'iotie and public-spirited interest in every- 
thing that pertains to the general welfare. In 



business he has made for himself an honorable 
name and prominent place and he has a wide 
circle of warm friends throughout Quincy, 
while his friendship is most prized by those 
who know him best. 



E. E. B. SAWYER. 



E. E,. B. Sawyer, the extent and importance 
of whose business interests class him with the 
representative men of Adams county, has for 
more than thirty years been connected with 
insurance at Camp Point. He has made his 
home in this county since 1858. A native of 
Maine, he M-as l)orn in York county, in the 
town of Limington, ;\Iay 14, 1836. His father, 
Ephraim Sawyer, was also a native of ]Maine, 
born October 28, 1804. He was reared in the 
Pine Tree state and there married Eliza Small, 
a native of that state and a daughter of George 
Small, who was of English lineage. Mr. Saw- 
yer was a farmer of Maine and there reared 
his family, si)ending his life there, his last days 
being passed in Franklin county. 

E. E. B. Sawyer was reared to manhood 
under the jiarental roof and received ordinai-y 
school advantages. He engaged in teaching 
for a few years dviring the winters, being only 
seventeen years of age when he taught his first 
school. He came west to Illinois, in 1858, set- 
tling in Adams comity, where he again fol- 
lowed the profession of teaching. He was 
principal of the Cla.yton schools for several 
years and his labors gave a valuable impetus 
to the cause of education diiring the period 
of early progre.-^s in Adams county. In 1861 
he located in Camji Point, where he turned his 
attention to merchandising, following that \mv- 
suit until 1873, or about twelve years. He 
was quite active during the Civil war in its 
cause, devoting time and money to filling the 
quota of Adams county. He also served as 
postmaster of Camp Point by appointment of 
President Lincoln, holding that position at the 
time the President was assassinated. He was 
cue of the founders of the Camp Point Enter- 
prise and afterward became sole proprietor, 
continuing his connection with the paper from 
1866 until 1871. In 1873 he entered the in- 
surance business and has built up a fair busi- 
ness in Adams and adjoining counties. 

Mr. Sawyer was married in ^Maine on the 
11th of :\Iarch. 1861, returning to that state 
for his bride, ^liss Esther Bailey, who was 
born in Elaine. February 4, 1833, and is a 
sister of Thomas Bailey, whose sketch is given 
elsewhere in this volume. "Mr. and ]\Irs. Saw- 



774 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



yer became the parents of four children : Ab- 
bie E., who has engaged in teaching in Camp 
Point. Sioiix City, Iowa, and fiercer county, 
Illinois ; Rev. Joseph L., a minister of the 
Presbyterian church, now located at Middle- 
town, Iowa; Hattie E., the wife of H. E. Bates, 
of Galesburg, Illinois ; and Levi E., who is en- 
gaged in railroading at Minneapolis, IMinue- 
sota. They also lost one child, Thaxter Ellis, 
who died in infancy. Mrs. Sawyer passed 
away July 27, 1878, and her death was deeply 
regretted by many friends as well as her im- 
mediate family. 

On the 8th of June, 1887, in Hancix'k county. 
Mr. Sawyer was again married, iii.s second 
union being with Laura Prentiss, who be- 
longed to one of the old families of Hancock 
county that had come to Illinois from Ver- 
mont. Mr. and Mrs. Sawyer hold membership 
in the Presbyterian church and three of his 
children are also members thereof. He is 
serving as one of the elders and is very active 
in the work of the church. Politically a staunch 
republican, he was reared a democrat but he 
cast his first presidential vote for Abraham 
Lincoln in 1860 and has since supported each 
iioniiiice of the jiarty at the head of the ticket. 
Ill' was elected and served as one of the school 
l/oai'd and acted as its president or clerk for 
several years. He has also served on the town 
board of Camp Point for several terms and 
^v'as its president for two years, liut political 
honors and emoluments have had no attraction 
for him as he has preferred to devote his ener- 
gies to his business affairs and the duties of citi- 
zenship Avithout regard to public office. He be- 
longs to the Grand Army Post in which he has 
served as commander, adjutant and cpiarter- 
master and is also a member of I. 0. 0. F. 
lodge. Mr. Sawyer has a wide and favorable 
acquaintance in Camp Point and Adams coun- 
ty and has furthered many important enter- 
])rises of good citizenship. He was a valued 
I)romoter of educational development in an 
early day, and his entire life record proves 
that liberality of thought, labor and means for 
the general good, for some of us is better than 
the accumulation of wealth. 



JOHN :m. DAUCIIERTV. 

John ^I. Daugherty is the owner of two hun- 
dred and forty acres of valuable land, constitut- 
ing a part of the old family homestead, which has 
been in possession of the family since 1850. A 
native of Pennsylvania, he was born October 4, 
1831. and is the son of :\richael and Elizabeth 



(Funk) Daugherty, who were also natives of the 
Keystone state. They came with their family 
to Illinois in 1850 and settled on the farm in 
Adams county now owned by their son John. The 
father learned the blacksmith's trade in his child- 
hood and followed that pursuit until his removal 
to the W'Cst, after which he followed farming. 
He remained upon the place now owned by our 
subject until his death, which occurred August 
28, 'l892, while his wife died June 14, 1900. He 
was eighty-two years of age at the time of his 
demise, while Jlrs. Daugherty reached the veiy 
iidvanced age of ninety-three years. In the fam- 
il\- ni-c five sons and two daughters, namely: 
,^iary, the wife of Martin B. Kuhns, who lives in 
Ursa township near her brother's home: Mrs. 
Nancy Barr, a resident of Oregon; James W., 
who is also living in Oregon; Jacob F., who is 
engaged in the undertaking business in Quincy ; 
Samuel, who resides in Colorado; and Michael 
E.. who is living in Oregon. 

The other member of the family is John M. 
Daugherty, who was educated in the connnon 
schools of Pennsylvania and came to Adams 
county with his parents, remaining with them 
until forty years of age. He then rented a 
part of his father's farm and continued its op- 
er;!tiou luitil the latter "s death. In addition to 
eighty acres which he owned he then purchased 
the old homestead ]iroi)crty, which comprised 
four hundred acres of land. He now owns two 
hundred and forty acres, having sold a part of 
the farm about two years ago. He is also the 
owner of some fine business blocks in LTrsa. His 
land is all undfr cnltiv.il ion and is very valuable, 
yielding exeellcnl ci-ops in feturn for the care 
and labor he bestows upon the Hclds. He uses 
the iati'st inipi'ovcd niacliinery in cultivating his 
farm and everything about the place is neat and 
thrifty in appearance. Although he is now 
seventy-three years of age, he is yet actively en- 
gaged in the farm woi'k. He is as straight as an 
arrow and looks like a man of fifty years. He 
has accumiilatcd nearly all of the property he 
possesses throu'^li his own efforts and his has been 
a successful cai-ccr. 

In 1874 .Air. I >anL;hiM'1y was nian-ied to .Miss 
Ella Ames and unto them have been born two 
children: Elmer, who was born IMarch 23, 1875, 
and lives in Boulder, Colorado ; Frank, who w^as 
boi'n October 12, 1877, and married Edith Cum- 
mings of Fort Collins, Colorado, where they are 
living at tlie present time, 

JMr. Daugherty votes with the democratic 
party and his worth and ability have been recog- 
nized by his fellow townsmen, who have called 
him to public office. He served as census enum- 
erator in 1880, was supervisor for one tenn, jus- 
tice of the peace for twelve years, also collector 
and school direi-tor for twentv-one vears. No 




MICHAEL DAUGHERTY 




MRS. ELIZABETH DAUGHERTY 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



779 



public trust reposed in him lias ever been be- 
trayed in the slightest degree. Pie is also true 
to his duties of citizenship and in office has 
jiroved most loyal in promoting the general wel- 
fare. His life has ever been honorable and up- 
right and he en.joys the uniform confidence and 
trust of all with -whom he has been assiM-iated 
through the fifty-five years of his residence in 
Adams conntv. 



JACOB F. DAUGHERTY. 

Jacob P. Daugherty, whose genial disposition 
and humanitarian spirit have gained him a circle 
of friends that makes him one of the representa- 
tive men of Quiney and who for many years has 
conducted an iindertaking and embalming estab- 
lishment, has long figured among the successful 
and prominent business men of the city and has 
for more than half a century resided in Adams 
county. His birth occurred in AVestmoreland 
county, Pennsylvania, near the city of Pittsburg, 
March 10. 1840, his parents being ]\Iichael and 
Elizabeth (Funk) Daugherty, the former of 
Scotch lineage, while the latter was of German 
descent. They remained residents of the Key- 
stone state until 1851, Avhen with their family 
they came to Adams county, Illinois, settling on 
a farm in Ursa township, where the fathei- suc- 
cessfully engaged in the tilling of the soil, becom- 
ing one of the prosperous agriculturists of his 
community. His landed possessions comprised 
four hundred acres of arable land, highly culti- 
vated and in the control of his business affairs 
he displayed marked enterprise, diligence and 
keen business discernment. His personal traits 
of character were such as commended him to the 
confidence and friendship of those with whom he 
ivas associated and in his death, which occurred 
in 1892, the community felt it had lost one of its 
best citizens ili-s. Daughertv died June 21, 
1900. 

Jacob F. Daugherty, but eleven years of age 
at the time of the removal from Pennsylvania to 
Illinois, was reared to the occupation of fann- 
ing and continued to assist in the cultivation of 
the old homestead until thirty yeai's of age. His 
educational privileges were those afforded by 
the public schools and he continued to concen- 
trate his energies upon farm labor until he em- 
barked in the livery business in Qiiincy. This 
brought to him a desirable competence, but in 
1876 he turned his attention to the undertaking 
and embalming business, in which he has con- 
tinued throiigh almost thirty years. He brought 
to the task a thorough and comprehensive knowl- 
edge of the art of embalming and a pei"sonality 
which has endeared him to the thousands of per- 



sons who have called upon him iu the hour of 
their bereavement. He has attended to the intei'- 
ment of over five thousand persons and as an 
embalmer has no superior in the west. His of- 
fice and undertaking rooms are located at No. 
()19 ]Maine street, to which place he removed in 
1902. it being necessary for him because of the 
growth of his liusiness to seek more commodious 
quarters. Mr. Daugherty is also financially in- 
terested in a large granite and marble business, 
which has become one of the leading enterprises 
of the city. He possesses marked business dis- 
cernment and strong purjiose and in all of his 
transactions has over been found thoi'ouii'hlv re- 
liable. 

In 1862 Mr. Daugherty was married to Miss 
Lt)uise Turner, a daughter of John Turner. They 
have six children: Mrs. B. F. Poi-ter; Mrs. An- 
son M. Brown; Mrs. Charles Brown, of Phcenix, 
Arizona ; Grace ; Leroj' : and Arthur. The last 
named from early boyhood was his father's as- 
sistant in the undertaking business and is now 
associated with him in a partnership. He was 
married January 1, 1900, to Miss Harriet Ruth 
McMillin, of Quincv. They have one child, Ar- 
thur :\I., born October 31. 1902. 

ilr. and Jlrs. Daugherty are members of the 
Vermont Street Baptist church, of which he has 
served as a trustee. Pie also belongs to the 
Knights of Pythias fraternity and the Royal Ar- 
canum. Plaving lived in Adams county through- 
oiit almost his entire life he is well known and the 
energies of his manhood, his chief characteristics, 
his .sjTiipathetic nature and his straightforward 
business career have won for him an enviable 
position in the regard of those with whom he has 
been associated. 

]\Ir. Daugliei'ty now has outstanding over four 
tho^^sand dollars which he will never try to col- 
lect from poor people whose relatives he has 
buried. For over thirty years there ha,s never 
been a Protestant American undertaker who has 
started in the business in Quiney who has made 
a success of it, with exception of Mr. Davighert>-. 
the others having all given up or failed. 



MRS. IDA M. LLOYD. 

Mrs. Ida il. Lloyd, who has occupied the po- 
sition of iDOstmistress at i\Ieyer for eight years 
and is also the owner of a store there, was born 
June 30, 1862, upon a farm in this locality, 
her parents being John C. and Harriett Cald- 
well. Her father was born in Williamsport, 
Pennsylvania, while her mother was a native 
of Liverpool, England, and on removing to Ad- 
ams county, Illinois, they settled upon a farm 
in the vicinity of Meyer, locating there in the 



780 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



spring of 1861. To the further development 
and improvement of tliis property Mr. Cald- 
dell devoted his attention throughout his re- 
maining days. He was born in 1803 and died in 
1882, while his wife, whose birth occurred in 
1835, passed away in 1873. 

Mrs. Lloyd acquired her education in the 
schools of Canton, Missouri, and spent her girl- 
hood days in her parents' home. On the '22d 
of Juni\ 1880, .she gave lier hand in marriage 
to William Lloyd, and by this union was born 
one child, Joseph C. Lloyd, whose birth oc- 
curred October 13, 1882. He married Cornie 
Quinn and lives in St. Paul, Minnesota. Mrs. 
Lloyd possesses excellent business ability and 
executive force. She has served as postmis 
tress of Meyer for eight years, capably dis- 
charging the duties of the office, and at the 
same time conducts a good mercantile enter- 
prise, which she has been operating for ten 
years. She carries a well selected line of gen- 
eral goods and has gained a desirable patron- 
age. She also owns forty acres of land ad- 
joining the corporation limits of ;\Ieyer and 
lying partly within the liorders of the town. 
To the operation of tliis farm slie gives her 
personal supervision. Slu' is a member of the 
Episcopal church and has a very wide circle 
of friends in I\Iever and Adams county. 



EDWIN CLEVELAND. 

Edwin Cleveland, deceased, to whom was 
accorded the public recognition of election to 
county offices as an evidence of the trust re- 
posed in him by his fellow citizens and whose 
career, both public and private, entitled him to 
the regard in which he was uniformly held, be- 
came a resident of Adams county when but 
two years of age. He was born in Ashtabula, 
Ohio, on the 21st of December, 1835, his parents 
being Isaac and ^lary (Chickering) Cleveland, 
both of whom were natives of the Empire 
state, the mother being a relative of the manu- 
facturers of the well known ('bickering piano. 
Previous generations of the Cleveland family 
had resided in the Empire state, for there the 
paternal great-grandparents of Edwin Cleve- 
land made their home for some time and Henry 
Cleveland, the grandfather, was born in New 
York. He became a farmer and throughout 
his entire life engaged in the tilling of the soil 
in connection with which he likewise followed 
blacksmithing. He was a soldier of the war 
of 1812 and a man of marked patriotism, never 
faltering in the performance of any duty in 
militarv or civic life that he believed would 



jjromote the interests and welfare of the state 
and nation. He removed to Adams county, 
Illinois, in June, 1837, and became a resident 
of Richfield, in which locality he purchased 
wild land. To its development and cultivation 
he then directed his energies and made excel- 
lent improvements upon the farm prior to his 
death. The ancestry of the family can be 
traced l)ack still further for Henry Cleveland 
was a descendant of Benjamin Cleveland, who 
was of English birth and came to America in 
1635, becoming the progenitor of the family, 
of which the subject of this review was a rep- 
resentative. 

Isaac Cleveland was born in Schoharie coun- 
ty. New York. After his marriage he removed 
to Ohio, where he lived for a brief period and 
then became a resident of Adams county, Illi- 
nois, in Juni'. 1837. Traveling westward by 
way of the Ohio and Mi'-sissippi rivers to Rich- 
field, Adams county, he, too, purchased a tract 
of wild land in that vicinity and he worked at 
the stone-mason's trade in addition to farm- 
ing. He carried on general agricultural pur- 
suits upon that place until 1870. when he re- 
moved to the village of Barry, Pike county, 
where he lived retired from further liusiuess 
cares. Both he and his wife died in Barry, 
he having attained his eightieth year, while his 
wife died at the age of fifty-five years. He was 
infiuential in comnnmity affairs at an early 
day and held some township offices. He be- 
longed to the Methodist Episcopal church, 
with which his wife was also identified. They 
became the parents of six children. 

Edwin Cleveland, but two years of age when 
lirought to Adams county, lived in a little log 
cabin in his early youth, the family home being 
such as was common in ])ioneer localities at 
that time. The country was wild and unim- 
proved and there was much wild game to be 
had. Educational jirivileges in tlie neighbor- 
hood were somewhat limited. Imt he attended 
the district schools and made the most of his 
opportunities. In the school of experience he 
also learned many vali;able lessons and broad 
reading and observation also added largely to 
his knowledge. Through the period of his 
youth he assisted his father in the operation 
of the old home farm, and when nineteen years 
of age he entered upon iin independent biisi- 
ness career, becoming owner of a farm of eighty 
acres near the old family homestead. That 
tract was covered with a dense growth of 
timber, but he at once began to clear and im- 
prove it and in course of time rich fields re- 
turned to him good harvests. He conducted 
his farm with success imtil the fall of 1861, 
when he enlisted as a private in Company L, 
Tenth Illinois Cavalrv, and was mustered into 




J. F. DAUGHERTY 




J. M. DAUGHERTY 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



785 



the service at Quincy. The following spring 
the regiment went to the south and with that 
connnand Mr. Cleveland jiartieipated in a num- 
ber of skirmishes. While taking part in a 
skirmish near Raleigh. Missouri, he was injured 
in the knee and had to have his leg amputated, 
remaining in the hospital at Raleigh until hon- 
orably discharged. 

When he could not longer render active aid 
to his country on the field of battle Mr. Cleve- 
land returned to his home and re-entered busi- 
ness life as a general merchant at Richfield, 
where he engaged in the sale of goods for three 
years. On the expiration of that period he 
removed to NewtoAvn, Adams county, where 
he engaged in the manufacturing and sale of 
plows and carriages, conducting that business 
with profit for four years. At the end of that 
time, however, he was called to public office, 
being elected in 1871 to the position of county 
treasurer of Adams coi;nty on the democratic 
ticket, which position caused his removal to 
Quincy. He held the office for four years, being 
re-elected in 1873. During that time the court- 
house at Quincj' caught fii'e and was burned to 
the ground, but owing to the heavj' snow on the 
roof the fire made slow progress and so all the 
valuable documents and papers were saved. 

Mr. Cleveland made a creditable record as 
a county officer, his administration of the du- 
ties of the position winning him high encomi- 
ums. Following his retirement from the office 
of county treasurer he engaged in the manufac- 
ture of brick in Quincy for a few years and 
then turned his attention to the insurance busi- 
ness, representing the Traders' Insurance Com- 
pany of Chicago, the Manchester of England, 
and the Newark of New Jersey. He continued 
in the insurance business for several years and 
was then made i-evenue collector, acting in that 
capacity for a number of years, but soon he re- 
turned to the insurance business, which occupied 
his time and energies until his demise. 

In 1854 Mr. Cleveland was married in Rich- 
field to Miss Sarah E. Young, a daughter of 
James H. Young, one of the pioneer residents 
of Adams county, who, on coming to Illinois, 
settled in Burton towmship, where he engaged 
in agricultural pursuits, remaining u]ion one 
farm for sixty years. Both he and his wife 
died there. Mr. and Mrs. Cleveland became 
the parents of six children, of whom three are 
yet living : Harriet is engaged in the millinery 
business in Quincy and resides at the old home 
with her sister, M. Addie. Annie is the wife of 
Leslie E. Fidton, a resident of St. Louis, ^lis- 
souri. Those deceased are Mrs. ^lelissa Proc- 
tor, who died in Newtown : William II., who died 
at the age of twenty-six years: and Lena ^I., 
who died in childhood. The death of Mr. 



Cleveland occurred October 15. 1903. For two 
years he had survived his wife, who died Sep- 
tember 2!). 1901. He was one of the respected 
and valued residents of the county. He held 
several minor offices and was filling the posi- 
tion of township supervisor at the time of 
his death. As a member of the board he had 
served on the connnittees on claims, finances 
and others. He had been reared in the faith 
of the republican party but was always a 
staunch democrat, taking a deep interest in 
political questions and doing everything in his 
jjower to further democratic successes. He 
was a member of the Masonic fraternity, be- 
longing to Bodley lodge, of Quincy, of which 
he was one of the oldest representatives and 
at the time of his death he was serving as its 
treasurer. He was one of the organizers and 
served as commander of the ITnited Soldiers & 
Sailors Veteran Association and in all life's 
relations, whethei- in business or political cir- 
cles, in his fraternal affiliations or in the home, 
he was the same honored and honorable gen- 
tleman, enjoying in marked degree the con- 
fidence and esteem of those with whom he was 
associated. His warmest friends were those 
who had known him longest, a fact that indi- 
cates a life of uprightness and of usefulness. 
As the years passed Mr. Cleveland made judi- 
cious investment in real estate and he built the 
home where his two daughters now reside at 
No. 2845 Maine street. They are prominent 
in society circles here and belong to a family 
AV'hieh from pioneer times down to the present 
has ranked with the leading families of the 
coimtv. 



MRS. ALTJE H. FRANZEN-BUSS. 

^Irs. Altje H. Franzen-Buss. who for many 
years has been a resident of Adams county 
and is now living on section 5, Clayton town- 
ship, was born October 21, 1828, in Holtrop, 
Ostfriesland, Germany, her parents being 
Harm H. and Anke (Zimmerman) Franzen. 
On the 12th of September, 1851, they sailed 
for America and landed in New Orleans on 
the 14th of December, whence thej- proceeded 
up the ^Mississippi river by boat to St. Louis, 
where they spent six weeks owing to the river 
being frozen up. After the ice had disappeared 
thy continued on their journey to Quincy. Illi- 
nois, and then to Clayton township in a wagon 
drawn by oxen, arriving there in the middle of 
February. 1852. They stoji^ied first with their 
pon Hini'ieh Franzen. who had located there in 
the spring of 1850. Their family consisted of 



786 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



eight children: Jurgen, who came to this 
country in 185-4; Ilinrich, ^[rs. ilargaretha 
Emmiiiga, Johan and Ilariii. all now deceased ; 
Dirck. who died prior to the emigration of the 
parents: I\Ir.s. Altje II. Buss: and Cobvis, who 
makes his home in Northeast townshi]! and 
owned and operated a gristmill east of (.{olden 
for many years. 

Harm H. Pranzen, the father of Mrs. Buss, 
joined the German army when a young man 
and took part in the war between Prance and 
Germany in 1815. He particii)ated in the bat- 
tle of Waterloo on the 18th of June, that year, 
taking part in a hand to hand engagement with 
the Ulan Lancers and completely crushing the 
enemy and the power of Napoleon I. After 
being without anything to eat for three days, 
the soldiers were preparing a meal wdien the 
signal came for the cavalry to fly to the front. 
Emptying their soup kettles they mounted 
their horses, and with a hurrah shot forward 
and won the day with great glory. Mr. Pran- 
zen was a tall, strong young man and occupied 
the right end file. He was once stationed at 
an extremely dangerous outpost right in sight 
of the enemy and soon became aware that they 
were ainung a piece of artillery at him. The 
moment the gunner was swinging his match- 
cord, ilr. Pranzen spurred his faithful horse 
sideways and the projectile went whistling by 
his shoulder. Upon making his report he was 
much complimented by his officers for his 
bravery. He found the ball, which weighed 
fourteen jiounds. Taking an air line through 
the country, his horse woidd leap over hirgi' 
ditchi'S and fences with the greatest ease. Our 
lUan and his horse became very much attached 
to each other and at the close of the war, when 
he i)atted his companion good bye, he wept and 
could hear the horse neighing after him for a 
long distance. He often spoke of the horrors 
of war, and his narrations were undoubt- 
edly true. Mr. Pranzen died in Adams county, 
July 29, 1863, when almost eighty years of age. 
He is still held in high esteem by those who 
knew him as a man who lived an exemplary 
life, without a stain u|inn it, (|uiet and unas- 
suming. Although never idb', he never gained 
iiineli of this world's goods. 

Mrs. Buss spent her .i;irliiood under the pa- 
rental roof and jiursued her education in the 
schools of Germany. She came with the fam- 
ily to America in 1851 and became a resident 
of Adams county the following .year. At the 
time of their settlement here there were only 
twelve (ierman families in this locality. All, 
jiowever, were Iroiii Ostfrieshind iu the state of 
Hanover and they called their settlement New 
Ostfriesland, it being in Clayton and North- 



east townships. The first two families located 
there in June, 1848. 

On the lid of Jidy. 1852, Altje II. Pranzen 
gave her hand in marriage to Gerd H. Buss, 
theirs being the first wedding celebrated in 
this particular settlement. Mr. Buss was an 
enterprising farmer and took his bride to a 
farm on the southwest quarter of section 4, 
Clayton township, beginning their domestic 
life in a log house similar to those occupied 
by the other s(>ttlers. With characteristic en- 
ergy he carried on farming and merchandising 
and as the years passed he accumulated con- 
siderable wealth. He died March 19, 1894, re- 
spected by all who knew him because of his 
strict business methods as well as his activity, 
which resulted in success. 

^Ir. Buss was one of a family of seven chil- 
dren, the others l>eing Johan, who renuiined 
in Germany, Catharina and IMrs. Ilille Plesner, 
all now deceased; Weert, a resident of JMinne- 
sota; Trintje, wife of Cobus Pranzen, men- 
tioned above; and Hinrich, who is living iu 
Kansas. Unto J\Ir. and Mrs. Buss were born 
eight children, namely: Henry G., who is now 
living in Oklahoma; Harm G., of Kansas: 
Katie, the wife of Ulfert Ideus; John G., of 
Houston township ; Dick G. ; Gerhard G. ; Grace, 
the wife of William Cassens; and Mai'garet, the 
wife of Claus Leenerts, all living near Golden. 

Mrs. Buss is the owner of a large and valuable 
farm near (lolden besides other property. She 
and her husband had accunu;lated much more 
than this but the remainder has been given to 
their children. She is one of the leading mem- 
liers of the new Ijiitheran church of Golden and 
is deeply interested in its growth and upbuild- 
ing. Like her husband she has been one of the 
most liberal supjiorters of the church, to which 
she has given large sums of money, and in 1904 
when the chiirch wa.s remodeled she donated a 
tine memorial window costing two hundred and 
fifty dollars, liesides giving a much larger sum 
to the building fund. Her many excellent traits 
of character have endeared her to a large circle 
of friends and she well deserves mention 
among the early settlers of Adams <'ounty. 

For further details, reference is iiiaile to the 
sketch (if Mr. II. IT. Ennninga, her nephew. 



JOHN T. inghra:\i. 



John T. Inghram. a lawyer whose careful 
preparation for the bar has well qualified him 
for the onerous duties that devolve upon an 
attorney and who in the presentation of his 
cause is always foi-cible and logical, was born 
in Quincy in 1S70. a son of John T, and Mary 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



787 



lughraiu. His father was born in Waynes- 
burg, Pennsylvania, in 1842 and in 1861 came 
to Illinois, locating at Quincy. Here lie was 
identified with commercial interests as one of 
the early merchants of the city and continued 
in that line of business activity until 1884. 
when he entered the Quincy postoffiee. He was 
a democrat in his political views and fratern- 
ally was connected with the Masons. He died 
in the year 1898. His wife, who was born in 
Elyria, Ohio, in 1851, is a member of the Meth- 
odist Episcopal church, also of the Historical 
Society, and has been prominent in local clubs 
and organizations. She belongs to the Wo- 
man's Christian Temperance Union and the 
Woman's Relief Corps and has been worthy 
grand matron of the Order of the Eastern Star 
in Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Inghram were the 
parents of ten children, of whom four sons and 
three daughters are yet living. 

John T. Inghram, the eldest, was a student in 
the public schools of Quincy and prepared 
for the practice of law in the State Uni- 
versity of Michigan at Ann Arbor, where 
he was graduated with the class of 1891. 
He then entered upon practice in his na- 
tive city and has been quite successful in se- 
curing a large and representative clientage. 
For the past four years he has been assistant 
.state's attorney to W. Clay Crewdsou and has 
.offices with the latter in the courthouse. He 
has a logical, analytical mind that enables him 
to readily determine the strong points in a 
ease and his close study and earnest applica- 
tion have also been salient features in the de- 
sirable success which he has won as a practi- 
tioner. 

In 1898 I\Ir. Inghram was married to Lillian 
C. Brown, a daughter of John H. and Sarah 
(Norris) Brown. Her father has long been a 
grocer of Quincy, coming to this city from 
England. Mrs. Inghram was born here in 1873 
and by her marriage has one son, John T. Jr., 
born August 13, 1901. Mr. Inghram belongs 
to the Methodist Episcopal church, while his 
wife holds membership with the Baptist 
church. He is connected with several fraternal 
organizations inchiding the Masons, Knights 
of Pythias, Modern Woodmen of America and 
the Court of Honor. 

His political allegiance is given to the de- 
mocracy and while interested in political ques- 
tions and affairs of moment to the community, 
the state and the nation, he yet gives his chief 
consideration to his law practice, in which he 
is meeting with desirable success. When the 
piiblic school system of Quincy was re-organ- 
ized in 1904, Mr. Inghram was elected as one 
of the seven members of the board of educa- 
tion by the city at large, which position he still 



holds, having been re-elected April 15, 1905, 
receiving one thousand five hundred and twelve 
votes out of a total vote of three thousand 
four hundred and sixty-five, his vote being the 
largest of five popular candidates. This hand- 
some endorsement of j\lr. Inghram 's record 
as a member of the board of education shows 
the public valuation of his excellent services, 
which have been marked by notable ability, 
close application to his duties and a conscien- 
tious regard for the welfare of the schools. 



ISA^\C J. OGLE. 



Among the representative farmers and lead- 
ing citizens of Beverly township is numbered 
Isaac J. Ogle, who is also an honored veteran 
of the Civil war. A native of Illinois, he was 
born in Belleville, St. Clair county, August 20, 
1841, and is a son of Isaac and Priscilla (Badg- 
ly) Ogle, wdio were natives of Pennsylvania. 
At an early day the father was brought by his 
parents to this state, the family locating in 
St. Clair county, where he continued to make 
his home until his death, which occurred in 
.May, 1841. prior to the birth of our subject. 
The mother subsequently married again, be- 
coming the wife of John Miller, of St. Clair 
county, and she died in 1857. By this union she 
had one son, John i\r. Miller, who entered the 
Union army during the Civil war as a member 
of the Ninety-ninth Illinois Volunteer Infantrj' 
and was killed at Vicksburg, Mississippi. The 
children by the fii'st marriage were Solomon, 
who died in St. Clair county; James L., who 
made his home in Beverly township, this coun- 
ty, and died here July 8, 1861 ; Rebecca J., who 
married William Sisson and died in the east- 
ern part of the state ; Samuel K., a resident of 
Kansas ; Benjamin, who makes his home in But- 
ler county, ilissoui-i; Lucy, wife of J. W. Pow- 
ers, of Salina, Saline county, Kansas; Abra- 
ham B., who was a member of the Fifty-eighth 
Illinois Volunteer Infantry during the Civil 
war and was killed and buried at Montgomery, 
Alabama, in 1864; William, a resident of Fre- 
donia, Kansas, and Isaac J. 

The subject of this review was educated in 
the public schools of this county and when the 
Civil war broke out he laid aside his text- 
books to enter the service of his country, be- 
coming a member of Company D, Fiftieth Illi- 
nois Volunteer Infantry. He participated in 
a number of engagements and was twice 
wounded, first through the hip at Altoona Pass, 
Georgia, which confined him to the hospital for 
three months, and later was wounded in the 



788 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



ear. As soon as able he rejoined his regiment, 
however, and remained at the front until the 
close of the war, being mustered out at Louis- 
ville, Kentucky, after almost four years' of ac- 
tive service on southern battle-fields. 

Mr. Ogle had become a resident of Adams 
county on the 25th of December, 1850. and af- 
ter leaving the army he again took up his abode 
here. In 1865 he married Miss Louisa Car- 
baugh, a daughter of Jackson Carbaugh, of 
Beverly township, and by that union one child 
Avas born, Alice J., now the wife of Marshall 
Love, who lives near Clayton in Concord town- 
ship. The wife and mother died on the 18th 
of March. 1867, and in 1868 Mr. Ogle was again 
married, his second union being with her sis- 
ter. Miss Mary A. Carbaugh, whose death oc- 
curred April 27, 1899. The children born of 
this marriage were as follows : Anna Louisa, 
at home ; Clara E., wife of William Gicker, who 
lives one mile west of Beverly; Lucy M., wife 
Silas A. Moore, of McKee township; Jacob E., 
also living west of Beverly; James E., of Ce- 
ment, Oklahoma; John II., at home; Minnie 
P., wife of William E. Inslee, living north of 
Beverly; and Laverda and Joseph (i.. both at 
home. 

Throughout his active business life Mr. Ogle 
has successfully carried on farming and stock- 
raising, and is today the owner of a well im- 
proved and valuable farm of two hundred and 
ninety-five acres on section 13, and one hun- 
dred and twenty acres on section 19, Beverly 
township, which he has placed under a high 
state of cultivation. He is a man of remark- 
able strength and vigor for one of his years 
and is still actively engaged in the manage- 
ment of his business interests. His farm is lo- 
cated on section 13, Beverly township, and is 
one of the best pieces of property in that lo- 
cality. Religiously Mr. Ogle is a member of the 
Christian church and fraternally is connected 
with the Modern Woodmen of American and 
the Grand Army of the Republic. In days of 
peace as well as in time of war he has been 
found true to his country's interests and is 
recognized as a valued and usef\il citizen of 
the community. 



JOHN LIVIXdSTON MOORE. 

A student of history cannot carry his in- 
vestigations far into the annals of Quincy and 
Adams county without learning of John Liv- 
ingston Moore, one of the pioneer residents of 
this city, settling here in 1833. His baptismal 



name was John JMoore III, but when about a 
year old was given the name of John Living- 
ston Moore, being a great-nephew of the fa- 
)nous Robert Livingston. His birth occurred 
in New York city, January 15, 1820, and his 
parents were Frank C. and Julia (JMunnj 
Moore, who were also natives of New York. 
He had four sisters, namely, Sarah, who mar- 
ried James T. Baker, and both are now de- 
ceased ; Julia, who became the wife of Darwin 
Jaggar, of Burlington, Iowa, and both are now 
deceased; Mary, who is now the widow of 
Major I. G. Rowland and makes her home at 
No. 6017 Woodlawn avenue, Chicago ; and 
Susan, who first married Dr. J. R. Ilollowbush 
and after his death wedded Dr. A. R. Piatt. 
They lived in China for many yeai-s, but after 
his death she returned to America and now re- 
sides with a daughter at 2869 Broderick street. 
San Francisco. 

Frank C. Moore, the father of this family, 
was born at Elliott Place, Hempstead, Long 
Island, and was engaged in the dry-goods busi- 
ness in New York city for some time, or until 
1833, when he came west, accompanied by his 
family, settling in Quincy, which was then a 
small town, giving little promise of its future 
rapid development and sulistantial upbuilding. 
He built a house where the Quincy reservoir 
now stands and began operating in land as 
a land agent and real-estate dealer. In con- 
nection with his father-in-law, Mv. Munn. he 
purchased a part of the old military tract of 
land at Quincy and speculated in land here for 
many years, making judicious investments and 
profitable sales. In 1889 he sold his residence 
to the Quincy water works and taking up his 
abode with his son John lived with him about 
six months, after which he rented a house in 
Quincy^ for a time, hxd was living in Omaha, 
Nebraska, at the time of his death. His first 
wife died in 1850 and he afterward married a 
Miss Grant, who survived him for about two 
years, her death occurring in Omaha. Nebraska. 

John Livingston Moore obtained his early 
education in a private school in New York 
city and afterward continued his studies in 
tlie college in Ithaca, New York. Later he 
was a student in the college in Jacksonville. 
Illinois, for a brief period, thus being yirovided 
with good educational privileges. Following 
the death of his mother, which occurred Avhen 
he was seventeen years of age, he ran away 
from home and went to sea, being absent for 
two years. When that period had elapsed he 
returned and began woi-k on his fatlier's farms, 
his father owning land all around the city of 
Quincy, nuich of which was \nider cultivation, 
constituting some of the best farming property 




JOHN L. MOORE 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



791 



ill this portion of the state. Mr. Moore then 
gave his attention to agricultural pursuits for 
a few years, after which he settled upon a 
farm, which he inherited from his grandfather, 
Mr. Munn, at the south edge of Quiney. This 
he cultivated for a few years after which he 
removed into the city of Quiney and was in the 
quartermaster's department under Captain 
Flagg. Following the close of the war he pur- 
chased the residence where his widow now re- 
sides. It was known as the Fawley place and 
there Mr. Moore established his home and to 
some extent lived retired. Indolence and idle- 
ness, however, were utterly foreign to his na- 
ture and he could not content himself without 
some occupation, so that at different times he 
directed his efforts to various industries. He 
engaged in the manufacture of wine, worked 
with young trees, and was otherwise employed 
in pursuits of his own choosing that gave him 
opportunity for the exercise of his indomitable 
spirit of industry. He continued to reside at 
the home which he purchased until his death 
which occurred on the 6th of October, 1903. 

IMr. Moore was married twice. He iirst wed- 
ded Miss Ellen Hague, a native of Hull, Eng- 
land, who died in Quiney in 1864. In 1866 he 
was again married, his second ttniou being with 
Miss Katharine F. Booth, a representative of 
one of the oldest and best known families of 
Adams county, her birth having occurred in 
Ursa town.ship. October 11, 1835, her parents 
being Stephen and Mary (Congleton) Booth, 
the former a native of Virginia and the latter 
of Kentucky. Her father arrived in Quiney at 
a very early epoch in its upbuilding, but only 
remained in the city for a brief period, after 
which he purchased a tract of land in Ursa 
township about a mile east and seven miles 
north of Quiney. He was a carpenter by 
trade, but after coming to the west did not 
engage in the building operations and instead 
directed his fanning pursuits, purchasing n 
large tract of land in order to furnish his sons 
employment. There he resided and engaged 
in general farming until his death, being one of 
the influential, prominent and highly respected 
agriculturists of the community. His remains 
were interred in the plat that he had deeded 
to Adams county for a cemetery and his wife 
was also buried there. They were the parents 
of eleven ehildi-en. but only two are now living, 
namely: INIrs. Moore and ^Mrs. Emily B. Tur- 
ner. The latter was born in Bourbon county. 
Kentucky, and married John T. Turner, for- 
merly of Bangor, ilaine. who was a farmer in 
Ellington township, Adams county, up to the 
time of his death, which occurred in ^lav. 1900. 



!Mrs. Turner now resides with her sister, Mrs. 
Moore. 

In community interests ilr. Moore was active 
and influential, withholding his support fi"om 
no movement or measiu-e that he believed 
would contribute to general progress. He 
served as justice of the peace in Quiney for 
twelve years, always took an active interest 
in politics and was fearless in espousing his 
honest convictions. He voted for the men 
whom he regarded as best qualified for office 
and the welfare of his eomnmnit.v was dear to 
his heart. For sixteen years he held member- 
ship in the Roman Catholic church, but later 
united with the Episcopal church, of which his 
wife was also a member. ]\Irs. Turner is a 
member of the Christian cluu'ch. ^Ir. IMoore 
was very fond of travel and spent nine months 
in vLsiting points of interest in England, Ire- 
land, Scotland and France, while at another 
time he went to Australia. He Avas very deep- 
ly interested in the questions of the day. keep- 
ing well informed on the sub.iects affecting 
state and national welfare. He had a very 
wide ac((uaintance in Adams county. He dis- 
played in hi.s life many sterling character- 
istics, which gained him the confidence and 
good will of all. and at his death he left many 
warm friends. lie was known as a worthy 
])ioiieer resident and deserves mention among 
the honored early settlers of the county. 

ilrs. ]\Ioore's residence is located at the cor- 
ner of Twenty-fourth and Locust streets in the 
northeastern portion of the city. It is a beau- 
tiful brick structure and Mrs. iloore is living 
there with her sister. Mrs. Turner. She also 
owns other property in the vicinity and was 
left in comfortable financial circumstances b,v 
her husband. Her entire life ha.s been passed 
in Adams county and she is familiar with its 
history from pioneer days down to the pi-esent. 
having witnessed its growth and development. 



CHARLES H. LAUTER. 

Charles H. Lauter, a member of the J. B. 
Schott Saddlery Company of Quiney, was born 
in St. Louis, Missouri, February 16, 1861, his 
parents being Philip and Louise (Fuchs) Lau- 
ter. The father, emigrating from Trier, Ger- 
many, in 1847, located in St. Louis and was 
married there to ]\Iiss Ftichs, a native of Berlin, 
Germany, who came to this country with her 
brother. Her mother died in Berlin at the ad- 
vanced age of ninety-two years. After residing 
for a number of years in St. Louis IMr. Lauter 
came with his family to Quiney in 1863 and 



792 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



was employed as bookkeeper by the firm of S. 
J. Lesem, Brother & Company for seventeen 
years or until 1882, when he returned to St. 
Louis. He is now, at the age of seventy-seven 
years, occupying the position of bookkeeper 
for P. Burkart Company. In his family were 
nine children, of whom three died in infancy. 
Of the others Charles H. is the only one living 
in Quiney. He has a sister residing in Ken- 
tucky and two sisters and two brothers in St. 
Louis. 

Charles 11. Lauter, having acquired his more 
specifically literary education in tlic public 
schools, afterward pursued a course of study in 
a business college, and on leaving that insti- 
tution at the age of seventeen years he entered 
the Richer Bank, where he remained for a year 
and a half. In 1877 he became bookkeeper for 
the Hirsch Hide Company, with whom he con- 
tinued for five years, from 1879 until 1884. 
after which he went to St. Louis, where he 
made his home for three years, while traveling 
on tlie road as representative of the F. Burkart 
Manufacturing Company, manufacturers of 
harness and saddlery goods, upholstering and 
furnishing supplies. In 1887 he returned to 
Quiney and became interested in the J. B. 
Sehott Saddlery Company, being employed first 
as correspondent. The following year he be- 
came a partner in the firm and at present has 
supervision of the office and looks after the cor- 
respondence. 

In 1888 Mr. Lauter was married to I\Iiss 
Jidia Sehott, a daughter of J. B. Sehott, of this 
city, and they became the parents of three chil- 
dren, but John Louis died at the age of one 
year. The others are Carl, born in 1889, now a 
high school student; and JMargaret, born in 
1893, attending the public schools. 

In his political views jMr. Lauter is indepen- 
dent Avith republican sym]iathies, but has no 
political ambitions and is content to do his pub- 
lic duty as a private citizen. Much of his life 
having been passed in this city he has a wide 
acquaintance socially and in business circles, 
and the regard which he received in the former 
ir-i equalled by the res]iect which he ci>mmands 
in the latter. 



DON JOSEPH KAPP. 



Don Joseph Rapp, who is now pdstoffice in- 
spector for the state of Maine, with head([uar- 
ters in Boston, where he makes his home, is well 
known in Quiney, having resided here for a 
number of years, during which time he made 
many friends and also gained the respect and 



good will of those Avith whom he was associated 
in business. He was born in Geneseo, Illinois, 
October 20, 1876, and is a son of John and ^lary 
C. (Ilartzell) Rapp, the former born in War- 
rensburg, Ohio, September 27, 1840, and the 
latter in IMoline, Illinois, June 9, 1844. The 
father was a soldier in the late Civil war. He 
was a school teacher of this state in early man- 
hood and later engaged in merchandising in ilo- 
hne, Illinois. The family lived in Dodge City. 
Kansas, for several years. 

Mrs. Rapp is a daughter of ilichael and Nancy 
(Stauti'er) Ilartzell, who were married near 
Blairsville, Pennsylvania, JMay 5, 1836, and a 
few weeks later came west, settling on the pres- 
ent site of Rock Island, Illinois. There were 
many Indians in this region at that time and 
one chief offered I\Ir. Ilartzell four ponies for 
his "squaw." Their daughter Maggie was the 
first white child born in what is now Rock Isl- 
and. In their family were thirteen children, 
eleven of whom reached years of maturity. One 
of these is Bishop Ilartzell, an eminent divine 
of the ;\Iethodist Ei)iscopal church, who is now 
jn Africa. By ocoipation Michael Ilartzell was 
a carpenter, cabinet-maker and architect, and 
for more than half a century followed those pur- 
suits, after which he retired from active busi- 
ness life. He made his home in iloline up to the 
time of his death, which occurred when he had 
reached the venerable age of ninety years. On 
the 5th of May, 1886, he and his wife celebrated 
their golden wedding and on that happy occa- 
sion were the recipients of many valuable pres- 
ents, given them by their nuiny friends and rela- 
tives who were present, ilrs. Ilartzell was 
dressed in the style in vogue fifty years before 
at the time of her marriage, and although nearly 
seventy years of age had scarcely a gray hair. 
Her husbaiul was likewise remarkably well pre- 
served at the age of seventy-six years. Mrs. 
Ilartzell now resides with her daughter, Mrs. 
Rapp, and at the age of eighty-nine years is .still 
very active. Hei- mothin-. ^Irs. ^largaret Stauf- 
fer, lived to be ninety-six. She reared a family 
of fifteen children, all of whom reached manhood 
and womanhood, 

Untd ]\fr. and l\lrs. Rapp were Ikiimi three chil- 
dren, the eldest being Don Joseph, whose name 
introduces this sketcli. Arthur II. married Cora 
Glassa and resides in Indiana])olis, Indiana, 
where he is secretary and treasurer of the Mon- 
arch Governor Works. Florence E. is the wife 
of Charles D. Miller, of Lancaster, ^Missouri, 
where he is engaged in the insurance business. 

Don Joseph Rapp, reared in Illinois and ac- 
quiring his preliminary education in the public 
schools, came to Qniney in 1895 to attend the 
Gem City Business College, and being ]ileased 
with the citv he sent for his mother and sister 




D. J. RAPP 




MR. AND MRS. MICHAEL HARTZELL 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAIMS COUNTY. 



795 



tu join him here iu 1897. FoUowiiiL;' his gradua- 
tion he secnred a position as postal clerk in the 
Quincy postoffiee and in a short time his efficien- 
cy, promptness and reliability won him promo- 
tion. In 1903 the government made him an 
offer of his present position, which he accepted 
and removed to Boston. Massadmsetts, where he 
makes his home and business headquarters, but 
he travels the greater part of the time, inspect- 
ing the postoffices all over the state of I\Iaine. 
He was in ill health when appointed to this ijo- 
sition but has greatly benefited by the change, 
in fact his health has been completely restored. 
He was well known in Quincy and was account- 
ed one of the popular and prominent young men 
of the city. 

Mv. Eapp was married here to Miss Cora JMil- 
ler, a native of Quincy and a daughter of B. H. 
;\Iil!er, who is one of the oldest druggists and a 
leading resident here. 'Sir. Rapp's mother also 
resides in Quincy, having a large and attractive 
residence at No. 1120 North Fifth street, where 
she and her mother now reside. ]\Irs. Rapp has 
made many friends since coming to Quincy and 
now has a very wide and favorable acquaintance. 



RUFUS W. PUTNAM. 



Rufus W. Putnam is one of the oldest native 
sons of Adams county, his birth having oc- 
curred September 11, 1833, on the farm in 
Ellington township which is still his home. 
Through a long period he was actively con- 
nected with agricultural pursuits but is now 
living a retired life, enjoj'ing tlie fruits of 
former toil. 

He is a deseendent of Thomas Dudley and 
Simon Bradsteel, colonial governors of Massa- 
chusetts, who came to this country with Win- 
throp in 1630. He traces his ancestry back to 
Nicholas and ]\Iargaret (Goodspeed) Putnam, 
residents of England. Their son, John Put- 
nam, married Priscilla Thomas and came to 
America from Aston, Abbots county, Bucking- 
ham, near Aylesbury, England, in 1634, and 
settled in Salem, Massachusetts, but afterward 
removed to Dauvers with his three sons, Thom- 
as, Nathaniel and John. The last named was 
born at Aston, Abbots, in 1630, and was mar- 
ried September 3. 1652, to Rebecca Prince, by 
whom he had ten children. Of this number 
Eleazar Putnam was born in Danvers. Massa- 
chusetts, in 1665, and first married Hannah 
Boardman. His second wife bore tlie name of 
Elizabeth. Henry Putnam, the son of Eleazar 
and Hannah (Boardman) Putnam, was born 
August 14, 1712, and by his wife Hannah he 



liad seven sons. He and his seven sons took 
part in the battle on the retreat of the British 
from Lexington and Concord, and he and five 
out of the seven were killed at Menotomy, 
West Cambridge, now Arlington, April 19, 
1775. His son Henry Putnam was born in Dan- 
vers, Massachusetts, in 1737, and was married 
in 1762, to Sarah Putnam. Their son was first 
lieutenant in Captain J. Page's company and 
was severely wounded at the time his father 
was killed. He remained at his brother-in- 
law's house in I\Iedford, where his w'ife joined 
him, and upon the morning of the 17th of June, 
she di'ove him to the foot of Bunker Hill and 
he did good service on that and other occa- 
sions, serving throughout the war, rising to the 
rank of captain. His son, Allen Putnam, the 
grandfather of our subject, was born October 
25, 1762. and died in July or August, 1805. 
He was married April 20, 1785, to Anna Porter, 
a daughter of Amos Porter. She was born 
at Chelsea. ^Massachusetts, December 6, 1776, 
and died at Danvers, in 1808. Allen Putnam, 
like his grandfather and father, was also a sol- 
dier in the Continental army during the Revo- 
lutionary war, serving for .six months at the 
age of eighteen years. He enlisted July 25, 
1780, and was discharged December 7, 1780. 

Henry Putnam, the father of our subject, 
was born in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1795, and 
Avhen twelve years of age went to Ohio with 
his father, the family home being established in 
Washington county in 1788. This was the first 
family to locate in that part of the state. Henrj' 
Putnam remained a resident of Ohio until 1828, 
when he came to Illinois, making his way to 
the mines of Galena. Later he came to Adams 
county and after a brief sojourn in Quincy he 
took up his abode upon the farm which is now 
owned and occupied by Rufus W. Putnam. 
Here he and Isaac Sawin built the first log 
cabin in Ellington township. ^Ir. Putnam had 
two hundred and eight.y acres of land, which 
was wild and luiimproved when it came into 
his po.ssession. but in the course of time he 
cleared and cultivated this and developed an 
excellent farm property. There he continued 
farming until 1842, when his death occurred, 
and his son Rufus was thus left an orphan at 
the age of nine years, as the mother had died 
five years before this time. She bore the 
maiden name of ilartha INIcDonald. 

After the death of his father Rufus W. Put- 
nam went to live with John W. Sterne, a pio- 
neer resident of Ellington township, with 
whom he remained until sixteen years of age, 
when he returned to the old homestead which 
his father had cleared and which has since 
been his place of abode. He at once began 
its further development and improvement and 



796 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



carried forward his work in accordauee with 
modem ideas, utilizing- improved machinery 
as it Avas introdi;ced and also the modern farm 
methods which were evolved. 

As a companion and helpmate for life's jour- 
ney Mr. Putnam chose Miss Melissa Simmons, 
a native of this county and a daughter of Enos 
Simmons, an old settler. They have three chil- 
dren who are yet living: William H., whose 
farm of eighty acres adjoins his father's land; 
Fanny L. and Edith E. 

Mr. Putnam's farm comprises two hundred 
acres on sections 8 and 17, Ellington township. 
He is now, however, practically living a retired 
life, renting his land to his son, who carries 
on general farming, raising hay and grain. He 
also has twenty-five cows and fifty hogs. He 
has fifty acres of timber land upon his farm 
and his home is pleasantly located five miles 
northeast of the city limits of Quincy. In its 
neat and thrifty appearance it indicates the 
practical and progressive spirit of the owner, 
who has long been ranked with the leading 
agriculturists of the county. 

Mr. Putnam votes with the republican party, 
whicli he has sujiported since its organization, 
and he has served as commissioner but has 
never been active in search of public office. On 
the contrary he has jireferred to give his ^^n- 
divided attention to his business affairs. He 
belongs to the Presbyterian church, and his 
life, honorable and straightforward in all his 
dealings and relations, has ever biM'u in har- 
mony with his professions. 



CHARLES E. FOWINKLE. 

Charles E. Fowinkle, a photographer of 
Quincy, was boi'u at Bunker Hill, Indiana, Feb- 
ruary 21, 1875, his parents being William and 
Hannah (Spangler) Fowinkle. The father, 
who throughout his active biTsiness career car- 
ried on agricultural pursuits, is now living a 
retired life in Peru, Indiana — his native city. 
His mothei- is also a native of Miami county, 
Indiana, aiid they have always remained resi- 
dents of that state. The family, however, is of 
German lineage and the ancestors in the fath- 
erland resided near Berlin, German.y. The ma- 
ternal grandfather, John Spangler, died in Feb- 
ruary, 1904, at the venerable age of ninety- 
one years, having spent his entire life in Pepe 
Creek toAvnship, Miami county, Indiana. 

In the public schools of Peru, Indiana, 
Charles E. Fowinkle acquired his education, 
and at the age of fifteen he left home, entering 
upon his business career as a photographic ar- 
tist, in which line of endeavor he has since con- 



linued. He located in Chicago and in 190"2 
came to Quincy, where he is now conducting 
a well equipped photographic studio at No. 
607 Hampshire street, being accounted one of 
the foremost representatives of the art in this 
city. He has virtually built up the business 
since coming to Quincy, and in the practice of 
the art he uses the latest approved appliances 
and facilities that will produce the best result. 
A liberal patronage is accorded him and his 
efforts antl study keep him in touch with the 
most advanced ideas of the profession. He be- 
longs to the National Association of Photog- 
raphers, and has produced work that ranks 
him with the leading representatives of his art 
in his adopted city and state. 



PIARRY 0. CHANNON. 

Harry O. Channon, who throughout his busi- 
ness career has given his attention to electric en- 
gineering and is now superintendent of the elec- 
tric department for the Quincy Gas & Electric 
Company, was born in this city, August 25, 1869, 
a son of W. II. and Sarah A. (Taylor) Channon. 
His father, coming to Quincy from Philadelphia, 
fiu'ured very j^rominently in industrial circles 
lu'i'i' for many years as a manufacturer of stoves 
and is still financiall.v interested in the Channon- 
Eiiicry Stove Cdinpany, althoi;gh not active in 
its management. He is now living retired, hav- 
ing acquired a handsome competence. Unto him 
and his wife wei-e born three children. 

The eldest, Harry 0. Channon, attended the 
public schools until he had completed the high 
school course in Quincy by graduation with the 
class of 1888. He aftei'ward entered the Univer- 
sity of j\Iichigan, at Ann Arbor, where he was 
graduated in 1893, having made a specialty of the 
study of electrical engineering. Following his 
return to Quincy he connected himself with the 
Empire Light & Power Conapany, which was later 
absorbed by the Quincy Gas & Electric Company. 
Plis connection Avith the former covered three 
years and he was superintendent and secretary 
of that company. He afterward became con- 
nected with the Quincy Gas & Electric Company, 
with which he continued until June. 1902, when 
he went to Alton, Illinois, and was there superin- 
tendent of the Gas & Electric Light Comitany for 
a year and a half. Retui'uing to Quincy he as- 
sumed his present position as superintendent of 
the electric light department of the Quincy Gas 
& Electric Company, which position he now holds. 
He has devotecl all his time and attention to the 
study of electric engineering and his trained ef- 
ficiency enables him to fill a responsible position. 
Mr. Channon was married, June 20, 1895, to 
Miss Lydia M. Collins, a daughter of B. T. Col- 




H. O. CHANNON 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



799 



lins, of Quincy, whose father was one of the early 
settlers of Adams eonnty, where he is now liviui;' 
retired. His wife also survives. Unto Mr. and 
ilr.s. Channon have been born five children, of 
whom foiXY are livins-; W. II., born ]\Iareh 13, 
1S97: Frances Elizabeth, June 2, 1898; H. 0., 
December 16, 1900 ; and James Allen, born Aii- 
gu.st 27. 1903. One danghter. Dorothy, died at 
the age of two years and nine months. 

Mr. Channon is a member of the First Baptist 
church and in his political affiliations is a repub- 
lican, but aside from casting his ballot in sup- 
port of the party in which he believes, he takes no 
active interest in polities, concentrating his en- 
ergies upon the profession he has chosen as a 
life work and in which, being well li-ained. he has 
alreadv made a creditable record. 



PHILO ELLSWOKTII THOMPSON. 

Philo E. Thompson, deceased, was for many 
years one of the honored and highly esteemed 
citizens of Payson township. His early home, 
however, was in the east, for he was born in 
Ellington, Tolland county, Connecticut, Janu- 
ary 26, 1811, his parents being Samuel and 
Mary (Ellsworth) Thompson, also natives of 
Connecticut and large property holders in El- 
lington. In their family were eight children, 
of whom Philo was the eldest, but only three 
of the number are living at the present time, 
these being Joseph Abbott Thompson, who re- 
sides at the old homestead in Connecticut ; ilrs. 
Daniel Kimball, of Ellington, and ^Irs. Dr. H. 
}j. Whitman, of Des iloines, Iowa. Philo 
Thomjjson's paternal grandparents were Sam- 
uel and Elizabeth Thompson, who settled on 
the jilace now occupied by Joseph Abbott 
Thompson. His great-grandmother, Margaret 
Thompson, was of Scotch-Irish lineage and 
emigrated to America about the year 1718, 
her husband having died after their plans were 
made for coming to New England. She, with 
her seven sons and two daughters, fulfilled a 
promise she made to her dying husband, to 
come as they had planned. His mother was 
a descendant in the maternal line of Rev John 
McKinstry, the first preacher in Ellington, 
Connecticut, and on the paternal side was re- 
laying particular attention to mathematics and 
iated to Governor Ellsworth, of that state. 

During his boyhood and youth ;\Ir. Thomp- 
son attended the schools of his native town, 
penmanship, becoming very proficient in the 
latter branch. After completing his educa- 
tion he taught school for several terms and 
then for a few years remained with his father 



upon the home farm until the western fever 
seized him. It was in the early spring of 1836 
that he first came to Adams count.y. Illinois, 
locating in Payson, but in the following June 
he returned to Connecticut, and it was not 
until the next year that he located permanently 
here. He purchased a tract of land in Payson 
township, and after working for a time with 
an uncle he began farming on his own account, 
continuing to make his home in Payson 
throughout the remainder of his life. As time 
passed he prospered in his undertakings and 
accumulated considerable property. 

ilr. Thompson was married on the 13th of 
September. 1838, in his own house which he 
had built in the village of Payson, the lady of 
his choice being ]Miss Ellen Campbell Wallace, 
who had come west with friends a year pre- 
viously. She was the ninth in order of birth in 
a family of thirteen children born to ;\Ioses and 
Anna (Campbell) AVallace. who were of Scotch 
descent and natives of Pennsylvania. Wiien 
Mrs. Thompson was twelve years of age she ac- 
companied her parents on their removal to 
Sonthport, New York, w'here she compieted her 
.school work. Her father died in 1843 and her 
mother passed away in 1864. Mr. Wallace was 
a gentleman of great piety and an elder in the 
Presbj'terian church in the places where he re- 
sided for over thirty years, being energetic 
and influential in promoting good works. His 
home was alwa,ys open to visiting ministers. 
Joseph W^allace, the grandfather of Mrs. 
Thompson, emigrated to America previoiis to 
the Revolutionary war and served in the con- 
tinental army until independence was achieved. 
Unto ilr. and Mrs. Thompson were born 
tight children, of whom six are still living. 
David W.. the eldest, now residing in Chicago, 
married Isabella Faxon and they have three 
daughters. ^Mary C. is the wife of Joseph P. 
Elliott, of Payson. Ellen lives in the old home. 
Anna C. married Daniel Robbins and died in 
1904, leaving five children, one son and four 
daughters. Samuel married Laura Wheelock 
and died in 1889. Henry W. married May 
Wisdom, who died in 1891, leaving four chil- 
dren, three sons and one daughter, but one 
died in 1897. George L. married Helen Bur- 
ney, of Chicago, and they have three daugh- 
ters. Their home is now in Los Angeles, Cali- 
fornia. Jennie first married George Robbins, 
who died in 1884, leaving one son, and in Janu- 
ary, 1903, she married Henry F. Scarborough, 
who has one son bj' a former marriage. 

Mr. Thompson clied on the 15th of April. 
1893, from injuries received by a fall while 
riding a young horse, and his death was deeply 
deplored not only 1iy his immediate family but 
by many friends as well. He was a man of 



8oo 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



quiet, modest tastes, teiiiijerate, industrious 
and frugal in his habits, and never used in- 
toxicants or tobacco in any form. When a 
young man he served as captain of a militia 
company in Connecticut biit was never a mem- 
ber of any secret society. He was always op- 
posed to slavery and in politics was first a 
whig' and later a republican. Religiously he 
was a member of the Congregational ehiirch 
and was a generous hearted Christian. His 
motto was "Live and let live," and no one in 
actual need of help ever appealed to him in 
vain. His wife departed this life in 1895. 



HENRY P. WALTON. 



lleni-y P. Walton, whose generous, kindly 
spii-it luid sympatlietic nature has prompted 
active, lii-eless and etfeetive effort in behalf 
of the amelioration of conditions effecting 
unfortunate classes of humanity and also 
of the hardships which men woi'k upon the 
animal creation, is now serving his eleventh year 
as president of the Humane Society of Quiney. 
He is likewise connected with the administration 
of municipal affairs as superintendent of streets, 
which office he has held for ten years. 

]\rr. Walton was born in Massachusetts, xVi)ril 
25, 1832, and is a son of Jonathan and Eliza 
(Locke) Walton, natives of the old Bay state. 
He belongs to a family noted for courage and 
patriotism and is .iustly ]iroud of the fact that 
ten members of the Walton family served in the 
Revolutionary war. The fii'st representative of 
the family in America, the Rev. William Walton, 
emigrated hither from Exeter, England, as early 
as l(i32 and settled in Reading, ^Massachusetts. 
Previous to that, however, members of the Locke 
family had sought a home in New England, hav- 
ing made a settlement in Arlington. Massachu- 
setts, in 1028. The Locke homestead, which is 
the oldest house in Arlington, having been built 
in 1636, is still owned by this family, its an- 
cient roof having sheltered six generations of the 
Lockes. Our snliject's great-grandfather Locke 
was a soldier of the war of the Revolution, as 
was also the grandfather, Benjamin Walton, who 
lived to the advanced age of one hnndi-ed and 
three years. 

Edmond ]\Ionroe. the great-grandfather of our 
subject on his mother's side, was a great-grand- 
son of William Monroe, a native of Scotland, who 
emigrated to America in 1652, and settled in 
Lexington, Massachusetts. He was the father of 
fourteen children. Edmond Monroe enlisted 
in the king's army at the age of twenty-one years 
and served in the French and Indian war, being 



present at the capture of Quebec, and a partici- 
]iant in other important battles of the war. 
Twelve ;\-ears later he was fighting against the 
British at Lexington and Bunker Hill. He was 
present at the capture of Burgoyne's army at 
Saratoga and later enlisted under General Wash- 
ington for three years. With the army he passed 
the winter at Valley Forge, where he suffered 
untold horrors from cold and hunger. Among 
the treasured possessions of the Walton family is 
a letter written by him to his wife during that 
time. In the June following he marched out 
as captain to fight in the battle of ^Monmouth, 
where he served with distinguished valor until 
he was killed by a cannon ball. He had been a 
successful business man and left his family in 
comfortable circumstances. 

The boyhood days of our subject were passed 
in Arlington, Massachusetts, where he received a 
])ractical education in the common schools. In 
1869 he removed to Kentland, Newton county, 
Indiana, and there engaged in the grocery, bak- 
ery, restaurant and hotel business, which he con- 
ducted with much energy and ability and there- 
fore successfully. In 1873 he came to Quiney, 
of which city he has since been an honored resi- 
dent. However, he retained his business inter- 
ests in Indiana until 1886, when he sold out and 
retired. Since he was twenty-five years old he 
has engaged in the real estate business and has 
met with unvarying success in his operations in 
that line. He has also been president of the 
Sheridan Stove Manufacturing Company for 
three years. 

The political views of Mr. Walton are em- 
bodied in the principles of the republican party, 
and since casting his ballot for Fremont he has 
always voted with the party of his choice. So- 
cially he is a member of the Knights of Pythias 
and ]\Iasonic fraternity, in which he is prominent 
and has attained the thirty-second degree in the 
latter order. He is an untiring promoter of 
humane worljandforanumberof years has stood 
at the head of the Quiney Humane Society as its 
president and doing everything in his power to 
alleviate the needless sufferings of the brute crea- 
tion. He is also president of the Woodlawn Ceme- 
tery- Asssociation and as a member of the board 
of local impi'ovements and superintendent of 
streets of Quiney he has done much to benefit 
tlic I'ity and along other lines has been instru- 
mental in the inauguration of much important 
pnlilic woi'k. 

'Mr. Walton was married November 13. 1873, 
to ^liss Sarah E. Jackson, and they occupy an 
atti-active residence at No. 215 South Third 
street. Mrs. Walton was born in Boston. Mas- 
sachusetts. August 4, 1834, a daughter of Sanmel 
and Eliza H. Jackson. Her father was born ]\Iay 
8, 1803, in Boston, ^Massachusetts, and died Feb- 




H. P. WALTON 




MRS. H. P. WALTON 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



805 



ruary 3, 1890, while her mother, who was born 
January 2, 1809, in Bo,ston, llassachnsetts, died 
July 2, 1874. Her ancestors were of English 
origin and early settlers of New England. When 
nine months old she was brought by her parents 
to Quincy, where her education was carried on 
in the public schools. Later she went to Wal- 
tham, Massachusetts, where she pursued her 
studies until graduating, and i-eturiicd thence to 
her home in Quincy. 

Soon after locating in this city Samuel Jackson 
erected a hou.se and store on the south side of 
Hamp.shire street, between Fifth and Sixth 
sti-eets, where he engaged in mercantile pursuits 
for a number of years. In the progress and de- 
velopment of the Gem City, he was quite promi- 
nent and erected a number of tine biiildings 
which stand as monuments to his energy. He 
also built the west half of the New Tremont 
House. He was one of those men whom it is a 
privilege to know, for his influence was bene- 
ficial in aiding those Avho struggled along the 
pathway of life, and his sympathy was ever 
ready for all who found that pathway a weary 
one. A straightforward, unassuming man, the 
good that was said of him during his life was 
said by others rather than by himself, and now 
there are many friends and relatives who are 
ready to speak for the lips that could not if they 
would, and that, were they able to do so. would 
be very modest in their claims for the noble 
man to wIuhii avc desire to give due honoi- in these 
pages. His wife was a lady of well known benev- 
olence, and her kindness in caring for the sick 
and relieving the destitute won for her a host of 
friends among all cla.sses of people. She was a 
prominent member of the Unitarian eliTirch, to 
which ]Mrs. Walton also belongs. The latter is 
in full sympathy with her husband in his work 
and her encouragement has inspired him even to 
renewed effort. If one were called to svunmarize 
his life and its leading characteristics in a single 
word he might be called a friend — having the 
.spirit of friendship not only for his social ac- 
quaintances, but for the luiforfunate in every 
class of society, for those who bear the burdens 
or sufif'er hardships, and he commands the most 
thorough admiration and respect because of his 
untiring efforts in connection with the work of 
the Humane Societv. 



CHARLES W. RT^ST. 



Charles W. Rust, who died at his home on 
section 21, Keene township, ilarch 31, 1905, was 
born in Clermont county, Ohio, January 30, 
1833, and Avas numbered among the pioneer 



settlers of Adams county, having been brought 
to this locality by his parents in 1835. His 
father, George W. Rust, vras a native of Ger- 
many, born January 29, 1792, and after resid- 
ing for a time in the Buckeye state came to 
Illinois in 1835, settling in Keene township, 
Adams county, where he followed the occupa- 
tion of farming. He was a soldier of the war 
of 1812. By his first marriage he had five chil- 
dren : Jlichael, George, Dorothy, the wife of 
i\Ir. Tixford ; Jlargaret and Elizabeth. For 
his second wife Mr. Rust chose ]Mary McChes- 
ney and they had two children : Charles W. and 
Samuel, who was born Decemher 31. 1835. and 
is now living in Kirksville, ]\Iissoiu'i. After 
losing his second wife Mr. Rust wedded Mrs. 
William Forum, a widow, who by her first mar- 
riage had five children : William, Avho was born 
in 1818: Mary J., in 1821; Elizabeth, in 1823; 
Benjamin, in 1824; and Eliza, in 1827. 

Charles W. Rust pursued his education in 
one of the old-time log school houses of Adams 
county. Thei'e were only ten children in the 
district wiio were of school age at that time. 
The method of instruction was primitive and 
his educational advantages, therefore, w^ere 
somewhat limited, but in later years he has 
added largely to his knowledge. He was 
trained to the active work of the farm, 
being employed in the fields through the sum- 
mer months, and after he left school he gave 
his entire attention to farm work and black- 
smithing, having learned the trade with his 
father. At an early day he conducted a black- 
smith shop in Loraine. When he came to Keene 
towTiship there were only ionv hovises within 
its borders and everything was wild and uncul- 
tivated, giving little promise of rapid develop- 
ment and improvement, but as years passed he 
kept in touch with the progress that was made 
along agricultural lines and became the ov-^ner 
of a w^ell improved farm situated on section 21, 
Keene township. Here he had seventy acres of 
land, on which he raised grain and stock. 

Mr. Ru.st was united in marriage to Miss 
Eliza A. Benson, who was born in Indiana, 
January 28, 1832. Her parents were among 
the early settlers of Adams county. Unto Mr. 
and Mrs. Ru.st were born five children: John 
and George, both at home ; Charles, who is liv- 
ing in Bowen. Illinois: Sarah E., the wife of 
Thomas Hudson, of Oklahoma ; and Josephine, 
the wife of Elmer Smith, of Tacoma, Wash- 
ington. The mother of these children departed 
this life on the 24tli of March, 1905, .jiist one 
week prior to her husband's death. 

At the time of the Civil war Mr. Rust re- 
sponded to the country's call for aid and served 
for three years and three months as a member 
of Company K, One hundred and eighteenth 



8o6 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



Illinois Infantry. With his command he wont 
to the front and participated in many impor- 
tant engagements, biit he returned home with- 
out a wound. He continued to aid his country, 
however, until the close of hostilities and re- 
ceived an honorable discharge at Baton Rouge. 
His political allegiance was given to the repub- 
lican pai'ty and in all matters of citizenship 
he was as true and loyal to his country as when 
he followed the old tiag upon the battle-fields 
of the south. Great changes occurred in Ad- 
ams county during the years of his residence 
here and few resided so long in this section of 
the state, for during seventy years he lived 
here, witnessing the growth and development 
of the county, which today bears little resem- 
blance to the locality in which his parents set- 
tled,. Few roads had been laid out, the streams 
were unbridged, the prairies uncultivated and 
the forests uncut, but men of resolute purpose 
and endurance made their way to this portion 
of the state and as years have pa.ssed their 
ial)ors have resulted in the building of a great 
city, in the establishment of thriving towns and 
villages, and in the development of one of the 
richest agricultural sections of the country, 
and in this work ]\Ir. Rust bore his full share, 
especially in the line of agricultural iirijirove- 
ment. 



JAMES HARVEY RICHARDSON. 

James Harvey Richardson, secretary and 
treasurer of the Richardson Lubricating Com- 
pany, has in his business career displayed the 
enterprising spirit so characteristic of the mid- 
dle west, a spirit that has wrought the won- 
derful development in this section of the coun- 
try. The ready recognition and utilization of 
opportunity, his unfaltering energy and keen 
business discernment have been important fac- 
tors in expanding a business which at first of 
small dimensions has now reached extensive 
proportions. 

Mr. Richardson was born in Eureka, Illinois, 
February 12, 1862, his parents being James H. 
and Olive D. (Torrence) Richardson. The pa- 
ternal grandfather removed from Kentucky to 
Indiana and in New Albany, that state, James 
H. Richardson, Sr., M'as born on the 25th of 
March. 1834. In early boyhood he accompanied 
his parents to Illinois, his father establishing 
rhe first lumberyard in Bloomington. There 
the son attended school until fifteen years of 
age when his parents removed to Adams coun- 
ty in 1849, settling in Columbus, where the 
grandfather engaged in merchandising, con- 



ducting a general store. Later he returned to 
Bloomington, where he died of cholera in the 
early part of 1853. 

James H. Richardson, Sr., reared under the 
parental roof, attended the public schools of 
Bloomington, of Columbus and of Quincy. In 
the last named place he entered upon the 
study of law under the direction of the firm 
of Edmunds & Warren, and after careful and 
thorough preparation was admitted to the bar 
and entered upon the practice of his chosen 
profession in Quincy, remaining one of the well 
known lawyers of this city for thirty-five years. 
He formed a partnershiji with Judge Henry 
A. Warren and Colonel Thoroughman and re- 
mained an active representative of the legal 
fraternity in Quincy until the early '80s when 
he turned his attention to newspaper work in 
connection with the Quincy Journal and the 
Herald. He was last associated with the St. 
Jjciuis Ki'pulilic. He was also associated with 
the late Senator Bernard Arntzen in the prac- 
tice of law and in 1870 and 1872 he served as 
a state senator. Having made careful study 
of the political situation and interests of the 
country he was well qualified for the office 
to which he was chosen. He became a recog- 
nized leader in public thought and action in 
his community and his loyalty to the general 
good was ever above question. By appoint- 
ment of President Cleveland he became post- 
master of Quincy, and during his administra- 
tion of the office Quincy was made a night 
office, all mails having formerly closed at 9 
P. M. Following the expiration of his term in 
the postoffice he joined his sons in a business 
enterprise, organizing the Richardson Lubri- 
cating Company, and up to within a year of his 
death he traveled in the interests of the busi- 
ness, visiting the larger cities of the Union. 

James II. Richardson, Sr., was married in 
Colundras, Illinois, September 8, 1857, to Miss 
Olive D. Torrence and is survived by his wife, 
five sons and a daughter, namely: Albert, John 
T., James H. Jr.. E. Dean, William and Mrs. 
Carrie Hoxsey, all of Quincy. Mr. Richardson 
displayed many sterling traits of character that 
won him success in business, prominence in po- 
litical circles and honor and esteem in all re- 
lations of life. He was for many years a mem- 
ber of the Christian church and he attained the 
thirty-second degree in Masonry, while in his 
political views he was a democrat. After a 
year's illness he passed away September 18, 
1901, when .sixty-seven years of age, leav- 
ing behind him an honorable name and the 
memory of an upright life. Whatever success 
he achieved was due entirely to his own ef- 
forts, yet he valued his own self-respect and 
the esteem of his fellowmen more than wealth 




MRS. SAMUEL JACKSON 




SAMUEL JACKSON 



PAST AND PKESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



8ii 



or jjosition. He was prompt and reliable in 
action, true to every duty reposed in him and 
his interest in community affairs was that of 
a public-spirited citizen, who desired the great- 
est good to the greatest number. It was in his 
own home, however, that his best ((ualities were 
most often seen, for he was a kind and loving 
husband and father, devoted to his family and 
to his friends. He held friendship inviolable 
and home ties sacred, and his loss therefore was 
the occasion of deep regret throughout Adams 
county. 

James Harvey Richardson. Jr., attended the 
pul)lie sc-hools of Quincy and the university at 
('oluiiiliia, ^Missouri, being thus provided with 
excellent educational privileges. He left col- 
lege at the age of eighteen years and accepted 
the position of cashier to the firm of J. Sterns 
& Sons, with whom he remained for two years. 
As bookkeeper he was with the house of Tripp 
& Manson, wholesale grocers, for three years, 
after which he went upon the road as traveling 
representative for that firm for a period of 
three years. Desirous of entering upon an in- 
dependent business career he began the manu- 
facture of woodenware in Quincy under the 
firm name of Rothgeb & Richardson. This re- 
lation was maintained for about two years, at 
the end of which time his firm was frozen out 
by the trust. Since 1889 ]\Ir. Richardson has 
been connected with the oil trade. He entered 
into partnership with his brother, John T., 
under the firm style of Richardson Brothers 
in the manufacture of axle grease. A year 
later the business was incorporated and the 
Richardson Lubricating Company was formed 
with John T. Richardson as president; E. D. 
Richardson. vice-]iresident, and James H. 
Richardson, Jr.. secretary and treasurer. In 
18lt!) they extended the field of their operations 
by engaging in the coal oil and gasoline trade, 
doing a wholesale business exclusively. In 
1903 the Richardson-Gay Oil Company was or- 
ganized in Texas for the purpose of refining 
oils and manufacturing all kinds of burning 
and lubricating oils, gasoline and grease of all 
kinds. They have oil stations in all the prin- 
cipal cities of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, the 
Indian Territory and Oklahoma. Mr. Richard- 
son is vice-president of the Richardson-Uay 
Comi)any with T. J. Gay as president and "W. 
1). i\ichardson as secretary of the company. 
'1 he Inisiness of the Quincy house is the manu- 
facture and sale of axle greases and refined 
oils and they operate with their own tank 
cars. Mostly the axle grease is made in Quincy 
and the Corsicana refinery turns out four hun- 
dred barrels of refined oil per day, the greater 
part of the work being done through the use 
of improved machinery. In Texas the.y employ 



thirty men outside of their office force and in 
Quincy fifteen men outside their office force, 
the total number of their employes in both 
places being seventy-five. 

Mr. Richardson was married to IMiss ilary E. 
Grove, of Maryland, a daiighter of Dr. F. A. 
Grove, the wedding being celebrated June 28, 
1887. They have two children : Harvey Grove, 
thirteen years of age, who is attending the pub- 
lic schools, and Virginia, five years old. 

In his political views Mr. Richardson is a 
stanch democrat, thoroughly well informed 
concerning the ((uestions and issues of the day, 
yet without jiolitical aspiration, preferring to 
concentrate his energies upon his business in- 
terests. From a small beginning he and his 
partners have developed an extensive enter- 
prise. To him there has come the attainment 
of a distinguished position in connection with 
the great material industries of Quincy and his 
efforts have been so discerningly directed along 
well defined lines that he seems to have realized 
at anj- one point of progress the full measure 
of his possibilities for accomplishment at that 
point. A man of distinct and forceful indi- 
viduality, of broad mentality and mature .iuclg- 
nient he has left and is leaving his impress 
upon the industrial world. For a number of 
years he has been an important factor in the 
t'evelopment of the natural resources of Texas 
and in Quincy has been active in the promotion 
of an enterprise that has grown to large propor- 
tions, but while thus promoting his individual 
l)rosperity he has also been a co-operant factor 
ni manj^ measures that have advanced the gen- 
eral welfare and pi-osperity of the city in 
which he makes his home. 



CHARLES W. PFIEFFER. AI. D. 

Dr. Charles William Pfieffer, who although 
one of the more recent acquisitions to the medi- 
cal fraternity of Quincy, has made for himself 
a creditable position as one of its representa- 
tives, is a native of Hanover, Germany, his pa- 
rents being C. Andrew and Fredericka (Stech- 
er) Pfieffer. The father, arriving in Quincy 
in 1880, soon afterward secured a position as 
pattern fitter in the foundry. He is still a resi- 
dent of this city and he has two children, 
Charles W. and Attilia, the later at home. 

In the public schools Dr. Pfieffer began his 
education, pursuing his studies in that manner 
until fifteen years of age, when he put aside 
his text-books and began earning his own liv- 
ing. After being employed in various ways he 
entered the works of the Quincy Show Case 



8l2 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



Company and there learned the trade of cabi- 
net-making, being employed in that manner 
for six years. Desirous, however, of entering 
other fields of labor and recognizing the value 
of education in the advanced walks of busi- 
ness life, he became a student in the Central 
"VVesleyan College at Worcester, Missouri, in 
189(i, entering upon a prejjaratory course. At 
the end of the second year he had decided to 
malvc till' practice of medicine his life work, 
ami to this end he became a student in the 
Keokuk .Medical College, at Keokuk. Iowa, in 
ISKS. (iimpleting a four years' course b.y gradu- 
al ion as a member of the chxss of 1902. He 
spent the last two years with Dr. C. E. Ruth, 
assisting him in his private practice and hos- 
pital Mcirk ill his surgical cases, and thus great- 
ly augmenting his theoretical knowledge by 
j)ractical exp"rienee. He then ojiened an of- 
fice at l.'i(l8 State street, Quincy, where he is 
now cn.joyiiig a x-ery good practice. 

Dr. I'liclVci- was married, on the 30th of Sep- 
t('ml)er. l!lo:5. to Miss Theresa r4olm. Her 
motlicr died in Ma.y. 1902. Her father came 
to (,)uinc>- at an early day and worked for a 
time foi' others, after which he opened a gen- 
(I'al stoiH' on Seventh and Elaine streets. Later 
he sold thai ]iroperty and devoted his entire 
attention to tlie conduct of a shoe store. He 
died about 1S84. 

In addition to his private practice Dr. Pfief- 
fer is serving as assistant physician to St. 
Mary's Hospital. He belongs to the Adams 
County ]\Iedical Society, the Illinois State Med- 
ical Societj^ and the Western Illinois District 
Medical Society. He attends the St. Jacobi 
Lutheran church and is independent in his po- 
litical views, finding, too, that he has little 
leisure for political work. He gives earnest 
attention to his professional woi-k, discharging 
his duties with a sense of conscientious obliga- 
tion, an<l by further reading and investigation 
he is continually broadening his knowledge and 
enhancing his efficieuc,v. 



JOHN P. CADOGAN. 



Among those who for a number of years were 
active in the business life of Quincy and have 
since passed from the scene of this world's 
activities is numbered John P. Cadogan, who 
for many years was connected with journalistic 
interests and with the printing and paper busi- 
ness here. He was well known as the president 
of the Herald Printing Company and afterward 
became the founder and head of the business 
now conducted under the name of the Cado- 



gan-IIatcher j\Ianufacturing Company. In 
public affairs he was also prominent in his 
community, serving as deputy sherilf and as 
sheriff and thus his life's labors had a direct 
and beneficial infiuenee upon the cit.y in which 
he made his home. His parents removed to 
Adams county in 1836, when he was but eleven 
years of age. He was born in Mauch Chunk, 
Pennsylvania, March 10, 1825, his parents be- 
ing William Perry and Christine (Lindenmyer) 
Cadogan, the former a native of England and 
the latter of Germany, In 1820 William Perrj' 
Cadogan came to America and settled in ]\Iauch 
Chunk, Pennsylvania, where he was a contractor 
in the coal mines for several years. He then came 
with his family to Adams county, Illinois, in 
1836, and took up his abode near Cliola, where 
he purchased a farm, carrying on general agri- 
cultural ])ursuits there until his death in 1853. 
His wife also died there in 1876. 

John P. Cadogan received but limited educa- 
tional privileges. He attended the country 
schools in his youth and making good use of 
his opportunities he was enabled in early man- 
hood to engage in teaching, which profession 
he followed in the country schools near Cliola 
in the winter months, while in the sunnner sea- 
sons he assisted his father in the operation of 
the farm. He was thus engaged up to the time 
of his marriage, which occurred on the 5th of 
April, 1854, in Hannibal, Missouri, ]\Iiss Fan- 
nie H. Moore becoming his wife. She was born 
in Clinton county, Pennsylvania, August 4, 
1826, and was a daughter of George C. and 
Charlotte B. (Herr) ]Moore, who removed from 
Pennsylvania to Missouri, settling in Hanni- 
bal. The father was a farmer and resided in 
the vicinity of Hannibal \mtil his death, after 
which his widow retTirned to Pennsylvania, but 
four years later she again went to Hannibal, 
remaining there until coming to Quincy in 1862 
to make her home with her daughter, Mrs. 
Cadogan, with whom she remained until her 
death in 1890. 

Following his marriage Mr. Cadogan was in 
1854 appointed deputy sheriff of Adams county 
and removed to the city of Quincy. He filled 
that position for two years and in 1856 wa.i 
elected sheriff, in which capacity he served for 
two years. He then entered into partnership 
with William Avise and they purchased the 
business of the Herald Printing Company and 
began the publication of the Quincy Herald. 
About 1875 the Herald Printing Company was 
dissolved and Mr. Cadogan and H. J. Gardner 
purchased the business, continuing the publi- 
cation of the paper under the firm name of 
Cadogan & Gardner. For twenty-one years 
Mr. Cadogan was connected with .iournalistic 
interests as one of the proprietors of the Her- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



813 



aid, continuing as president of the company 
lintil 1881. Cadogan & Gardner continued to 
engage in the printing and book manufacturing 
business until a short time prior to Mr. Cado- 
gan 's death, when they sold out to W. H. Cado- 
gan and C. B. Hatcher, who carried on the busi- 
ness under the firm name of Cadogan & Hatcher 
until 1892. when The Cadogan-Hateher Manu- 
facturing Company was formed. They now 
occupy their new building at the corner of 
Spring and Third .streets, the widow of liarrj' 
Cadogan and ]\Irs. Ida Hatcher still owning 
an interest therein. 

Unto Jlr. and 'Sirs. John I'. Cadogan were 
born seven children, of whoni four arr living. 
Fannie is bookkeeper in the employ of the 
Cadogan-Hateher Manufacturing Company and 
resides with her mother. Ida, now Mrs. Hatch- 
er, resides at 1536 Broadway, Quinc.y. George 
MeClellan married Georgia Nolan and resides 
in ^lacon, ilissouri, but is now president of the 
Cadogan-IIatcher Manufacturing Company of 
(^uincy. Katherine, a teacher in the Madisoii 
school, makes her home with her mother. 
'I'hose deceased are Harry, ^Irs. William Hatch- 
er and Lillian. 

The father. John P. Cadogan, died .May S, 
1887, and his loss Avas deeply regretted by 
many friends, for he was a valued representa- 
tive of business interests, was loyal in citizen- 
ship, reliable in friendship and most d(!Voted to 
his family. He and all his family were mem- 
bers of the Episcopal church of Quiney. Mr. 
Cadogan was a stahvart supporter of demo- 
cratic principles, yet was never a politician in 
the sense of office seeking and only consented 
to accept the position of sheriff on the earnest 
!-olicitation of those who knew him and recog- 
nized that he pos.sessed those qualities that 
would make a good officer. He was one of the 
best known men of Adams county, modest and 
quiet in demeanor, imassuming in deportment, 
and yet he had the sterling characteristics 
which everywhere command respect, awaken 
admiration and gain true and lasting friend- 
ships. 



EDWARD C. GRAMMER. 

Edward C. Grammer, who follows farming 
on section 35, Beverly township, was born on 
the old homestead in that townsliip, August 8, 
1868. and is a worthy representative of an old 
and highly respected family of Adams county. 
His father, C. M. Grammer, was a native of 
Massachusetts, born in 1827, and attended 
school in that state prior to coming to Illinois 
with his parents, Seth and Lydia (Marshall) 



Grammer, at the age of thirteen years, at which 
time the family located in Pike^ county. He 
came of good old Rev-olutionary stock. His 
paternal grandfather, Joseph Grammer, fought 
with the colonial troops for the independence 
of the nation and being taken prisoner by the 
British was sent to England, being confined in 
Dartmoor prison for two years. The maternal 
grandfather, Joseph Marshall, was also a Rev- 
olutionary soldier and particijiated in the bat- 
tle of Brandywine. 

In the family of Seth and Lydia Olarshall) 
( Jrannner were nine sons and one daughter, 
but only the daughter is now living. One son, 
Seth W., served for three years in the Civil 
war and was with Sherman on the Atlanta 
campaign. C. M. Grannner grew to manhood in 
this state and became one of the leading agri- 
culturists of Adams county. He first purchased 
one hundred and sixty acres of land on sec- 
tion 35, Beverly township, but as he prospered 
in his farming operations he added to his prop- 
erty until he had two hundred and eighty acres 
of valuable and well improved land. In 1891 
he erected a nice two-story residence of seven 
rooms at a cost of seventeen hundred dollars. 

In early manhood C. M. Grammer married 
iliss ^Martha E. Harvey, who Avas born in Rush 
county, Indiana, in 1834, a daughter of Joseph 
and Martha Harvey, who died in Keokuk, 
Iowa. She had five brothers and sisters but is 
the only one now living in Adams county. The 
family came to Illinois in 1847 with her uncle, 
Thomas Harvey, who took charge of the chil- 
dren after the death of her parents. One of 
her brothers. Dr. Thomas Harvey, is now a 
resident of St. Louis. 

The children born to C. ^I. and Martha E. 
(Harvey) Grannner were as follows : Lydia, 
horn December 19. 1853, is the wife of Joseph 
A. Phillips, of Aurora. Nebraska; i\Iartha, born 
January 15, 1855, is the wife of Jesse Hareld- 
son, of Harwood, Missouri ; Alice C, born May 
27, 1856, is the wife of P. M. Gray, of Hanni- 
bal, Missouri; Joseph, born February 2, 1858, 
is a resident of Pleasanton, Nebraska; Ange- 
line, born January 15, 1859, is the wife of R. 
G. Parker, of Kearney, Nebraska; Prank L., 
born January 23, 1860, is living in Pleasanton, 
Nebraska; Anna M., born August 9, 1861, is at 
home with her mother; William, born Septem- 
ber 3, 1862, died August 17, 1863 ; Andrew H., 
born December 29, 1864, is a resident of Pleas- 
anton, Nebraska ; Morris, born January 2, 1867, 
and Edward C, born Augu.st 8, 1868, are both 
at home : Marshall, born IMarch 19, 1871. is a 
resident of San Francisco, California; Rufus 
E., born December 26, 1872, lives in Baylis, 
Illinois ; Florence, born January 23, 1875, mar- 
ried A. P. Cummings, of Hannibal, Missouri, 



8i4 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



aud died February 25, 1905; and ]\Iary E., 
born September 13, 1876, and Estella V., born 
February 14, 1878, are both at home. 

The father of these children died on the 20th 
of Novendjer, 1901. honored and respected by 
all who knew him. lie was one of the most 
prominent members of Kingston lodge, No. 266, 
A. F. & A. ]M., in which he served as worshipful 
master for the long period of eighteen years. 
Politically he was identified with the republi- 
can party, and his fellow citizens recognizing 
his worth and ability called upon him to fill a 
number of offices. In 1851 he was elected town- 
ship assessor, also served as collector of his 
township, and for almost thirty years filled the 
i:>osition of supervisor with credit to himself 
and to the entire satisfaction of his constitu- 
ents. 

Edward C. Grammer, whose name introduces 
this sketch, has spent his entire life in Beverly 
township and he is indebted to its public 
schools for the greater part of his education, 
though he attended school for one year in Bay- 
lis. lie has made farming his life work and 
is now the ov\aier of a good tract of one hun- 
dred and sixty acres of highly cultivated land. 
Politically he follows in the footsteps of his 
father, supporting the men and measures of 
the republican party, and socially is a member 
of the Ind(>pendent Order of Odd Fellows. 



IIEXRY IT. OOBER. 

Vov many years Henry II. Cobei- was well 
known in (,>uincy as a business man whose record 
would bear the closest investigation and scrutiny 
and whose life demonstrated the [lossibilities for 
accomplishment to men of energy, determination 
and straightforward purpose. He arrived in 
Quincy in 1866, being at that time a man of about 
thirty-two years of age. He was born in Fayette 
county, Pennsylvania, December 15, 1833. His 
father, John C'obei-, also a native of the Keystone 
.state, died there when his son Henry was a young 
lad of twelve years. The latter, accpiiring a com- 
mon school education in the county of his nativ- 
ity and at an early age starting out upon an inde- 
pendent business career, secured a position as 
clerk in a store, where he was employed for a 
few years. He afterward came to the west, for 
he believed that he woTild have better business 
opportunities in this new but rapidly developing 
section of the country. IMaking his way to Illi- 
nois, he settled first in La Prairie, where he ob- 
tained a position as station agent for the Chicago, 
Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company. He 
was married thei'C and later he removed to Camp 



Point, Adams county, where he was also station 
agent for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Rail- 
road until 1866. 

That year witnessed his arrival in Quincy, 
where he accepted a position as salesman in a dr.y 
goods store, serving in that capacity for a few 
years. He then entered into partnership with 
his father-in-law, Jlr. Crawford, and they estab- 
lished a coal yard, which they conducted for 
years, when the firm became Cober & Sellock. 
Later the firm was Cober & JNIayo, and this rela- 
tionshi]> was maintained for a number of years, 
when Mr. Mayo sold his interest to Mr. Cober, 
w'ho continued alone in the business for a few 
years. His next partnei- was William T. Sprague, 
and the firm name of Cober & Sprague was then 
assumed. They dealt in coal and grain, with 
their office and yards at No. 321 and 323 Broad- 
way. As the years passed Mr. Cober secured a 
good trade and thus annually added to his in- 
come, having a business which, because of its 
extent, brought to him a very gratifying financial 
return. About the 1st of June, 1904, he was 
taken ill and confined to his bed for two months 
and a few days. Prior to his death he sold his 
interest in the coal business. 

Wliile living in La Prairie, Illinois, Mr. Cober 
Avas married to ]\Iiss Carrie P. Crawford, a native 
of Ontario county. New York, a daughter of 
William and Abigail (]\Iareh) Crawford. Her 
father was born Se|itemlier 6. 1812. and was a 
son of Thomas Crawford, who was likewise a 
native of the Empire state and died there. When 
a boy William Crawford left the county of his 
nativity and went to Ontario coimty. New York, 
where he learned the builder's trade and eventu- 
ally became a contracfoi-, conducting the business 
along that line until 1858, when he removed lo 
the west, settling at La Prairie, Illinois. There 
retiring from building pursuits, he turned his 
attention to farming and wa.s engaged in the till- 
ing of the soil until 1868, when he removed to 
Quincy and entered into partnership with his 
son-in-law, ]\Ir. Cober. They established a coal 
yiivd. \\\m-]\ the.v conducted together for a few 
years, and ilr. Crawford then retired, not again 
being actively concerned with business affairs. 
He lived in retirement for twenty-five years, en- 
ioying a rest which he had well earned and richly 
deserved. He died at the home of his daughter. 
IMrs. Cober, January 27, 1904. at the very ad- 
vanced age of ninety-two years, having long sur- 
vived his wife, who passecl away I\Iay 2, 1878, in 
Quincy. He was well known in Quincy, enjoy- 
ing the favorable regard and friendshiji of all 
with whom he came in contact, and he left at his 
death many warm friends who had known, es- 
teemed and honored him. He was a supporter of 
the rei)ublican ]iarty, and .Mr. Cober was also one 




HENRY H. COBER 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



817 



of its stanch advocates, never faltering in his 
allegiance to the party prineijjles. Both were 
very prominent and influential in business cir- 
cles, and thei-e were connnendable elements in 
their commercial records, each being true to the 
strict ethics which govern man's honorable deal- 
ings with his fellowmen. 

In early life Mv. Cober affiliated with the ]\la- 
sonic fraternity, but never joined the lodge in 
Quincy. He was vice president of the Qnincy 
Humane Society, and his kindly spirit pi-ompted 
active etfort in behalf of humane treatment of 
the animal creation. The suifei-ing of dumb ani- 
mals was uttei-ly abhorrent to his nature and, 
fully realizing the fact that they are largely 
amenable to the same physical conditions as an 
individual, he exerted strong and effective effort 
in their behalf. A gentleman of broad humani- 
tarian principles, he was the champion of every 
cause which he believed would uplift humanity, 
improve the surrotindings of the poor and needy 
and woi-k for the ultimate good of all mankind. 
He died August 4, 1904. and his memory is cher- 
ished in the hearts of his many friends. j\[rs. 
Cober is a member of the Episcopal church of 
Quincy and occupies an enviable position in the 
social circles of the city. She owns a beautiful 
brick residence at No. 1300 North Fifth street, 
at the corner of Spruce street, which was built 
by her husband in 1878 and which she occupied 
with him for twenty-six years, or until his death. 



OSCAR P. HUCK. 



Oscar P. Huck, whose labors have brought 
him success and made him a leading manufac- 
turer of Quincy. was born in Kenosha, Wiscon- 
sin, January 2.'), 1863, a sou of :\Iatt and ]Mary 
Ann (Tetard) Huck. The father was born in 
Alsace, France. March 4, 1831. and came to 
America in 1849, locating for a time in the 
state of New York, whence he removed to Wis- 
consin. He is a shoemaker by trade and on lo- 
cating in Kenosha he embarked in the shoe 
business and soon built up a good trade, so 
that he has long had control of the leading 
shoe .store of the city and is now the oldest 
merchant, in any line, in Kenosha. He has, too, 
the entire confidence of the business community 
and general public and is accounted one of the 
valued and honored citizens of Kenosha. His 
wife was born in the state of New Jersey in 
1835 and was of French lineage, her people 
having come to America from Lorraine, France. 
Mrs. Huck died January 7, 1898. 

In the family wore nine children, all yet liv^- 
ing, namely: Josephine, the wife of William 



Hammond, of Denver, Colorado, by whom she 
has four children; George, who is connected 
with the shipping department of the Simmons 
Manufacturing Company, of Kenosha, Wiscon- 
sin, and married ilargaret Berry, by whom he 
has three children : ;Matt, who is engaged in the 
shoe trade in California ; Oscar P.. of this re- 
view; Frances, the wife of Matt Schmitz, a 
clothing merchant of Kenosha, Wisconsin, by 
whom she has two children ; Eugene, who is en- 
gaged in the shoe trade in Chicago and mar- 
ried Margaret Smith; Albert, who is employed 
by the Simmons ^Manufacturing Compan.v of 
Kenosha, and is married and has one child; 
Ida, the wife of Charles Johnson; who is em- 
plo.ved in her father's store in Kenosha, and 
Laura, the wife of Walter Johnson, who is 
with an automobile factory in Kenosha. 

Oscar F. Huck attended the public and paro- 
cial school of Kenosha, Wisconsin, until thir- 
teen years of age. when he became a student in 
the Catholic Normal School at St. Francis, Wis- 
consin, spending four years in that institution 
and graduating in June, 1880. He arrived in 
Quincy, August 16, 1880, and engaged in teach- 
ing in St. Boniface school and was also or- 
ganist in St. Boniface church. He continued 
teaching until September, 1888. when he ac- 
cepted a situation as bookkeeper for the J. 
Knittel Show Case Company, acting in that 
capacity until 1890, when he formed a part- 
nership with G. Burge, his father-in-law, under 
the firm name of Burge-IIuck .Manufacturing 
Company, manufacturers of show cases and 
general store fixtures, the business being lo- 
cated at Nos. 418-420 Vermont street. On the 
loth of July, 1903, the plant was destroyed by 
fire. Owing to the death of Mr. Burge, the 
partnership had been dissolved October 3, 1902, 
and Mr. Huck became sole proprietor. After 
the fire he removed to 1000-1004 Vermont 
street, and now employs fifty men. He sells 
through catalog and circular advertising and 
his trade covers the entire country from the 
Atlantic to the Pacific and from Canada to the 
gulf. Mr. Huck learned the business himself 
and has built up a splendid manufacturing en- 
terprise, which in its scope is constantly grow- 
ing. 

On the 2.5th of :\Iay. 1885. :\Ir. Huck Avas 
united in marriage to ;\Iiss Edith Burge, a 
daughter of Gottlieb Burge, one of the old and 
prominent business men of Quincy, for a num- 
ber of years her Inisband's partner. They be- 
came the parents of seven children, but Alvina 
died in infancy and Edith died in 1901 at the 
age of fourteen years. The others are Jlar- 
garet. thirteen years of age, attending St. 
Mary's Academy; Oscar Paul and Richard Fe- 
lix, twins, ten years of age, attending St. Boni- 



8i8 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



face sc'liool; ilareellus, four vvavs old, and 
Raphael, two years old. 

In polities Mr. Huck is independent, lie 
and his family are communicants of St, Boni- 
face Catholic church. He was orjsjanist in St. 
Francis church from 1889 until 1I)(I8. He 
served for two years, from 1899 to 1901. as a 
member of the board of education of Quincy 
and has always l)een deeply interested in the 
city's welfare and sul)st;n!tial uiibuilding alonu' 
all the lines tliat work for permanent benefit 
to the city and its ]i(ipuiation. 



FREDERICK SPECKIHVRT. 

Frederick Speckhart, who is one of the promi- 
nent and wealthy farmers of Riverside town- 
.ship, residing- on section 23, about one mile 
north of the city linuts of Quincy, was born 
in Fall Creek township, Adams countv, May 
24, 1847. His father, John Speckhart, who 
was a pioneer of this county, was bori^ June 14, 
1814, in PTcsse-Darmstadt, Germany. In his 
native country he learned the trade of brick- 
making and in 1839, when twenty-five years of 
age, he crossed the Atlantic to the United States, 
taking pas.sage on a sailing vessel, which after 
seventy-two days dropped anchor in the harbor 
of New Orleans. He then took a boat up the 
Mississippi river to Quincy and soon afterward 
located in Fall Creek township, where he pur- 
chased a tract of land and carried on farming 
until his death. He was very successful in his 
business affairs, owing to his capable manage- 
ment and unfaltering energy. He married Miss 
Lizzie Farnum, also a native of Germany, who 
crossed the ocean in the same vessel in which her 
husband made the voyage, and they were married 
in Adams county. They became the parents of 
ten children : John, who is a farmer of Fall 
Creek township : William and Adam, who are 
also living in that town.ship ; Frederick, Lena, 
Elizabeth, ilargaret and three who are now de- 
ceased. The father died at the age of eighty- 
two years. He was a democrat in his political 
views and was a member of the Lutheran church. 
His life was well spent and while conducting a 
successful business career he at the same time 
adhered closely to the principles which govern 
honorable and upright manhood. 

Frederick Speckhart is indebted to the public 
schools of his native township for the educational 
privileges he enjoyed in his youth. He worked 
in the field through the summer months and re- 
mained at home until twenty-two yeai-s of age. 
He was married first to Miss Lena Schaffer, now 
deeea.sed. and unto this union there were born 
three children: John, Fred and George, all of 



whom are prominent farmers of Fall Creek town- 
ship. For his second wife Mr. Speckhart chose 
Jliss Anna Frederick, also now deceased, and 
by this union there were three children : Hannah, 
the wife of P. Apple; Henry and Frank. For 
his third wife Mr. Speckhart chose Miss Lena 
Harms, a native of Quincy and a daughter of 
Jidius Harms, who was an early settler of this 
city, locating here in August, 1848. He was a 
carpenter and became identified with building 
interests, assisting in the erection of many of 
the early structures of Qtiiney. 

Mr. Speckhart continued to engage in farm- 
ing in Fall Creek township until 1895, when he 
removed to his present home in Riverside town- 
ship. He is to-day the owner of three valuable 
farms, aggregating six hundred and thirty-seven 
acres of land in Fall Creek township, and those 
are operated by his sons. There are one hundred 
and six acres in the home farm in Riverside 
township and this is a splendidly improved 
property. lie has forty acres planted to fruit, 
two acres being in blackberries, four in straw- 
berries, and four in raspberries. The remainder 
of his farm is devoted to gardening, and his an- 
imal products find a ready sale on the market 
and command the highest price. He has been 
very sticcessfid in his business career and well 
merits the prosperity that has come to him be- 
cause he has ever lieen straightforward in his 
dealings, never taking advantage of the neces- 
sities of his fellowmen. He has worked earnestly 
and per.severingly and his life record proves that 
labor is the basis of all prosperity. In politics 
he is independent and his religious faith is that 
of the Lutheran church. He stands to-day as 
one of the representative agriculturists and 
fruit raisers of Adams county, having a wide 
acquaintance with its borders and commanding 
the esteem and good will of all by reason of a 
life that contains many elements worthy of 
emulation. 



WALTER R. SPINK. 



With the agi'ii'ultural interests of this region 
Walter R. Spiidv has bi'cn identified for over 
half a century and he is today regarded as 
one of the leading and representative farmers 
of Richfield township, his home being on sec- 
tion 34. His early life was passed in New 
York, his birth occurring in Dernyter, iMadison 
county, that state, February 12, 1823. His 
father, Penner Spink, was a native of Rhode 
Island and at an early day removed to the Em- 
]iire state, where he died when our snb.iect was 
oidy five years old. In the family were seven 
children : Henrietta, the wife of Nathan Walk 




FREDERICK SPECKHART AND FAMILY 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



821 



er, who came to Barry, Illinois, iu 1838, and is 
now a resident of Harvard, Illinois; Samuel, 
who died in New York, IMarch 1, 1905 ; AValter 
R., who is next in order of birth ; Jane, who 
married Willard Gifit'ord and died in ■McLean, 
Illinois, in 1868 ; Lavina, wife of Joseph Green, 
the oldest resident of Barry, Pike county, Illi- 
nois; Mary A., wife of Merritt Gift'ord, of Mc- 
Lean, Illinois ; and Laben. who died in New 
York in February. 1904. 

Walter R. Spink acquired a limited educa- 
tion in the public schools of his native state 
and on stai'ting out in life for himself worked 
as a farm hand by the month for six years. 
Before leaving New York he was married on 
the 17th of August, 1850, to Miss Elizabeth 
Hosmer, who was born March 14. 1823, and is 
a daughter of Walter and Phila Ilosmer, also 
natives of New York, though their respective 
parents were from ]Maiue. 'Sirs. Spink is the 
only one of her family to come to Illinois, 
though she had one sister living in Iowa. 

In September following their marriage Mr. 
and ]Mrs. Spink came to this state and first lo- 
cated in Barry, Pike county, but have been 
residents of Adams county since 1854 and here 
our subject has successfully engaged in general 
farming and stock-raising. Success has at- 
tended his efforts and he is now the owner of 
a valuable farm of one hundred and ninety- 
eight acres on sections 33 and 34, Richfield 
township, which he has improved and placed 
under a high state of cultivation. His crops are 
Iirineipally corn and wheat and he gives con- 
siderable attention to stock-raising. 

Mr. and ilrs. Spink have no children of their 
own but have adopted two, both of whom have 
taken their name. The daughter, ]\Iillie, came 
from the Woodland Home and is now the wife 
of David Hastings, of Richfield township, while 
the son, Harvey, is still on the home farm. 
During the Civil war Mr. Spink was drafted 
for service but was discharged on account of 
poor health and disability. He casts his vote 
for the men and measures of the republican 
party and takes a deep interest in ever.ything 
tending to advance the moral or material wel- 
fare of his adopted county and state. Both 
he and his wife are earnest and consistent 
members of the Baptist church and are held 
in high regard by all who know them. 



JAIMES s. inghra:\i. 

James S. Inghram had a very wide and fa- 
vorable acquaintance in Quincy and was known 
to his many friends as "TTncle Jimmy." He 
was engaged in the grocery business here for 



many years and was classed with the pioneer 
residents of the city, having located here about 
1851. He was born in Waynesburg, Pennsyl- 
vania, March 29, 1835, his parents being Will- 
iam and Mary (Seaton) Inghram. The mother 
was a daughter of Janu's Seaton, proprietor of 
the Seaton House, a hotel in Uniontown, Penn- 
sylvania. William Inghram was a saddler by 
trade and for many years followed that busi- 
ness and also engaged in the dry-goods business 
in Waynesburg, where he made his home until 
his death. His widow afterward removed to 
Uniontown, Pennsylvania, -where she resided 
until 1865, when she came to Quincy and made 
her home with her son James until her demise. 

Mr. Inghram acquired a common school edu- 
cation in his native state. He was only eight 
years of age when his father died and he after- 
ward went to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, to live 
with his uncle. He obtained a position as clerk 
in a shoe store there and resided with his uncle 
luitil 1851, when he came to the west, settling 
in Quincy, where he secured a position as clerk 
in the store of James Fisher. He occupied a 
position as salesman until 1865, at which time 
he was joined by his mother in Quincy. He 
then began business for himself, establishing a 
grocery store in Hampshire street between 
Sixth and Seventh streets. He afterward ad- 
mitted Charles G. Osborn to a partnership and 
they were connected in business for a year. 
Mr. Inghram was later in business alone for a 
.short period, after which he was joined by his 
brother John Thomas Inghram in a partnership 
under the firm name of Inghram Brothers. 
They engaged in the grocery trade thus for 
many years, conducting a very prosperous busi- 
ness. Their trade gradually increased propor- 
tionately with the growth of the city, their 
honorable methods commending them to the 
patronage of all who once gave them their sup- 
port. Mr. Inghram contimied in the grocery 
business for seventeen years, when finally on 
account of ill health he sold out and removed 
to the west, settling at Canyon City, Colorado, 
purchasing land near there. He had a large 
vineyard. On one occasion, while driving from 
his home to the mountains, his team ran away 
and he was thrown from the wagon and badly 
injured. This made him an invalid and as it 
seemed impossible to recover his health in Colo- 
rado he finally returned to Quincy, where he 
lived retired until his death in the home now 
occupied bv his widow. Here he passed away 
ilarch 29, 1901. 

ilr. Inghram was married in Quincy to Miss 
Josephine Greenleaf, a native of Columbus, 
Adams county, born in 1845, and a daughter 
of Miller T. and Mary (Felix) Greenleaf, the 
former a native of Vermont and the latter of 



822 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



Kentucky. Her father came to Adams (•(iiip.ty 
in 18-10 with his father and settled in the vil- 
lage of Cohimbus, where they woi-ked toni'ther 
in a wagon shoj). Mr. (Ireenleaf. father of 
^Irs. Inghraiii. afterward removed to Quiney, 
where he was engaged in the machine shop and 
foundry business for many years or until he re- 
tired from active business life. He is now 
living at 314 Elm street at the advanced age of 
eighty-four years, being one of the oldest citi- 
zens of Quincy. His wife is also living and has 
reached the age of seventy-eight year.'i. Mr. 
and Airs, (ireenleaf were the parents of seven 
children, all of whom are yet living — a remark- 
able family recoi'd — and most of them are resi- 
dents of Quincy. ^Irs. Iiighram is the eldest 
of the family. 

In the early days Mv. lughram served as city 
treasurei' of Quincy and Avas active and intlii- 
eiitial in public atii'airs, taking a deep and help- 
ful interest in everything that tended towaril 
general progress and improvement. He was a 
charter member of the (iem City liuilding it 
Loan Association of Quincy, was an early mem- 
ber of the JMasonic lodge here and also belonged 
to the Ancient Order of United Workmen and 
the Druids. His political allegiance was given 
to the democracy. He was well known among 
the ])ioneer business men of Quincy and was 
very successful in the conduct of his mercantile 
interests. Moreover, he maintained a business 
place that always commanded respect and con- 
fidence and those who knew him esteemed him 
for his genuine worth, his ]olaee in the affec- 
tions of his friends being indicated by the title 
which they gave him of "Uncle Jimmy " Mrs. 
Inghram owns a nice residence at No. 223 North 
Eighth street, which has been occupied by her- 
self and husband for thirty years. 



CHARLES DEWEY CENTER. M. D. 

Dr. ('harlcs Dewey Center, pliysieiaii and sur- 
geon of (Quincy, whose writings are consitlered a 
valuable contribution to medical literature, was 
born in Ottawa, Illinois, in 1869. His father. 
Dorr Center, was born in Washington county, 
New York, and is now living in Ottawa at the age 
of sixty-seven years. F(n' a long period he car- 
ried on general farming and stock-raising and 
was very successful, so that he is now the pos- 
sessor of a handsome competence. lie has long 
been an active worker in the INIethodist Episcopal 
church, interested in all that pertains to the 
moral development of the race, and his efforts 
have not been without result in his communitv. 



Li his political views he is a republican and has 
served as supervisor and in other township of- 
fices. His wife, who bore the maiden name of 
Harriet Allen, was born in Wayne county, New 
Yt)rk, and is now sixty-five years of age. Dorr 
Center came to Hlinois in 1857, locating in 
Ottawa, but later he returned to New York state, 
where he was married in 1865. He then brought 
his bride to his new home in the west. She, too, 
is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, 
and they are people of the highest respectability. 
They have four children : (ienevieve, the wife of 
Stephen R. Wilson, a manufacturer of Chicago; 
Charles D. ; O. D.. a teacher in the State Uni- 
versity at Champaign, Illinois: and Ralph A., 
who is engaged in the grain business in Grand 
Ridge, Illinois. 

Dr Center attended the country schools of 
Fall River township. La Salle county, and after- 
wai-d continued his education in Knox College at 
(Jalesburg, Illinois. He began preparation for 
the jiractiee of medicine in the office and \xnder 
the direction of Dr. John S. Reyburn, at Ottawa, 
in 18110, and read medicine for a year. He then 
matriculated in Rush iledical College, Chicago, 
in 1891, and was graduated with the cla.ss of 
189-t, being awarded the Freer prize for the best 
thesis. He began his professional service as 
company physician on the Geogebi range in Iron 
Belt, Wisconsin, where he remained for six 
months, and was afterward house surgeon in the 
Presbyterian Hospital in Chicago for a year and 
a half, thus puttinu' to the practical test his 
theoretical knowledge in jirofessional service of 
a most varied and important character. In 
April, 1896, hecametoQuincy, where he has since 
followed his profession a.s a general practitioner, 
winning success as his skill has become recognized 
in the able handling of important ca.ses. Under 
the late James II. Etheredge, ^I. D., he fitted him- 
self for specializing his in'actiee and gives par- 
ticular attention to the surgical diseases of 
women and the diseases of children. He is a 
member of the staff of Blessing Hospital and also 
a lecturer in the Blessing Hosi)ital Training 
School for Nurses. 

A close and discriminating student. Dr. Cen- 
ter carries his investigations and researches far 
and wide into the realms of scientific knowledge 
bearing upon his profession and he is the author 
of Ihe following monographs: Acute Hemor- 
rhagic Encephalitis, Abdominal Pregnancy, His- 
tory of ^I(>dicine, Malai'ia, Rational Treatment of 
Injui'ies by Fomentation, and Treatment of Cut- 
aneous Diseases by X-Ray Therapy. He was 
one of the earliest investigators in this line to 
wai'ii the ]irofession against too great confidence 
in curing dis.'ases by the use of the X-ray. In 
the in-actiee ol' both medicine and surgery he has 
dis|ilayed siiperioi- slsill that entitles him to rank 




DR. C. D. CENTER 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



825 



^vit!l the leading members of the profession in the 
west. He belongs to the American jMedieal As- 
sociation, the Illinois State ]\Iedical Society and 
the Adams County IMedical Society, and has been 
section secretary, section chairman, and assistant 
secretary of the state organization. 

In September, 1896, Dr. Center was married to 
]\Iiss Edith Campbell, a daiighter of James and 
Rose (Buxton) Campbell, who was born on 
Prince Edward Island in 1869. Her father was 
a ship owner, having a fleet of merchant vessels. 
Dr. and ^Irs. Center have two children: Donald, 
born ilarch 17, 1898 ; and Archibald, born Sep- 
tember 28, 1900. Mrs. Center is a member of the 
Episcopal church. The Doctor belongs to the 
ilasonic fraternity, to the Beta Theta Pi and the 
Phi Rho Sigma. His political views accord with 
the principles of the republican party, but he has 
neither time nor inclination for office, preferring 
to concentrate his energies upon his professional 
duties, which con.scientiously and ably performed 
have won him an honorable jiosition in the ranks 
of the medical fraternity in Qnincy. 



HON. G,. W. MONTGO:\IERY. 

Hon. G. W. ilontgomery, who for a period of 
fort.y years has been engaged in the drug busi- 
ness in Clayton, has also been an influential 
factor in political circles and in his community, 
has aided largely in molding public thought 
and action. He dates his residence in Adams 
county from 1865. His birth occurred in 
Brooke county. West Vii-ginia, February 24, 
1841. His father, Daniel ^Montgomery, was 
born in Greene county, Pennsylvania, in 1805. 
and was a son of Humphrey ]\Iontgomer.y, who 
died when his son Daniel was only six years old. 
Humphrey ^Montgomery was of Irish descent, 
while his wife, who bore the maiden name of 
^lary Litzenburg, was of German lineage and 
was related to General ]Morgan. who was killed 
in the battle of Bull Run. 

Daniel Montgomery was reared in the Key- 
stone state and from there removed to West 
Virginia, where he followed various piirsuits as 
a farmer, merchant and trader, doing business 
along the Ohio river for many years. Later he 
engaged in farming in Brooke county. West 
Virginia, spending his last days there. He 
served as justice of the peace for a long period 
and was always fair and impartial in his rul- 
ings. In West Virginia he married ]Miss Julia 
^lahan, a daughter of William IMahan, who was 
a native of Baltimore and was of English line- 
age. He was a soldier of the war of 1812 and 
was present at the battle of Baltimore. In the 



family of Daniel and Julia (]\Iahan) Montgom- 
ery were five children, of whom three are still 
living : G. W., of this review, and James H. 
and Mrs. Elizabeth Carter, who are both resi- 
dents of Brooke county. West Virginia. They 
visited our subject in the fall of 1904 and like- 
wise attended the Louisiana Purchase Exposi- 
tion at St. Louis, ^Missouri. 

G. W. Montgomer.y was reared in the county 
of his nativity and acquired his education in 
the common schools. He came west in 1865, 
locating first at Clayton, Adams county, and 
for one winter engaged in teaching school. He 
spent the succeeding year and a half in clerk- 
ing and in 1867 purchased a drug store, which 
lie has since conducted, carrying on a success- 
ful business. He erected a good brick business 
block and has a well equipped store, supplied 
with a fine line of drugs and similar merchan- 
dise. He receives from the public a liberal pat- 
ronage, for throughout the years he has dem- 
onstrated his honorable business methods in 
his just and courteous treatment of his patrons. 
He has also dealt some in real estate and has 
bought and sold property in Wichita, Kansas, 
and in Kansas City. He has erected i-esidences 
in Claj'ton, which have greatly improved the 
town, and in 1879 he established the Clayton 
Bank, which he conducted as a private banking 
institution for ten years and then sold. 

Politically Mr. ilontgomery is identified with 
the democratic part.y and his first presidential 
ballot was cast for George B. IMcClellan in 1864. 
He has taken quite an active part in politics, 
both local and state, and was elected and served 
for five terms as a member of the board of 
supervisors. He was a member of a number of 
important committees, and was chairman of 
the committee on the building and grounds of 
the court house and of the jioor farm. During 
his incumbency in that office improvements 
were made on the court house and the court 
room was decorated. In 1896 he was elected 
to the state legislature and as a member of the 
fortieth general assembly made for himself an 
honorable record, being connected with much 
progressive legislation. -He was a member of 
the committees on banking, education, fish and 
game, and was also on the committee to visit 
educational institutions. Through a long period 
he has been officially connected with the school 
board and has acted as its secretary for fif- 
teen years. He has also served as chairman of 
the county democratic central committee. 

In 187ll in Rushville, Illinois, Mr. Montgom- 
ery was married to ]Miss Laura A. Nance, a na- 
tive of Kentucky, who was reared and educated 
in Illinois. To them was born one son, F. A. 
^Montgomery. Jlrs. ■Montgomery died Novem- 
ber 16, 1896, and Mr. Montgomery was married 



826 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



in Browu county, Illinois, November 14, 1899, to 
Miss E. Florence Lonsr, who was born, reared 
and educated in tliis state. Mr. Montjjoniery be- 
longs to the Masonic fraternit.v, holding mem- 
bership with the blue lodge, chapter and com- 
mandery at Clayton. He has filled some of the 
chairs in the chapter and is past eminent com- 
mander of the commandery, having filled 
its highest office for four terms. He likewise 
belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fel- 
lows, in which he has been honoi-ed with all 
of the offices in the local lodge and has also 
been representative to the grand lodge for four 
terms. He is a member of the encampment 
and has filled its offices. 'Sir. ^lontgomery pos- 
sesses to a full measure many fine and enno- 
bling qualities and his integrity and strength 
of purpose should serve to prove the value of 
character in the active affairs of life. He has 
been found reliable in business and citizenship. 
He is broad in his views and liberal in his .iudg- 
ments, strong in his convictions and earnest 
in hi.s beliefs, self-wdlled but not obstinate, a 
strong character, whose life record will bear 
the closest investigation without suffering 
criticism. Such men leave a lasting impress for 
good and the spirit of their lives cannot fail to 
exercise a benefieial influence on the youth of 
succeeding generations. 



REV. CEOROE KIDDER. 

Rev. George Kidder, now deceased, was for 
many years an active factor in the moral develop- 
ment of Adams county and his memory is yet 
cherished by those who knew him. Tie was born 
July 1, ISifi, in Kennebec county, Elaine, and 
died July 2."'>, liMH, near Plainvillc at tli.' vener- 
able age of ('iulit>'-live years. His i).iternal grand- 
father was a Ri'volutioiiary soldier who aided 
the colonies throughdut thr entire struggle for 
independence and was never wound<'d nor cap- 
tured. Ilis mafei'iial grandfather \v,-is one of 
Washington's bodvguards and was with that 
great commander from tin- beuinninu' to the I'ud 
of the war. The Kidder family now have in their 
possession an interesting relic in the sha]ie of an 
old knee buckle that fielonged to William Ensign, 
the brother of the maternal grandmother. It has 
been in the family for one hundi-ed and thirty 
years and is much ]irized by them. 

George Kidder ae(|uired his education in tlie 
common schools of ifaine and was i-eared upnn 
the home farm. Tie was the fifth in ordei' of 
birth in a family of twelve children, of whom 
one is yet living, John, who residi's at Stillwater, 
Maine. He is a briclda\-er an<l plasferei' and has 



one daughtei', Mrs. Ella Coombs, who is living 
in Stillwater and has t)ne daughter. 

In 1889 Rev. Kidder came to Adams county, 
Illinois, and for a year remained in Fall Creek 
fownshi]) with his relative, Charles Stratton. He 
then took up his abode on what is probably now 
the Joui'ney farm, and there he remained for a 
time. It was while there that he was married to 
Miss Mary Hull, who died after tw'o years, leav- 
ing a son, Lewis Kidder, who is a resident of 
Pittsburg, Kansas. In 1845 Mr. Kidder was 
again married, his second union being with Mar- 
tha E. Bushnell, a daughter of John and Eliza- 
beth (Ensign) Bnshnell. She was born in Ashta- 
bula county, Ohio, June 2, 1822, and died Feb- 
I'uary 16, 1901. She came to Fulton county, 
Illinois, with her parents when only four years 
old, and about 1832 was brought to Adams 
county, the family settling on the Plainville road 
about two miles south of the village. There Mi'S. 
Kidder lived for more than sixty-eight years. 
She -was converted at the old Pike county camp 
meeting house and joined Akers Chapel ^leth- 
odist Episcopal church, of which she was a mem- 
ber for sixty-one years. After the death of Mr. 
Bushnell his land was inherited by Rev. and Mrs. 
Kidder, and he added to his property from time 
to time until, at his death, his landed possessions 
aggregated two hundi'ed and ninety-two acres, 
now owned by his children. 

In the family of Mr. Kidder were ten chil- 
dren: Lewi.s, a merchant of I'ittsbui'g, Kan- 
sas, mari'ied Matilda ]\Ioore and they have two 
children : George, who is married ; and Charley, 
at home. Mary, the second member of the Kid- 
der family, is the wife of Rev. John Smiley, a 
member of the ^lissouri conference of the Meth- 
odist Episcopal chui'ch, and their children are: 
flattie, Frank and Paul, all at home. John Kid- 
di'r married Addie Mathers, and has a general 
store in Monica. Illinois, and a farm of six hun- 
dred and forty acres in Peoria county. He has 
two sons: Thomas, who executes orders for Don- 
nelly & Company on the Chicago Board of Trade : 
and Franklin, who is in a store at home. Helen 
Kidder died at the age of three years. Watson 
died at the age nf eleven months. Almira is liv- 
ing on the homi- fai-m. Caroline died at the age 
of one and a half years. Sarah become the wife 
of p]mery Lease and died September 12, 1893, 
at the age of thirty-six years, leaving five chil- 
ili'cn, four of whom have made their home on the 
old homestead farm since with their aunts. Oscar 
died at the age of (me year. Carrie is living on 
the old homestead. 

Rev. Kidder began the active work of the gos- 
jiel in 1845, in which year he was licensed to 
preach, continuing his work until disqualified 
bv age and infirmitv. He was a man of fair edu- 




REV. GEORGE KIDDER 




MRS. GEORGE KIDDER 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



831 



cation, possessins' a natural taste for litci-ature, 
and he was a thorouuh Bil)le student. He as- 
sisted with his own hands in the buildini;- of 
Akers Chapel, the oldest church in that part of 
the coiinty. His devotion to the work of the 
chnrch never faltered and his preaching and 
labors led many to the cause of Christ. His 
])olitieal allegiance was given to the democratic 
])ai-ty early in life and later he supported the 
i-epuhlican party and then again became a demo- 
crat. His labors, with their ever widening circle 
of intiueuce. are yet a factor for good in the c(mi- 
munity, and the memory of Rev. Kidder remains 
as a blessed benediction to all who knew him. 



JOSEPH FITTKH DIRAXT. M. 1). 

Dr. Joseph Futter Durant, whose bi-oad hu- 
manitarian spirit, as well as his professional 
skill, was many times manife.st when he was en- 
gaged in the active practice of medicine and 
surgery, is now living retired at his pleasant 
home in (juincy. He was born in Columbia, 
.Maury county. Tennessee, November 28, 1831, 
a, son of Thomas and Sarah (Cowden) Dui-ant. 
THs ancestors came from England to America 
but were of French Huguenot extraction. The 
founding of the family in New England dates 
back to 1640 and since that time representatives 
of the name have resided in the northeastern 
section of the country although the grandfather 
of Dr. Durant was among the emigrants from 
that state. He was a cabinet-maker by trade 
and after his removal to Tennessee he purchased 
one thousand acres of land and engaged in agri- 
cultural pursuits, in connection with tlic con- 
duct of a cabinet-making shop. 

Thomas Durant, born in 1793. was maiTied in 
Fitchburg, Massachusetts, to Miss Sarah Cow- 
den and when about twenty-two year.s of age 
removed from that state. It was in 1835 that 
he came to Illinois, .settling first at Carrollton, 
( Jreene county, whei-e he lived for two years, and 
then came to Adams county in 1837. ITer(> he 
|)urchased land and began farming, continuing 
the cultivation of the soil there until 1848, when 
he sold the property'. Losing his first wife, he 
afterward returned to Tennessee, where he again 
married. He then returned to Hancock county, 
this state, and was engaged in the real-estate 
business in Cartha<re. He traveled for the firm 
with which he was connected throughout the 
.southern states, and maintained that business 
a.ssociation for about eight years, when he re- 
tired to private life. He died about 1879 at the 
age of eighty-six years. In his family were 
seven children, of whom three died in infancv. 



while two passed away later. One son, Dr. Sam- 
uel W. Dui-ant. is now living retired in Topeka, 
Kansas. 

Dr. Joseph F. Durant acc^uired his education 
in the conunon schools of Columbus, Illinois, 
and when twenty-one years of age he began 
preparation for the practice of medicine by en- 
tering upon a course of study in the Eclectic 
Institute, at Cincinnati, where he was graduated 
in 18.54, when twenty-two years of age. He 
then went to Blandinsville, ilcDonough county, 
Illinois, where he engaged in practice from June, 
1853, until April, 1875, when he came to (^uincy. 
Here he erected a fine house at No. 319 Elm 
street and has since lived retired, enjoying a 
richly merited re.st. 

At the time of the Civil war Dr. Durant as- 
sisted in raising the Eleventh Cavalry Regiment 
of Illinois, but owing to unforeseen circum- 
stances, he could not take part in active service. 
He did much for his country at home, however, 
by freely giving his professional services to the 
families of soldiers. He was always most help- 
ful as a practitioner, responding as quickly to 
the call of the poor as to the rich, and many 
have reason to bless him for his timely assistance. 
He was a capable physician and was honored 
with the presidency of the ]\IcDonough County 
Jledical Society, acting in that capacity up to 
the time of his removal to Quiney. when he re- 
signed. 

On the loth of January, 1856, Dr. Durant 
was married to I\Iiss Ottilia Maertz, of Quiney. 
daughter of Charles JIaertz. Her father died 
in 1893, at the age of eighty-six years, and her 
mother's death occurred in 1903, at the advanced 
age of ninety-two years. Dr. and ^Irs. Durant 
became the parents of nine children, of whom 
two died in infancy. Carrie L. and Charles 
Thomas, while (ieorgia died in Quiney. in 1877, 
at the age of eighteen years, and Ennnett H., 
at the age of three years. The living are as fol- 
lows: Edward, born in 1864, is now engaged in 
the ice business in Blair, Nebraska : Augustus, 
born in 1870, and now a traveling salesman for 
Charles Oehlun & Company, dealers in dental 
supplies of Quiney. married Jliss ^linnie blot- 
ter, of Lagrange. Missoui-i. and has two children ; 
Nellie Ottilia, born in 1868. is a kindergarten 
teacher of St. Louis; Bi'ssie. living at home, was 
for four years a student in and then graduated 
from the Art In.stitute of Chicago, after which 
she taught there and now she is conducting a stu- 
dio and is engaged in teaching in Quiney, hav- 
ing gained an enviable reputation because of 
her artistic talents: Carl, born in 1878. is en- 
gaged in railroading. 

Dr. Durant has long been a member of the 
.Masonic fraternity and served as master of the 
lodge at Blandinsville, Illinois. He belongs to 



832 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



the chapter at Macomb and is now affiliated 
with Qiiincy Lodge, No. 296, A. F. & A. .M. lie 
is likewise au honorary member of the Adams 
County Medical Society, and in his political 
views is a republican. His life has been of sig- 
nal usefulness to his fellowmen, and wherever 
he has lived he has commanded the confidence 
and good will of all by reason of his personal 
attributi's as well as professional skill. 



JEREMIAH A. FELT. 

Jei-emiah A. Felt, the oldest resident of Mel- 
rose township, having reached the eighty-eighth 
milestone on life's journey, and one of the hon- 
ored and valued pioneers of Adams county, was 
born in New Ipswich, New Hampshire, ]\Iay 2, 
1817, his parents being Peter and Mary (Fletch- 
er) Felt. The father was born at Temple, New 
ITami)sliire, December 1, 1874. and was descend- 
ed from an old New England family. After 
arriving at years of nuiturity he wedded ^liss 
Mary Fletcher, who was born in New Ipswich, 
New Hampshire, August 21, 1785, and was a 
daughter of Ebenezer Fletclier, who did valiant 
service for his country in the Revolutionary war. 
Peter Felt became a farmer and merchant of the 
old Granite state and resided tliere until 1830. 
when he came with his family to the west. He 
traveled first to Troy, New Ifork, thence by 
the Erie canal to Buffalo, overland to the Ohio 
river and then by boat to Quincy. The party 
consisted of the father, mother and children : 
Albert, Adeline, Jeremiah A., inid Charlie Ed- 
ward. They landed at Quincy in June. 1830, 
and that year the father built thi> first frauu:' 
liouse in the city at what is now the corner of 
P^oui'th and iMaine streets. They resided in 
Quincy for two years and Mr. Felt Hien |)ur- 
chased one hundred and sixty aei'es of land 
about a mile from the present farm of Jere- 
miah A. Felt, while his son Albert purchased 
a quarter section of land ad.ioining the father's 
one lumdred and sixty acres. Petei- Felt con- 
tinued to cultivate that farm foi- ten years, 
after which he sold his property and returned 
to Quincy, where he died in 186(i at the advanced 
age of eighty-two years. 

Jeremiah A. Felt attended school in New 
Hampshire and also in Qiiincv and for n period 
of ten years during his youth he resided upon 
his father's farm. He then removed to a farm 
owned by his father in Warren county. Illinois, 
where he continued to make his lioiiie for seven 
years. He married ]\Iiss Adriana Leach, who 
was born in Boston, Massachusetts, December 
8. 1819. and died August 27, 1896. They trav- 
eled life's journey together for a long period. 



sharing with each other its joys and sorrows, its 
adversity and prosperity. Eleven children came 
to bless their union of whom six are yet living, 
namely: Mary, who is the wife of William Per- 
kins of Melrose township ; Ella, the wife of Ira 
Coe, also of IMelrose township-, William and 
Charles, who are residents of Missouri ; George 
of Michigan, and Adriana at home. The oldest 
son of the family, Peter Felt, enlisted in defense 
of his counti-y during the Civil war, becoming 
a member of the Seventy-eighth Illinois Volun- 
teer Infantry at Quincy. He was wounded 
at Chattanooga, Tennessee, laid on the battle- 
field all night and the next morning was taken 
prisoner by the rebels and died while still in 
the army. 

A few A'ears after his marriage Jeremiah A. 
Felt purchased his present -farm, comprising 
the west half of the southeast quarter of sec- 
tion 18, Melrose township. He continued to en- 
gage actively in its improvement and cultivation 
until 1891, since which time he has lived a re- 
fired life, renting his land. He is to-day the 
oldest resident of ]\lelrose township, having 
reached the age of eighty-eight years. Looking 
back over the past he has little to regret for his 
has been an honorable and useftd career. In 
politics he has lonu' been an earnest republican. 
He cast his first ^(residential ballot for General 
William Henry Harrison and upon the organi- 
zation of tlie republican party he joined its ranks 
and has voted for each nominee at the head of 
the ticket to the present time, including flie 
chief executive of the nation at the time of this 
writing. For thirty years he was a school di- 
rector and has been school trustee and commis- 
sioner of highways. He lives a quiet life at the 
old home, his daughter Adriana acting as his 
liousekeeper. He is well preserved for a man 
of his years and he receives the respect and ven- 
eration which should ever be accorded those who 
have traveled far on life's journey and who 
have always followed honorable, manly princi- 
ples. 



LLEWELLYN B. McKENNA, LL. D. 

He is gifted wifli gi^jiius who knoweth nmch 
by natural talent. — Pindar. 

Honored as an educator from whose wise and 
capable teaching for a genei-ation some fifteen 
thousand students have received the benefit of 
applied knowledge and invaluable inspiration : 
distinguished as an author of valued and popu- 
lar text-books of wide fame: admired for his 
varied l(>aruing and ripe scholarshi]> and eor- 
ilially esteeiiii'd for his high characfei- and ex- 
cellent personal (jualities — such nuist be an 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



833 



epitome of any just biographical sketch of Llew- 
ellyu B. ]\IcKeuna. LL. D., president of the Na- 
tional Business College. 

Professor McKenna is a native of Prince Ed- 
ward county, Ontario, where he was born 
April 18, 1844. He received his preliminary 
education in the grammar school at Stirling, On- 
tario, took a course in the Illinois State Normal 
TTniversity, at Normal. Illinois, and was gradu- 
ated with high honors at the German and En- 
glish College, at Quincy, in June, 1871. Six 
years later he received the degree of Master of 
Arts from Johnson College, the successor to the 
German and Engli.sh College, and in 1891 tlie 
degree of Doctor of Laws was conferred ujion 
him by Chaddoek College. 

Dr. McKenna began his work as an educator 
in the Gem City Business College in 1874, that 
institution then being conducted by Howe & 
Musselman. Professor ^IcKenna's position was 
that of head of the department of mathematics 
and law, which he conducted with uninterrupted 
success for more than twenty years or until Au- 
gust, 1897. 

The text-books of which Dr. JIcKenna is the 
author include: "Practical Business Arithme- 
tic," first published in 1889, which has gone 
through numerous editions and is in general 
use in business colleges and high schools ; ' ' Prin- 
ciples of Commercial Law," published in 1893, 
a distinct favorite in commercial colleges and 
normal schools; a "Manual for Business Letter 
Writing," a standard authority among business 
men and much used in normal schools: "Ideal 
Arithmetic," a most valuable work sold from 
Elaine to California, and one of his latest books 
is "Correct English and Its Essentials," a work 
that should be in every home. 

In the National Business College of which 
Professor ]MeKenna is the honored head, he 
teaches commercial arithmetic, commercial law 
and letter-writing, and the unfailing success of 
his excellent work and his wide reputation are 
notable factors in the high standard and con- 
stantly increasing prosperity of that fine insti- 
tTition of practical learning which has such an 
attraction for students from all ]iarts of the 
nation. 



DAVID BOLT. 



David Bolt, who has passed the seventy-fifth 
mile-stone on life's journey, was born Decem- 
ber 17, 1829, his parents being David and Mary 
(Funk) Bolt, natives of Crawford county, Penn- 
sylvania. The subject of this review was also 
born in the Keystone state and with his par- 



ents came to Adams county, Illinois, in 1844. 
They made their way westward down the Ohio 
and up the i\Iississippi rivers to Quincy and soon 
afterward removed to Bloomfleld, Illinois, which 
was the place of abode of the family for six 
years. They then located in Hancock county, 
Illinois, where they renuiined until 1859, and on 
the expiration of that period the.y settled near 
Lima in Adams county. The father was a black- 
smith by trade and followed that occupation 
until he retired from active business life. His 
death occurred at Lima in 1869, and his wife 
died in AVichita, Kansas, in 1893. 

In their family wei'e the following children, 
namely : Jacob, born in 1822, married Elizabeth 
McNutt. Jane, born in 1824, married Alexan- 
der Clark, who died in 1899, and her death oc- 
curred in 1901. William, born in 1826, died 
about 1849. John, born in 1828, married Flora 
Hughes, who died in 1904, and his death oc- 
curred in 1892. David is the next in order of 
birth. Joseph, born in 1831, married Lucy 
Ames and died in 1905. Ann, born in 1833, 
married Lewis Selby, who died in 1905, and her 
death occurred about 1876. Eliza, born in 1835, 
married George Fletcher and died in 1872. 
Emma, born in 1837, married Livingston Den- 
nis. Bennett, born in 1840, married Laura 
Ames. Columbus, born in 1842, was killed in 
battle in 1863 during the Civil war. Jefferson, 
born in 1845, married Marv Archer, who died in 
1904. 

David Bolt is indebted to the public-school 
system of Pennsylvania for the early educational 
privileges he enjoyed. He afterward worked 
upon the home farm imtil the time of his mar- 
riage, removing at that time from Hancock to 
Adams county, locating one mile west of Lima, 
where he purchased a farm. For many years 
he remained thereon, it being liis home continu- 
ously until 1895. witli exception of a brief period 
of fourteen months that was spent by him and 
his wife in Bozeman, Montana, where they were 
visiting. In 1899 they went to Kansas but after 
a year returned to Adams county. Settling in 
Lima, Mr. Bolt has since made his home in this 
coxuity and is now enjoying a well earned rest. 
For many years he was an active, energetic and 
practical farmer, working earnestly year after 
year in order to provide for his family and ac- 
quire a competence for his declining days. He 
gained the success that is the reward of honest, 
untiring effort and is now the owner of a valu- 
ble farm of t^vo hundred and eighty acres, which 
he rents to his children, and the income from 
which supplies him with all the comforts and 
many of the luxuries of life. 

ill*. Bolt was mai-ried November 24. 1859, to 
Aliss Nancy A. Howes, who was born March 30, 
1840, and is a daughter of John A. and Ellen 



834 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



(EUett) Howes. Her father, wlio was born iu 
1818, came from Kentucky to Illinois. His wife 
was killed by lightning during the infancy of 
JMrs. Bolt, and Mr. Howes afterward removed 
to Adams couut,v, where he spent his remaining 
days, passing away at the home of his grand- 
daughter, February 24, 1901. He was married 
a second time, the children of his first union 
being Mrs. Bolt and James, who was boi-n in 
1842 and died in infancy. 

Unto ]Mr. and Mrs. Bolt were boi-n six chil- 
dren, namely: John W., who was born October 
5. 1860, married Carrie Jacobs and resides west 
of Lima. Mary E., born February 14. 1863, 
married Henry B. Kendrick, who died Febru- 
ary 26, 1902, leaving two children who reside 
with her parents. Effle A., horn March 14, 1870, 
is the wife of Edward Jacobs and resides in 
Adams county. Virgil A., born December 18, 
1874. married Edna Hiuiter and lives west of 
Lima. Harry IL. born October 29, 1876, is a 
practicing physician of Independence, Kansas. 
Neva A., born April 18, 1884, is at home. 

Mr. Bolt owns a fine residence in Lima, which, 
in connection with his other property, stands 
as a monument to his enterprise and labor of 
former years. In politics he is a republican, 
always giving a stalwart support to the party, 
yet never seeking office. Both he and his wife 
arc iiii']iibei-s of the Methodist Episcopal church 
(if Lima. He came to this county more than 
sixt.v years ago and has been an interested wnt- 
ness in what has been accomplished as the work 
of improvement and iipbuilding has been carried 
steadily forward. He may well be numbered 
among the jiioneer settlers and also among the 
most respecti'd ritizcns. foi- those who know him 
speak of him only in terms of commendation. 



(lEORCK BOND. 



George Bond, deceased, numbered among the 
pioneer settlers of (^uincy, foi' many years occu- 
pied a place among the leading business men of 
this city, and his life of determination, of enter- 
])rise and strong and honoralili' i)urpose gained 
him the unqualified i-egard of his fellowmen. He 
tiKilc u|) his abode here in 1835, when Quincy 
was a small town. He was born near Boston, 
iMassachusetts, September 6, 1814. His parents 
always lived in the east, mostly in ^rassachusetts. 

]Mr. Bond acquired a gdud edneation in the 
schools of his native edunty and i-emained with 
his parents until twenty-one years of age, when, 
in 1835, he eam(> to the west in company with 
two friends. Captain Pease and General Jlorgan, 
who were also well known in Quinc.v, as both 
became [)rominent business men h<'re. They left 



[Massachusetts in 1835 and journeyed toward the 
middle states, establishing their home in Quincy. 
IMr. Bond renaained for only a short time and 
then decided to return to Massachusetts, and told 
the peojile in the east of the new country here 
and its jiossibilities. He made the return trip 
on horseback, thus covering a distance of twelve 
hundred miles. He came again, however, to 
Quincy, and here he formed a partnership with 
]\rr. Perkins, and they engaged in the dairy busi- 
ness for a short time. Mi'. Bond then entered 
into i)artnership with his old friend. General 
ilorgan. under the firm iiami' of Bond, ^Morgan & 
Company, and they established a grocery and 
confectionery store, conducting this with success 
until 1842, when the firm dissolved partnership 
and ^Ir. Bond embarked in the pork packing 
business, becoming a partner of C. ^l. l^omeroy 
and General Morgan under the firm name of C. 
I\I. Pomeroy & Company. They were engaged in 
the pork packing business in Quincy for more 
than twenty-four years, shipping their meats to 
all parts of the eountry. 

During this time, about 18G7, iMr. Bond, believ- 
ing that a large profit might accrue from the pack- 
ing of ice, made arrangements to engage in that 
business. As he had an uncle in Massachusetts who 
was an old experienced man in that line, Mr. 
Bond sent for him to come to Quinc.v and assist 
him in an ice packing enterprise. Our sub.ject 
thus became the first representative of this line 
of business in Quincy and continued therein for 
several years, finding it a profitable source of 
income. He was a man of resourceful business 
abilit.v, sound .judgment and keen discernment. 
He became one of the stockholders in the First 
National Bank of Quinc.v and was also associated 
with railroad building as one of the organizers 
and a director of the Quincy, Missouri & Pacific 
Eailroad Company. After being associated there- 
with for some years, he retired, and for three 
.vears prior to his death was in poor health and 
engaged in no business enterprises. 

On the 15th of March, 1841, Mr. Bond was 
married to ^liss Elizabeth ^F. Collier, of Quincy, 
who died in this cit.v on the 5th of September, 
1847. They were the parents of three children : 
Hannah C. and ]\Tary C., who are deceased; and 
George, who was killed while serving his countrv 
in the Civil war, August 24, 1864. Mr. Bond 
again married May 6, 1849, in Warsaw, Illinois, 
Miss Catherine Kimball, a native of New Hamp- 
shire, born Pebruarv 5, 1820, and a daughter of 
James Kimball, a farmer of the old Granite 
state, who came to the west, settling on a farm 
near Warsaw, Illinois. There he engaged in the 
tilling of the soil for several years, after which 
he joined the ^lormons and went to Salt Lake 
Citv, Utah, where both he and his wife resided 




GEORGE BOND 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



837 



until called to their final home. By the second 
marriage of Mr. Bond there were also three chil- 
dren : Catherine IT., who was born January 31, 
1851, and is the wife of William C. Powers, their 
home being at No. 805 North Fifth street : James 
K., who was boi'n November 25, 1852. and died 
at the age of nine months: and John B. K., who 
was born November 18, 185-1, and was also en- 
gaged in the ice business in Quincy for several 
years, but is now living retired. Tie resides with 
his aged mother, caring fm- licr and managing 
their property interests. 

jNIr. Bond was not only active in business but 
was also prominent in public affairs and served 
as alderman of the Third ward for two tei-ms. 
In politics he was republican and did everything 
iahis power to promote the welfare and upbuild- 
ing of the city, contributing to its permanent 
improvement in a large measure. He belonged 
to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at an 
early day, and both he and his wife attended the 
I^nitarian church. In his business career he was 
very successful, for, when he first came to Quincy, 
he worked as a laborer at fifty cents per ,day and 
on that small sum supported his wife and three 
children; but, as the years went by, he prospered 
and eventually became possessed of a handsome 
competence. He was also strictly honorable in 
his dealings and may deserve great credit for 
what he achieved. Men respected him because of 
his well-known integrity, and he may well be 
numbered one of the honored pioneer settlei-s of 
Quincy. 

Mrs. Bond resides with her son in a beautiful 
home at No. 629 Broadway, which residence was 
built by her husband. She also owns other prop- 
erty here, and the Bond family is widely and 
favorablv known. 



JOHN INSLEE. 



John Inslee, who is successfully engaged in 
agricultural pursuits on section 4, Beverly town- 
.ship. has made his home in Illinois since 1865. 
He was born in Woodbridge, New Jersey, March 
14, 1842, and is descended from an old colonial 
family, his ancestors having come to this coun- 
try on the Caledonia which made the trip before 
the Mayflower. They settled in New Jersey 
and received a grant of land from Queen Anne, 
of (ireat Britain. Our subject's grandfather 
spent a short time in the west, l)ut his father, 
William Inslee continued to make his home in 
New Jersey throughout life. B.y occupation the 
latter was a carriage-maker. He died in 1889. 
at the advanced age of eighty-three years, and 
his wife, who bore the maiden name of Margaret 
Farenote, passed away in 1864. In tlie family 



of this worthy couple were seven children, 
namely: Isaac, who died in New Jersey in 1904; 
Emma, wife of Albert Hancock, of Jersey City, 
New Jersey: ^Marietta, who married Abrahana 
Brown and died in Jersey City; John, of this 
review : William, who died in New Jersey in 
1903: Albert, a resident of Woodbridge, New 
Jersey; and Augusta, wife of John Hall, of 
New Jersey. 

John Inslee was educated in the Elm Tree 
Institute and in 1862, soon after leaving school, 
entered the army, for the Civil war then in 
progress, going to the front as one of the boys 
in blue of Company H, Fifth New Jersey Vol- 
iinteer Infantry. For three years he was one of 
the valiant defenders of the Union and on the 
expiration of his term of enlistment was mus- 
tered out at Trenton, New Jersev, September 27, 
1864. 

The following year IMr. Inslee came to Illinois 
and took up his residence in Adams county, 
where he has since followed farming and stock- 
raising with good success, becoming the owner 
of a nice farm of seventy acres on section 4, 
Bevei'ly township, where he now resides. 

Jlr. Inslee was married in Beverly, in 1869, 
the lady of his choice being Miss Adaline May- 
field, who was born in Beverlv township ; on the 
16th of April, 1851, and died December 9, 1900. 
Coming to Illiiuiis in 1831. her father, Azariah 
ilayfield, first located in Columbus township, 
but the following year took up his residence in 
Beverly townshiji, his being the first white fam- 
ily to locate within its borders. He walked from 
his home in Columbus township, and upon his 
new farm erected a log cabin. Before many 
years passed he converted the land into one of 
the best farms of the locality, and he still con- 
tinued to make his home thereon until 1865. 
He was a native of North Carolina, and died at 
the advanced age of ninety-five years. In his 
family Avere ten children : Albert, deceased ; 
John, a resident of McKee township : Cansom, 
of Oklahoma: Allen, deceased: Azariah and 
Levi, both residents of Beverly township; Mn- 
linda, who married George Boyher and died in 
Kansas; Lucinda, wife of James Rubert of Bay- 
lis. Illinois ; Adaline, who became IMrs. Inslee ; 
and one who died in infancy. 

Unto Mr. and Jlrs. Inslee were born four 
children : ^Marietta, wife of Theodore Powell, of 
Fishhook, Illinois: IMargaret, wife of Richard 
Ct. Askew, of Beverly township : Olen E., a resi- 
dent of Nebraska: and William E., at home. 
Mr. Inslee is a Royal Arch IVIason. belonging to 
the blue lodge at King.ston and the chapter at 
Barry. He is also connected with the Eastern 
Star, the Grand Army of the Republic and the 
^Modern Woodmen of America, having been a 



838 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



iiiciiiber of the last named order siuei' ]8SS. lie 
holds iiiembership in the Christian ehnreh and 
is an ardent suppoi'tor of the republican party 
and its prineiples. He is a man of upright 
character and sterlinj;' worth and has the respect 
and confidence of all who know him. 



LEONARD i\I. SCHMITT. 

Leonard M. Schmitt, pi'oprietor of a dru;;' 
store in Quiney, was born in this city in 1848, 
a son of Leonard and Margaret (Jost) Schmitt, 
who were born in Germany and came fi-om 
llesse-Darmstadt to America in 1836. The fa- 
ther learned the trade of cabinet-makini;- and 
carpentering in early life and after settling in 
Quiney made all the coffins needed in the town 
in pioneer times. About 1845 he turned his 
attention to contracting and liuildiug and ei'ecti'd 
many of the early strucluri's oF llie I'ity. con- 
tinuing his active connection with building 
operations until 1865, when, witli a handsome 
competence gained through his labor and ea|)able 
management, he retired to pri\ate life, lie died 
in 18IIS, when eighty-seven yeai's of age, and 
his wife's death occurred in 1896, when she was 
eighty-one .years of age. They were tlie |iar- 
ents of a large family and with the exei'|ition 
of one that died in infancy all ar'e living, 
namely : Elizabetli, w-ife of S. Dehner, of Quin- 
ey: JMargaret, of Helena, Arkansas, widow of I. 
Swiirtz. who died about 1870 ; .\nna. wife of 
Josi'ph .laeoby. who is engaged in the eiuai- busi- 
ness in Qnincy. Sister Hyacinth, of a convent 
in T'ovington, Kentucky; Leonard M. ; Lucy, 
wife of J. Denkhoff, a retii-ed farmer of New 
Cambria. Missoui-i; (Jeoi-ge, who married Ida 
Jewel and is a druggist of Chicago; Nicholas, 
who is married .-md is a druggist of St. Ijouis. 
The |iai'ents were ne'inbi'i-s of St. Boniface 
Catholic chureli. 

Leonard Ai. Schmitt was a student in a ]iaro- 
cliial school of (Quiney and in St. Ki-aneis Col- 
lege. On putting aside his te.\t-bo<iks in 1862, 
he began working in the drug store of Dowry & 
Morton, the junior partner being Colonel ^lor- 
ton of the Ignited States Army. He remained 
with that house for three .vears and then en- 
tered th(^ house of Rogers & Malone, wliere lie 
i-enuiined for twenty .vears. In 1882 he went to 
Chicago, where he liecamc a iiarfner in thi> 
Hulburt Drug Company, with which l)i-. Hess, 
now of Sioux City, Iowa, was also eonnected- 
]\Ir. Schmitt remained in Chiea'io until 1887, 
when he withdrew from the iirm ami returned 
to Quinc.v, purchasing a drug store at No. 629 
Hampshire street, where he has since conducted 
a retail drug trade. He has a well ap])ointed 



store and his long eonuectiou with the business 
well (|ualified him foi- the successful conduct of 
this enterprise. 

Mr, Schmitt was mai-i'ied to Miss Frances 
Koenig, of Jacksonville, Illinois, a daughter of 
August Koenig, who was engaged in the grocery 
business there but is now deceased. Tier par- 
ents went to Jacksonville at an eai'l.v day, upon 
their emigration from Cermanv. Mr. and Mrs. 
Schmitt were married in 1882 and have had 
three children: Gussie and Nora, at home; and 
Raymond, who is in the store with his father. 
The family residence is at the corner of Thir- 
teenth and Spring street, Mr. Schmitt owning 
that property. The.v are members of St. Fran- 
cis Catholic Church and in the eommunit.y are 
well known. Mr. Schmitt is a man who has 
allowed no stress of cireunistpnees or seemingl.v 
adverse conditiims to im])e(lc his business pi'og- 
ress and is now in comfortable financial circum- 
stances as the resnlt of his unremitting and 
carefullv directed diligence. 



JAMES IXMAX. 



•lames Inuum. who. on coming to America, en- 
tei'cd upon a successful business career, so that 
he has never had occasion to regret his determina- 
tion to seek a home in tln' new world, is now the 
owner of a valuable farm on section 19, Payson 
township, Adams count.v, Illinois. He was born 
in Sussex countv, IDngland, near Hastings, wdiere 
the Normans and the Anglo-Saxons had the fa- 
mous battle whicli residted in the N(n'nian eon- 
(|uest. The old ahhey there is called the Battle 
Abbe.v, and a small town now marks the site of 
the conflict. It was in tliat localitv that James 
Inman first opened his e.ves to the light of day, 
December 24, 1827, being the second in a family 
of two sons and four daughters, whose parents 
were John and Elizabeth (Curr) Tuman, both of 
whom were natives of Sussex. The father was a 
brick-mason and ])lasterei' and ])ossesscd nuich 
mechanical skill and ingenuity. He also owned 
a small amount of real estate. He and four of 
his childi'en died iu 1838 of t.yphus fever, while 
the motlier aiul her two sons survived. The chil- 
di'en of that marriage were as follows: Mary 
Ami. -who died in childhood; James; Elizabeth. 
So])liia and Eliza, who died in childhood; and 
Thomas, who is living in S.vdne.y. New South 
Wales, Australia, lie was married in England 
and went to Australia. He had one child bv his 
first marriage and six b.y his second. He is a 
machinist and his sons are also shop workers, and 
the.v have accumulated some ju-opert.v there. Mrs. 
wife of Joseph Davis, and thev had foi;r chil- 
John Inman married a second time, becoming the 





MR. AND MRS. JAMES INMAN 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



841 



dren : Amos, a farmer of Paysou township, is 
mai'ripd and has thi-ee children ; William is living 
neai' Sydney, Australia ; Emily is living in Syd- 
ney : and Harriet died in childhood. 

James Inman attended what was called a pub- 
lic school, although he had to pay something to 
help keep up the school. He was employed at 
brick work until sixteen years of age and was 
then bound out for five years. He had to pay 
his employer one hundred and fifty dollars and 
tlie man was to give him his board in compensa- 
tion for hi.s sei'vices at the carriage-maker's trade. 
After wm-king for four years he began business 
on his own account at the same place where he 
had served his apprenticeship, and was thus en- 
gaged until he came to America in 1853, when he 
sold his business in England. 

Mr. Inman had been married in that country 
in 1849 to Harriet Sinnock, a daughter of Samuel 
and ]\Iary (Linfield) Sinnock. Her father was a 
shoemaker and emigrated to America with his 
family of four children, two having previously 
crossed the Atlantic. I\Irs. Inman was educated 
in England. 

After coming to this country, ilr. Inman was 
employed as a carriage painter and trinuuer for 
three years, and then, on account of his health, 
he began farming, and in 1875 puchased a tract 
of .sixty-eight acres of land, on which he has 
since resided and reared his family of seven chil- 
dren, two of whom were born before the parents 
came to America and one died after their arrival. 
The family record is as follows : Wary Ann is 
the wife of William Cotty, a farmer of Knox 
City, llissouri, and they have five children. Har- 
riet died soon after reaching the United States. 
Emily L. is the wife of G. L. Baker, a farmer liv- 
ing south of Payson, and they have five children ; 
John T., own in" and operating eighty acres in 
Payson township but living on the old home 
place, married ^Maggie Johnson and has four 
children. Samuel S., proprietor of a hardware 
store in Plainville, married Irene Thompson and 
ha.s two daughters. James, living northwest of 
Payson, married Susan Sellens and has one child. 
Nellie is the wife of William Hood, a farmer liv- 
ing south of Payson, and they have five children. 
William C, living south of Plainville. in Pike 
county, married Hester Bennett and has two 
children, but his wife is now deceased. 

In 1900 i\Ir. Inman was also called upon to 
mourn the loss of his wife, with whom he had 
traveled life's journey happily for more than a 
half century. She passed away October 30, 1900, 
and was laid to rest in Payson cemetery. She 
held membership in the Methodist church, to 
which 'Sir. Inman and their children yet belong. 
He has always been a stalwart republican. Well 
content with his determination to make America 



his home, he has i)rospered in this coiiutry and 
has gained the warm regard of many friends. 
His success is the visible evidence of his energy 
and enterprise in former years. 



JOHN A. HELLEK. 



John A. Ileller, .starting in life on his own 
account at the age of ten years, without educa- 
tional advantages or pecuniary assistance, has 
not only developed a paying business, but has 
also through reading and research become a man 
of attainments along scientific lines and is the 
author of a volume showing thoroiigh mastery 
of the subject of evolution and development in 
the natural world. After being knocked around 
the world for a while he saw the disadvantages 
of having no schooling and eagerly embraced 
every opjiortunity of his leisure time, first to 
learn to read, then in study, and finally in in- 
vestigation along scientific lines and modern 
thought and though he had no school privileges 
he is to-day a well read man. He is the author 
of a volume of three hundred and ninety-six 
pages, the title being A Theological View of Na- 
ture Through the Evolution Philosophy, which 
was written in 1878. He is also well versed in 
the study of zoology and geology and has pre- 
pared a chart of zoology comparative to geology, 
showing the various formations of crust of the 
earth and the comparative ages of the formation, 
origin, most extensive and less extensive exis- 
tence of all the species and orders of the animal 
kingdom. He also has a chart of his own cre- 
ation of the study of geometry. He finds the 
chief source of pleasure in study, especially of 
nature and what he has accomplished without 
the aid of schools should serve to encourage and 
inspire those who deplore the lack of early op- 
portunities. 

John A. Heller was liorn in a log hoixse near 
the southwest corner of Seventh and Jersey 
streets, Quiney, Illinois, February, 1844. He is 
the eldest son of George P. and Elizabeth D. 
Heller. George P. Heller was born in Hesse- 
Darmstadt, Germany, and came to America in 
1828 and located in St. Louis, Missouri, whence 
he removed to Quiucy, Illinois, in 1836. He 
was a carpenter and builder and had the con- 
tract to build the first building put up by the 
late H. F. J. Bicker, Sr., on Hampshire street. 
He was killed in 1851 by falling from the roof 
of a house. ]\Irs. Elizabeth D. Ileller was the 
second youngest daughter of Henry Walthause, 
who emigrated from Hesse-Darmstadt. German3^ 
to Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, in 1822, w^here 
Elizabeth was born. Later he located in Belle- 
ville, Illinois, about 1830, being a carpet weaver. 



842 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



and ill 1837 be ivnioved to QuiiK-y. Illinois, with 
his family, ilr. Walthause, iu 1838, settled on 
a farm in Melrose township, about seven miles 
from Quincy, where he lived until liis death. 
Mrs. Elizabeth D. ITeller died in October, 1899. 
When George P. Heller was killed he left his 
family, consisting of wife, two sons, John A. 
and Georiie, and three daughters, Sophia, Jla- 
tilda and Kmiiia, in straitened financial circum- 
stances, and John A., then eight years old, had 
to stay at home and take care of the younger 
ebildi'en. while the mother went out every day 
in the week to wash, iron or scrub to support 
her little ones, and John A. went out to work in 
Jiuie, 18r)4, to help his mother. lie went to 
work for 1). W. Miller at the (Quincy House, 
stalling in as knife shiner. He worked at the 
(Quincy House until the Tremont Hotel (then 
the Catlier House) was ready to open. He was 
the first employe iiired by Mr. Z. Gather to go 
to work in that hotel. He began by cleaning 
windows l>efori' the house was furnished. He 
worked there about two years and then went 
back to the Quincy House, learning to cook. He 
worked in this hotel off and on about nineteen 
years: at Tremont two terms, about four years; 
and at the Pacific Hotel five years, all Quincy 
hotels, and two years at the Commercial Hotel, 
^Memphis, Tennessee, working his way up from 
knife shiner to proprietor during this time. He 
was cook on the St. Louis and Memphis packet 
steamboats from 1859 to 1860. Then he went 
to sea as cook, fii'st on the James Bryant, of 
Beverly, Massachusetts, .ioining that vessel at 
Xinv Orleans. Louisiana. He next joined the 
Bosphorus of Bangor, Maine, under Captain 
Finnis Pendleton. Mr. Heller says that ilr. 
Pendleton was tlir liiicst gentleman he ever met 
in the world and the healthiest and happiest 
days of his life were spent on this ship. He 
sailed around the world three times and visited 
every continent on the globe, except Australia. 
He returned to <|)iiiiii'y after four years' life at 
sea and went back to liis old home, the Quincy 
House. In 1872 he went in partnership with 
late Jlayor Frederick Rearick as the Eagle Pack- 
ing Company on South Sixth street at the head 
of ^Maiden Lane, canned goods and pickles, and 
in the fall of 1873 they lost about everything in 
the fearful panic, a year which involved many in 
financial ruin throughout the country. He next, 
January 1. 1874, opened the tlu^n new' Pacific 
Hotel, European plan, opposite the old Quincy 
depot on Front street, in partnership with Her- 
man Moecker, Sr. He was there until 1879 and 
in the spring of 1880 began raising earlv vege- 
tables and chickens. This paid him well until 
they began shipping early vegetables in refriger- 
ator cars from Texas and when he found that 
the business was losing he started in the fiorist 



business in 1882 at No. 1117 North Eighth street, 
where he has secured an excellent patronage and 
by his strict attention to business and by ahvays 
trying to give satisfaction has met with gratify- 
ing success. He never lo.st over sixty days" time 
b.y sickness or idleness in the last fifty years, 
always being employed at such work as required 
his time and labor every day in the year. Dur- 
ing the twenty-five years he served as employe 
he never had to hunt for work but once and that 
was in New Orleans, Louisian;\, ,pist before the 
war when everything was at a standstill. He 
always made it a strong point, as employe, to 
attend strictly to his work, always prompt and 
endeavoring to make his employer feel as if 
he could not do without his service, lint never 
getting the notion in liis own head that he could 
get along without his position. 

In April, 1868, Mr. Heller was married to 
IMiss ]\Iartha J. Weidenhamer, who has been a 
good and faithful helpmate to him throughout 
these many years. They have never had any 
children but they iwt' vcvy much devoted to their 
liapji}' home. 



JOHN A. STEFXRACH. 

John A. Stcinbnch. now for the fifth term 
serving as mayor of the city of Quincy, 
his re-elections standing in ineontrovei'tible evi- 
dence of his personal popularity, his efficient 
service and devotion to the general welfare, was 
born in Bethel, Missouri. January 28, 1847. The 
family of which he is a representative is of Ger- 
man lineage. His paternal gTandfather, John 
Adam Steinbach, served as a soldier under Na- 
poleon and was one of only three of his company 
of three hundred that returned from the terrible 
expedition to ^loscow. John A. Steinbach, emi- 
sratinu from the fatherland to the new- woi'ld, 
became one of tile pioneer i-esidciits of Quincy, 
wliiM-e his death occurred in 18.")4. He had re- 
moved from .Missouri to tliis city six years ]U"e- 
vioiis, when his son John .\. Sicinbach was but 
a year old. 

At the usual age John A. Steinbach, Jr.. en- 
tered the jiublie schools and when a youth of 
thirteen began his business career by learning 
the bricklayer's trade. He has achieved an hon- 
(U'able name, secured a handsome competency 
and has long been recognized as one of the lead- 
ing, inriuential and representative men of 
Quincy. and his advancement has come entirely 
in recognition of his ability and loyalty to the 
general good. Pie was but fourteen years of age 
when the Civil war was inaugurated and at once 
off'ered his services, but on account of his vouth 




JOHN A. STEINBACH 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



845 



was rejected by the recruiting officers. lu 1865, 
however, he was more successful in an attempt 
to enlist and was assigned to duty with Company 
D, of the One Hundred and Forty-eighth Illinois 
Volunteer Infantry, soon afterward being chosen 
first lieutenant of his company. lie eontimied 
with his command at the front until after the 
close of hostilities, when he received an honor- 
able discharge. 

Resuming work at his trade John A. Stein- 
bach, Jr., was employed as a .journeyman vmtil 
1871. when he began a brick contracting busi- 
ness in connection with his stepfather. His 
labors in this direction were interrupted by ser- 
vice as a member of the fire department of 
Quincy. He had from his boyhood days taken 
an active interest in the department, holding 
various positions therewith and in 1875 he was 
appointed chief engineer, in whicli capacity he 
served for a decade, when he declined a re-ap- 
pointment, lender his control the department 
was advanced to the highest state of efficiency. 
New steam engines were purchased, the swing- 
ing harness introduced and improved devices for 
saving time and for fighting fires were adopted. 
The consensus of public opinion names him as 
perhaps the most efficient fii'e chief that Quincy 
has ever had. 

On resigning his position in connection with 
the fire department service ilr. Steinbach again 
began brick contracting, forming a partnership 
with his brother Philip under the firm style of 
Steinbach Brothers. They secured almost imme- 
diately a profitable patronage and their business 
has constantly increased in extent and impor- 
tance nntil the firm stands at the head of its con- 
tract work in this section of the state. To the 
Steinbach Brothers have been awarded the con- 
tracts for the brick work on nearly every impor- 
tant public building, business block and fine resi- 
dence erected in Quinej- in recent years and un- 
der contract they have built many of the finest 
structiires in neighboring cities of Illinois and 
also in ^lissouri and Iowa. 

The rise of JMr. Steinbach in the business world 
would alone entitle him to distinction as a repre- 
sentative man and his example is certainly 
worthy of emulation, showing v.'hat can be ac- 
complished through per.sisteut, earnest effort, 
guided by sound judgment and pi'omoted hy 
laudable ambition. It would be impo.ssible 
almost, however, to cut off i\Ir. Steinbach 's con- 
nection with the public service, first because of 
the efficiency of the aid which he has rendered 
in promoting progress and improvement here, 
and second because of the patriotic citizenship 
that promotes active and practical labor in be- 
half of the city which has been his home continu- 
ously from his second year. In 18!)5 the high- 
est honor within the gift of his fellow townsmen 



was conferred upon him by his election to the 
ma3-oralty and liy re-election he is now serving 
for the fifth term, giving to Quincy an adminis- 
tration that has promoted its interests along 
many lines of material upbuilding and substan- 
tial progress. Since he has been chief executive 
the bonded indebtedness of the city has lieen re- 
duced nearly two hundred and fifty thousand 
dollars and the credit of the city has been ad- 
vanced until refunding bonds have been floated 
at four i)er cent interest. Over twelve miles of 
brick and uovaculite paving have been put down 
and the sewerage system has been largely ex- 
tended, ilany ciuestions of far-reaching impor- 
tance have been presented and settled, including 
the re-organization of the eitj- government under 
the general law, the questions affecting the re- 
building of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy 
Railway terminals here, the introduction of 
steam heating and the extension of the water 
works and street railway systems. A new fire 
department district has been organized in the 
northern part of the city and a spacious and 
thoroughly modern engine house built. A new 
engine house has also been recently completed in 
the southern part of the city. 

In his political views ]Mr. Steinbach endorses 
the democratic party. His position on any cjues- 
tion is never an equivocal one, for he stands firm 
and open in support of his honest convictions and 
positive opinions, which, however, are not formed 
until he has carefull.v considered every question 
bearing upon the public welfare. Progress and 
patriotism might well be termed the keynote of 
his character, leading to business success and a 
splendid mayoralty administration, his career 
thus proving an honoi- to the city which has hon- 
oi'ed him. 



GEORGE W. O:\IER. 



George W. Omer, living on section 19, Clayton 
township, where he is engaged in general farm- 
ing and the raising of fine stock, was born in 
Camp Point township, Adams county, April 3. 
1851. His father. Simpson Omer, who is a na- 
tive of Jeffersonville, Kentucky, was born in 
1825. He came to Illinois at an early day, lo- 
cating in Camp Point township, and here he 
followed the occupation of farming and stock- 
raising. He wedded IMary Walker, a native of 
Indiana, and they became the parents of eleven 
children: Susan, the wife of josiah Brown, of 
Nebraska: two who died in infancy: Thomas J., 
and Jacob, who are residents of Camp Point : 
Lucy A., the wife of Arthur Earl, of Camp 
Point: Sarah E., the wife of F. Ripple, at Camp 
Point : Abraham L., of Nebraska ; John W., of 



S46 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



(_>klahoiii;i ; William S., who is living at Camp 
Point ; and George W. 

George W. Onier was a student in tlie schools 
of Camj) Point and Clayton townships and also 
attended tlie high sehool in the eity of Camp 
Point. During the jieriods of vacation he as- 
sisted in the labors of the home farm and after 
putting aside his text-liooks permanently he 
gave his undivided attention to agi'icultural pur- 
suits. He is now the ownei- of one liundred and 
sixty acres of land on section l;>, Chiyton town- 
ship, and there Ik^ is engaged in the raising of 
])olled Angus cattle and Poland China hogs, 
lie has splendid stork- upon liis plai-e and every- 
thing about his farm is kejit in excellent con- 
dition, the buildings all being in good repair, 
while the fields are well cidtivated. 

JMr. Omer was married in 1873 to Miss Mary 
E. Durbin. a daughter of Cornelius Durljin, who 
came fi-oiii Maryland to Illinois. Two children 
have been l}oi-n of tliis union: Mary K., who 
Wits born in Camp Point township and is the 
wife of llai-ty Blood of Camp Point: and Cor- 
nelius S.. wlio was married to Jessie Chin, Jan- 
uai-y 12S, I'M)'.',. ]\Ir. Omer holds membei'ship rela- 
tions with the Odd Fellows society, being a mem- 
ber of botli tlie lodge and encampment. His 
political views are in accord with the principles 
of the republican party and religiously he is a 
member of the Christian church. He is inter- 
ested iu all that pertains to the welfare and 
l^rogress of his community and advocates every 
measure for its material, intellectual and moral 
upbuilding. 



AUGUST G. SI BRING. 



August G. Sibhiug. dcccasi'd. a I'l'iiresentative 
of one of the obi pioneer families of Quincy, 
was boi'ii in this city, .luly 1, 1862, a son of 
Anton and 'I'heresa ( Luegering) Sibbing, both 
of whom were natives of Germany, whence they 
came to America at an i-arly day. They esta- 
lished their home in Quincy and .Mr. Sibbing 
engaged in coopering throughout his remaining 
days. His widow now i-esides on Oak street in 
this city. Oidy two of their children are yet 
living: Herman, a cigar manufacturer at No. 
1116 North Tenth street, Quincy: and Henry J., 
who is engaged in the grocerv business at No. 
1201-3 North Tenth street. 

August G. Sibbing pursued his education in 
the common schools of Quincy and afterwards 
engaged in the dairy business for some time. 

He was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth 
M. Broeker, a native of Germany, born June 26, 
1863, and a daughter of Bernard and Christina 
(Maas) Broeker, \vho were likewise born in the 



fatherland. On crossing the Atlantic to the 
I'nited States they made their way into the in- 
terior of the country, settling at Quincy, where 
ilr. Broeker engaged in the grocery business 
until his life's labors were ended in death, and 
his wife also died here. ]\Ir. and Mrs. Sibbing 
became the parents of seven children, all of 
whom, with one exception, I'eside with their 
mother. 

Mr. Sibbing gave his political supi)ort to the 
democratic party, believing firndy in its prin- 
ciples and taking a deep and active interest in 
its success. He held membership in the St. 
John's Catholic church, of which his wife is also 
a communicant. He was quite successful as a 
business man and had a wide acquaintance, 
especially among the German-American citizens 
of Quincy, who esteemed him for the qualities 
that everywhere command respect. He died 
June 12, 1896, and his loss was deeply regretted 
by many friends as well as his immediate family. 
Not long after his death ^Trs. Sibbing sold the 
grocery store biit she and her children still re- 
side at the old home near the store, at No. (103 
North Twelfth street. 



JACKSON K. PEARCE. 

Jackson R. Pearee, who for the second term 
is serving as county clerk, and whose connection 
with the office, including his service as deputy 
and to the close of his present term, will cover 
sixteen years, is one whose public and official 
record makes him worthy of mention among the 
representative men of his native county. He was 
born in Houston township, October 28, 1862, his 
parents being Augustus F. and Mary E. (Woods) 
Pearee. The father, a native of Kentucky, fol- 
lowed farming in Adams county for many years, 
eventually gaining the success which comes 
through persistent, earnest labor. The mother, 
a native of this county, died September 5, 1904. 

At the usual age Jackson R. Pearee began his 
education, the "temple of learning" in which he 
received instruction being a little yellow school- 
house, in which the common branches were 
tanght: but, being ambitious for further educa- 
tion than could be obtained in the regular classes, 
his teacher instructed him in more advanced 
branches thi'ough the noon hour and iu the even- 
ings. He had so thoroughly qualified himself 
that at the age of eighteen years he was granted 
a teacher's certificate and secured his first posi- 
tion as teacher at what is known as the Ruddell 
schoolhouse, three miles northwest of Ursa, in 
Adams county. He afterwards returned to his 
home locality and for three consecutive terms 
was engaged in teaching in the Glenwood school 




J. R. PEARCE 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADA]\IS COUNTY. 



in Houston township, after which he directed 
his energies into other cliannels of business and 
professional activity. 

In the spring of 1882 he engaged in merchan- 
dising at Chattan, Adams county, continuing in 
that business until the fall of 1890, when he 
accepted a position in the office of the county 
clerk, under AVillis Haselwood, serving in the 
capacity of deputy for eight years, or until 1898, 
when he was elected county clerk, his previoiis 
duties having well fitted him for the administra- 
tion of the affairs of the office. So acceptable 
was his first term's service that he was re-elected 
in 1902 and his present incmntaency will continue 
until 1906 — covering sixteen consecutive years 
of connection with that office. He has also held 
minor political positions, including those of .jus- 
tice of the peace, town collector and town clerk, 
and from 1881 until 1890 he was postmaster of 
Chattan. His political allegiance has always 
been given the democi-acy, and he is recognized 
as one of its leading advocates in Adams county, 
putting forth strong and effective aid and influ- 
ence for the furtherance of the cause. 

On the 15th of September, 1884, Jlr. Pearce 
was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Mc- 
Ginnis, and they have three children : Warren 
F., Nina M. and Edna R. The elder daughter 
was married in May, 1904, to Bert E. Chattan. 
Having spent his entire life in this county, Jack- 
son R. Pearee is widely known and enjoys the 
favorable regard of many members of the opposi- 
tion political party as well as of the democracy, 
while his personal worth has gained him war^n 
friendships in social circles. 



GEORGE H. BALDWIN. 

George H. Baldwin is a leading farmer and 
stock-raiser of Honey Creek township, who is 
also engaged in the dairy business. He was 
born in jMcDonough county, Illinois. July 16, 
1845, and is a son of Henry B. Baldwin and a 
grandson of Benjamin Baldwin. The gi-and- 
father and father came to Adams county in 1833 
and settled in Honey Creek township. The 
grandfather lived upon the farm now known 
as the Edgewood property. Wild and unim- 
proved was the entire district. There was no 
town where ^Nlendon now stands and the neai'est 
market was Quincy. One could ride for miles 
over the prairies without coming to a fence or 
other sign of habitation. There were few roads 
laid out and the land was yet in possession of 
the government. There was much wild game, 
including deer and many wild fowls, and it 
was not an unusual thing to hear the wolves 
howling at night. The timber was uncut along 



the streams and the prairie grass grew to an 
iunnense height. Only here and there would 
be seen the smoke, rising from a little log cabin, 
thus giving evidence of some settlement. Henry 
B. Baldwin, the father, was born in North Guil- 
ford, Connecticut, December 5, 1813, and was, 
therefore, a young man of twenty years when 
he came to Adams county. Here he and his 
father purchased land and for a number of 
years he continued a resident of this part of the 
state. 

George II. Baldwin was eiuhteen months old 
when brought by his j)arents to Adams county. 
He was reared amid the wild scenes of frontier 
life with its incident pleasures and hardships 
and he has been a witness of almost the entire 
growth and development of the count.v. Great 
changes have occurred and a wonderful trans- 
formation has been wrought during the years in 
which he has lived in Honey Creek township. 
In his youth he assisted his father in the opera- 
tion of the home farm, aiding in the arduous task 
of developing new land and transforming it 
into richly cultivated fields. He is to-day the 
owner of one of the best farms of his township, 
having six hundred acres of land on sections 
18, 20 and 9, Honey Creek township, and sec- 
tion 13, ilendon township. Here he raises fine 
stock in addition to the cultivation of the cereals 
best adapted to the soil and climate and is also 
engaged in the dairy business. He raises full 
blooded Duroc Jersey hogs. Angora goats, and 
good cattle and horses. Perhaps the most prof- 
itable branch of his business has been his dairj'. 
He began the dairy business in 1880 and carried 
it on extensively for many years biit for the 
pa.st seven years has delivered his milk to the 
ei'earaeries in Quincy. He has a fine herd of 
Jersey cows and was awarded first premium at 
the Columbian Exposition in Chicago and by the 
Illinois State Dairymen's Association on several 
occasions. At one time he was the lai'gest but- 
ter-maker in the county and the business brought 
him a profitable income. One-half of his farm 
is that which was originally owned by his grand- 
father, who entered the land froin the govern- 
ment in 1833 and the original patent, signed by 
IMartin Van Buren, is now in possession of 
George H. Baldwin. 

On the 2d of April. 1865, :^rr. Baldwin was 
married to ]Miss i\lary Bartlett, a native of North 
Guilford, Connecticut. He lost his first wife 
in 1876, and in 1877 he was married to ^liss 
Martha Hewett. of ilendon, Illinois. He has 
seven children living and has also lost three. 
Those who still survive are : Edwin G., a teacher 
of Latin in a university at Deland, Florida : W. 
H.. a farmer: Abraham, a traveling salesman, 
making his home in Sedalia. ^lissouri: John, who 
is attending the National Normal College, at 



850 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



LchMiioii, Ohio; Thomas (1., Benjamin, and 
Sai'ali. wlio are at liome. Henry Ward, the 
eklest ehihl. was studyinsi' for the ministiy iu 
Trinity C\)llege, at Hartford, Connectient, and 
while visiting an luicle in North Guilford, Con- 
necticut, was taken suddenly ill and died Jan- 
uary 1, 1892; Melinda C. is also deceased; antl 
Gilbert S. was killed by being- thrown from a 
horse when about six years of age. 

His neighbors and business associates speak 
of Mr. Baldwin as a man worthy of trust and 
respect, who has never sought to figure in a 
pulilic light l)nt has given his undivided atten- 
tion to his business affairs with the result that 
he has control of important agricultural intei*- 
e.sts and is to-day one of the leading represen- 
tatives of his line of business activity in Honey 
Creek township. In polities he is a stalwart re- 
])ublican and lie has served as school trustee of 
his township but otherwise has held no public 
office. He belongs to the Congregational church, 
while his wife is a member of the Episcopal 
church. In all that pertains to the public wel- 
fare he is (li'e]ily inl crested and his aid has been 
a co-operant factor in jiromoting general im- 
provement. 



JOHN CILWVFOPD. 



John Crawford, of .Mciidon, is now one of the 
oldest eitizcTis of Adams coiuitx-, having attained 
the age of ninet.v-onc yi'ars. lie was born in 
County Cavan, Ireland, in Ai)ril, 1814, his par- 
ents being Thomas and Margai'ct (Hill) Craw- 
ford, also natives of County Cavan, where they 
spent their entire lives, the father being a weaver 
of fine linens. 

John Crawford rcccivi'd liul limited educa- 
tional privileges, owing to the ikku- condition of 
the schools in Jrelaiul. but he i'caliy,c<l the value 
and need of education and gaxc his children thi' 
best advantages in that dii-cction that he could 
command. He came to ,\mcrica .May 5, 1850, 
and settled at ]\Iendon. Illinois, wlici'c^ he has since 
made his home. Having no trade, he worked at 
general labor until oliliged to retire fi'om active 
life on account of his advanced years. When he 
arrived in Mendon he built a log house and, after 
a few years, erected a fi'ame house, in which he 
still resides. 

On the 10th of April, 1S44, in County Cavan, 
Ireland, INFr. Crawfoi-d was married to JIary Ann 
Heaney, a daughter of Edward and ]\rargaret 
(Noble) Heaney of the same county. The par- 
ents came to the TTnited States in 1849 and, after 
a tempestuous voyage on a sailing vessel, landed 



at New Orleans. They started northward with 
Illinois as their destination, but Mrs. Heaney and 
her daughter Jane died at St. Louis, ilissouri, 
as the result of the exposure and strain brought 
on by the hard voyage. 

I'nto Mr. and i\Irs. Crawford were born ten 
children: Margaret, born February 18, 1845, 
married Captain Asbury Tout and is living in 
Ursa, Illinois; Jane, born December 6, 1846, and 
now living in ]\Iendon, is the widow of George 
Davis, who died in 1903, leaving five children, 
John. Emery, George, Lawrence and Lillian A. ; 
Matilda, born January 17, 1849, is living with 
her father; Mary A., born Mai-eh 28, 1851, was 
married to James M. Hedges of jMendon and died 
October 30, 1882, leaving four children, ilaggie, 
Annie, Gertrude and Harry; Edward, born Feb- 
ruarv 14, 1853, married Ella ]\Iacke.y, lives in 
Rockford, Illinois, and has four children, Emma 
and Ethel, twins, Francis and Fred; Susan J., 
boi-n October 3, 1854, is a nur.se in Galesburg, 
Illinois; Thomas W., born June 23, 1856, when 
]a.st heard from was in Colorado; John F., born 
April 6, 1858, married Estella Daniels, lives in 
^Mendon and has six children, IMarvin, Cecil, Ha- 
zel, Alma and Paul, who died at the age of six 
years, and Genevieve, who died at the age of two 
■years: Sophia A., born IMav 13, 1860, is the wife 
of Richard L. Battell of Galesburg, Illinois, and 
has one I'hild, Leroy ; and Samuel R.. born Feb- 
ruary 24, 1862, was married to May Brentner, 
lives in Mason City, Iowa, and has four children. 
May, Samuel, and Riith and Rub.v. twins. 

Mrs. Mary Ann Crawford, the mother of this 
large family, passed away November 15, 1889, at 
the age of sixty-scA'en years. Having come to 
this connti'.v with her husband in the spring of 
1850, .she here experienced the hardships of pio- 
neer life. She had always been an earnest and 
indefatigable worker, a faithful wife, a devoted 
mother and a kind neighbor, and she was a de- 
voted member of the Protestant Episcopal 
church, of which she Ijccame a member when 
about fifteen years of age, having been confirmed 
by Bishop Mant of the diocese of Cavan. The 
funeral services were held in Zion church and 
many friends gathered to pay their last tribute 
of respect to her whom they had long known and 
esteemed, while her immediate family deepl.y 
mourned the loss of a loving wife and mother. 

During the Civil war Mr. Crawford enlisted 
Febi'uary 13, 1865, as a member of Company E, 
One Hundred and Fifty-first Illinois Infantry, 
and was honorably discharged January 24, 1866, 
at Columbus, Georgia. His political support was 
given to the republican part.v from the time of 
its organization until after the close of the war, 
since which time he has supported the democratic 
party. He is also a member of the Protestant 




MR. AND MRS. JOHN CRAWFORD 



PAST AND PEESEXT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



853 



Episcopal church. His life was au active one 
until advancing years caused his retirement, and 
h( is now spending- the evening of his life at his 
old home in Mendon. 



HENRY E. SCHMIEDESKAMP. 

Henry E. Schmiedeskamp, although one of 
the younger practitioners at the bar of Quincy, 
has attained an enviable position in legal circles, 
his years seeming no bar to his ability and prog- 
ress. Dependent upon his own resources from 
an early age, he has directed his efforts into 
those channels demanding strong intellectuality 
and concentration of one's forces, and prompted 
by a laiidable ambition has made consecutive 
progress toward the goal of success. 

iMr. Schmiedeskamp was born in Quincy, July 
11, 1879, and is of German lineage. His grand- 
father. William Sehmiede.skamp was the first of 
the family to leave Germany and come to this 
country, the year of his emigration being 1846. 
He became prominently identified with the early 
settlement of Quincy and aided in laying broad 
and deep the foundation for its present progress 
and prosperity. He built many of the early 
churches of Quincy and vicinity and was closely 
associated with its building operations for a 
number of years. He died in 1879. when about 
seventj'-five years of age. His wife bore the 
maiden name of Hollensteiner and belonged to 
one of the old families of Qiiincy. She died at 
the advanced age of eighty-seven years. Both 
Mr. and Mrs. William Schmiedeskamp were 
numliered among the founders of Salem church 
and were prominently identified with the reli- 
gious life of the city. In their family were two 
sons. William, Jr., and August. The former 
was born in Quincy and through much of his 
life has followed agricultural pursuits, now re- 
siiding upon a farm at Camp Point, Illinois. He 
was in former years connected with commercial 
interests in Quincy and was one of the organizers 
of the Excelsior Stove Company, of this city. 
He married Louisa Germann, a representative 
of one of the old and leading German families 
of Quincy. 

Henry E, Schmiedeskamp is the eldest in a 
family of eight children and was reared iipon a 
farm. His educational privileges were some- 
what limited until he was enabled to secure ad- 
vanced instruction by reason of his own labor. 
However, he manifested special aptitude in his 
studies and was graduated from the high school 
of IMaplewood when fourteen years of age. com- 
pleting the course in 1894. He entered upon the 
.studv of law in the office of William Schlaeen- 



hauf, an attorney of Quincy, and earning the 
money that enabled him to pursue a college 
course, he matriculated in the law department 
of the Michigan State University, from which 
institution he was graduated with the class of 
1902. He then located for practice in Quincy 
and has been very successful iu the building up 
of a good clientage. He is now attorney for the 
People's Bank at Camp Point, Illinois, and for 
the Farmer's Bank of Liberty, Illinois, and has 
tried a number of important cases, which have 
demonstrated his ability to successfully cope 
with the intricate problems of .jurisprudence. 

~Slr. Schmiedeskamp is a democrat in his politi- 
cal views. He belongs to the Royal Arcanum, 
to the Young Men's Christian Association, of 
which he is a director, and to the Vermont Street 
^Methodist Episcopal church. He is a gentleman 
of fine social qualities, of cordial manner and 
pleasant disposition, so that he is popular in 
social circles, M'hile his intellectual strength and 
close application are winning him prominence in 
the profession wliieh he has chosen as a life wdi'k. 



FRED G. JOHNSTON. 

Fred (4. Johnston, who is successfully carry- 
ing on general farming in ]Melrose township, his 
home being on section 18, was here born August 
23, 1857. His father, F. G. Johnston, now de- 
ceased, was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 
1815, and came to Illinois in 1837, traveling 
hither with a party who intended settling in 
Marion City. He was a carpenter liy trade and 
instead of taking up his abode at his intended 
destination he established his home in Quincy, 
where he was engaged in building operations 
from 1837 until 1850. During that time he 
erected many of the early structures of the city 
and he also built the stairs in the old Quincy 
Hotel. In 1850 he crossed the plains to Cali- 
fornia and was engaged in mining for three 
years in the Sacramento valley on the north 
fork of Feather river. After three years of 
pioneer life in the far west he returned to Adams 
county and in 1857 he purchased the farm upon 
which his son Fred now resides and there he 
carried on agricultural pursuits until his death, 
which occurred August 13, 1880. His wife, who 
bore the maiden name of Sallie A. Alexander, 
was born in Indiana and was a daughter of Sam- 
uel Alexander, who was the first land agent of 
Adams county and arrived here in 1833. 

Fred G. Johnston is indebted to the public 
school system of Quincy for the educational 
privileges he enjoyed in his youth and which 
fitted him for life's practical duties. He has 
always lived upon the home farm and is now 



854 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



tlie owner of a good propei'ty, eouiprising ninety 
acres which is pleasantly and conveniently lo- 
cated one and a half miles sonth and east of the 
city. Here he carries on general agricultural 
pursuits and has met with very gratifying suc- 
cess in his chosen work. 

Mr. Johnston was married in ^lareh, 1S84. to 
Miss Anna Hedges, wlio was born in Quincy, and 
is a daughter of Jonah Hedges, who came to 
Adams eoimty in 1861. He was a millwright 
by trade and engaged in the grain business in 
Quincy. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Johnston have been 
born ttve children, namely: Daniel H., who is a 
member of the United States navy; Sallie, Pi'an- 
cis. ^Margaret and Mabel, all at home. 

Mr. Johnston gives his political support to the 
democracy and keeping well informed on the 
questions and issues of the day is enabled to 
support his political jMisition by intelligent ar- 
gument. He has served as town clerk, as com- 
missioner of highways and as member of the 
school board. He is a man of intellectual force, 
marked business enterprise and is recognized as 
a leading and valued resident of his native 
counts'. 



ja:\ies jewett langdox. 

James Jewett Jjnngdon. deceasi'd, was an hi)ii- 
orcd citizen of Quincy for a nuiiilxn- of years, 
displaying the qualilics of niiniliood which in 
every land and clime awaken respect and con- 
sideration. He was born in Branford, Connecti- 
cut, January 7, 1824, and died in Quincy, Feb- 
ruary 11, 1875. Early in life he became imbued 
with a desire to entei' the printing business and 
was apprenticed to the Courant, a paper pub- 
lished at Hartford, Connecticut, working at the 
same press with Roliert Bonner, and in a simi- 
lar manner to Benjamin Franklin. 

He was seventeen years of age \\hen he came 
to the west, attracted by its linsin(»ss possibili- 
ties. Plis financial i-csoui-ci's Ijcing limited he 
walked a part of the wa.\'. ( )n reaching Chicago 
he secured a position on Ihe Evening Journal, 
where his capability \\-on him rapid promotion 
and he continued in the oftice until twenty-three 
years of age, wlirn hr opened a job printing of- 
fice at No. 161 Lake street. His father, Jesse 
R. Langdon, about the same time opened a man- 
ufactoiy of ])rinters' furniture and also became 
agent of the Johnson and other type foundries. 
Mr. Langdon of this review further extended his 
business interests by establishing a printers' fur- 
nishing warehouse which has had a continuous 
existence and is to-day a business of extensive 
proportions. In 1854 Mr. Langdon left Chicago 
and went to Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, where 



ft>r three years he devoted liis attention to the 
livery business, but on the expiration of that 
period he again located in Chicago and became 
the publisher of the Printers' Cabinet as a mem- 
ber of the firm of Langdon & Rounds. Through 
a long period this was the largest and leading 
printers' papei' of the city and Mr. Langdon was 
the owner of the only printers" warehouse west 
of the lakes. 

The year 1859 witnessed tlie ai-rival of .Mr. 
Langdon in Quincy and here he became repre- 
sentative of journalistic interests by purchasing 
the Qi;incy Whig, which he conducted with suc- 
cess for eight years, when failing health caused 
him to- relinquish the business and he sold out 
in 1864. Believing that a change of climate 
might prove beneficial he returned to his <ikl 
home in Hartford, Connecticut, but found that 
he could not endure the cold winters and again 
came to Quincy. Here he devoted his time and 
attention to the insurance business and was also 
acting as agent for the Opera House at the time 
of his death. He was a man of keen business 
foresight, clear discrimination and unfaltering 
energy, and the enterprises which he founded 
or promoted felt the impetus of his strong \mv- 
pose and gi'ew with gratifying rapiditv, thus be- 
coming good financial investments. 

Not only was Mr. Langdon a representative of 
industrial and commercial interests of Chicago 
and of (Quincy, liut in other ways was connected 
with historical aifairs of these cities. He figured 
l)romiiiently in early piiblic affairs in Chicago 
and in 1848 when the firemen's tournament and 
convention were held in that city he was fii'cniaii 
of Fire King Company, No. 1. Later he became 
engineer of the department and the leading mem- 
ber of the Firemen's Benevolent Association. A 
stalwart champion of the cause of liberty, an ad- 
vocate of the abolition movement prior to the 
Civil war, he championed the war policy during 
the long struggle between the north and south. 

In 1848 occurred the marriage of iMr. Lang- 
don and Miss Candace Louisa Holcomb of New 
Hartford. Connecticut. Her father. Friend Hol- 
comb named in her honor of Candace, the Ethi- 
opian cpieen mentioned in the Bible. While liv- 
ing in Chicago they became the parents of two 
children, of whom Frank died at the age of four 
years. Kate Louise Langdon is now a resident of 
(L)uiney. Following their removal to this city 
^Ir. and ilrs. Langdon gained many friends. The 
formei- Avas the first to pass away and at his 
death Rev. Ed\\ard Anderson, deceased, of the 
United Congregational church, said at the fu- 
neral: "Tlie business man recognized the voice 
of the God who had led him all his days,— that 
voice which had been taught him hy the pious 
father and mother which he had heard again in 
his ]iraying wife and daughter and which now 




J. J. LANGDON 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



857 



cheered liim as he kicked through sickuess to an 
approaching death."' He was indeed an upright 
Christian man, his life at all times being in har- 
mony Avith his profession and actuated by high 
manly principles which were manifest in his 
business and public career and his social relations 
as well as in his connection with religious move- 
ments. Although nearly a third of a century has 
passed since Mr. Langdon departed this life he 
is yet remembered by many who knew him and 
his memory is cherished by those who claimed his 
friendship. His widow, long surviving him, 
passed away in 1904. She was a most devoted 
member of the Congregational church and was 
a lady of kindly spirit and generous impulses. 
At the time of the Civil war .she was truly help- 
ful to the contrabands who fled to Quiney, and 
after feeding them she would head a procession 
and i)ilot them to the barracks. On one occasion 
a large fair was given to raise funds for the boys 
in blue. That the mother tried to inculcate the 
spirit of patriotism and .self-sacrifice in her 
daughter is indicated by the following little in- 
cident. Kate, her only child, had a beautiful 
doll and the mother tried to impress on the child's 
mind that giving without sacrifice meant nothing, 
so after much tearful consideration the daughter 
"gave dolly to be sold for the darkies." Mrs. 
Langdon was seventy-nine years of age at the 
time of her demise and had lived in Quiney for 
forty-five years. Her kindly spirit and many 
excellent traits of character had endeared her to 
all and her memory remains as a blessed benedic- 
tion to those who knew her. 



ARTHUR J. B'ISCHER. 

Arthur Johnston Fischer, a photographer of 
Qviincy, was born in Frederick, iMaryland, Au- 
gust 28, 1836, and is descended from Baron 
Fischer, who was the founder of the family in 
the new world, settling in tbis country some 
time prior to the Revolutionary war, in which 
his sons participated. Adam Fischer, son of 
Baron Fischer and grandfather of Ai'thur J. 
Fischer, became a merchant of Frederick, IMary- 
land, where he carried on business for many 
years. His son. Dr. George J. Fischer, was a 
druggist and became one of the most enterpris- 
ing and progressive citizens of Frederick, his 
labors proving of material benefit in its upbuild- 
ing and improvement. He was the builder of 
the first gas plant there and was sole owner for 
several years. He was also captain of the Na- 
tional Guards there. His l)usiness interests in 
the main were successful hut in his later years 



he lust much of the property that he had ac- 
quired. He died at the age of fifty-eight years. 
His wife, who bore the maiden name of Isabella 
Johnston, was a daughter of Arthur Johnston, 
who was a silversmith and .jewelry manufacturer 
at Hagerstown, ]\Iaryland, and one of its most 
I)romineiit citizens. He was also interested in 
an edge-tool factory there. By her marriage 
]\Irs. Fischer became the mother of six children, 
of whom two died in infancy. The others are 
Arthur; Virginia, now deceased; William, also 
deceased ; and George, who is living in Washing- 
ton city. 

Arthur J. Fischer attended school in Freder- 
ielv, Maryland, and "afterward became a student 
in a military school at Urbaua, ^Maryland. He 
was a schoolmate of Admiral Schley and the 
friendship then formed endured for many years. 
At the age of eighteen I\Ir. Johnston left school 
and learning the art of photography, engaged 
in business at Baltimore, conducting the finest 
gallery in the city from 1858 until after the 
inauguration of the Civil war. He became a 
government photographer, following his art 
under contract with the United States govern- 
ment for three years, and he has photographed 
many of the most prominent men of his day. 
About 1862 or 1863 he went to St. Louis, Mis- 
souri, where in partnership he conducted a pho- 
tographic business for three or four years, when 
he came to Quiney and opened a photographic 
studio, being now in business at 521Vi; Hamp- 
shire street. His ability is indicated by the fact 
that in 1894 he won a prize for the best work 
given by the National Photographers' Associa- 
tion. He has ever kept informed concerning the 
latest improved processes known to photography 
and his well appointed gallery is an index of the 
character of the woi-k which ranks him with the 
leading representatives of his art in the iMissis- 
sippi valley. 

Mr. Fischer was married to Miss Alvina Ganz- 
horn, of St. Louis. Missouri, and they became 
the parents of four children, but William War- 
ren died in infancy and George J. at the age 
of five years. The others are Arlington Lee, 
who was born about 1874 and is now engaged 
in the furniture business with James Greer, at 
ilacomb, Illinois: and Arthur J., who was born 
in 1885 and is now a clerk in the Quiney post- 
office. He attended the public schools of Quiney 
until he had completed a high-school course and 
won the prize for oratory at Knox College, at 
(ialeshnro-, Illinois, for the high-school of this 
city. The parents attend the First Presln'terian 
chin-ch, of which ^Irs. Fischer is a member. In 
liis political support Mr. Fischer is a democrat. 
They ai'c prominent socially, and j\Ir. Fischer 
is a leader in the line of his chosen endeavor, 
possessing a laudable ambition that prompts 



858 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



liini to effort and study leading to perfection, 
so far as it lias yet been gained in photographie 
art. 



MBS. .MARY ODEAR. 

ilrs. Mary Odear, living in Keene township, 
was born August 17, 1884, in Tennessee, and is 
a daughter of John White, who became one of 
the early pioneer residents of this part of the 
state. He was born in Hawkins county, Ten- 
nessee, April 1, 1805, and was married in Lime- 
stone county, Alabama, in 1832, to Miss Eliza 
Payson, whose birth occurred in that .state, No- 
vember 6, 1812. They came with their family 
to Adams county, Illinois, in 1847, aiul first lo- 
cated near C'oatsburg in Honey Creek township, 
where the fatlu^r carried on general agricultural 
pursuits, transforming his land from a tract of 
wild prairie into richly cultivated fields. Subse- 
quently he removed to the farm in Keene town- 
ship where Mrs. Odear now resides and there 
lived retired luitil his death, which occurred 
November (i, 1897. His wife i)assed away on the 
11th of ;\Iarch. 1882. They were people of the 
highest respcc'taliility and enjoyed the favorable 
regard of a lai'gi' cii'cle of friends. 

They left tln'ce sons and two daughters, 
namely: Maiy. who is the widow of Richard M. 
Odear and I'esidcs on the old home farm; Rich- 
ai'd (i., who was born -Inly (i. 188(i; James C, 
liiirn ,\ugnst 22, 1881); Saiinicl R., Ixii-n June 9, 
1842; and Sarah H.. who was born September 
7, 1845, and is lin- widow of William Howard. 

All of this family still I'cside on the old home 
farm, which li;is been in possession of the family 
for thii'ty \-ears and is now luiown as the White 
l!i-(i11iiTs fai-iii. 'i'lic\- have added to the place, 
which is yet undivided and comprises four hnn- 
dred and twenty acres of tine land located four 
miles southeast of Loraine on sections 34 and 35, 
Keene township. This is a very valuable place, 
richly cultiviitcd and well improved with good 
buildings and all modern equipments. The 
brothers are democrats in their political views 
but have never sought or desired office. The 
family is one well known in Adams county and 
the membei-s of the household enjoy the warm 
regard of all who know them. 



CAPTAIN FREEMAN WOODRUFF. 

Freeman Woodruff, a veteran of the Civil war 
and a leading farmer and honorable business 
man, passed away January 14, 1905, in the 
eighty-third year of his age and his death oc- 



casioned widespread regret thronghout Adams 
county, where he had lived from pioneer times. 
A native of Butler county, Ohio, Captain Wood- 
ruff was born on the 22d of July, 1822. His 
father, Timothy Woodruff', was also a native of 
that county, born on the 12tli of February, 1783. 
His mother, who bore the maiden name of 
Abigail Seward, was born in New Jersey, Feb- 
ruary 12, 1785, and was therefore two years 
her husband's junior. Timothy Woodruff' was 
a farmer by occupation and he and his brother 
built the firfst house in what is now Cincinnati, 
Ohio. In 1838 he removed with his family from 
Ohio to Illinois, making the trip overland with 
a team of hoi'ses. He was twenty-eight days on 
the way and located on Bear creek, in Adams 
county, where he remained until the following 
spring. He then removed to Ursa township, 
settling on the land which was owned by Captain 
Woodruff at the time of his death, the farm being 
located half a mile east of the village of Ursa. 
This was in 1839. He carried on farming there 
until his death, which occurred March 28, 1859, 
and his wife, long surviving him, passed away 
upon the old homestead in May, 1872. 

Captain Woodruff' was the last surviving mem- 
ber of his father's family. He had little op- 
portunity to attend school in his youth, his 
attendance covering only forty-two days in all, 
but through reading, observation and experience 
he eonstantl.y broadened his knowledge. His 
training at farm labor, however, was not meager 
and he early became familiar with the best 
methods of cultivating the fields and caring for 
the stock. He M-as sixteen years of age when he 
came with his parents to Adams county, which 
was then a pioneer region, the work of develop- 
ment and improvement l.ying largely in the fu- 
ture. Quincy was but a small place and several 
of the now thriving towns and villages of the 
county had not yet sprung into existence, while 
much of the land was uncultivated. Desirous 
of gaining a start in life Captain Woodruff 
worked earnestly and persistently at farm labor 
and in course of time laid the foundation for 
the success which attended his eft'orts in later 
vears. 

On the 28th of December, 1844, Captain Wood- 
ruff was united in marriage to IMiss Frances 
Harrison, who was born December 29, 1825, her 
parents being John and Frances (Butler) Har- 
rison, both of whom were natives of Ohio. At 
an early date they came to Adams county, 
Illinois, settling on a farm in Ursa township, 
where they spent their remaining days. Cap- 
tain and Mrs. Woodruff' began their domestic 
life upon a farm and he continued its cultivation 
up to the time of the outbreak of the Civil war. 
He was operating a threshing machine when he 
heard the news that a call had been issued for 





MR. AND MRS. FREEMAN WOODRUFF 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



troops and leaving his machine in the field he 
started for the front. It was on the ITtli of 
August, 1862, that he enlisted, becoming a mem- 
ber of Company B, Seventy-eighth Illinois Ii> 
fantry. He was made orderly sergeant, after 
which he became second lieutenant and later first 
lieutenant. He served for nearly three years, 
doing his duty well as a faithful and loyal soldier, 
and his promotion came to him in recognition of 
his meritorious conduct on the field of battle. 
He returned to his home with a most creditable 
military record. 

IMr. Woodruff resumed his farming operation 
in Adams county and was the owner of three 
hundred acres of good farming land adjoining 
the village of Ursa, on which are three good 
houses, two of which are occupied by his sons 
and the other was the home of himself and wife. 
His sons were asociated with him in carrying 
on general farming, being engaged in the raising 
of corn, wheat, hay and some stock. Captain 
Woodruff led a very busy life, always worked 
hard and all that he possessed was acquired 
through his own efforts and through most honor- 
able business methods. 

Unto Captain and Jlrs. Woodruff were born 
eight children, five of whom are yet living: 
Jlartha A., who was born November 3, 1846, and 
is the wife of T. Kincaid, a resident of Sheridan 
county, Missouri ; Edna, who was born March 10, 
1849, and is the wife of F. McNamara, who is 
living in the same county; Jasper N., who was 
born Jlay 7. 1851, and married Rachel Frances 
Heaton, their home being on his father's farm: 
John W., also on the home farm, who was born 
January 27, 1854, and married Irene Castle ; and 
Belle, who was born February 3, 1859, and is the 
wife of Thomas J. Frazier, who resides three 
miles south of Ursa. They lost three children: 
Susannah, born February 3, 1845, was killed 
at the age of three years by a rail falling upon 
her head from a fence through which she was 
trying to climb; William, born April 21, 1857, 
died from a gunshot wound sustained while hunt- 
ing ducks, when twenty-one .years of age; and 
Freeman, born March 10, 1863, died at the age of 
two years. 

Captain Woodruff, as early as 1855, was a 
member of Ursa lodge, I. 0. 0. P., and later was 
an active member of Marcelline lodge, No. 127, 
I. 0. 0. F., of which he was a past grand. He 
was loved and esteemed by all the members of 
that organization and his last public xitteranee 
was a short address which he made at the Odd 
Fellows' meeting. His life was in harmony with 
the beneficient spirit of the order and he was 
aLso an honored member of Lima post. No. 567, 
G. A. R. He took great delight in meeting with 
his old army comrades and attended the re-union 
of the Seventy-eighth Illinois Regiment in 1904. 



In politics he was an active republican, being 
recognized as one of the leaders of the party in 
his township, and for many years he labored 
earnestly to promote its efficiency, advance its 
growth and extend its influence. For a long 
period he was treasurer of the fire insurance 
company of Ursa, and held other local positions 
of public trust. He was always interested in 
every movement for the benefit of the community 
and his efforts proved effective and far-reaching. 
He enjoyed good health almost to the time of his 
demise, passing away when in his eighty-third 
year, after a very brief illness of a week. It 
was thus that he would have had it, for he wished 
his activity to continue to the last. Few men 
of his years take such a whole-souled interest in 
public affairs or in the affairs which affect the 
welfare and happiness of their fellowmen as 
did Mr. Woodruff. His life was honorable, his 
actions manly and sincere, and when he was 
called from this life he left behind an untar- 
nished name and a record that is indeed worthy 
of emulation. 



ilRS. ELEANOR ilcCLELLAND. 

]\[rs. Eleanor ilcCleUand, a trained nurse of 
(^uiney, residing at No. 612i/o ]\Iaine street, has 
made her home in this city since 1878. She 
was born near Wlieeling. West Virginia, August 
5, 1861, a daughter of John and Isabelle (ilc- 
Humphrey) Basford, the former a native of 
Georgia and the latter of Virginia. Her pater- 
nal grandfather was Elijah Basford, who was 
married in Essex. England, in 1833, to Amanda 
Little. They came to America in the same year, 
settling in the vicinity of Atlanta, Georgia, and 
Mv. Basford engaged in the raising of tobacco 
and cotton. They became the parents of five 
children : Elijah, James, William, Margaret and 
John. 

In the year 1852 John Basford, the eldest son. 
was married to Isabelle McHxunphrey, a native 
of Virginia. They resided in the family home 
in Georgia until the beginning of the Civil war, 
when Mrs. Basford took her four children and 
went to her father's home in Virgina, while Mv. 
Basford enlisted in the Confederate army. In 
1862 he was captured by Grant's troops and upon 
his release he joined the I'^nion army and served 
until the close of the war. He served through- 
out the entire four years of the war, with the 
exception of a period of three months in 1864. 
when he was home upon a furlough, having been 
wounded. On the 5th of August, 1865. another 
cliild was born to this family, and in 1866 the 
father took his wife and children to Baltimore, 



862 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



iMaryhiud. After living there for a short time 
they went to Columbus, Ohio, where they made 
their home until 1869. That year witnessed 
their arrival in Adams county. Illinois, and here 
Jlr. Basford turned his attention to dealing in 
cattle. His wife died in 1898 and he survived 
her luitil 1902. 

Eleanor Basford aetjuired her early education 
in the common schools of Virginia and accom- 
panied her parents on the various removals until 
they became residents of Quincy. Here she at- 
tended the Chaddoek Boarding School up to 
the time of her marriage to W. H. McClelland. 
There wei'e four children of this marriage: Ber- 
tha, who at tlie age of eighteen years became the 
wife of W. A. Wingfield, of Quincy, after which 
they removed to Wichita, Kansas, where she died 
after a veiy brief illness, leaving a little daugh- 
ter, Edith, who was married in 1901 to Nathan- 
iel Rankin, of Quincy, and in 1903 they went 
to Albuquerque, New IMexico, and thence to Los 
Angeles. California, where they are now living 
with their little son, James, who was born in 
Octolier, 1904. ^Mabel. born August 3. 1886, 
and Ediiioud, born June 14, 1889, are with their 
inothi'i-. 

Mrs. McClelland, educating herself for nurs- 
ing, is now following that profession and is em- 
ployed in many of the best homes of this city. 
There is a large demand made for her profes- 
sional services and through her labors she has 
accumulated a very desirable competence. She 
is well known in the citv, her womanly qualities 
and her many excellent traits of character win- 
ning;' her warm regard and friendship. 



JOEL RICE. 

•loel Rice, one of llic ]ir()iiiiiicnt early busi- 
ness men of Quinc.v, was born on the 18th of 
January. 1794, near Lexington, in Woodford 
county. Kentucky. It is a matter of much re- 
gret that the records of the family were either 
lost 111- destroyed during those early times of 
unsettled conditions in the then "far west" of 
Kentucky, but some facts relating to this 
period have been transmitted. His parents were 
William and Eleanor (Dennison) Rice, and his 
maternal ancestors were from the north of 
Ireland and were stanch old Presbyterians. At 
an early day the father left his Virginia home 
and settled in the wilds of Kentuck.v. where his 
wife died during the infancy of our subject. 
When the la.tter was only four years old his 
father left him in the care of relatives and un- 
dertook the then dangerous journey back to 
Virginia to look after his interests in the pater- 
nal estate. As nothing was ever heard of him 



afterward, it is supposed that he was killed 
by the Indians — a fate too common in those 
clays, when all who journeyed west of the Al- 
legheny mountains faced this possibility. But 
the little child had the tender care of loving 
relatives and remained in Kentucky luitil 
eighteen years of age. Although but a boy, he 
was one of the Kentucky Riflemen and saw 
some service in the war of 1812. 

Mr. Rice had such education,]] advantages 
as were to be had in Cincinnati. Ohio, during 
his youth, but he never pursued a collegiate 
course. HoAvever, his reading and his clos'j 
observation of men and events, joined to his 
high ideals and the severest rectitude, laid the 
strong foundation of a character of unblem- 
ished integrity, which sustained him from the 
beginning of his business career to its close, 
when it was said of him: "His name was 
probity. ' ' 

Soon after his arrival at man's estate, Mr. 
Rice embarked in mercantile business in Cin- 
cinnati but his business interests did not en- 
tirely engross him. He was a progressive man, 
active in all matters of public interest and no- 
table in philaiithrdpic work. During the ter- 
rible cholera epidemic there he fearlessly de- 
voted himself to the work of caring for the 
stricken. One of the most interesting things 
in coiuiection with his life in Cincinnati is the 
fact that he was one of the leaders in estab- 
lishing the first Sunday-school west of the Al- 
legheny mountains. 

Mr. Rice's successful business career in Cin- 
cinnati was only checked by failing health, his 
physician advising him to go west. In those 
days the "far west" was to be found on the 
banks of the ^Mississippi. Fcu' the bmeHt nf 
his health Mr. Rice's prospecting journey was 
made on horseback and in the following year, 
1836. he settled in Quincy, taking an active 
])art in the develo])ment of the city from that 
time forward until his death. On the tract 
of land owned by him on Front sfi-ect, he laid 
out and named Commercial Alley, \\licrc he 
built the stone packing houses, which at that 
time were the finest in this part of the country, 
and there he carried on what was then consid- 
ered the most extensive pork packing business 
in the state. On his retirement from that 
business he erected a bi-ick building on the 
southwest corner of Front and Hampshire 
streets, Avhere he established the first wholesale 
grocery and iron store in Quinc.v. In the early 
'40s he erected a brick business house on Fifth 
street between Maine and Ilamp.shire, now the 
north part of Cottrell's furniture store, and 
later in the '40s built a brick block on Maine 
between Foiu'th and Fifth, where he carried on 




'^^ 



c-^ 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAJIS COUNTY. 



865 



his wholesale buisness. As his three sons 
reached suitable age, they became associated 
with him in business under the firm name 01 
Joel Rice & Sons, and they conducted a branch 
house at Keokuk, Iowa. lu 1857 this partner- 
ship was dissolved and Joel Rice retired from 
business. 

On the 16th of September, 18'24, he was unit- 
ed in niai-riage to Miss Eliza Byron, who was a 
representative of a Baltimore family of Eng- 
lish descent. Of their six children, the two 
eldest, William and Thomas, died previous to 
their father's death. The youngest son, Major 
James A. Rice, was a gallant soldier of the 
Civil war, who was wounded in the battle of 
the Wilderness and died in 1879 from the ef- 
fects of his wound. Those of the family who 
still survive are Mrs. Joanna Rice Wallace, 
Mrs. Sarah Byron French and Mrs. Eleanor D. 
R. Walker. 

As one of the old Kentucky Riflemen, Mr. 
Rice made to his country a pledge which he 
never forgot. As a citizen he always dis- 
charged his duty and in the caucus or at the 
ballot-box stood triie to his convictions of hon- 
or, truth and justice. The growth and pros- 
perity of Quincy were dear to his heart, and 
he was always deeply interested in all that 
concerned her welfare. On the 10th of Septem- 
ber, 1878, after a short illness he passed out 
of this life, possessing even at the nge of eight- 
foTir years, every faculty unimpaired and leav- 
ing to his children the blessed heritage of sweet 
memories of a good man 's life. 



JOHN CAMPBELL. 



Jului Campbell, a representative of commer- 
cial interests in Liberty, was born in Liberty 
township, Adams county, in March 1865. Ilis 
father, John Campbell, was a native of Ireland, 
where he spent the days of his boyhood and 
youth. When a young man he crossed the At- 
lantic to the United States and remained at 
Philadelphia for a few years, after which he 
continued his journey westward into the interior 
of tlie country and settled in Liberty township, 
Adams county, Illinois, becoming one of its pio- 
neer residents. He married Miss Elizabeth Wil- 
son, a daughter of James Wilson, of Philadel- 
phia, Pennsylvania, and soon after their mar- 
riage they started for the west. They became 
the parents of six children, of whom three are 
living, namely: Mrs. Isabella Inman. who resides 
in Pike county, Illinois ; Jane ; and John. 

John Campbell was a student in the public 
schools of Liberty and when he put aside his 
text -books he started out in life on his own ac- 



count, following file occupation of farming to 
which he had been reared. A few years later 
he came to Liberty, where he has since been 
engaged in commercial pursuits, becoming the 
junior member of the firm of Welsh & Campbell, 
dealers in agricultural implements. They carry 
a large and well selected stock and have an ex- 
cellent trade from the surrounding country. 
Their business methods are straightforward and 
honorable and will bear the closest investigation 
and scrutiny. Mr. Campbell resides with his 
sister Jane, who acts as his housekeeper. He is 
an Odd* Fellow in his fraternal relations and in 
his political views is a democrat, while at this 
writing he is serving as supervisor of his town- 
ship and is recognized as a public-spirited citi- 
zen, whose interests can always be counted upon 
to further jirogressive measures for the general 
good. 



REV. EDWIN M. CLINGAN. 

Rev. Edwin M. Clingan, pastor of the First 
Presbyterian church of Quincy, was born in 
Knox county, Illinois, in 1868 and is a son of 
William G. and Sarah (Hogue) Clingan, who 
were married in that county. The family is of 
Scotch-Irish descent and representatives of the 
name served in the Revolutionary war. The 
father was a farmer by occupation but in his 
later years lived retired, and his death occurred 
in 1886, ten years after he had put aside busi- 
ness cares. His widow, still surviving him, re- 
sides in Elmwood, Peoria county, Illinois. In 
their family were three children : Jennie E., wife 
of Harry Patterson, of Decatur, Illinois ; Eva, 
wife of Clinton Hill, of Farmington. Illinois; 
and Edwin M. 

Rev. Edwin M. Clingan began his education in 
the country schools of his native countj^ and 
continued his studies in the Elmwood high 
school, from which he was graduated with the 
class of 1885. He was afterward employed in 
a dry-goods store at Elmwood for four years, 
and in 1888 he entered Monmoiith College, at 
Monmoiith. Illinois, where he completed a regu- 
lar course in 1894. Having determined to make 
the work of the ministry his life calling, he ma- 
triculated in McCormick Theological Seminary, 
at Chicago, where he graduated in 1897, being 
at that time ordained as a preacher of the gospel. 
His first pastorate was at Oneida, Illinois, where 
he remained until December, 1900, when he ac- 
cepted a call from the First Presbyterian church, 
at Quincy. Wlien he took charge there was a 
membership of two hundred and twenty-five, 
and under his guidance there has been a steady 
and healthful growth and the membership of 



866 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



the church is now more than four Inindred. The 
cJiurch is well organized in its various depai-t- 
nients, tlie different societies doing g'ood work, 
and the pastor has the support and co-operation 
of a majority of his congregation. This church 
was organized January 19, 1840, with twenty- 
three members. The present house of worship 
was dedicated November 30, 1879, and the fol- 
lowing ministers have served the church either 
as pastor or stated supply: James J. ilarks. 
1840-1855; George I. King-, 1855-1867; J. Addi- 
son Priest, 1868-1875; Newman Smythe, 1875- 
1882 : John S, Ilavs. 1883-1885 ; R. V. Atkinson, 
1885-1890: John K. Black, 1891-1894; John .M. 
Linn, from January to Mav. 1S!I5: Henrv T. 
Miller, 1895-1897; Rollin R. .\lan|uis. 1897-1899; 
William Wylie, 1899-191)(»: and Edwin M. 
Clingan, December 1. 1900, to date. 

Rev. Clingan was married in 1897 to Miss 
Lillian, daughter of Dr. A. J. Waid. of Mon- 
mouth. Illinois, and a repi'escntative of one of 
the old families of this country. Iitcv. and Mrs. 
Clingan have three children; liruce, who was 
born in 1898 and is attending the imblic schools 
of Quincy: Ruth, liorn December 29, 1890; and 
John Edwin, born August 13, 1904. During 
their residence in Quincy the parents have made 
many wai'ui friends not only within the special 
church of their connection but also among peo- 
ple of other denominations. Added to his schol- 
arly attainments, the broad humanitarian spirit 
and ready sympathy of Rev. Clingan make his 
labors a potent element in the moral development 
of the city and have gained for liini the unquali- 
fied confidence and regai'd of the geiiei-al public. 



jA]\rES ca:\ipbell. 



James Campbell is the oldest resident of ("lay- 
ton township. Living a retired life in the 
village of Clayton, he is now en.joying the 
rest which has come to him as the result of his 
activity and energy in former years. For over 
more than six decades he was one of the enter- 
prising and successful farmej-s of the county. 
Few of the residents of this part of the state 
have so long resided here and his mind bears 
many pictures of pioneer times and also forms 
a connecting link with the present. He became a 
resident of UliTiois in 1830. being here at the 
time of the deep fall of snow in the winter of 
1830-31. He is, therefore, numbered among 
those known as the "snow birds." It was a win- 
ter never to be forgotten by any who i-xperi- 
enced it, the snow being several feet deep upon 
the ground for a number of months, so that it 
was impossible for the settlers to leave their 
homes. 



j\lr. Campbell is a native of Kentucky, his 
birth having occurred in Miahlenburg county, 
June 16, 1826. His father. Captain David M. 
Campbell, w'as also a native of Kentucky, born 
in ]Madison c«mnty in 1794. The grandfather, 
James Campbell, was of Scotch ance.stry and 
served as a member of the Continental army 
during the Revolutionary war and afterward be- 
came one of the early residents of Kentuckj'. 
Captain David Campbell was reared in the state 
of his nativity and was married there to Miss 
Jane Campbell, who, though of the same name, 
belonged to an entirely different family. Cap- 
tain Camj)bell ^vas a carpenter by trade and fol- 
lowed that pursuit in Kentucky. While living 
there he won his title by commanding a com- 
pany of the state militia, his commission being 
signed by the governor about 1819. In 1830 he 
came to Illinois, settling first in Brown county, 
but in the spring of 1831 he removed to Adams 
county and opened up a farm. He also con- 
ducted a tavern or wayside inn on the old stage 
road from Quincy to Ru.shville, Illinois. He 
afterward built and conducted the first hotel in 
Clayton, remaining its proprietor for five years, 
when he sold out and returned to the farm, con- 
tinuing its cultivation for some time. In the 
fall of 1860 he removed to Kansas, locating on a 
farm in Liun county, where he spent his remain- 
ing days, his death occurring in 1882 when he 
had reached the advanced age of nearly eighty- 
eight years. In liis family were five sons and a 
daughter, all of whom reached adult age. Two 
sons and a daughter are now living, a brother of 
iiur subject being Hon. Charles Campbell of Linn 
county, Kansas, who follows farming and stock- 
raising there and is one of the pi'ominent and 
influential men of that locality. A sister, Mar- 
garet A., is the wife of W. H. Fish, of Spokane, 
Washington. 

James Campl)ell was brought to Illiuois when 
a little lad of four years and was reared to man- 
hood in Adams county. He is now the oldest 
living resident of Clayton township and in the 
early days he shared with the family in all of 
the hardships and trials which come to the 
pioneer settlers. His educational advantages 
were extremely limited, owing to the new condi- 
tion of the country, for the public school system 
had not been perfected at that time. He is almost 
entirely self-educated but through experience, 
observation and reading he gained a good prac- 
tical knowledge which enabled him to conduct 
his farming interests with success. He continued 
to assist in the development and cultivation of 
^^he home farm up to the time of his marriage. 

On the 18th of June, 1849, in Bi-own county, 
Illinois, Mr. Campbell wedded Miss Elizabeth 
Ann Bradney, who was born in Adams county, 
Ohio, a daughter of Thomas J. Bradnev, who 




MRS. JAMES CAMPBELL 




JAMES CAMPBELL 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



871 



was also a native of that state and was there 
married to iliss Barbara llorris. Mr. Bradney 
came to Illinois in 18-42, settling in the souther'j 
part of the state, where his daughter attended a 
school in which the mother of W. J. Bryan was 
also a student, her name being Lizzie Jennings. 
Mr. Bradney afterward removed to Brown 
coTmty. 

Following their marriage, Mr. and ]^[rs. Camp- 
bell located in Adams county, where he carried 
on agricultural pursuits until 1850, when in 
company with his brother he went overland to 
California, spending two years and two months 
on the Pacific coast. There he carried on farm- 
ing and merchandising in connection with his 
brother and also operated a threshing machine 
for one season. He assisted in the building of 
the first Methodist Episcopal church in San 
Jose. California. He returned by way of the 
Isthmus of Panama to New York city, thence by 
Niagara Falls and Buffalo and on to Chicago. 
On again reaching Adams county he bought a 
farm two and a half miles north of Clayton, com- 
prising one hundred and sixty acres of raw land, 
which he cleai-ed and improved. He afterward 
bought more land and now has three hundred 
and fifty acres in the home i:>lace. He erected a 
large two-story residence, also built a good barn 
and other outbuildings and throiagh his improve- 
ment developed a vahiable property. He also 
bought land in Shelby county, Missouri, having 
three hundred and forty acres at Honeywell. 
He has thus made judicious investments in proj)- 
erty which retiu-ns him a good income. He com- 
menced life at the loAvest round of the ladder 
but has graduall.y climbed upward. He is to-day 
one of the substantial citizens of Clayton town- 
ship, having a competence that supplies him 
with all of the comforts and many of the lux- 
ui-ies of life. In Clayton he owns a good home 
in addition to his farming propei-ty and he took 
U]> his abode there in April, 1900. 

Unto Mr. and IMrs. Campbell have been born 
eleven children, of whom eight are living: John 
S., a busine.ss man of Wichita. Kansas; T. A., 
who is living on a farm in Shelby county, ]\Iis- 
souri: Julia A., the wife of John M. Garner, of 
Bowen, Illinois: George A., a resident farmer of 
Clayton township : Allen, who also follows farm- 
ing in that township : Ella, the wife of Samuel 
H. Wallace, of Denver, Colorado : Minnie, the 
wife of J. H. Smith, a farmer of Clayton town- 
ship : Charles Ora, who is living on the old 
homestead. Three children have passed away: 
Hemy B. married and at his death left six chil- 
dren: James E. married and died at the age of 
thirty-six years but left no children ; and one 
died in infancy. 

In early life i\Ir. Campbell gave his ]iolitical 
support to the whig party nnd on its dissolution 



he joined the ranks of the new republican party, 
of which he has since been a stanch advocate. 
For twenty-five years he served as member of 
the school board and the cause of education finds 
in him a wami and helpful friend, but other- 
wise he has neither held nor desirecl ofQce. He 
and his wife are members of the Methodist Epis- 
copal church and he ^\■as a member of the build- 
ing eonunittee at the time of the erection of 
Grace Methodist church in Clayton. He has 
long served as one of its officers and at all times 
has been helpful in its i;pbuilding and in the ex- 
tension of its influence. For seventy-four years 
he has lived in Adams county and has helped to 
improve it and make it what it is to-day. Pie is 
indeed one of the honored pioneers of the county 
who assisted in breaking the virgin soil, in plant- 
ing the first crops and in carrying forward the 
work of early development. He may indeed be 
munbered among those who have laid broad and 
deep the foundation for the present prosperity 
of the county. His entire life has been in har- 
mony with manly principles, actuated by honor- 
able purpose and characterized by fair dealing 
with his fello^vmen. He is to-day one of the 
most respected and worthy of the pioneer 
settlers of Adams county. 



FRED L. HANCOCK. 



Fred L. Hancock, serving as both city and 
county engineer, and maintaining his residence 
in Quincy, was born in Pontoosuc, Hancock 
county, Illinois, in 1871. His father, Caleb 
Hancock, was a native of Adams county. Illi- 
nois, prepared for the medical profession and 
for ten years was engaged in practice in Pon- 
toosuc, Illinois. He afterward practiced for 
seventeen years in Fort iladison. Iowa, where 
his death occurred in 1880, when he was forty- 
five years of age. He was in the midst of "a 
very successful career, his ability and sjcill mak- 
ing his professional service of much value in the 
community in which he made his home. He 
always attended church and lived an upright, 
honorable life that commanded for him the re- 
spect and confidence of all with whom he came 
in contact. In his fraternal relations he was a 
I\Iason and in his political faith was a democrat. 
His wife, who in her maidenhood was Mary 
Catherine IMatthews, was born December 22, 
1840, in Vinton. Gallia coimty. Ohio, and dierl 
in Quincy, March 20, 1894, at the age of fifty- 
three years. Her father, one of the pioneer 
settlers of western Illinois, located in Carthage 
about 184.5. and had the first mail roi;te. driving 
over the old stage road between Carthage and 
Quincy. He was a son of Phineas ^latthews. 



872 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



■who was captaiu of a company that served luuler 
the immediate command of General Washing- 
ton in the Revolutionary war. lie afterward 
removed to ilarietta, Ohio, about the time that 
General William Putnam opened up the North- 
west Territory. Captain Phineas Matthews se- 
cured a grant of land on the Ohio river, near 
N'inton, extending for a distance of eleven miles 
and the old .Matthews liomestead is still owned 
by one of his descendants, who is a resident of 
Toledo, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Caleb Hancock 
had but two children: Fred L. and May, the 
latter the wife of William Rankin, of Quincy. 

Fred L. Hancock was a student in the pub- 
lic schools of Carthage and afterward attended 
Johnson's Business College at F(.)rt Madison, 
Iowa. He practically prepared himself, largely 
by active work in the field, for the profession 
of a civil engineer and for tlu- past fourteen 
years has devoted his energies to that profes- 
sion. Locating in Quincy he continued in the 
same business, and entered the city's employ as 
assistant engineer. He was elected city engi- 
neer in 1901. He .still holds that position and 
in the fall of 1900 he was elected county engi- 
neei' and served four years, for which position 
he is well r|ualifi('d by broad practical experi- 
ence. 

^Ir. Hancock is a member i)f the Fraternal 
Order of Eagles and North Side Boat Club. In 
his political views he is a democrat. He is a 
memlier of the execiitive committee of the Boul- 
evard and Park Association and a member of 
the board of improvement and public works. 
His official title is that of public engineer and 
by virtue thereof he acts for the above mentioned 
boards. He is a member of the Illinois Society 
of Civil Engineers and Western Society of Asso- 
ciated Engineers. 



NATHANIEL PEASE. 



Nathaniel Pease, a retired farmer, living on 
North Eighth street, in Quincy, and respected 
as one of the prominent, influential and worthy 
residents of Adams county, represents one of the 
oldest families of New England, tracing his an- 
cestry back to Robert Pease, a native of England, 
who came to America on the ship Francis and 
landed at Boston in 1634. He had two sons, 
John and Robert, and from the former the sub- 
.iect of this review is descended. Benjamin M. 
Pease, grandfather of Nathaniel Pease, was born 
in Ne^Muarket August 17. 1773, and married 
Rebecca Pike. Their son, Nathaniel Pease, Sr., 
was born in New Hampshire in 1789. and was 
united in marriage to Miss Mary Perkins, a na- 
tive of ^Massachusetts and a daughter of Jacob 



Perkins. .Mr. Pease was a butcher by trade, and 
in 1832 he came to Quincy, becoming one of the 
pioneer business men of this city. He was the 
iirst to engage in pork packing here, and he fol- 
lowed' that business until his death, which oc- 
curred in July, 1836. His wife died in 1835. 
Their children were: Alfred; Nathaniel: Re- 
becca, the deceased wife of John ^¥^^eeler, who 
is now living in Quincy at the venerable age of 
ninty-one years ; and Mary, the wife of Dr. 
Hiram Rodgers. 

Nathaniel Pease, whose name introduces this 
record, was born in Brighton. ^lassachusetts, 
Janixary 10, 1823, and in his early boyhood days 
accompanied his parents to Adams county, Illi- 
nois, l)eing a youth of nine years when he ar- 
rived here. lie afterward returned to New 
Hampton, New Hampshire, however, and at- 
tended school there at the New Hampton .Vcad- 
emy foi- two years, and in 1843 he became a stu- 
dent in llillsboro Academy, in Illinois. His 
father was the owner of a farm f)f three hundred 
and twenty acres in Melrose township, and Na- 
thaniel Pease took charge of this before he had 
attained his majority, the father having died 
during the boyhood of his sun. Mr. Pease con- 
tinued to engage in farming until 1870, when 
he retired from active agricultural pursuits and 
took up his abode in Quincy, where he has since 
lived. He was a very energetic and enterprising 
agriei;lturist, carrying forward his work along 
progressive lines. As new and improved ma- 
chinery was introduced upon the market he util- 
ized it in the care and cultivation of his fields 
and he also erected substantial buildings for the 
shelter of his grain and stock. In fact, he was 
one of the more successful farmers of Adams 
county, and as the years passed acciTmulated a 
handsome competence that now enables him to 
live retired. 

In 1852 Mr. Pease was united in marriage to 
^liss Caroline M. Stone, wlio was liorn in Massa- 
chusetts and was a daughter of James Stone, of 
Watei'town, Massachusetts, who was descended 
in direct line from Simon Stone, who came to 
the United States in 1635 and the following year 
planted a pear tree in Cambridge cemetery, at 
Cambridge, ^Massachusetts, which is still living. 
This is undoubtedly one of the oldest bearing 
fruit trees on the western continent. In 1874 
Mr. Pease was called upon to mourn the loss of 
his wife, with whom he had traveled life's jour- 
ney ha]ipily for many years. She was survived 
by five childi'en : Emily F. : Albert N.. who died 
Septemlier 15, 1879: Gertrude S. ; James F., who 
is engaged ill tlie practice of vetei-inary surgery 
in Quincy; and Mary A., the wife of W. D. 
Gooch, of Boston, {Massachusetts. 

Mr. Pease has a beautiful home in (^fuincy on 
North Eiu'lith stivct. where he has four acres of 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



873 



ground surrounding- a two-story hriek residence 
of commodious proportions. The lawn is l<ei)t in 
excellent condition and is adorned with beautifiU 
trees and shrubbery. lie is still an active man, 
although he has now passed the eighty-second 
milestone on life's .journey, possessing the vigor 
of a man of much younger years. His political 
allegiance has been given to the republican party 
since its organization, and he is a member of 
the Vermont Street Baptist church. Few resi- 
dents of Quincy are now living who were here 
at the time of his arrival, but among those who 
still survive are Lorenzo Bull and Daniel Wood. 
J\Ir. Pease has a wide acquaintance in Adams 
county and has inscribed his name high on the 
honored roll of pioneers because of his straight- 
forward business career and his fidelity in citi- 
zenship. His aid has always been counted upon 
to further any movement for the general good 
and, while he has never .sought to figure in a 
public light as an otifice holder, he has always 
lieen known as one who has upheld the political, 
iimral and intellectual status of the cciuntw 



L. W. MILLER. 



L. W. a\Iiller, who carries on general farming 
and also raises a large amount of stock, his home 
being on section 28, Houston township, was born 
February 3, 1853, in Westmoreland county, 
Penn.sylvania, his pai'ents being Jacob and Ma- 
tilda (Ellis) Miller. The father was also a na- 
tive of Pennsylvania, while the mother's birth 
occurred in Connellsville. that state. 

L. W. ]\Iiller pursued his education in the j)ub- 
lic schools of his native county and remained a 
resident of Penns.ylvania until twenty-four years 
of age, when he removed to Illinois, settling in 
Hou.ston town.ship, Adams county. He taught 
school the first year after his arrival and then 
turned his attention to farming. About that 
tiiiK^ he married jMiss Elmira Willard, who was 
boi'u in Houston township July 19, 1860, theii- 
marriage being celebrated on the 7th of ]\Iareh. 
1880. Her parents were Madison and Lucina 
(Taylor) Willard. Her father was born in Clay 
county, jMisscuri, November 25, 1820, and was 
a son of James Willard, who emigrated with his 
family from Tennessee to Misssouri in 1820, set- 
tling in a wild and unimproved district. Such 
were the conditions in that frontier region that 
the family were obliged to .spend a part of their 
time in the government fort in order to secure 
protection from the Indians. They soon tired 
of the new eountiy, however, with its hardships, 
privations and dangers, and returned to Ten- 
nessee. It w'as while they were living in ilis- 



souri, however, that JIadison Willard was boi-n. 
He was a youth of twelve years when the family 
removed to Jl organ county, Illinois, settling 
there in 1832. He was old enough, however, to 
i-emember various incidents of pioneer life, as he 
shared with (he family in the hardships and 
privations wh.ich came to those in this state at an 
early day. Ilis i)arents, like neai-ly all of the 
settlers, were poor and were obliged to get along 
as best they cmld. There was little ready money, 
their farm produce being traded for whatever 
they needed. The .school advantages which Madi- 
son Willard received wei'e extremely limited and, 
had he had the opp(U-tunity to attend, there were 
no schools. At a later date there were log school 
linildings erected, but at this time the services of 
Mv. Willard were so greatl\- needed on the home 
farm that he had little chance of pursuing the 
studies that were tausht at that time. His en- 
tire period of school life would cover only a few 
months. However, he gained in the school of 
experience many valuable lessons and became a 
practical business man. There was much work 
to be done on the farm, and he labored in the 
fields early and late, becoming familiar with the 
best methods of raising crops. The land had to 
be cleared and broken before the seed could be 
planted. There were many wolves on the prai- 
ries and a large munber of deer, and, as he was 
very fond of hunting and an excellent shot, he 
killed many a deer ; so that the family was never 
without fresh venison for any length of time. 
He became a splendid marksman and could kill 
a deer when riding on horseback at breakneck 
speed, and there was nothing that he enjoyed 
better than such spoi-t. After he had attained 
manhood he purchased one hundi'ed and sixty 
acres of land, nearly all of which was level prairie 
in the Big Neck section, Hou.ston township. There 
he built a log cabin and began working his land 
with five yoke of oxen. He also worked consid- 
erable land for his neighbors. At the time of his 
death he owned five hundred acres of very choice 
land, all of \\hich had been acquired through his 
own efforts. He was a self-made man, earnest 
and energetic in his chosen life work, and he 
certainly deserved mixch credit for what he ac- 
complished. He also owned an interest in the 
Edison silvei' mine near Aspen, Colorado, and 
was one of the original stockholders and develop- 
ers of that mine, which paid him a handsome in- 
come. I\Ir. Willard was married to Miss Lucina 
Taylor, of New York, in 1855, but she died a few 
years after her marriage, leaving him one daugh- 
ter — ]Mrs. Mili'-r. In politics ilr. Willard was a 
democrat and took an active interest in local af- 
fairs, as well as in the questions which concerned 
the welfare of state and nation. He w^as very 
progressive, and his aid and co-operation proved 



874 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



helpful factors in prcniiuting- public- progress in 
his locality. 

The home of JMi'. and Mrs. IMiller was blessed 
with two children : Charles, born July 25, 1884. 
married Etta Aaron and lives upon his father's 
farm. Lueina E., born ]\Iarch 25, 1881. is also 
at home. 

^Ir. Miller is to-day the owner of four hun- 
dred and eighty acres of very valuable land, the 
home place being situated on sections 28 and 29, 
Houston township, about six miles northwest of 
Golden. Whatever he undertakes he carries for- 
ward to successful completion, and his farm in- 
dicates his careful supervision and progressive 
methods in its neat and thrifty appearance. In 
addition to the cultivation of the cereals best 
adapted to soil and climate, he raises and feeds 
a large amount of stock. 

In his political affiliation Mr. Miller is a demo- 
crat, interested in the growth and success of his 
party. He has served as supervisor of Houston 
township and as school trustee and has been 
proffered other offices but declined them. He is 
a member of the ludependent Order of Odd Pel- 
lows at Camp Point and also of the Modei'n 
Woodmen of America, and both he and his wife 
are members of the JMethodist Episcopal church. 
During his long residence in the county he has 
so lived as to command the respect and esteem 
of his fellowmen, while his business affairs have 
been so capably conducted that he is now nvmi- 
bered among the substantial agriculturists of this 
part of the state. 



VivLENTIXE SCIIMITT. 

Valentine Sehmitt, who is conducting a men's 
and ladies" tailoring establishment in Quiney, 
was born in Germany in 1864. His father, Ger- 
hart Sclunitt, also a native of that country, was 
a lilacksmith liy trade and spent his entire life 
in (jcrmany. llis wife, Marguerite Sehmitt, also 
remained a resident of Germany up to the time 
of her death. They were the parents of ten chil- 
dren, of whom seven are living, three being resi- 
dents of the United States. 

Mr. ochmitr, of this review, came to America 
in 1891 and has since lived in Quiney. He ae- 
({uired his education in a private school of his 
native land, and for three years served in the 
German ariny. In early manhood he learned the 
tailor's trade, becoming familiar with the art of 
cutting both ladies' and men's clothing. After 
coming to Quiney, he opened a tailoring estab- 
lishnient here and is now located in the Wells 
building, where he is receiving a liberal patron- 
age from the best people of the city. 



In 1892 occurred the marriage of J\Ir. Sclimitt 
and iiiss Catherine Kohl, a daughter of Peter 
and Marguerite Kohl, the former a carpenter by 
occupation. Mrs. Sehmitt was born in Quiney 
in 1864 and. by her marriage, has become the 
mother of five children : Leo, now deceased ; Mar- 
guerite, Carl, Leo and Valentine, all at home. 
The parents are members of the Catholic church, 
and Mr. Sehmitt belongs to the Knights of Co- 
lumbus and tl:e Christian Catholic Union. His 
political allegiance is given to the democratic 
party. During the years of his residence in 
Quiney he has built up a good business by reason 
of his excellent workmanship, and has trade has 
reached extensive and profitable proportions. 



GEORGE WASHINGTON CYRUS. 

George W. Cyrus, a well-known representative 
of journalistic interests in Adams county, was 
born wpon a farm in Houston township of this 
county, March 15, 1842. His father. Rev. Henry 
A. Cyrus, was a farmer and a minister of the 
Christian or Disciples church, and his death oc- 
curred December 24, 1847, in Houston township. 
His wife, who bore the maiden name of Athaliah 
G. Ruddell, was a resident of Rushville, Illinois, 
and they were married there in 1835. 

Mr. Cyrus of this review pursued his education 
in the district schools, worked as a farm laborer 
in early life, and afterward engaged in teaching 
school and also learned and followed the printer's 
trade. He came to Camp Point in 1867, and here 
entered mercantile life as proprietor of a drug 
and stationery store. It was not long before he 
built up a good business, carrying a large and 
carefully selected line of goods and in every w'ay 
possible meeting the wishes of his patrons. His 
trade constantly grew in volume and importance 
and he has long occupied a place among the lead- 
ing business men of the city. In 1873, in part- 
nership Avith Thomas Bailey, he establishcT the 
Camp Point Journal, which he still conducts, and 
the residents of the city and .surrounding districts 
knoAV this to lie a local paper well worth public 
support. 

Mr. Cyi'us was reared in the faith of the demo- 
cratic party, but at the end of the Civil war he 
advocated the cause of the republican party and 
has since been one of its stanch supporters. In 
1869 he was appointed postmaster of Camp Point 
and kept that office continuously until 1885, giv- 
ing his fellow townsmen a practical and satisfac- 
tory administration. Pie was also supervisor 
from 1886 to 1892, and in the discharge of his 
public duties he has ever been prompt, faithful, 
efficient and reliable. In 1867 he became a mem- 
ber of the Masonic fraternity and has attained 
the thirtv-second degree of the Scottish rite and 




GEORGE W. CYRUS 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



877 



the Knight Templar degree of the York rite. 
Honored with office, he has served in the highest 
official positions in the blue lodge, chapter and 
eoraniandery. In 1876-7 he held office in the 
grand lodge and has served on committees in the 
grand lodge to the present time. For many years 
he has likewise been a member of the committees 
of the grand chapter and grand commandery, 
and he is a past chancellor of the Knights of 
Pythias fraternity. 

jMr. Cyrus was married in Houston township, 
September 22, 1863, to Miss Emily C. Strickler, 
the youngest daughter of David Strickler, a 
prominent citizen of this county. Mrs. Cyrus 
is an active worker in the Methodist church and 
in the Woman's Christian Temperance Union. 
By this marriage two daughters have been born : 
Annie, who is an art teacher in the high school 
at Ottawa, Illinois ; and Jessie, wife of John W. 
Creekmur. who is a leading young attorney of 
Chicago. 

Mr. Cyrus gives close application to his busi- 
ness, careful attention to its details and the ca- 
pable conduct of its more important interests 
has won a desirable success; and, investing his 
surplvis earnings in property, he has become the 
owner of considerable realty, which is the visible 
evidence of his activity and energy. 



GEORGE B. CORNELIUS. 

George B. Cornelius was born in Greene 
county, Indiana, May 31, 1862. and is of Hol- 
land lineage, his paternal grandfather having 
come from Amsterdam. The father, Jacob Cor- 
nelius, was born in Ohio. April 12. 1838, and was 
one of five brothers who served as Union soldiers, 
while the father was also a member of the army 
in the war of the Rebellion. Jacob Cornelius 
became a minister of the Missionary Baptist 
church and organized many churches and raised 
the money, planned and built twenty-seven 
houses of worship in various towns in Illinois. 
Iowa. Indiana and Kansas. He died in Galena. 
Kansas, August 1, 1897. He married Miss Eliza 
A. Bingham, h daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hiram 
Bingham, whc came from the south. This mar- 
riage occurred April 18. 1861. and they became 
the parents of ten children, namely : George B. ; 
H. A., who was a graduate of Shurtleff College. 
and, together with sixty others, was killed Janu- 
ary 21, 1893. by the explosion of a burning tank 
of oil after a wreck on the Big Four Railroad, 
near Alton, Illinois: James A., a graduate of 
Shurtleff College, who became a minister and 
died April 21, 1898 : Etta L., the wife of Rev. 
J. F. Eaker, of Iowa : Charlotte, the wife of 
Thomas ^IcKinley, of Texas ; Anna, a teacher of 



Iowa; Clarence, at Ottawa, Illinois: Edith, who 
is engaged in teaching in Iowa; Ernest, who 
completed a course for the ministry by gradua- 
tion, but then entered the naval school, where 
he completed his course March 19, 190.5, being 
the second best gunner in the na-vy: and Jacob, 
who is living with his mother, 

(reorge B. Cornelius pur.sued his education in 
the schools of Newark and Scotland. Indiana, 
afterward moving with his father's family to 
Illinois. He became a resident of Adams county 
in 1880, when eighteen years of age. On the 28th 
of November, 1883, Mr. Cornelius married Jliss 
Ida il. Thomas, a daughter of Mr. and ilrs. E. 
R. Thomas, natives of Indiana. Her mother is 
still living a'c Cam]i Point. Mrs. Cornelius has 
three brothers: Curtis, a mei-chant at Williams, 
Arizona : Joseph L.. deputy treasurer of Quincy; 
and Walter H. L., express messenger, residing 
at (iralesburg, Illinois. IMr. and 'Sirs. Cornelius 
are the parents of two children, but the younger 
died in infancy. The other is Hurley Arthur, 
born December 16, 1884. 

~Slv. and ^Nlrs. Cornelius lived six years in St. 
Clary's townsMp. Hancock county, and nine yeai's 
in Chili town.ship, same county, before locating 
in Clayton town.ship, Adams county, where they 
now reside on the Thomas homestead, two and 
one-half miles south of Golden. He now owns 
forty acres of land in Camp Point township and 
his wife owns an interest in one hundred and 
sixty acres in Kansas. Mr. Cornelius is engaged 
in general farming and in breeding fine road 
horses and high grade hogs, and as a stock-rai.ser 
is very successful. He started out in life for 
himself a poor boy and he lias bought a farm 
which he has stocked with high grade cattle, 
horses and hogs, and to which he has also added 
many modern eriuipments in the way of im- 
proved machinery and substantial bi;ildings. 

'Sir. and 'Sim. Cornelius hold membership in 
the ]\Iethodist Episcopal church, and .she is a 
vei-y active worker in behalf of foi-eign missions, 
having served eight years as corresponding sec- 
retaiy of the Woman's Foreign Missionary So- 
ciety of Quincy di.strict. »She delights in the 
progress made in all departments of ehui'ch ac- 
tivity, and her labors have ])roven valuable in 
this connection. 



TIIO:\rAS S. CARLIN. 



Thomas S. Carlin, living on section 26, Hous- 
ton township, was born in i\Iaryland, October 7, 
1863, his parents being William and Delilah 
(Slade) Carlin. The father, born in Maryland, 
October 18, 1S37, has followed farming in Adams 



878 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



county for many years and is now living in Clay- 
ton township, but the mother passed away Feb- 
ruary 28, 1870. 

Thomas S. Carlin came with his parents Avheu 
he was five years old to Adams county. He was 
a public school student in his boyhood and youth 
and after putting aside his text-books he gave his 
attention to farm work on the old homestead, 
where he remained until twenty-nine years of 
age. when he was married and went to a home 
of his own. He was joined in wedlock to Miss 
Louisa Wallace, on the 11th of October^ 1892. 
His wife, a native of Adams county, was born 
June 28, ISiifi. and is a daughter of James A. 
and Pauline (Black) Wallace. Her father was 
liiii'n ill 1821 and died in 1900, while her mother, 
■wild was born in 1841, is now living in Camp 
Point tow'iishi]). this county. The home of Mr. 
and JMi's. (',-ii-li:i has lieen blessed with one son, 
Walter P.. whose birth occurred July 20, 1893. 

For a year after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. 
Carlin lived in Camp Point township, their 
home being about a mile south of Golden, and on 
the expiration of that period they removed to 
Houston township, taking up their abode on their 
present farm on section 26. Plere Mr. Carlin 
carries on general farniiug, owning here forty- 
eight acres of good land pleasantly situated 
about three miles from (iolden. His attention is 
devoted to the tilling of Ihe soil, and his place is 
well improved. 

Mr. Carlin exercises his right of franchise in 
support of the men and measures of the repub- 
lican party. He is a member of the Masonic 
lodge at La Prairie, Illinois, and also the I\rutual 
Protective League at Colden. His wife is a 
member of the United Presbyterian church. 
They are well known in their part of the county 
and their salient traits of character have gained 
them manv warm friends. 



THOJIAS SINXOCK. 



Tho)nas Sinnock is now living a retired life, 
his labor in former years having brought him a 
i-;il>!tal sufficient to enable him to rest fi-om 
further toil. He is a native of England, his 
birth having occurred near the town of Rattle 
and in the vicinity of the battle-ground of Hast- 
ings, his natal day being July 14, 1836. He is 
a son of Samuel Sinnock, whose birth occurred 
in Hailshorn, England, November 13, 1793, and 
a grandson of James Sinnock, who was a farmer 
of that country. When thirteen years of age 
Samuel Sinnock was bound out to learn the shoe- 
maker's Irade and was to serve an apprentice- 
ship of seven years, but before his term expired 



his master died aud he conducted the shop for 
the widow. When twenty years of age he began 
shoemaking on his own account and followed 
that pursuit until eighty years of age, covering 
a period of sixty-seven years' connection with 
the trade. He Avas married in his native coun- 
try to Miss Mary Lindfield, who was born in 
Lewis, England, in 1797. They became the 
parents of nine children, all of whom were na- 
tives of England as follows : George, Avho became 
a merchant of Payson, Illinois, and is now de- 
ceased ; Samuel, AA'ho has also passed away ; Mary 
Ann, who is now eighty-two years of age and re- 
sides with her brother Thomas; Harriet, de- 
ceased: Charles; Frances, deceased; John, de- 
ceased ; James, a resident of Raton, NeAV Mexico, 
who is a minister of the Methodist Episcopal 
church, belonging' to the Illinois conference ; and 
Thomas, of this review. The son Samuel came to 
the LTnited States in 1836, and George in 1837. 
In 1853 the father brought the nnnainder of the 
family to the new world, landing at New York, 
whence he made his way to Quiuey, and it re- 
quired ten days to complete that trip, which could 
noAv be accomplished in less than two days. 
George had located in Payson, in 1837, and from 
(Jiiincy the family made their way to Payson, 
Avhi'i-c the father died in 1886, at the vejy vener- 
iililc .-ige of ninety-three years. His wife passed 
aA\'ay at the age of seventy-five years. 

Thomas Sinnock was a youth of seventeen 
\'ears when he came with his parents to America, 
lie worked at the niirsery business in Payson 
in the employ of Mr. Stewart for tAvo years. On 
the expiration of that period he became connected 
with the Quincy nursery, remaining there until 
1860. when he Avent to Pike county, Illinois, 
Avherc he continued in the same line of business 
f(n- fiA-e years. Retni'uing to Adams county, he 
became the partner of J. H. StcAvart, Avho" sub- 
sequently sold his interest in the business to 
Artenuis Curtis and in 1885 the firm closed busi- 
ness. Mr. Sinnock is to-day the OAvner of thirty- 
fiA-e acj'es of land on section 25, Riverside town- 
ship. This is A-ery A'aluable land de\'oted to 
general farming. The residence is a o-ood brick 
building. Avhich stands in the midst of beautiful 
grounds, adorned Avith fiue trees and f5oAvering 
plants. 

In 1861 he Avas united in marriage to Jliss Eliza 
Streeter, avIio Avas born upon this farm and Avas 
a daughter of Jothan Streeter, who came to 
Adams county, in 1822. His sister, Ann 
Streeter, married Governor John Wood. Mr. 
and Mrs. Sinnock ti*aA'eled life's journey happily 
together for about thirty years and Avere then 
separated through the death of Mrs. Sinnock. 
Tavo of their children are yet liAdng: EdAvard S., 
Avho resides at Quincy ; and Herbert. Avho makes 
his home in :\rcC]oud, California. Thev also 




SAMUEL SINNOCK 





THOMAS SINNOCK 



MRS. THOMAS SINNOCK 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



lost two eliildreu: Arthur aud Olive, who were 
the second and third members of the family. 

Mr. Sinnock is a stanch republican aud was the 
first supervisor of Riverside towTiship, holding 
the office nine years. lie belongs to the IMetho- 
dist Episcopal chui-ch aud is living in harmony 
with its principles, being .straightfoi-ward in his 
business dealings and faithful to all the duties 
of citizenship and private life. In the new world 
he found good business oi)portunities which he 
improved, and by close application, unfaltering 
energy and strong determination he has gradually 
worked his way upward until he is now one of 
the pr()S]>erous aud representative residents of 
Riverside township. 



:Mr!s. :\iAKV tiiietten. 

Mrs. Mary Thietten, living in Loraine, is the 
owner of a valuable farm property of one hun- 
dred and ninety-four acres in Keene township. 
She was born in Indiana, September 14. 1835, 
and is a daughter of Jloses and Jane (Snow) 
Payne, the former born in Indiana in 1804. and 
the latter in Virginia in 180C. The father re- 
sided for many years in Indiana, and in 1852 
came with his family to Illinois, where he re- 
mained for ten years and then returned to Indi- 
ana, where his death occurred. The mother 
afterward again came to Illinois and died in 
Adams county October 6, 1878. 

Mrs. Thietten was educated in the public 
schools of Indiana and spent her girlhood days 
under the parental roof. On the 15th of May, 
1854, she gave her hand in marriage to Henry 
Thietten, who was born in Lubeck, Germany, 
March 17, 1826, and came to the United States 
in 1849, landing at New York, and the folloM'- 
ing year his father and mother crossed the At- 
lantic. He was a son of George Andrew and 
Margaret Thietten, both of whom died at his 
home. The father, who was born in 1785, passed 
away January 4, 1874, at the advanced age of 
eighty-nine yeai's, and his wife, whose birth oc- 
curred in 1784, died June 3, 1871. Henry Thiet- 
ten became a resident of Illinois in 1851, coming 
first to Quincy, and soon afterward he secured 
farm land and made his home two miles north 
of Loraine. on section 9. Keene township. There, 
for several years, he successfully carried on agri- 
cultural pursuits, but on the 24th of ]\Iarch, 1888, 
he retii'ed and took up his abode in Loraine, 
where he resided until his death, which occui'red 
December 4, 1897. 

Unto xMr. and I\lrs. Thietten were born seven 
children, as follows: Matilda Ann, born January 
27, 1855, was married to George Ti-eatch, pro- 
prietor of a restaurant in Loraine, and they have 



five children — Ered, who was born July 30, 1878, 
and married Ella Value, their home being in 
Galesburg; Lou, who was born August 6, 1884, 
and is the wife of John Clampitt, of Lewistown, 
^lissouri; Edith and Ethel, twins, born July 21, 
1892; and Gertrude, born Docember 21, 1895. 
Andrew J., the second member of the family, 
was born Jiily 8, 1858, and resides on the old 
homestead farm. He married Lucy Lucas, who 
was born February 14, 1864, aud they have 
three children : Ray, born March 27, 1890 ; Lola, 
born December 3, 1892 ; and Erma, boi-n August 

13, 1894. John Thietten, born December 16, 
1861, was married to Minnie Grays and resides 
in Oklahoma. Geoi-ge, born May 13, 1866, and 
living in Loraine, married Rose Lucas, who was 
born November 18, 1867, and their four children 
are : Rex, born May 30, 1891 ; Claude, born June 

14, 1893 ; Leona, born December 3, 1895 ; and 
Shelby, born January 27, 1901. "William, born 
April 3, 1868, is living with his mother in Lo- 
raine. Minnie, born September 4, 1870, is the 
wife of Grant Van Blair, and they live with Mrs. 
Thietten. They have three children : Lora, born 
January 16, 1895 : Lela, born January 21, 1897 ; 
and ]\Iabel, born December 3, 1903. Henry Thiet- 
ten, born ]\Tarch 14, 1880, is living at home. He 
enli-sted in the Signal Corps, Januaiy 10, 1902, 
and was in Alaska for two years, being lionor- 
Ml)ly discharged January 10, 1905. 

.Mr. Thietten, the father of this family, was a 
soldier of the Civil war, responding to his coun- 
try's call for troops in 1862 and serving until 
the close of hostilities as a member of Company 
B, Seventy-eighth Illinois Regailars. He Avas a 
republican in his political views, and his sons 
have followed in his footsteps. He left his fam- 
ily in comfortable financial circumstances, Mrs. 
Thietten now owning one hundred and niuety- 
foui- acres of very rich and productive land, 
which is located two miles north of Loraine. She 
also has a fine home and twelve acres of land in 
the village. Her son Andrew resides upon the 
old home farm, and in connection with its opera- 
tion is engaged in the coal and gi'ain business 
with Charles Wheaton and also buys a large 
amount of stock. 



FRED nOLT:\lAN. 



Fred Holtman is the owner of valuable landed 
interests comprising four hundred and sixty-four 
acres, and is actively engaged in the operation 
of two hundred acres of this property, his home 
being on section 32, Ursa township. He was 
born October 24, 1826, in Germany, and is a son 
of Philip and Elizabeth (Better) Holtman, who 
were also natives of Germanv. The mother died 



882 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



in that country wlieu the son Avas very young. 
The father afterward came to America in 1866 
and remained a resident of Adams county until 
his death. 

Fred Holtman was reared and educated in his 
native land, and in 1865 sought a home in the 
I'nited States, landing at New York, whence he 
made his way to St. Louis. There he remained 
for a year and a half, after which he came to 
Quiney, whei-e he lived until twenty years ago. 
At that time he took up his abode in Ursa town- 
ship, where he rented land for seven years and 
then jjurchased the farm upon which he now 
resides, lie owns altogether four hundred and 
sixty acres of valuable land, and, while renting 
a part of this to his sons, he yet actively operates 
two hundred acres, which is very productive and 
yields good crops in return for the care and labor 
he bestows on the fields. He raises much stock, 
including both hogs and cattle. His home is 
pleasantly situated about one-half mile east of 
^larcelline, on section 32, Ursa township. Mr. 
Ploltman was married, in 1862, to Miss Hannah 
Stocksick, whose parents became residents of St. 
Louis, Missouri, at an early day. Her mother 
died soon afteiward of cholera, and later her 
father removed to Quiney, Avhere he lived -with 
Mr. and Jlrs. Holtman until his death, which 
oeciirred in 1880. Mr. and Airs. Holtman have 
nine children : Ai;gust, born in 1865 ; Henry, 
born in 1866 and now living near the old home- 
stead; William, who was born in 1875 and is 
married and Jives near his father's farm; Han- 
nah, who was born in 1877 aud is married and 
lives near Lima, Illinois; Minnie, who was born 
in 1879 and is the wife of Henry Beckman, a 
farmer, living near Lima ; Lvilu, who was born 
in 1881 and is the wife of William Markwood, a 
resident of Ursa ; Emma, who was born in 1876 
and is the wife of William Ijipensen. who re- 
sides in ]\Ien(_lon ; Amanda, who was born in 1878 
and is married and lives in Missouri; and Edith, 
who was born in 1880 and is the wife of August 
Ippensen, of Mendon. 

Mr. Holtman and his family are all members 
of the C4erman Lutheran church of Ursa, and 
his political allegiance is given to the repi;blican 
party. He is a self-made man, having started 
out in life as a ]ioor boy, lint l)y hard work and 
economical living he has gained a valuable ])rop- 
erty. 



IMARTIN JOSEPH. 



Martin Joseph is one of the most prominent 
j'cpresentatives of commercial intei'ests in Quiney. 
It would seem trite to those familiar with his ca- 
reer to say that he has arisen from an obscure 



position in the business world to rank with the 
most successful merchants of this city and the 
middle west, but it is just to say, in a history 
that will descend to future generations, that his 
name has been a record which any man might be 
proud to possess, for, without special advantages 
at the outset of hi.s business life, he has arisen 
thi'ough the improvement of opportunity, com- 
manding uniform respect and confidence because 
of his faithfulness to every obligation and duty 
that have devoh'cd upon him. 

Like many of the leading citizens of Quiney, 
he is a native son of the fatherland, his birth 
having occurred in Hanover, Germany, in 1834. 
His parents were Solomon and Johanna Joseph. 
The father was a merchant, controlling a large 
trade, and he also dealt quite extensively in real 
estate. In his later years he removed to Ham- 
bui'g. where he lived retired until his death, 
which occurred in 1856, when he was sixty-eight 
years of age. His wife died in 1857. They were 
the parents of seven children, and three of the 
sons, Wolf. Emil and Martin, came to America. 
Wolf Joseph crossed the Atlantic in 18-48, set- 
tling in Augusta, Maine, where he was .joined the 
following year by Emil and in 1855 by Martin. 
Their sister, Rosa, was married to Ferdinand 
Nelke and came with hei' husband to the United 
States in 1854. Mr. Nelke was associated with 
Wolf and Emil Joseph in a dry goods business 
in Augusta. 

Like his brothers and sisters, Martin Joseph 
acquired his early education under private in- 
struction at home, and when he was thirteen 
years of age his father sent him to a military 
college, from which he was graduated in 1850. 
He came to the United States in 1855 and began 
working for his brothers in their store in Aii- 
gusta, Maine. In the fall of 1857 he came to 
Quiney and associated himself with Isadore Nelke 
under the firm style of Joseph & Nelke. dealers 
in dry goods. About 1858 or 1859 Wolf Joseph 
and Ferdinand Nelke sold out their business in 
Augusta, Maine, and came to Quiney, where they 
joined the firm of Joseph & Nelke, the new part- 
nership being formed under the name of Joseph, 
Nelke & Company. Emil Joseph had died in 
Augusta in 1859. The new firm, in addition to 
their store in Quiney, opened a millinery store 
in St. Louis, which they conducted until the Civil 
war broke out. when they removed their stock of 
goods to this city, consolidating the two stores 
in one large mercantile enterprise. At that time 
they were located on Hampshire street, in the 
middle of the block between Fourth and Fifth 
streets. A few years later they removed to a 
building near the corner of Fifth and Hamp.shire, 
adjoining the First National Bank, where they 
were located for eight years, when they located 




MARTIN JOSEPH 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



S85 



on the west side of Foni-th street near Maine 
street. When five years had passed tliey secured 
a store at the northwest corner of Fourth and 
Hampshire streets, and in 1900 removed to their 
present fine store, occupying the entire biiild- 
ing, three stories in height, with a frontage of 
fifty feet, at Nos. 407 and 409 Hampshire street. 
In 1900 they retired from the dry goods trade 
and have since devoted their entire time to the 
millinery bu.siness, which is largely conducted 
along wholesale lines, the retail department being 
only a small feature of their business. From the 
time of the establishment of the store in Quincy 
the business has continually grown in a most 
gi'atifying manner, and the house now enjoys a 
very large trade. Changes have occurred in the 
partnership, I. Nelke retiring in 1884 and F. 
Nelke in 1892. At that time the firm style be- 
came Joseph Brothers & Davidson. Wolf Joseph 
died in 1901, but ilartin Joseph has maintained 
continuous connection with the business since its 
establishment in 1857. This is one of the oldest 
and most reliable mercantile houses of the city. 

Martin Joseph was married, in Berlin, Ger- 
many, in 1864, to Miss Emma Cohen. They had 
one son, Solomon Joseph, who was born in 1865 
in Quincy and advanced through successive 
grades in the public schools until he had become 
a high school student. He died in 1893 at the 
age of twenty-eight years, when in Cannes, 
France, and his remains were brought back to 
Quincy and interred in the Valley of Peace ceme- 
tery. 

Mr. and ilrs. Joseph are members of the Jewish 
synagogue and he belongs to Bodley lodge. No. 1, 
A. F. and A. M., and the Royal Arch chapter of 
Quincy. His political views accord with repiib- 
lican principles. His business career is a, notable 
one, and his prosperity has been gained through 
such old and time-tried maxims as "there is no 
excellence without labor" and " honesty is the 
best policy." 



WILLARD P. UPHAiM. 

Willard P. Upham, a leading representative 
of the commercial and financial interests of 
Quincy and therefoi-e one of its upbuilders. was 
born in Melrose, Massachusetts, in 1841. His 
ancestry, both in direct and collateral lines, has 
for many generations been represented in the 
new world. It includes those whose names fig- 
iire in connection with the colonial and Indian 
wars of New England, as well as heroes of the 
Revolution. The first of the TTpham family in 
America arrived in 1635. Only fifteen years be- 
fore had the first settlement in New England 



been made and successive generations of the fam- 
ily aided in moulding the public policy and shap- 
ing the annals of that part of the country. 

The acquirement of a public school education 
on the part of Mr. Upham was followed by his 
initial step into the business world. He made 
this as an employe in a large wholesale dry- 
goods house of Boston, ila.ssachusetts, but the 
opportunities of the rapidly developing west at- 
tracted him and in the early '60s he became a 
resident of Washington, Iowa, where he became a 
boot and shoe merchant. Thus Mr. Upham be- 
came connected with a line of trade which has 
since claimed his attention and in which his un- 
faltering energy and keen sagacitj' have been 
crowned with the success that makes him one of 
the representative and prosperoiis mercljants of 
the middle west. After three years spent in 
Washington he removed to Keokuk, Iowa, and 
there he continued in the same line of merchan- 
dising, but cnuducted his store as a wholesale as 
well as I'etail concern. 

Since 1878 Mr. Upham has been identified with 
commercial circles of Quincy, — to the betterment 
of the city as well as to his individual success. 
Here he became a member of the firm of Upham, 
Gordon & Company, and they purchased the old 
established boot and shoe hou.se of C. Brown. Jr., 
withdi'awing from the retail trade in order to 
give their undivided attention to the constantly 
growing wholesale branch of the business. This 
is to-day one of the largest wholesale enterprises 
of the city, with a trade that is annually repre- 
sented by a large figure and which extends over 
a wide western territory. The executive force 
and sound judgment of Mr. Upham have been 
the salient features of his success. His plans are 
carefully formed, yet he is promjit in their ex- 
ecution and the policy of the house has ever been 
such as will bear the closest investigation. 

Had Mr. Upham been connected with no other 
line of business, the development of his shoe 
trade alone would entitle him to rank with the 
leading business men of the city. His wise coun- 
sel and ready understanding of a business situa- 
tion, however, have proven valuable factors in 
the safe control of other enterjjrises and he 
.stands to-day as one of the foremost figures in 
eonunercial and financial circles in Quincy. He 
Avas for many years a director of the First Na- 
tional Bank of Quincy, and when it was con- 
solidated with the State Savings, Loan & Trust 
Company, he was elected a director of the con- 
solidatecl banks. 

His public' labors have resulted beneficially to 
the city and his philanthropic and benevolent 
work commend him to the respect of his fellow- 
men, giving evidence of a nature that is not self- 
centered, but is permeated by a broad humani- 
tarianism that is manifest in practical result and 



886 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



tangible ett'urts. He is one of the trustees of 
Blessing' Hospital and has been a generous sup- 
jiorter of many worthy objects for the relief of 
the unfoi-tunate, but it is never Mr. Upham who 
speaks of these, the knowledge of such coming 
to the world through other avenues, as he is ex- 
ti'emely resei-ved in mentioning anything which 
he does along these lines. He is an avowed 
champion, however, of all that promises benetit 
for the city in the line of improvement and up- 
building and th(- work which he has done in con- 
nection Avitli the QuLncy Chamber of Commerce 
has resulted in permanent benefit to the city. 
He was active in the organization of the C^uiucy 
Chambei- of Commerce and was elected its fii-st 
president. He bent every energy to make this 
a means of matei'ial good to the city and through 
the instrumentality of this organization, — pro- 
moted by ^Ir. Upham and his associates, — thei-e 
are now in Qnincy a new Chicago, Burlington & 
Ouincy Railroad terminal, a new wagon bridge, 
the public market, and other substantial evi- 
dences of improvement. Mr. Upham has always 
been a stanch republican, but prefers to do his 
])ublic service as a jirivate citizen, rather than in 
l)olitical ofSce. Any one studying the history of 
Quincy and its upbuilding will soon find that 
]\Ir. Upham lias figiired largely in public prog- 
ress, and is to-day a typical business man of the 
west, alert and enterprising, reaping the reward 
of capal)le management and unfaltering labor, 
and at the same time so directing his energies 
that the eomiiiunitv at large is benefited. 



JOHN BATSCHT. 



John Batsehy, whose developed powers as an 
architect have gained him standing with the 
foremost representatives of the profession in 
the middle west, was born in Filisi;r, Switzer- 
land, March 8, 1855, his pai-ents being John and 
Ursina (Schmidt) Batsehy, also natives of Swit- 
zerland. About the second generation back 
there was a mixture of French blood introduced 
into the family, but it is not known on which 
side. The paternal grandfather was a farmer 
and owned considerable property, being regard- 
ed as well-to-do in his native land. Following 
his death the estate was sold and the famil.y went 
to live on the estate of the mother's father, 
which property is still in possession of his de- 
scendants, being now owned by ilartin Batsehy. 
a younger lirothei' of our sub.iect. The father 
was a teacher in the public schools of his native 
coimtry and died in Switzerland in 1867, while 
his wife passed away there in 1891. The mem- 
bers of their family are: John ]\Iartin. who was 
born September !:■), 1857, and is married and 



living on the estate left l>y his mother; Anna 
Verena, who was born ^March 5, 1861, and is the 
wife of Michael ilettier, a farmer living in 
Stuls, Switzerland. 

John Batsehy pui-sued his early education in 
the public schools of his native city, being grad- 
uated with the class of 1870. He was desirous 
at that time of attending the art schools but the 
laws prevented him doing so until he had learned 
the carpenter's trade. Accordingly he served a 
two-years' apprenticeship in that way and later 
developed a natural talent for architecture by 
careful study and preparation in the art school 
at Zurich, where he completed a two-years' 
course by graduation. Later he entered the 
school of desig-n at Winterthur and was again 
graduated when he had completed a two-years' 
course. He displayed particular aptitude in 
the line of his chosen vocation, his standing in 
school being greatly above the average, at Win- 
terthur his scholarship being ninety-four per 
cent and at Zurich eighty-nine per cent, when 
only eighty-one per cent is recpiired for grad'ia- 
tion. For about a year Mr. Batsehy was con- 
nected with a Mr. Ilartman in St. Moi-itz as as- 
.sistant architect and afterward entered the ser- 
vices of Rapatz Brothers in Samaden, Switzer- 
land, with whom he continued until 1884. Dur- 
ing that time he worked on plans for the famous 
Hotel Victoria at St. Moritz, which is jiatronized 
only by wealthy English lords and people of the 
highest class. He also worked on the plans for 
the Hotel DuLac, which is patronized only by 
wealthy business uicn and prominent travelei's, 
many from America. 

In the spring of 1884 Mr. Batsehy left his na- 
tive country and spent much time in traveling 
through Europe, visiting France, Italy, Austria, 
(iermany and England, during which time he 
studied ai't and spent many hours in insjH'cting 
the fine M'orks of old masters not only in archi- 
tecture, but also in painting and sculpture. Thus 
he gained an experience only to be obtained in 
the art circles of the old world where every tree 
and stone seems to breathe forth the genius of 
the old mastei's. He thus had advantages pos- 
sessed by few architects in this country and 
splendidly cjualified he came to the new woi-ld 
late in the fall of 1884. here to win proiiiiiii'iirr 
because of his splendid equipments for his ])ro- 
fessio7i. He went first to St. Louis, Missouri, 
and in the summer of 1885 spent some time in 
Camp Point. Illinois, with relatives. In Septem- 
l)ei', 1885, he received a letter from Architect 
Frey, of Duburpie. Iowa, with whom he accepted 
a position, Avorking there until Mai'ch, 1886, 
when he came to Quincy. He spent some time 
in studying the modes of this country and 
since 1886 he has been contin\iously practicing 




JOHN BATSCHY 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



his x')i'ofession in his city, his superior skill aud 
ability being demonstrated in many of the most 
promiueut buildings here, including the Soldiers 
and Sailors Home buildings, Woodland Home 
for Orphans Friendless, the ilusselman build- 
ing, which is the largest business block in the 
city, the Schott office building, the George Ertel 
block, which is a four-story stone structure, the 
large buildings for the pump department of the 
Gardner Governor Company, the Quincy Show 
Case works, the liottling works of J. J. Flynn & 
Company, the Washington, Berrian and Irving 
public-school buildings, engine houses Nos. 4 and 
7, and a number of line residences. He also re- 
built the Wells Building. He was architect of 
the Soldiers and Sailoi'S Home from 1887, his 
appointment coming from the trustees lieing ap- 
proved by the governor. He acted in that capac- 
ity until 1898 and erected all of the fine build- 
ings that con.stitute one of the most beautiful 
soldiers homes in the country. The high school 
building at Fort Madison, erected at a cost of 
fifty thousand dollars was designed by him, also 
the (_)dd Fellows hall, built at a cost of eighteen 
thousand dollars. He was likewise the architect 
of the Chandler Hotel at Macomb, Illinoi.s, one of 
the most neat and comfortable hotel buildings in 
the smaller cities of the state. (_)ther notable 
buildings in both business blocks and private 
residences in this and neighboring cities have 
been erected by him and his genius as an archi- 
tect is ^inquestioned. 

On the completion of the Gem City Business 
College, the finest office building in this section 
of the country, the following letter was written 
to ]\Ir. Batschy by the president of the college, 
D. L. Musselman : 

' ' Allow me to tender you my sincere congratu- 
lations on the thorough and complete plans of 
our new college building. The thousands who 
have visited the Gem City Business College all 
marvel at its completeness, even to the slightest 
details. 

"Its beauty of architectTire must surely stand 
as a monument of your genius, while the arrange- 
ments as to space, light and ventilation, are all 
that could be desired. 

"To those who contemplate the erection of 
educational institutions, I can heartily recom- 
mend ]\Ir. John Batschy as a most thorough, 
painstaking and reliable architect — one who has 
made a study of, and understands the require- 
ments and necessities of public schools and 
buildings. ' ' 

^Ir. Batschy belongs to the Masonic frater- 
nity, holds member.ship with Bodley lodge. No. 
1, A. F. & A. M., at Quincy: Quincy chapter. No. 
5, R, A. ]\I. ; and El Aksa Commandery, No. 55, 
K. T., in which he is now eminent commander. 
He has attained the thirty-second degree of the 



Scottish rite and is thus prominent in both 
branches of ilasonry. He belongs to the First 
Union Congregational church, and in politics is 
a stanch repul)lican. He became a naturalized 
American citizen August 21, 1895, and is most 
loyal to the interests of his adopted land, de- 
lighting in its principles of government and tak- 
ing just pride in the appreciation shown in this 
great and growing country for the true worth 
and character of the individual and his possi- 
bilities and accomplishments in the business 
world. 

Mr. Batschy wedded Miss Louisa Schoeneraan, 
a daughter of John M. Schoeneman, one of the 
early settlers of Quincy who came to this cit.v 
from Germany and died here. Mr. and Mrs. 
Batschy were married August 4, 1891, and Mrs. 
Batschy died May 29, 1898. They had one son, 
John Martin, born January 1, 1893, and now a 
student in the public schools. The family home 
is a beautiful residence at 316 South Twelfth 
street. ]\'Ir. Batschy stands to-day pre-eminent 
in his profession in Quincy and his life record 
is an illustration of the fact that capal^ility and 
close application fail not to secure the substan- 
tial rewards of the business world. 



JOHN RICIvART. 



John Rickart was a native of Ohio, born July 
12, 1812, and came to Illinois in 1838, first lo- 
cating in Chambershurg, Pike county. Sub- 
sequently he removed to Jacksonville and later 
to Quincy, afterward taking up his residence 
in Kingston. In all of these cities he was en- 
gaged in merchandising, continuing to follow 
that pursuit until 1860, when he located on a 
farm in Richfield township and turned his at- 
tention to agriculture. Here his death oc- 
curred in 1896, when he was eighty-three years 
of age. He was married three times and is 
still survived by his third wife, who continues 
to reside in Richfield township. She bore the 
maiden name of Hannah S. ileacham, and by 
her marriage became the mother of six chil- 
dren. The children of John Rickart are as 
follows : John W,., now living on a fruit ranch 
near Seattle, Washington, was a captain in 
the Fiftieth Illinois Volunteer Infantry during 
the Civil war and served initil the close of 
hostilities. Eliza J. is the wife of E. C. Harris, 
of Auburn, Kansas. David is a resident of 
Stanislaus county. California. Mai-y A. is the 
wife of R. D. Likes, of Ness county, Kansas. 
Ij. Dow is also a resident of that county. Ida 
0. F. is at home with her mother. Omie is the 



Sgo 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



v.'idow of George W. Yoinig and is also at 
home. Turner S. is the next of the family. 
Dennison J. died in 1895. Claudia B. is the 
wife of Frank Bowers, of Richfield township. 
Erma H. resides at home and is now teaching 
gehool in Camp Point. 

Turner S. Riokart received a good educa- 
tion, which has well titted him for life's prac- 
tical duties. lie also studied law and was 
graduated at the law school of Ann Arbor 
University in 1899, but has never practiced 
his profession, preferring to devote his time 
and energies to agricultural pursuits. In his 
farming operations he has met with excellent 
success and now operates a good farm of one 
hundred and sixty acres on section 35, Rich- 
field township. He raises both grain and stock. 
His political support is given the democratic 
party and its principles, and socially he is a 
member of the blue lodge of Masoni\v and the 
Eastern Star. His father was also a ^Mason, 
being one of the charter members and first 
master of the lodge at Kingston, and he was 
also a charter member of the Royal Arch chap- 
ter at Bai-ry. He belonged to the Christian 
church at Beverly, and his wife now holds 
membership in the Liberty Christian church. 
The family is one of prominence in the com- 
numity where they reside and its members 
have ever taken an active part in promoting 
the moral, intellectual and material welfare 
of the county. 



FREDERICK E. :\rOLLER. 

Frederick E. ]Mol!er, treasurer of the ^Miiller 
& Vanden Boom Lumber Company, of Quincy, 
was born in this city, December 10, 1879. His 
grandfather, Bernard H. Moller, was born in 
Hanover, Germany, November 29, 1819, and in 
1847 was married to Mary Massman. The same 
year they started for the United States, landing 
at New Oi'leans, where they remained for six 
months. In 1848 they removed to St. Louis, and 
there on the 29th of May, 1848, a son was born 
to them to whom they gave the name of Henry 
TI. ]\Ioller. The following year the wife and 
mother died of cholera. Bernard H. iMoller re- 
mained a resident of St. Louis for eight years 
and was engaged in teaming. In 1856 he re- 
moved to Qiiincy, where he followed the same 
pursuit. He reached the advanced age of seven- 
ty-nine years, passing away September 15, 1898. 

Henry H. Moller acquired his education in St. 
Francis College, of Quincy, which he attended 
until fourteen years of age. when he entered upon 
his business eai'eer as a clerk in the II. F. J. 



J\icker Bank. He was the first one to occupy 
that position in the institution and was also its 
first teller. For about four years he was con- 
nected with the bank and then became book- 
keei)er in the Keene Packing House, where he con- 
tinued for two years, after which he spent a simi- 
lar period as bookkeeper in the Menke & Grimm 
Planing ilill. He was afterward clerk for Wen- 
dalin & Weber, railroad contractors, and two 
years later he became shipping clerk for the Dick 
Brewery, acting in that capacity until 1875, when 
he entered the lumber business as a member of 
the firm of Moller & Vanden Boom. This con- 
nection was maintained luifil his death, which 
occurred August 19, 1900. Each change he had 
made in his business life was for the better and 
gradually he worked his way upwai'd until his 
diligence and economy enabled him to engage in 
business on his own account. From that time 
forward he enjoyed gratifying success, the lum- 
ber liusiness constantly growing until it reached 
extensive and profitable proportions. As he 
found favorable opportunity he also made invest- 
ment in other business enterprises and became 
the president of the Knittel Show Case Company, 
])resident of the Highland Park Company and a 
director of the (lermania Publishing & Printing 
Company. He formed his plans carefully and 
was then determined in their execution and the 
fact that he possessed sound judgment and un- 
faltering diligence are indicated in the fact that 
although he stai-fed out in life at an early age 
without capital, he became one of the foremost 
business men of Quincy. 

Henry II. iloller was also prominent and influ- 
ential in public affairs. About 1885 he was 
chosen supervisor for Adams county and served 
for six years, acting a part of the time as chair- 
man of the boai-d and exercising his official pre- 
rogative in support of all measures which he be- 
lieved Avould ]irove of permanent good to the 
connnunify. He held membership with the Wes- 
tern Catholic Union and with the Firemen's 
Benevolent Association. He M'as married Jan- 
uary 10, 1871, to Miss Louisa Vanden Boom, and 
they became the jiarents of nine children : Ber- 
nard, who was born December 9, 1872, and died 
in infancy; Ilemy B. and August, twins, born 
February 7, 1874, but the latter died in infancy; 
Frank T., born April 12, 1877, an attorney of 
Buffalo, XcM^ York, who married Christina Wahl, 
a daughter of Frederick Wahl ; Frederick E., 
b(U'n December 10, 1879 ; Joseph, who was a twin 
of Frederick and died in infancy; William, who 
was born September 28, 1881, and died in in- 
fancy; Edward, born Augii.st 28, 1883; and 
Loi;isa, who was born November 4. 1887, and is 
now attending St. Mary's Institute. 

Frederick E. Moller, a worthy successor of his 
father in business, imrsued his education in the 




H. H. MOLLER 




F. E. MOLLER 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



895 



l)ar(icliial sc-lio<ils of Quiney, St. Francis College 
and the Gem City Business College, being grad- 
uated from the last named in 1894. Heathen 
entered the office of the lumber firm of which his 
father was a partner. In 1901 the business was 
iiK't)rporated under the name of the :Moller & 
Vanden Boom Lumber Company and Frederick 
E. Moller was made treasurer. lie lives at home 
with his mother, is a member of St. Boniface 
Catholic church, the Western Catholic Union and 
the Knights of Columbus and in politics is inde- 
pendent. 

Henry B. :\Ioller, the secretary of the :\[oller 
& Vanden Boom Lumber Company, was married 
to Catherine Wewers and has two children : 
Cyril and Gertrude. 

Edward iloller, who is liookkeeper for the lum- 
ber company, attended the jniblic .schools, St. 
Francis College and the Gem City Business Col- 
lege, and then entered the office where he has 
since remained. He is also connected with the 
Knights of Columbus. The brothers are enter- 
prising young business men and are fully si;s- 
taining the reputation made hy their father for 
energy, keen discrimination and relinbilitv. 



DAVIS X. BARXETT. 



Davis X. Barnett is the owner of a valuable 
farm of over two hundred acres in Adams county 
and rents the property, now living a retired life. 
His home is about two and one-half miles north- 
west of Ursa, on the old homestead, on section 1, 
Ursa township. He is a native son of Adams 
county, his bii'th having occurred September 28, 
1836, his parents being Davis and Lucy (Mc- 
Farland) Barnett, both of whom wei'e residents 
of Bourbon county, Kentucky. The father was 
a stone-cutter by trade and in 1821 removed from 
Kentucky to ClarksviUe, IMissouri, Avhere he was 
married and made his home until 1835. He then 
came to Adams county. Illinois, settling on a 
farm now owned by his son Davis, where he re- 
sided until 1866. He then removed to Camp 
Point, Illinois, where he made his home until his 
death, which occurred in 1885, when he was 
eight\-five years of age. He long survived his 
wife, who died in 1848. Davis X. Barnett has 
two sisters and two brothers living, namely: 
^lary, the wit'e of John Welling, a resident of 
ifendon ; William, who married ilartha Tarr 
and lives in ]\Iarcelline; Ella, the wife of Daniel 
Xeweomber, a resident of Sheridan county. ]\Iis- 
souri : and Commodore, who is married and lives 
in ^lissonri. 

Davis X. Barnett was educated in the eonunon 
schools and after putting aside his text-books, 
he turned his attention to farming, to which 



pursuit h(- had been reared. He bought a farm 
of eighty acres on the river bottoms and after- 
ward purcha.sed two hundred acres of the old 
family homestead. Throughout his active busi- 
ness career he carried on agricultui-al pursuits 
and placed his land in a very productive condi- 
tion, the fields being well tilled so that they 
yielded good crops. He used improved machin- 
ery in carrying on his fann and kept everything 
about the place in a neat and thrifty condition. 

On the 1st of January, 1862, Mr. Barnett was 
married to Miss I\Iary Jane McLaughlin, a 
daughter of William and Nancy (Ridelle) Mc- 
Laughlin, the former a native of Wellsville, Ohio, 
and the latter of Kentucky. Her father was a 
farmer by occupation and came to Adams county 
at an early day, settling near j\Iarcelline, where 
he did carpentering, erecting many houses in 
ITrsa township, and he purchased more than two 
hundred acres of land, locating upon the farm 
whei'e he spent his remaining days. He died Jiily 
9, 1887, and his wife passed away February 19 
of the same year. They were people of the high- 
est respectability and their circle of friends was 
extensive. Mrs. Barnett has one brother and 
one sister: George, who is living in Quiney: 
and i\Irs. Elizabeth Varnier, who is a resident 
of LTrsa. She lost one brother, who was assas- 
sinated in Texas in ]\Iareh, 1903. Another 
brother, John, enlisted in 1862, as second ser- 
geant of Company A, Fiftieth Illinois Volunteer 
Infantry, and died of pneumonia at Palmyra, 
Mis.soi;ri, m 1863. i\Ir. and ]\Irs. Barnett have 
two children : Lillie, who was born October 10, 
1870. and is the wife of John Miller of Colorado ; 
and George B., who was born May 27. 1884, and 
lives in Ursa. 

in politics Mr. Barnett is a republican and 
served as school director for several years. He 
belongs to Mt.rcelline lodge, Xo. 114, A. F. & 
A. M., and both he and his wife are members of 
the Christian chui-ch at Marcelline. Their lives 
have been well spent and wherever known they 
are held in hi:;h esteem. 



ALBERT M. WALLACE. 

Albert IM. Wallace, who carries on general 
farming on section 6. Lima township, where he 
owns and operates one hundred and three acres 
of land, was born "Slny 3, 1851, in Hancock 
county. His father, Thomas Wallace, was born 
in Kentucky and after arriving at years of ma- 
.iority was married there to Miss Harriet Yeno- 
wine, also a native of that state. Removing to 
Illinois in 1849. they settled at Warsaw, Hancock 
county. The father was a carpenter by trade 
but afterward purchased a farm and engaged 



896 



PAST AND I'KESEXT OP ADxVMS COUiNTY. 



in the tilliim- of the soil thi-out;liii\it liis reinaiiiiiii; 
days. He died April 1, 1893, niicl his wife passed 
away January 15, 1897. 

Albert M. Wallace obtained liis education in 
the pttblic rschools of Hancock county and, start- 
ing out in life on his own account, he was eni- 
l)loyed at farm labor for two years but wishing 
his services to prove of more direct benefit to 
himself he rented laud and began farming for 
himself. After al)out seven years passed in this 
way, he purchased a farm in Adams county and 
has since lived on section 6. Lima township, 
where he has one hundred and three acres of 
rich land tha* anntially yields liim good <'ro]is 
because of the careful cultivation he liestows 
upon his fields. His farm is pleasantly and con- 
veniently situated about two miles northeast of 
Lima and it is a visible evidence of his thrift and 
capable management. 

(Jn the 16th of October. 1879, :\Ir. Wallace \\as 
married to ]\Iiss Mary Ardelia Peoples, who was 
born May 7, 1855, and is a daughter of James 
and Anna Peoples, the former a native of Ire- 
land and the latter of Kentucky. They resided 
in Hancock county, Illinois, where her father 
carried on farming, following the pttrsuit until 
his death on the 7th of June, 1887. His widow 
still survives him and is a well ]ireserved lady 
of seventy-fotir years, yet living in Hancock 
county. Mr. and Mrs. Wallace have three chil- 
dren : Homer A., born July 3, 1889; Anna P., 
born May 11, 1893 ; and Walter J., born April 21, 
1897. The parents are members of the Christian 
church and Mr. Wallace is a democrat. Plis 
success is due entirely to his own efforts and the 
able assistance of his wife. They had been mar- 
ried only one year w'hen their home was de- 
stroyed by fire, and thtis losing everything they 
had they were forced to begin life anew. As 
years have gone by their perseverance and dili- 
gence have been rewarded and they are now in 
possession of a comfortable competence, while 
their home has all of the comforts that go to 
make life worth living. 



WFLLIAM P. BRINTON. 

William P. Bi-inton. deceased, who became a 
resident of Qtiiney in 1866 and was well known 
in Adams county as a farmer and representa- 
tive of various business ptirsuits, was born in 
Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, January 27, 
1827. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Brinton, 
both natives of eastern Pennsylvania, spent the 
greater part of their lives in Allegheny county 
and there passed away. The father devoted his 
attention to farminc' in order to provide for his 
familv. 



William P. Brinton was a student in the ]>nb- 
lic schools of his native county and later worked 
at any employment that would yield him an 
lionest living until he attained manhood, when 
lie started out in business on his own account, 
establishing a lumber yard in his native county 
and conducting the enterprise with success for 
several years. In 1866 he removed with his fam- 
ily to Adams county, Illinois, and piu-chased a 
tract of land in Ellington township, where he 
carried on general farming until about 1880. He 
then took up his abode in the city of Qnincy, 
where he was identified with various business 
])ursuits. He established a pork-packing house 
on Hampshire street with Mr. Provost btit did 
not contintie in this enterprise long. He retired 
from active business life in his later years, being 
possessed of a comfortable fortune which he had 
acquired through his earnest labor in earlier 
years and which enabled him to enjoy a well- 
earned rest. 

In 1851 Mr. Brinton was united in marriage 
in Westmoreland coitnty, Pennsylvania, to iMiss 
Sarah S. Plorn, a native of that county, boi'n 
January 21, 1832, and a daughter of Adam and 
^fary (George) Horn, also natives of Westmore- 
land county. Her grandfather, Adam Horn, 
spent his entire life in that county and followed 
the dual pursuit of farming and blacksnuthing 
until his death. Adam Horn, Jr., was a farmer 
of Pennsylvania and became very wealthy. He 
removed to the west in 1866, settling on a farm 
near the villa^'e of Fowler, where he lived for a 
short period and then took up his abode in the 
town of Fowler, where he purchased a home, 
living retired until his death. His wife also died 
there. He was a man of excellent business qitali- 
fieations, strong pttrpose, stalwart character and 
upright manhoo(l. and wherever known he won 
the respect ami (■<iiilidence of those with whom 
he was associah'd. lie left the greater part of 
his estate to his daughter Mrs. Brinton. 

TTnto j\Tr. and iMre. Brinton were born two 
children : Anna B. is the widow of John R. Chit- 
tenden, who was a well known business man of 
^b'udon and died September 13, 1904. His wife 
still I'esides in Mendon. Cora B., the younger 
daii'ihter, makes her home with her mother in 
(^)iiincy. 

Mr. Brinton gave his ]iolitical support to the 
rcpulilican party bttt was never active in poli- 
tics. He came from a Quaker ancestry and was 
always an upright, honorable man. He attended 
the United Brethren church in Quiney and was a 
most earnest and untiring worker in behalf of the 
Young ]\Ien's Christian Association. He ad- 
dressed that organization on the Sunday preced- 
iu"' his death and his words awakened deep in- 
tei'est and attention. There were many qualities 
in his life record -worthy of emulation and all 



I'AST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



897 



who kuew him spoke of him as a consistent Chris- 
tian man. He believed that religion should form 
a part of his daily life and it constituted one of 
the rules of his business transactions and, there- 
fore, his dealings were very straightforward and 
honorable. He would never compromise with 
wrong in the slightest particular and was fear- 
less and outspoken in his denuneiati(m of all un- 
derhand and dishonorable methods. Those who 
knew him, however, found that he had a true 
and warm heart and that he held friendship in- 
violable. In his family he was a devoted hus- 
band and father and thus his death came with 
greatest force to them. Apparently well at the 
evening dinner he became ill shortly afterward 
and died within a few moments, jiassino- awav 
in 1890, 

Mrs, Brinton resides with her daughter in a 
large bi'ick residence at No. 1480 Hampshire 
street, at the corner of Sixteenth street. Both 
are members of the Congregational chiirch of 
Quiney and have many friends in the city. 



ORREN WAGY. 



Orren Wagy, a representative farmer of Pay- 
son township, living on section 14, was born May 
28, 1852, in an old log cabin that stood .just east 
of his present home, his parents being Oscar and 
Rebecca J, (Decker) Wagy, His paternal 
grandparents were Henry and Eleanor (Stone) 
Wagy. Henry Wagy was of German lineage and 
he was the .second man to settle in the city of 
Quiney, coming to this county from Licking 
county, Ohio. He was accompanied by his fam- 
ily and remained where the city of Quiney now 
stands for a brief period, after which he pur- 
chased the ' ' smoking Diitehraan 's ' ' place in Mel- 
rose township. On selling that property he re- 
moved to JMcCraney creek, where he lived for a 
few yeai's and then established his home near 
Plain^^lle, where he purchased the John Wright 
farm, living thereon until his death. He was 
one of the noted deer hunters of an early day. 
His wife was a cou.sin of E. K. Stone, for whom 
Stone's Prairie was named. 

Oscar Wagy, who was reared in Adams county 
amid the .scenes of pioneer life, was married to 
Rebecca Jane Decker, a daughter of John and 
Ella Decker. The Deckers were of Irish lineage 
and became early settlers of Richfield towTiship, 
Adams county. j\Ir. and Mrs. OsearWagy be- 
gan their domestic life iipon a farm and he be- 
came one of the prosperous agricultTiri.sts of the 
county, eventually owning seven hundred and 
fortv-five acres of valuable land. In 1849 he 



took up his abode upon the farm miw occupied 
by his son Orren and there he lived for twenty 
years, acquiring most of his property during 
that time. He paid five hundred dollars for one 
hundred and sixty acres of land. At one time he 
was oiJered a half section of land south of where 
Orren Wagy now resides for an old gray horse 
and one hundred and fifty bushels of corn. He 
had managed to clear his property of indebted- 
ness by 1875 and in his last years was enabled 
to enjoy all of the comforts and many of the 
luxuries of life, owing to his earnest toil in for- 
mer years. In his family were ten children, as 
follows : Adeline, the wife of James Journey, 
who is living on the Pike county line ; Amanda, 
the deceased wife of John Blauser, of Hull Sta- 
tion : Orren and James Henry, who reside in 
Adams county; Eliza, the wife of Stephen Ben- 
son, living a mile south of Plainville : Robert, 
who resides a quarter of a mile east of Plainville ; 
McClellan, living south of town; Caroline, the 
Vvife of William Powell, a cigarmaker of Barry, 
Illinois: Lulu: and one child that died in in- 
fancy, 

Orren Wao'y received but limited educational 
privileges but through experience, reading and 
observation lias learned many valuable lessons 
and is now a well informed man. In his youth 
he had to assist his father upon the home farm 
in order to helj) pay foi' the land and he may 
well be called a self-made man. As architect of 
his own fortune he has builded wisely and well. 
He was the first man to take out a license in the 
new courthouse in Quiney, this being in 1877. 
Pie wedded Miss Amanda Taylor, a daughter of 
W. C. and Harriett Louisa (Edmonds) Taylor, 
residents of Pay.son. Her father was a native of 
York county. Pennsylvania, and her mother of 
Tennessee. The Taylors were of German lineage 
and in the maternal line ]\Irs. Wagy is of Irish 
lineage. Mr. Taylor came to Illinois in 1844, 
.settling in Payson township and in 1849 he went 
to California with the Seehorn wagon train. 
Both he and his wife were members of the Meth- 
odist Episcopal church and are now both de- 
ceased. 

^Ir. and ]\Irs. Wagy have become the parents 
of two children : Otis L., born August 13, 1878, 
married Dora 'S\. Wingfield and they reside soiith 
of Plainville, where he follows farming. They 
have one son — Clarence L. Lottie Wagy, who 
was born Jiily 14, 1881, attended the Plainville 
schools, has also been educated in music and is at 
hiiiiic with her parents. 

In his political views ]\rr. Wag^• has always 
been a democrat and has served as school direc- 
tor and road supervisor. His has been a very 
busy, useful and active life. From early boy- 
hood he worked hard and all that he now pos- 
sesses has come to him through his owti labors. 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



He is a nuiii whose upright eharaeter and genu- 
ine worth have won for him the respect and good 
will of his fellow townsmen. 



PRANK SONNET. 



Frank Sonnet, who is occupj'ing the position 
of county treasurer of Adams county and makes 
his home in Quincy, was born iu Rhine Valley, 
Germany, January 24:, 1848. His father, Sebas- 
tian Sonnet, was a native of the same locality 
and was a stone-mason. He held membership in 
the Catholic church and died in Germany iu 
1866, at the age of forty-nine years. His wife, 
who bore the maiden name of Catherine Kiefer, 
was born near Rhine Valley, Germany, and died 
January 17, 1850. They were the parents of two 
children but the younger is uoav deceased. 

Prank Sonnet acquired his education in the 
place of his nativity by attendance at parochial 
and private schools lantil nineteen years of age. 
He afterward engaged iu teaching school until 
he left the fatherland for the new world. Bid- 
ding adieu lo friends and native country he 
sailed for the Tnitod States on the 18th of April, 
1869, and took up his abode in Quincy, where he 
met his maternal grandfather, Frank Kiefer. who 
had come to this city in 1852 and was living with 
his children, here making his home until his 
death, which occurred in ]\[arch. 1875. 

i\Ir. Sonnet entered upon his business career 
in the new world as a shijjping clerk in the em- 
ploy of Browii Brothers, with wh(mi he remained 
for six months, and in the meantime he applied 
himself diligently to acrpiiring a knowleds'e of 
the English language. In March. 1871, he en- 
tered the bakery of Timer & Hellhake as an ap- 
prentice. rem;uning there for a year and a half. 
He then removed to Canton. Missouri, where he 
was employed in a bakery for two years, and 
later went to Wyoming territory with a survey- 
ina' party, laying out townships for the govern- 
ment. He continued with that ])arty for seven 
months and on the 1st of I)eeeml)(n\ 187:-!. having 
returned to Quincy, he entered into jiartnei'shi]) 
with his former em])loyer, Joseph Tluici-, in the 
bakery business. This tinii continued fin- foui- 
years, at Ihe end of which time ;\Ir. Sonnet sold 
cut t<i his partner and established an independ- 
ent bakery, which he conducted with siu^cess 
until the spring of 1886. He then returned to 
his native land upon a visit and also traveled in 
Switzerland in company with Gerry W. Vanden 
Boom. He spent several weeks pleasantly in re- 
newing the acquaintances of his youth an<l in 
visiting the scenes amid which his boyhood days 
were passed. 

Again coming to the new world he liad charge 
for one vear of the books and collections for the 



firm of Metzger & Freiburg, and in August, 
1888, he entered into partnership with William 
Cunane in the conduct of a restaurant, which 
they carried on mitil the spring of 1893. At 
that time Jlr. Sonnet and his wife visited Ger- 
many, remaining abroad for four months. In 
Januarj^, 1894, in company with friends, they 
made a trip to California and following his re- 
turn iu the spring of that year he was appointed 
by Mayor Steinbach special tax collector for the 
city of Quini-y, continuing in the office for four 
years. In the spring of 1898 he w'as elected city 
treasurer and ex-ofticio town collector, holding 
this office for two years and giving bond for one 
million, five hundred thoiisand dollar's. In No- 
vember, 1902, he was elected county treasurer, 
which position he is now filling. 

On the 4t!i of June, 1875, j\Ir. vSonnet w-as 
married to Miss Christina Mast, a daughter of 
Joseph and ]Maria Anna Bross, who was born in 
Quincy, in 1854, while her parents were natives 
of Germany, her mother having come to Quincy 
with her i)areuts in her girlhood days. 

Mr. and I\Irs Sonnet are members of the Cath- 
olic church and he belongs to the Western Cath- 
olic Hnion, the Firemen's Benevolent Association 
and the Knights of Columbus. His political al- 
legiance is given to the democratic party and 
upon that ticket he has been elected to the offices 
which he has so ably filled, therein proving his 
loyally to his adopted city. 



DAVID D. STEINER. :\I. D. 

Dr. David D. Steiner, physician and surgeon 
of Quincy, was born of pioneer parents near 
Loraine, Illinois, in 1860. His father, ^Michael 
Steiner. was born in Coberg, Saxe, Germany, in 
1810. He came to the ITnited States in 1836 and 
a year later located in Quincy, where he worked 
at the miller's trade five years for Mr. Whipple, 
^[ichael Steiner and Anna C. Goebel were mai^- 
ried in Quincy in 1839 and in 1842 moved to a 
farm in Keene township, where they resided un- 
til their di-aths. in 1892 and 1898,' respectively. 
In their family were seven children: Amelia, the 
wife (if Peter Kropp of Mountain Grove, ^lis- 
soui-i ; George, of Loraine; Hiram, of Stillwell. 
Illinois; Anna C. Pratt, who died in 1893; John 
P.. who died in 1889; David D. ; and Nancy E., 
wife of IMonroe Ilartman, Loraine, Illinois. 

Dr. Steiner 's early education was acquired in 
the public schools of his home neighborhood, and 
he afterward attended Valpai'aiso College, Val- 
paraiso, Indiana, where he completed his course 
and graduated with the class of 1883, winning 
the degrei^ of Bachelor of Ai'ts. Desiring to be- 
come a member of the medical fraternity, he en- 




A^. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



go I 



tered the College of Physicians and Surgeons at 
Keokiilc. Iowa, and completed the regular course, 
graduating with the cla.ss of 1886. He then re- 
turned to his home town of Loraine. where he 
practiced his profession five years. Wishing a 
wider field of labor, in 1891 he came to Quincy, 
where he has been activeh^ engaged in the prac- 
tice of medicine until the present time. His suc- 
cess is verj^ gratifying, and he has no desire for 
a change. 

Dr. Steiner was married in 1887 to Emma I. 
Russell, daiighter of L. D. Russell. Russell's 
Place, Ohio, and imto them have been born two 
sons: but Paul R.. who was born in 1888, died 
in 1890. The surviving son is Hugh Wynne, 
whose birth occurred in 1890. 

Dr. Steiner is a member of the Masonic fra- 
ternity, the Odd Fellows lodge and the Modern 
Woodmen camp. His political allegiance was 
given to the democracy until 1896. and since that 
time he has been an earnest republican. His 
entire life has been passed in Adams county, and 
those who know him best are his warmest friends, 
a fact which indicates an honest and honorable 



CHARLES F. TENHAEFF. 

Charles F. Tenhaefl', who is carrying on agri- 
cultural pursuits in Northeast township, was 
born in Adams county, October 27, 1865. His 
father, C. J. Tenhaeff, was born in Germany and 
came to Illinois in 1855, settling first in St. Louis, 
where he remained for two years. He then re- 
moved to Northeast township, Adams county, 
where he still makes his home, having for many 
years been actively identified with agricultural 
interests in this county. He first married Eliza 
Burk, bj' whom he had three children, namely : 
Fred, who lives on a farm adjoining our sub- 
ject's place, married Stella ^leCord and has 
three children : Charles F. is the next of the fam- 
ily; and Clara died in childhood. The mother 
of these children died in 1869, and the father 
subsequently married Ellen Bacon, now de- 
ceased, but he is .still living and is ninnbered 
among the respected and worthy German-Amer- 
ican citizens of Adams county. 

Charles F. Tenhaeff, reared to farm life, early 
beeame familiar with the best methods of tilling 
the .soil. He pursued his education in La Prai- 
rie and in Quincy, spending one year as a .student 
in the latter place. After completing his own 
education he turned his attention to teaching, 
which profession he followed for three terms, but 
with that exception he has always given his at- 
tention to farming. He is now the owner of 
three hundred and twenty acres of land on sec- 



tions 2(i and 27. Northeast township, and his 
farm is valuable because of the excellent im- 
provements he has placed upon it and the modern 
methods which he follows in its development and 
cultivation. 

3\Ir. Tenhaelf was united in marriage to Miss 
Florence G. Ketelumi. who was born in Hancock 
county, Illinois, December 13, 1868. Her grand- 
parents are still living in Augusta. Hancock 
county. Her parents are A. J. and A. E. 
Ketchima. natives of New York, and in their 
family were eight children: Eugene, living in 
Northeast township: Mrs. Tenliaeff: Loretta, 
the wife of J. W. Leidy. of Ben.son, Nebra.ska; 
Richard B.. of Pocatello, Idaho: Edna, also liv- 
ing in Pocatello: jMargaret A., at home: Ellen 
P., who is now in Spokane, Washington: and 
James E., deceased, ilrs. Tenhaeff was reared 
imder the parental roof and piir.sued her ediica- 
tion in Golden and in the Bushnell Normal 
School, at Bushnell, Illinois. She, too, became a 
teacher and was thiis engaged for four terms. On 
the 3d of ilareh, 1892, she gave her hand in 
marriage to I\Ir. Tenhaeff and to them have been 
born three children : Arthur E., born August 13, 
1893: Hale M.. April 25, 1895: and Ralph H., 
September 26. 1897. Mrs. Tenhaeff belongs to 
the ^Methodist Episcopal church. :Mr. Tenhaeff is 
liberal in his political views, but in mattei-s of 
citizenship relating to public progress is al- 
ways deeply interested. In his business affairs 
he is also progre.ssive and in the management of 
his asricnltural interests displays excellent abil- 
itv and foresight. 



BARNEY A. GRA:\1KE. 



Barney A. Gramke, who follows farming in 
Ellington township, was born in Quincy, Jan- 
uaiy 4, 1858, and is a son of the late John B. 
Gramke, who was a native of Germany and 
came to America when a young man of eighteen 
years. He landed at New York city and became 
a resident of Quincy in 1845. He was married 
to Miss ilaggie Niehaus, also a native of Ger- 
many and a daughter of Henrj- G. Niehaus. 
Her birth occuri*ed in 1803. The Niehaus fam- 
ily came to Ouinc.v in 1848 and soon afterward 
located in Riverside township, Adams coimt.y, 
where the father died at the age of eighty-seven 
years, 

John B. Gramke was first employed by John 
Glass in Quincy and later accepted the position 
of foreman with Thomas Redman, in which 
capacity he assisted in the building of a railroad 
in ^lissouri. Eventually he turned his attention 
to agricultural intcn-ests and with the capital he 
had ae(|uinxl through his own labors he pur- 



go2 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



chased a farm in 18()4:, it being- the present home 
of his son Barney A. Taking up his abode on 
this tract of hind lie continued its cultivation 
until his death, which occui'red June 4, 1904. 
He was a democrat in his political belief and 
was a communicant of tlie Catholic church, to 
which all his family yet adhere. Ilis wife still 
resides upon the old homestead with her seven 
children, namely: Barney A., Lizzie. ]\Iary. 
ivatie, Fanny. Joseiih F. and Caroline. 

The home f;;rm comprises eighty acres of good 
land and is now managed by Barney A. Gramke 
and his brother. It is situated about five miles 
northeast of the eonrthouse in Qnincy. Thirty- 
one acres of the land is (lc\-(it(xl to the raising of 
wheat, five aei'es tn corn, ;ind thei-e are good 
pastures whereon arc found high grades of stock. 
Everything about the jtlace is ueat and thrifty 
in appearance and indicates the careful super- 
vision of "Slv. Gramke, who is an enterprising, 
practical and progressive agriculturist. His po- 
litical supi)ort is given to the democracy. He 
has a wide ac(inaintance in Adam.s county, where 
his entire 'ife has been passed, and many of his 
warmest fi-iends are those who have known him 
from his boyhood days to the present. 



CAPTAIN ASP,IIK\' TOUT. 

Asbuiy Tout, who is living a, retired life in the 
village of Ursa, was born Decemlier 21, 1836, 
and is the son of John S. and Elizabeth ( Tatman) 
Tout. The father was born in Flemingsburg, 
Kentucky, October 18, 1806. The mother^'s 
birth occurred in that place on the 17th of 
November, 1800. They were married in lS2fi 
and came with their family to Adams county. 
Illinois in 1842, when their son. Captain Tout, 
was six years of age. They located on a farm at 
Jlarcelline, the father purchasing one hundred 
and sixty acres of land. Subsequently he sold 
that farm and rented land for a number of 
years. Later he received a deed to' forty acres 
of land east of ilarcelline from a friend whom he 
had taken care of during sickness and after sell- 
ing that place he again operated I'ented land for 
several years. He then moved to Marcelline, 
where his wife died October 25, 1887, and shortly 
afterward he took up his residence with his son 
Asbury, remaining there until his death, which 
occurred on the 9tli of Janury, 1893, and was the 
result of a cancer. Both he and his wife were 
members of the ilethodist Episcopal church and 
he also belonged to jMarcelline lodge. No. 114, A. 
F. & A. ]\I. He was a personal friend of General 
Grant. The surviving members of his family 
are: Mrs. Sarah Jane Hughev, who lives in Wm- 



nesola: I\li-s. Caroline Bennett, who is living at 
Smith Center, Smith county, Kansas; and As- 
bury, of this sketch. 

Cai^tain Tout spent the first six years of his 
life in the place of his nativity and then came 
wdth his parents to Adams county, Illinois, where 
he ac(|uii'('d his education in the public schools. 
He lived with his parents until eighteen years 
of age, when he went to IMarcelline and there 
learned the l)Iacksmith's trade, which he followed 
until his retironent from business about fourteen 
years ago, save that he served his country for 
three years in the Civil war. ITc enlisted in the 
Third Illinois Cavalry and rendered active duty 
in behalf of the Union. 

When the war was over Captain Tout returned 
to Adams county and was married here, on the 
5th of October," 1864, to Miss Margaret Craw- 
ford, a daughter of John and ]\Iary (Heaney) 
Crawford. The former was born on the 6tli of 
jrarch, 1814, and the latter on the 25th of Sep- 
tember, 1822. The father was a native of Ire- 
land and in his youth came to this country. The 
children of Mv. and Mrs. Crawford are as fol- 
lows: ]\Irs. Tout, who was born February 18, 
1845: Jane C. Davis, who was born December 6. 
1846. and is now living at IMendon, Adams 
county : ^latilda, who was born January 17, 1849, 
and lives with her father at IMendon; ]\Iary A. 
llcde'cs, who was born March 28, 1851, and died 
( (ctoher 30, 1882, leaving four children; Ed, who 
Avas Ixii'ii February 14, 1853, and resides at Rock- 
ford, Illinois; Susan, who w'as born October 3, 
1854, and is a trained nurse, living in Galesburg, 
Illinois: Thomas, who was born June 23, 1856; 
John, who was born April 6, 1858, and lives in 
IMendon ; Mrs. Sophia Battell, who was born May 
13, 1860, and resides in Galesburg, Illinois; and 
Samuel, who was born February 24, 1862, and 
lives in IMason City, Iowa. The father of these 
children has retired from active business and is 
now living in Mendon at the advanced age of 
ninety-one years, yet enjoying good health. He 
served for one year in the army, being a member 
of Company C, One Hundred and Fifty-fir.st Il- 
linois Volunteers, which he joined when nearly 
fifty yeai's of age. 

Since his m;ii'riage, Cai)tain Tout has resided 
in Mai-cellinc, and for many years he conducted 
a blacksmith shop here up to foui'teen years ago, 
when he retired from further active business 
labor. He owns a nice farm of eighty acres 
south of the town which lie rents, having had one 
tenant upon the place for twenty years, which 
fact indicates the harmonious business relation 
which ever exists between them. Captain Tout 
also owns a fine home in the town, where he and 
his wife now reside, enjoying the fruits of their 
former labor. 

In politics he is a stanch republican, believing 




MR. AND MRS. ASBURY TOUT 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



905 



firmly in the principles of the party. He has 
a wide and favorable acquaintance in the com- 
munity in which he resides, for his life has been 
upright and honorable. 



JOSEPH B. TAYLOR. 



Jo.seph B. Taylor, who is engaged in general 
merchandising in Marcelline, was born August 
19, 1869, in the county which is still his home, 
being a representative of one of its leading, prom- 
inent and honored pioneer families. His father, 
George W. Taylor, was born in this count.y, No- 
vember 12, 1848, and in 1864, when only sixteen 
yeai's of age, he responded to his country's call 
for troops and enlisted for nine months' service 
as a member of Company G. One Hundred and 
Fifty-first Illinois Infantry. Following his re- 
turn from the war he was married on the 17th of 
September, 1868, to Jliss Sarah L. Bryant, who 
was born in this county, August 14, 1848. She 
died :Mareh 28, 1897, and George W. Taylor is 
Tiow living in the Soldiers Home at Quincy, Illi- 
nois. In the family were three sons and one 
daughter, the eldest being Joseph B. of this re- 
view. The others are : Franklin P., who was 
l)orn October 8. 1882, and married Leta Barnett, 
December 24, 1904. their home being now in Mar- 
celline; Leona E., who was born February 9, 
1885, and became the wife Harvey Allen, Jan- 
uary 31, 1905, their home being in Quincy ; and 
Charles W., who was born April 16, 1888. and is 
living in Ferris, Hancock county, Illinois. 

Joseph B. Tajdor pursued his education in the 
public schools of Adams county and afterward 
worked with his father on the home farm until 
twenty years of age, when he began clerking in 
a .store at Marcelline, being thus employed from 
the 18th of February, 1890. until the 6th of Au- 
gust, 1897, during which time he gained practical 
knowledge of commercial methods. He then em- 
barked in business on his own accoiuit as a gen- 
eral merchant and has since been an active factor 
in commercial circles in Marcelline. He carries 
a large and well selected stock and has a liberal 
and growing patronage, his succe.ss being well 
merited because of his straightforward business 
methods and earnest desii-e to please his patrons. 

On the 25th of ilarch, 1897, Jlr. Taylor was 
married to Miss Belle Zora "\Yliitefield, who was 
bora March 15. 1876, in Adams county, and is a 
daughter of John W. and Nancy J. (jMcFadden) 
"V\niitefield. Her father was born in Quincy, Jan- 
uary 13, 1852, and her mother was iDorn in Mc- 
Donough coiinty, Illinois, February 2, 1852. 
They were married August 26. 1874, and the 
father became a farmer of Lima township, Adams 
county, where he carried on agricultural pur- 



suits until his death, which occurred September 
19, 1895. His widow still resides upon the home 
fai-m. ilrs. Taylor has four brothers : Joseph 
C. born January 21, 1878, was married Decem- 
ber 24, 1902. to Lou A. Selby and lives in Mar- 
celline; Robert S., born February 16, 1883; 
Charles R., born October 16, 1889 ; and William 
L.. born ^lay 27. 1892. are all living with their 
mother. 

'Sir. Taylor gives his political support to the 
democratic party and is influential in its local 
ranks. He has been chosen several times as a 
delegate to the county conventions and has served 
as justice of the peace for four years. He is a 
member of ]\Iarcelline lodge. No. 127, I. O. 0. F., 
with which he has been identified since Ai;gust 
21, 1890, and was a representative to the grand 
lodge in 1895 and 1896, He is also a member of 
Jlodern Woodmen camp. No. 6206, of Marcelline, 
and he and his wife are charter members of Mar- 
celline District Court of Honor, No. 442. Both 
are active members of the Christian church of 
Marcelline, with which Mi-. Taylor has been as- 
.sociated for eighteen years, taking an active and 
helpful part in its work. His life has been in 
strict conformity with his professions and his 
history will bear close investigation and scrutiny 
for in business and .social relations he has fol- 
lowed honorable principles. A social, genial na- 
ture has always made him popular with many 
friends. 



WALTER DICKHUT. 



Walter Dickhut, one of Keene townsliip 's most 
enterprising farmers and a breeder of registered 
Hereford cattle, was born in Adams county, in 
December, 1874. He is a son of Charles and 
Kate (Schemer) Dickhut. the foi-mer born Jan- 
uary 5, 1847, and the latter on the 22d of Feb- 
ruary, 1850. For many years the father was 
identified with agricultural interests in this 
county but is now living a retired life, making 
his home in Coatsburg. 

]\lr. Dickhut of this review pursued his educa- 
tion in the public schools of Adams county and 
afterward engaged in farming and dealing in 
stock in connection with his father, and when he 
had attained his ma.jority he .started out in busi- 
ness on his own account in the same way. He 
has prospered as the years have gone by and is 
to-day the owner of valuable property in Illi- 
nois. He has two hundred and seventy acres of 
fine land on sections 11, 14 and 15. Keene town- 
ship, the home being situated on section 14, but 
he now rents his farm. 

The fields are well tilled, bringing him rich 
harvests, and there are good buildings upon the 



go6 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



place, funiishiug aiiii)h.' shelter for grain and 
stock. His farm is one of the attractive features 
of landscape because of its neat and well-kept 
appearance. He makes a specialty of raising 
stock, buying, feeding and selling cattle, and he 
has on his place a fine herd of registered Here- 
fords and one hundred and sixty-seven head of 
Angora . goats. He owned two hundred and 
twenty acres of land in Hancock county at one 
time but sold that property in 1903 and pur- 
chased his present farm. 

On the 22d of Dccemlicr, l.Sl)8. .^Ir. Dickhut 
was married to Hiss llattie ^lc(jill, who was born 
in Hancock county. Illinois, near Bowen, Octo- 
ber 12, 1878, and is a daughter of Clayton W. 
and Sophrouia A. (Gay) McGfill. Pier father, 
who was born December 18, 1842, died on the 
10th of June, 1895. Her mother, whose birth 
occurred. May 7. 1850, is now living in Bowen. 
Both Mr. and Mt-s. Dickliut have a wide ac- 
iiuaintanee in Adams county and enjoy the un- 
(pTalitied esteem of numy friends. She is a hand- 
some and accomplished lady and quite a iini- 
sician. He votes with the republican party Init 
has never been an aspirant for office. He be- 
longs to the Odd Fellows lodge at Bowen, Illi- 
nois, and is also a memliei' of ilodern Woodmen 
camp. No. 1014, at Bowen. while he and his wife 
ai'e connected with the Uebekah degree of Odd 
Fellows, belonging \o lodge Xo. 507 at Bowen. 
Their home is located near Loraine. Mr. Diek- 
liut, realizing that energy and perseverance con- 
stitute the basis of all sucei-ss, has worked stead- 
ily on year after year and has gained a place 
among the l(>ading, influential and prosperous 
farmers and stock-raisers of his township. 



CHARLES L. KKAHER. 

('harles L. Kraber. a well known and leading 
citizen of Ellington township, who is now retired 
from active farm life, was boi'u in Columbia, 
Pennsylvania, December 18,1835, his father being 
Augustus Kraber, whose birth occi;rred in York, 
Pennsylvania, in 1809. After arriving at years 
of maturity he married Henrietta Kendall, who 
was born in New Jersey and whose mother eoolsed 
for the soldiers during the Revolutionary war. 
while her husband did active <liity in the Held in 
behalf of the cause of liberty. Augustus Kra- 
ber was a carpenter by oeeiipalion. Removing to 
the west, in 183G, he established his home in 
Quincy and here he assisted in the building of the 
old Quincy House, the old court house, the flats 
on Elm street and other early buildings of the 
city. He also eniliarked in the lumber trade in 
connection with Porter Smith but in 1850 he dis- 



posed of his interests in Quincy and located upon 
a farm on section 20, Ellington township, having 
piu'chased one hundred and eighty acres of land, 
which he at once began to cultivate and improve, 
transforming it into a good farm property. 
He died here at the age of sixty-nine years. In 
his ])olitical views he was a republican, stanehly 
advocating the principles of the party. In relig- 
ious faith he was a Congregationalist and was one 
of the leading temperance workers of Illinois. 
In fact his life was devoted to the affluence of all 
those cau.ses which tend to uplift hunuuiity and 
further the moral development of the race. He 
was a worthy pioneer citizen and conti'ilnited to 
a great measure in the early improvement of 
<;)lliiiey and to tile development of ;igl'ieultural 
illtiM'ests ill the eoiuity. 

Charles L. Kraber is one of a family of eight 
eliildi-en of whom only two are living. His 
brother, William A. Kraber, occupied a farm ad- 
joining his own home. William A. Kraber was 
born in Quincy. February 15, 1845. and was 
united in marriage to Martha Hunter, of Elling- 
ton township, this county. They have five chil- 
dren : (ieoi-ge F., Harry, Frank J., Edgar K., and 
Ileni-ietta K. His farm compri.ses seventy acres of 
land whicli he has placed under a high state of 
cultivation and he is well known as a progressive 
and reliable agriculturist. 

Charles L. Kraber was brought to Illinois by 
his ]iai"ents when only seventeen months old, the 
trip fi-oHi Pennsylvania being made by boat down 
the Ohio and up the Mississippi rivers. He at- 
tended school in Quincy and supplemented his 
early educational privileges by two-years' study 
near Foi-t ]\ladisou, Iowa, at Denmark Academy. 
He has resided continuously upon his present 
farm since 1850, covering a period of fifty-five 
years, but has not engaged in the active operation 
of the fields foi' twenty years, living retii'ed dui'- 
ing this period and leaving the work of the farm 
to others. The liome place comprises forty acres 

and 1 wns altogether one hundred and twenty 

aei-es ill Klliiietoii township. He also has prop- 
erty 111 (^>iiiiiey which brings him a good rental. 
In his political aftiliation Mr. Kraber is a republi- 
can and has served as clerk of his township and 
as school director. He is always interested in 
I'very iiioveiiieiil for the general good and has co- 
operated ill many measures which have advanced 
the public welfare. ;\Ir. Kraber has recently pre- 
pared an article upon the "Old Stone House," 
which a]ipeared in one of the Quincy papers. He 
says "it once sheltered a pioneer of tlie earlies, 
a character in days gone by with something of a 
history. The old stone house dates way back to 
the "•'i(fs. Henry Jacobs, from Virginia, was the 
builder and owner. He settled there, in 1829. 
He and a John Wood l)ought the land together 
and when they divided it they cut the patent 





MR. AND MRS. AUGUSTUS KRABER 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



909 



paper into two pieces and each man took a part, 
and when they wanted to refer to it had to put 
the pieces together to read it. They had no deed 
but thought they had good law for what they did. 
Jacobs must have built the house S(jmewhere be- 
tween 1839 and 1844, getting the stone from the 
quarry on the creek north of the place. He was 
a blacksmith and had a shop near the hoiise, be- 
sides doing some farming. This house stood in 
a large grove of peach trees. The lumber in those 
days in the locality came from the Illinois river, 
hauled across country. In 1850, Mr. Jacobs' 
widow, daughter and son still lived in the stone 
house. Later a Mr. Her had married the widow 
and died. The widow and daughter not long af- 
ter moved to Iowa, and the son. Allan Jacobs, 
married and moved back to Virginia. The stone 
house and farm passed through several hands, the 
present owner being our townsman, Frederic 
Altenhein. The house is two stories and a cellar 
and is near Jacobs' well and about six miles 
northeast of Quincy. It has been unoccupied for 
several years except by tramps, swallows and 
bats." The old stone house, however, still stands 
in its dilapidated condition, a mute reminder of 
the pioneer times. One other incident which ]\Ir. 
Kraber give in the same article is m' orthy of repre- 
sentation. He says "Wlien Jacobs lived in the 
stone house his family depended for the supply 
of water from a spring in the road near by at the 
head of a descending ravine. There was not 
much water but it was never dry. Later, years 
after Jacob 's death, the town officers determined 
to dig the spring deeper for public use. When 
the work was done the person in charge reported 
to the town meeting that he 'had dug a well with 
a wonderful flow of water, having dug it fourteen 
feet and had seventeen feet of water. ' ' It caused 
a smile all around but was literally triie as any 
one can see at the present time by visiting the 
W'ell. It furnishes water to the coimtry around 
for miles in a dry season. It is called 'Jacobs 
weir to-dav. 



SA:\rrEL b. turner. 



Samuel B. Turner, living on section 19. Elling- 
ton township, is still actively engaged in farming 
although almost eighty years of age, and si;ch a 
career should put to shame many a man of much 
younger years, who grown weary of the struggles 
and burdens of a bu.siness life would relegate to 
others the work that he should do. Mr. Turner 
commands tlie respect and confidence of all who 
know him and this woi'k would be incomplete 
without the reeoi'd of his life. 

He was born in Gardner. Massachusetts. Sep- 



tember (i, 1825, and is a representative of one 
of the oldest families of :\Iassaclinsetts. He is 
descended from one of three brothers who came 
from England to America at a very early period 
in the settlement of the new world. His grand- 
father was E. Tui-ner and his father Avery Tur- 
ner, both natives of iMassachusetts and now de- 
ceased. The latter was reared on a farm in the 
old Bay state and was there united in marriage 
to Miss Hannah Baker, who was also born in 
jMassachusetts. They started for Illinois in 1834, 
driving by team across the country. They were 
eleven weeks in making the journey, visiting a 
part of the time and reaching Quincy December 
25, 1834. Roads were often bad and streams had 
to be forded. Settlements were widely scattered 
and often they traveled for miles without seeing 
any house or other evidence of settlement. In 
1835 the father removed to a farm on section 19, 
Ellington township, settling on laud which had 
been entered by his brother, the Rev. Asa Tur- 
ner. He had three brothers here. Rev. Asa Tur- 
ner being the first Congregational minister of 
Quincy. He was a home missionary and rode all 
over "this part of the country on horseback, 
preaching the gospel in the pioneer settlements. 
Jonathan Turner was a professor in Jacksonville 
College for a long period at an early day. Ed- 
ward Turner was a business man and later en- 
gaged in stock dealing. Avery Turner, develop- 
ing a good farm, continued to reside upon the old 
homestead up to the time of his death, which oc- 
curred when he was seventy-six years of age. 
He was original ly a whig and afterward a repub- 
lican. He had six children, of whom three are 
living: Samuel: Susan, a resident of California; 
and Otis A., of Quincy. The deceased are Ed- 
ward, Eliza A. and Asa, who were the first, third 
and fourth members of the family, respectively. 

Samuel B. Tui'ner was reared upon the home 
farm and attended the public schools. The first 
house upon the place was erected in 1835 and 
was a two-room frame structure. The second 
house, built of brick in 1840, is still standing, 
while the present residence occupied by Samuel 
B. Turner is a two-story brick and wa.s built in 
1852. That was the year in which he was mar- 
ried, the lady of his choice being Miss Catherine 
Savage, who died at the age of seventy-three 
years. Thev had three children, namely: Wil- 
liam S.. Charles E. and Mary E. William S. is 
an electrician living in New York city, though 
he spent three years in New Zealand, where he 
was in charge of a street railway. He married 
Helen Sewell and they have two children. Cath- 
erine and Edmond. 

Mr. Turner was reared amid the wild scenes 
of pioneer life and shared in the arduous task 
of developing a, new farm. He joined in the 
ini]irovement that was made and has carried for- 



gio 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



ward tlu' fann work in au eiiterprisintj niaiiiier 
throiighout his entire life, usiug tlie latest ini- 
jn-oved machinery and adding all modern equip- 
ments. Although now eighty years of age he is 
still able to pitch a load of hay. Nature is kind 
to those who do not abuse her laws, and llr. 
Turn(>r has never done so. so that he still enjoys 
good health. His farm is situated four miles 
northeast of the courthouse in yuiney and con- 
tains one hundred and twenty acres of good land, 
devoted to the raising of grain, hay and stock. 
He has a nice home and well kept grounds and 
the place is attractive in ajipearance. forming 
one of the pleasing features of the landseape. 
His political views accord with republican jirin- 
ciples and his religious faith is indicated by his 
membershin in the Presbvterian church. 



DE LAFAYETTE .Ml'SSKL.MAN. .IK. 

De Lafayette ]\Iusselman. Jr., secretary and 
treasurer of the Gem City Business Collei;i', of 
Qniney, and the manager of the D. Ij. .Mussel- 
man Publishini;- Company, was born in (,)uinev, 
Jlarch :n. ]S7ll, a son of De Lafayette and Mary 
M. (JIcDavitt) .Miissplman. The father, born 
April 21, 1S4"J, is a native of Fulton county, Illi- 
nois, whence he removed to Quijicy, and in lSfi2 
he enlisted in the Eighty-fifth Illinois Infantry. 
He was elected orderly sergeant of his company, 
soon afterward was appointed lieutenant and 
finally became commander of the company and 
eventually was commissioned raptain. In 187(1 
he became jiroprietor of the (icni ('ity P>usiness 
College and at the pi'esent time is ])resiilent. 
Uuto him and his wife were born three sons antl 
a daughter. De Lafayette is the eldest son. 

Entering the primary grades of the jjublie 
school, De Lafayette ]\Lisselman, Jr., continued 
his studies until he had become a high school 
student. He afterward entei'ed the Shattuck 
^Military College, at Faribault, ilinnesota, 
where he s])iMit a year and at the age of .seven- 
teen he won the honors in the class of English 
literature. lie then returned to Quincy and 
pursued a two years' course in the Gem City 
Husincss College, mastering the branches of the 
comiiiereial and shoi'thand courses. He was 
graduated ^May 20, 189S. and won the degree of 
nuister of accounts. 

Mr. ]\Tusseliiuin had cluirge of the L. E. Water- 
man fountain ])en exhibit of New York city at 
the Trans-ilississippi E.xposition at Omaha, and 
in 1898 he came to the college as an assistant 
teacher in the school, acting in that capacity 
for two years, after which, he being then twen- 
ty-one years of ace. was elected secretary of the 
college, to succeed W. T. Dwire, who resigned. 



A year later i\Ir. ]Musselmau was chosen both 
seci'etary and treasurer, which is still his official 
connection with the school. 

On the 1st of October, 1902, iu connection 
with W. E. White and J. H. Grafton, he pur- 
chased the ]\Iusselman Building, which was 
erected in 1893, at a cost of one hundred thou- 
sand dollars. The Gem City Business College 
uses foiu- entire floors of the Musselmau Build- 
ing for study, recitation rooms, lecture rooms 
and college offices. The college has had phenom- 
enal growth ever since its establishment in 1870. 
having doubled its attendance during the past 
ten years until it now has an annual enrollment 
of nearly fifteen hundred students. 

Mr. Musselman is also the manager of the D. 
L. ^Iiisselman Publishing Company, of Quincy. 
of which he was one of the organizers. I'his 
company furnishes commercial text-books, books, 
pens and supplies of all kinds required by com- 
mercial schools, and does an extensive business, 
covering the entire United States. A large num- 
ber of orders come from all the English speak- 
ing nations. 

^h: Musselman is a member of Lambert lodge. 
No. 659, A. F. & A. M., Quincy chapter of Royal 
Arch ]\Iasons, El Aksa commandeiw. No. o."), K. 
T., a thirty-second degree ]\Iason of the Quincy 
consistory and ]\Iedinali Temple of the ^lystic 
Shrine, at Chicago. He is likewise a nu'mber of 
the Quincy Country Club and secretaiy of the 
Quincy Osaukee Club for the year 190.'). He lie- 
longs to the Vermont street Methodist Episi-opal 
church. His iiolitical support is given to the 
re|uililican party. His own career is a criterion 
of the work of the school and its practical busi- 
ness training. Altlioni.:li a young man he is ve- 
garded as one of the hading representative busi- 
ness men of the city, po.ssessed of a large share 
of that enterprise and keen discernment which 
liave led to the rapid and substantial u])bnil(ling 
of till' middle wfst. 



.\LBERT II. SOIi.M, D. D. S. 

Di'. Albert H. Sohm, although a member of the 
dental fraternity of Quincy for only a brief pe- 
riod, has already attained success that many au 
oldc^i- ]>i-;ictitioner might well envy and his ability 
and ambition are such as iusui'e further advance- 
ment. He was born in this city. August 14. 
1880, and is of German lineage, his grandfather 
having come from Gernumy to America in the 
'30s. He was engaged in the grocery business 
in Quincy at an early day. His father, Edward 
Sohm, was bfirn in Quincy, in 1842, and is now 
engaged in the glass and chiuaware biisiness in 
this city. In early life he engaged in teaching 




D. L. MUSSELMAN, JR. 



i'AS r AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



913 



school but for mauj- years has been eoiinei-ted 
with the crockery business, and is now the senior 
member of the firm of Sohm, Ricker & Wiesen- 
horn. He married Barbara Ilelmer and they 
are the parents of five living children, namely : 
William, who married ]\liss Rose Granacher and 
resides in Qnincy ; Edward, at home ; Albert H. ; 
Theresa, the wife of Clarence Brockmann, a resi- 
dent of Jlount Sterlin-;', Illinois; and Catherine, 
the wife of Theodore Heideman. of Qnincy. 
They also lost two children. 

Dr. Sohm acquired his preliminary education 
in the parochial schools of his native city and 
afterward attended St. Francis College, from 
which he was graduated with the class of 1898. 
He then entered the Union Business College and 
was graduated from the National Business Col- 
lege with the class of 1900. He took up the 
study of dentistry iinder Dr. Buehner, with whom 
he remained for two years, and then entered 
Washington University, at St. Louis, where he 
was a student for three years. He had studied 
dentistry while attending St. Francis College and 
the Business College and at Washington Univer- 
sitj' he took a medical course, continuing his 
studies in that line to within six months of grad- 
uation. In April, 1903, having completed his 
course in dentistry, he opened an office for prac- 
tice in Qnincy, at No. 523yo Maine street, which 
has since been his place of location. He became 
the successor of Dr. Hug and has a large and 
gi'owiug practice for which his practical work 
with Dr. Buehner, as well as his college training, 
well fitted him. 

Dr. Sohm is a member of the Benevolent & 
Protective Order of Elks and also belongs to St. 
Boniface Catholic church, while in his political 
views he is an earnest republican. 



WILLIAM FRANKLIN HARRIS. 

William Franklin Hai-ris, now farming on sec- 
tion 27, Payson township, was born ]\Iay 16, 
1866, in the house where he now resides, his pa- 
rents being Franklin and Emily L. (Shaw) Har- 
ris. His father, who was born in W>-the county, 
Virginia, September 12, 1823, was brought to Illi- 
nois by his parents, who settled in Richtield. in 
1830, living in a log cabin. Franklin was reared 
amid the wild scenes of frontier life, sharing 
with the family in the hardships and privations 
which always come to the pioneer. His educa- 
tional privileges were limited to the meagre ad- 
vantages afforded by the district schools but in 
the school of expei'ience he afterward learned 
valuable lessons and by reading he kept well in- 
formed on the questions of general interest of 
the day. After his marriage he purchased a 



farm west and south of Plainville and there re- 
mained until he purchased the southwest ([uarter 
of section 27, Payson township, on which he re- 
sided at the time of his death. A number of 
years after, however, he bought a nice homestead 
in Plainville on section 23 and lived there until 
the fall of 1902, when he returned to the home 
farm, living with his son William P. Harris i;ntil 
he passed away, December 12. 1902. While in 
Plainville he engaged in merchandising for a 
number of years and afterward lived retired 
until called to his final rest. In 1854 he became 
a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and 
was a devoted Christian man. He was also an 
exemplary member of the Masonic fraternity 
and became a charter member of Adams lodge, 
No. 529, A. F. & A. M., at Plainville. One who 
knew him well said of him: "He was faithful 
and true in all the relations of life, a good hus- 
band, a noble father, an honored citizen, a 
brother well beloved in the Masonic order, a pil- 
lar in the house of God, a man esteemed by all 
who knew him." 

Franklin Harris was married on the 18th of 
May, 1848, to Miss Emily L. Shaw, a daughter 
of Daniel and Hepsibeth (Eastwood) Shaw. Her 
father, who was born September 2, 1784, died 
July 16, 1843, and his wife, who was born j\Iareh 
23, 1786, died January 15, 1855. They were 
married September 4, 1805, and were early set- 
tlers of Pike county, living near Barry. They 
were the parents of sixteen children : Mary, who 
was born July 26, 1806, and died January 25, 
1853; William, born October 3, 1807, and died 
October 27, 1807 ; Sarah, who was born and died 
June 10, 1808 ; William H., born April 22, 1809, 
and died Jxme 21, 1823; Sallie A., born April 
18, 1811, and died September 11, 1835; Daniel 
A., born July 21, 1813; Matilda, born January 
13, 1815; James, born January 12, 1816. and 
died February 4. 1816; John, who was born De- 
cember 15, 1816 and died October 11, 1818 ; Ly- 
dia, born February 25, 1818, and died March 16, 
1818 ; a daughter, who was born June 24, 1819, 
and died the following day; John R., who was 
born ]\Iay 4, 1820, and died December 7, 1826; 
Betsy Jane, born June 7, 1822, and died April 2, 
1902 ; a son. who was born and died jMarch 25, 
1826; Emily Lueinda, born March 5, 1827; and 
Rebecca, who was born November 15, 1829. and 
(lied January 17, 1830. 

William F. Harris was educated in the public 
schools of Plainville and in Chaddock College, 
whei'e he pursued a literary course. Following 
the completion of his education he conducted a 
store in Plainville for five years and then sold out 
to Thomas Baker but continued to reside in Plain- 
ville for two years, canvassing for musical in- 
struments for Hardin Forgy. In JIarch, 1891, 



914 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



he took up his abode iiixiu tlie old home fami, 
where he has since lived and he is now the owner 
of one hundred and sixty acres, constituting the 
southwest quarter of section 27. The place is 
neat and thrifty iu appearance, owing to his 
careful supervision, jiractical methods and the 
modern improvements which he has placed 
thereon. 

^Ii'. Harris was married, November 8, 1887, to 
]^liss Eva L. Cane, a daughter of Sachavrell and 
Nanc>- (Beaver) Cane, who lived in Morgan 
county, ten miles noi'th of Jacksonville. Her 
father was born in Canada of Scotch parentage 
and the Beavers were of English descent. Mrs. 
Harris, who was born June 23, 1870, was edu- 
cated in Plainville and by her marriage has be- 
come the mother of si.x children, of whom four 
are living: Clai-ence A., liorn September 30, 
ISSS; Lui'a Emily, horn August 5, 1890; 
Annie i\Iay, born November 22, 1892 ; Cecil 
Dove, who was born June 1, 1893, and died the 
same day, I'ranklin Hardin, who was born 
IMarch 7, 1894. and died the following day; and 
Edith Marie, born September 23, 1900. The 
three oldest children are attending school. 

]Mr. and j\lrs. Harris are members of the ]\Iis- 
sionary Baptist church of Plainville and he is a 
I'cpublican iii his political views. He also be- 
longs to the Odd Fellows lodge of Plainville, of 
which he is secretary and a past noble grand, 
and he has twice been its representative to the 
grand lodge. Pie also belongs to the Modei-n 
Woodmen camp. No. 1116, of Plainville, and he 
and his wife are connected with the Plainville 
Daughters of Rebekah lodge. No. 311. The fam- 
ily takes very activ(> interest in religious work. 
The children ai-e all members of the Missionary 
Bapti.st church. .Mr. Harris' mother is a member 
of the Methodist Episcopal church and she is also 
connected with the Plainville lodge and also the 
Woman's Relief corps. The family is one of 
prominence in this part of the county and their 
iiiHuence is ever for good and for social, intel- 
leetual and moi'al progi-ess. 



GEORGE ERTEL. 

This is a utilitarian age in which marked 
advancement has been made in those great de- 
partments of labor which have resulted bene- 
ficially for the majority of mankind. The 
spirit of invention has been dominant, and no 
country has made as rapid progress in giving 
to the world invention of practical benefit as has 
America. In this connection Mr. Ertel deserves 
distinctive mention, being one of the leading in- 
ventors and manufacturers of the great Missis- 
sippi valley. He was president of the George 
Ertel Company, manufacturers of hay presses, 



baling machinery, incubators, brooders, etc., and 
he secured the patent right on most of these de- 
vices. 

Mr. Ertel was born in Germany, April 10, 
1830. His parents were well-to-do and spent 
their entire lives in the fatherland, both pass- 
ing away during the youth ot their sou. In the 
common schools of his native country Geoi'ge 
Ertel acquired his echication, but at the age of 
thirteen years he ran away from home and be- 
gan learning the trade of cabinetmaking. He 
worked for several years in different cities in the 
manufacture of furniture, but, on the advice of 
a younger brother, who was then located in Penn- 
sylvania, he decided to try his fortune in Amer- 
ica, and in 1854 crossed the Atlantic accompa- 
nied by his widowed mother, an elder brother 
and a younger sister. They took passage at 
Havre, Prance, upon a sailing vessel, which after 
four weeks reached the liarbor of New York. 

George Ertel then made a location in the state 
of New York, securing employment at furniture- 
making iu Elmira on the 18th of June of that 
year, but the following year he removed to Wil- 
liamsport, Pennsylvania, being engaged at cabi- 
netmaking in that town and in different locali- 
ties in the Keystone state. He continued a resi- 
dent of Williamsport iiutil May, 1856, when, 
thinking that he would have better business op- 
portunities in the new but rapidly-growing west, 
he came to Quincy, where he was employed at 
cabinetmaking for three years. He then removed 
to the village of Liberty, where he opened a 
small fttrniture store. It was about this time 
that he began to figure upon patent rights. The 
hay press had already been patented, and Mr. 
Ertel had invented and patented his first baling 
press, which he manufactured in connection 
with the condtict of his furniture business in 
Liberty. In many important features his hay 
press was an improvement on anything previ- 
otisly introduced and it attracted more than ordi- 
nary attention. At that time a hay press was 
practically unknown, there being but one or 
two machines on the market and these were 
quite imperfect. As there was no railroad at 
Liberty, he returned to Quincy in 1868 and com- 
menced the manufacture of baling machinery, 
exclusively, in a small shop where the present 
extensive works are located. A company was 
formed known as the George Ertel Company, 
and the business has since been conducted under 
that name. In extent and importance the busi- 
ness grew very rapidly, and new styles of baling 
presses were introduced from time to time until 
Mr. Ertel conducted one of the largest and most 
important plants iu this line of business in 
the entire country. The demand covered every 
state and extended to Canada, Mexico and 
all other countries where baling maehinerv is 




GEORGE ERTEL 



PAST AND PRESKX'l' OF ADA.MS COUNTY. 



917 



used. The expansion of the business was con- 
tinuous and gratifying and the manufacturing 
plant became one of the leading productive in- 
dustries of Quincy. Early in 1893 Mr. Ertel in- 
vented and patented a complete line of incuba- 
tors and brooders, and this branch of the busi- 
ness became one of its important features. In 
December, 1893, the entire business was incor- 
porated under the name of the George Ertel 
Company, Mr. Ertel being chosen as its presi- 
dent, in which capacity he has served continu- 
ously up to the time of his demise, covering a 
period of about nine years, his death occurring 
February 16, 1902. He possessed marked me- 
chanical ingenuity and superior skill along me- 
chanical lines, and from a small beginning he 
developed an enterprise of considerable magni- 
tude, it becoming a leading industrial concern 
and one which proved a gratifying soi;rce of 
profit to the stoekholdei's. The George Ertel 
Company plant is now located at No. 515 to 523 
Kentuclry- street, and a son, Charles M. Ertel, 
is now president, while Mrs. Ertel, his mother, 
o^vns the controlling interest in the business. A 
large force of workmen is employed and the out- 
put of the plant is extensive. 

Mr. Ertel was married in "Williamsport, Penn- 
sylvania, to Miss Eva Elizabeth Gardner, a na- 
tive of Germany, born September 10, 1838, at 
Newburg-on-the-Rhine, Bavaria, and a daughter 
of John and Barbara (Reinhart) Gardner, who 
were also natives of the fatherland, where Mr. 
Gardner conducted a large wholesale fish and 
game market for many years. By the growth of 
his bvisiness and its capable management he be- 
came very well-to-do. Eventually he crossed the 
Atlantic to America, settling in Pennsylvania, 
where he resided for a few years, and then came 
to Quincy, Illinois, where he lived retired until 
his death. His wife died in St. Louis, Missouri. 
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Ertel was born one child, 
Charles M., whose birth occurred September 18, 
1864. He married Odelia Morell, and they have 
four children : Elsie, Pauline, Edna and Georgia 
Anna. The son upon his father's death suc- 
ceeded to the presidency of the George Ertel 
Company, and is thus actively connected with 
the management of the business. 

In his political views Mr. Ertel iisuallj^ advo- 
cated democratic principles, but at local elections, 
where no issue was involved, often cast his ballot 
independently of party ties. He never faltered 
in the support of his honest convictions and was 
always fearless in espousing a cause that he be- 
lieved to be right. In 1873 he was elected a 
member of the city council and served for two 
years, while in 1875-76 he was a member of the 
board of supervisors. ]\Iany times he was so- 
licited to become a candidate for office, but al- 
ways declined save on the two occasions men- 



tioned, in-eferring to give his undivided attention 
to his business affairs. He was a leading and in- 
liuential member of the Masonic fraternity, be- 
coming a charter member of the lodge at Liberty 
and later joining the lodge in Quincy. His life 
was characterized by successful accomplishment, 
which was the result of the development of his 
latent powers and the exercise of sound business 
judgment and unremitting diligence. He was a 
man free from ostentation or display, but he 
possessed those sterling traits of character which 
won him the respect and esteem of all classes of 
people, and when he was called to his final rest 
his death was the occasion for deep and sincere 
sorrow throughout Quincy and Adams county 
wherever he was known. Mrs. Ertel, still sur- 
viving her husband, o\\tis a beautiful home at 
No. 1261 Park Place, where she resides, and she 
also has other city property. 



0. M. SLOAN. 



C. M. Sloan, an enterprising farmer residing 
on section 4, Concord township, where he has one 
hundred and sixty acres of land, was born March 
1"-', 1846, in Greensburg, Ohio. He was a sou of 
John and Margai-et (Cummings) Sloan. The 
father was born September 26, 1813, in Lebanon, 
.Madison county, New York, and the mother's 
birth occurred in Kingston, Upper Canada, De- 
cember 31, 1811. Removing westward, John 
Sloan took up his abode in Ohio, locating at 
Greensburg when a young man. During his 
residence there he engaged in teaching school, 
also practiced law and served as justice of the 
peace and clerk of the township. In 1876 he 
removed from Ohio to Adams county, Illinois, 
settling on section 4, Concord township, where 
he purchased the farm upon which his son now 
lives, its former owner being David Bollinger. 
Upon that place he spent his remaining days, 
his attention being devoted to agricultural pur- 
suits until he laid aside active business cares. 
He died November 26, 1892, his wife having 
passed away January 25, 1882. 

C. M. Sloan was educated at Ashtabula Nor- 
mal Institute in Orwell, Ohio, and when the war 
broke out he joined a company of men called 
Squirrel Hunters, who were organized in order 
to drive back or capture General Mosby when 
he threatened an attack on Cincinnati, Ohio. At 
a later date J\Ir Sloan secured emploj-ment as a 
fai-m hand and was one day mowing grass when 
a man rode past on horseback and threw a paper 
over the fence, containing a notice of Morgan's 
raid in Ohio. Mr. Sloan immediately hung his 
scythe upon the fence, borrowed a gun and went 
to the county seat, where he obtained a hor.se 
from the livery barn and then went with a com- 



gi8 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



pam- who slarted to cheek the advance of the 
rebel general aud finally succeeded in capturing 
him at New Lisbon, Ohio. In February, 1863, 
^Ir. Sloan regularly enlisted, becoming a member 
of Company K, One Hundred and Ninety-sixth 
Ohio Infantry, M'ith which he served until Sep- 
tember IS, 1865. With this command he was in 
active duty in the south until honorably dis- 
charged after the close of the war. He was 
largely on scouting duty in the Shenandoah 
valley. 

Following the close of hostilities ^Ir. Sloan 
came to Illinois, where he has since remained. 
For several years he engaged in teaching school, 
being employed in many of the schools in Adams 
county. Since that time he has given his undi- 
vided atteiition to agricultural pui-suits aud is 
.justly regarded as one of the progressive and 
enterprising farmers of Concord township. He 
is to-day the owner of one hundred aud sixty 
acres of land on section 4, and has a well devel- 
oped property, his fields being placed under a 
high state of cultivation, w'hile the neat and 
thrifty appearance of the fann indicates his 
careful su])ervision and progressive methods. 

On the 26th of February, 1869, ]\Ir. Sloan was 
mai-ried to iliss Martha C. Bollinger, who was 
born April 16, 1851, in Concord township, Adams 
county, and is a daughter of David and Cather- 
ine (Riggs) Bollinger. The father was born in 
Claiborne county, Tennessee, ^May 28, 1811, and 
in 1828 went to Morgan county, Illinois, with 
his parents, the family home being established on 
a farm near Jacksonville. In 1829 he went to the 
Indian reservation at Osage ilission, where he 
spent seven years, and follownig his return to 
Morgan comity, Illinois, he was married on the 
5th of February, 1838, to ]Miss Catherine Riggs, 
of Jacksonville, her birth having occurred in 
Tennessee. April 4, 1818. After their mari'iage 
Mr. and ilrs. Bollinger came to Adams county, 
where he purchased the east half of the south- 
west quarter of section 4, Concord township, and 
later he bought the west half of the same quarter. 
Hei-e lie developed what is known as the Bollin- 
ger farm, which is to-day owned and occupied 
by ^h: and 31 rs. Sloan. He was highway com- 
missioner and school director for some time aud 
was interested in all that pertains to the progress 
and improvement of his locality. An earnest 
Christian man he was deeply interested in re- 
ligious and educational work and his co-opera- 
tion was always freely given for its promotion. 
In early life he became a member of the Pres- 
byterian church, while in his later years he 
joined the Regulai- Baptist church. After selling 
his farm to John Sloan he removed to Arkansas, 
spending his I'emaining days in that state and 
in Colorado. He died at Eads, Colorado, Sep- 
tember 22, 1889, his wife having died on the old 



homestead in Concord township, October 5, 
1872. They are survived by three of their chil- 
dren, namely : jMrs. JMartha C. Sloan ; R. Bollin- 
ger, a resident of Colorado ; aud J. R. Bollinger, 
who is living in New^ jMexico. 

Mr. and ]\Irs. Sloan had one child — ilyron E., 
who was born ilarch 29, 1871, and died J\Iay 11, 
1881. The parents are members of the Chris- 
tian church and are highly esteemed in the com- 
munity where they reside, ilr. Sloan gives his 
political support to the republican party and has 
served as town clerk for six years and as school 
treasurer for fifteen years. He belongs to the 
C4rand Army of the Republic and thus maintains 
pleasant relations with his comrades, who wore 
the uniform of the natinn and fought for the 
defense of the Union. 



II. M. LEWIS. 



H. M. Lewis, who is now living a retired life at 
Camp Point, but for forty years was one of the 
active and energetic farmers of Adams county, 
accumulating thirteen hundred acres of land in 
Clayton township, was also numbered among the 
pioneer residents of this part of the state, having 
established his home in the county in 1840. He 
w^as born in Jefferson county, Kentucky, August 
10, 1816. His father, Michael Lewis, who was a 
native of Russia, came to the new world when 
a lad of thirteen years. He afterward settled in 
Kentucky and was there married to iliss Eliza- 
beth Omer, a native of Pennsylvania, who was 
reared, how^ever, in the Pine Tree state and was 
a daughter of Daniel Omer. 

H. ]\I. Lewis spent his boyhood days in the 
state of his nativity, working at farm labor and 
acquiring his education in the public schools. He 
was there married to Miss Sarah Kelley, a native 
of Krntucl\y, November 26, 1838. They came to 
Illinois in 1840, settling in Clayton township, 
Adams county, where he rented a tract of land, 
on which he engaged in farming for four years. 
He then bought eighty acres of raw prairie land 
and twenty acres of timber land and, with char- 
acteristic energy, he began the development of 
his farm. This he at once broke and fenced and, 
in the course of years, productive fields returned 
him splendid harvests. As he found opportunity 
he made judicious investments until he became 
the owner of thirteen hundred acres of very valu- 
able land, all lying in Clayton township. His 
home farm comprises two hundred and forty 
acres, on which he erected a good residence and 
substantial barns and outbuildings, and, in con- 
nection with the cultivation of the cereals best 
adapted to soil and climate, he also engaged in 
the raising of fruit and stock. He continued his 




MRS. H. M. LEWIS 




H. M. LEWIS 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



923 



active farm oi>erations until 1884, when he sold 
the home place to a son and purchased a irood, 
neat residence in Camj) I'oint. Avhere he has since 
lived, retired, enjoj-ing; a rest which he has truly 
earned. 

Mr. Lewis lost his wife December 20. 1891, her 
remains being- laid to rest in the Pleasant View 
cemetery. There were twelve children by that 
marriao'e, all of whom are yet living, namely: 
Samuel K., who resides in St. Clair county, ilis- 
soTiri ; John, a resident farmer of Adams county; 
William I\I., who is engaged in the harness busi- 
ness in Arcade, Oklahoma : Henry J., of Camp 
Point: Daily C, who is a farmer of Adams 
county: Charles E., who owns and operates the 
old homestead ; Sai-ah J., the wife of Sanniel 
Manhollan, a farmer of Clayton township : Isliir- 
tlia, the wife of Robert Hoke, a farmer of C!ay- 
ton township : Susan, the wife of Richard S. 
Curry, of Camp Point ; Armenia, the wife of 
James H. Pierce, of Camp Point : Joanna, the 
wife of William X. Wisehart, of Carip Point: 
and Lizzie A., the wife of James E. Fiink, a resi- 
dent farmer of Clayton town.ship. 

Politically, Mr. Lewis is a republican. He 
gave his support to the whig party in early life, 
proudly casting his first presidential vote for 
William Henry Harrison, and he continued to 
advocate its principles until the dissolution of the 
advocate its principles until the dissolution 
of the party, when he joined the ranks of 
the new republican party. He has never sousht 
or desired office, preferring to give his imdivided 
attention to his business affairs. He holds mem- 
bership in the Christian church at Pleasant View. 
Jfr. Lewis has been very liberal with his children, 
iii\'ing all his sons ancJ danehters a good start in 
life by providing them ivith liberal educational 
jirivileges and also with the means that enabled 
them to secure homes or property interests. For 
sixty-five years a resident of the county, he is 
familiar with its history from pioneer times down 
to the present, and his memory bears the impress 
of many events which have become historical in 
connection with the annals of this part of the 
state. 



ED. F. JACOBS. 



Ed. F. Jacobs i-esides upon a farm a mile west 
of Lima, where he is engaged in general agricul- 
tural pursuits and stock-i-aising. He was born 
Aiigust 22. 1S68. in Lima, and is a son of Francis 
M. and Celatha (Crenshaw) Jacobs. He ac- 
quired hi.^ education in the public schools of 
Lima township and in the Gem City Business 
College of Quiney, and being thus well equipped 
to meet the practical duties of life he entered 



uix'ii a mercantile career in Lima, continuing in 
that business for two and one-half years. He 
then sold out and began farming. In 1897 he 
purchased eighty acres of land on section 12, 
Lima township, and he lives upon a farm owned 
by his father-in-law, comprising one hundred and 
forty acres. This he operates in connection with 
his own land, so that he is carrying on farming 
pursuits on (luite an extensive scale. His land 
is well improved, and he also raises stock of good 
grades. 

On the 7th of December, 1892, ]ilr. Jacobs 
was married to ]Miss Effie Bolt, a daughter of 
David and Nancy (Howes) Bolt of Lima. She 
was born in Adams county, ^March 14, 1870. and 
by her marriage has become the mother of two 
childi-eu : Ellett ilay, who was born ^lay 12, 
1895, and Henrv Francis, born November 30, 
1902. 

In 1892 Mr. Jacobs was elected to the posi- 
tion of collector and has also served as school 
director for several years. Since attaining his 
ma.iority he has voted for the men and measures 
of the democratic pai-ty and is deeply interested 
in its success. He belongs to Lima lodge. No. 
13.'), A. F. & A. M.. and Lima camp, No^. 2510, 
i\I. W. A. Mrs. Jacobs is a member of the Meth- 
odist Eiiiscopal church, and they have many 
friends in the community where they have al- 
ways resided, while the hospitality of the best 
homes of this locality is freelv accorded to them. 



JOHN F. PIEPER. 



The record which the American citizens hold 
in highest esteem is that of the self-made man, 
who in the course of a business career works his 
way ^^pwal•d from a himible jjosition to a com- 
manding one in the world of industrialism or 
commercialism, through methods that neither 
seek nor require disguise. Such is the life his- 
tory of John F. Pieper, who has spent his entire 
life in Qiiiucy and is now at the head of one of 
its large and successful indiistrial enterprises. 

ifr. Pieper was born here. July 2, 1854, his 
parents being Simon PI. and ilai-y (Voelker) 
Pieper. The father came from Lijii^e, German}^, 
in 1848, making his waj' direct to Quiney, where 
he worked at his trade of cabinet making for a 
time and then entered the Johnson Furniture 
Works, being employed therein until his death, 
which occurred in 1901, when he was seventy- 
four yeai's of age. His wife also passed away in 
that year. They were the parents of five children, 
of whom two are living : John F. and Lizzie, the 
latter the wife of H. Sehluetter, of Quiney. 

John F. Pieper attended the public schools un- 
til sixteen veai-s of age and afterward worked 



924 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



tis H farm hand for six years. When twenty-two 
years of age he began learning the cabinet-mak- 
er's trade with the Jansen Furniture Company, 
with whicli he continued for about four years. 
He then entered the emphty of the Joseph Kuit- 
tel Show Case Company, with whom he continued 
foi' two years, thoroughly mastering that busi- 
ness, so that in 1876, with practical experience 
and comprehensive knowledge, he entered the 
sanje line of business on his own account, in a 
small way. licing located on Maine street, be- 
tween Fifth and Sixth streets. There he re- 
mained for three years and the business gradu- 
ally expanded until within that time he was em- 
ploying ten men. Finding it necessary to seek 
more connnodious quartei's in order to meet the 
increasing demands of his ti'ade, in 1879 he re- 
moved to Maine street lietween Third and Fourth 
streets and increased the number of his employes 
three-fold. The business at this time was con- 
ducted under the firm style of J. F. Pieper & 
Company, H. C. Pieper having been admitted to 
a partnership. This was continued until 1888, 
when the business was incorporated under the 
name of the Quinc.y Show Case Works, with Jlr. 
Pieper as president of the ctmipany and his part- 
ner as secretary and treasurer. In 1884 they 
removed to 28 Maine street, in a building sixty- 
four by one hundred and eighty feet and four 
stories in height, and here employment is fur- 
nished to one hundred and fourteen men. They 
manufacture all kinds of show cases and store 
fixtures and thus from a small beginning the busi- 
ness has been developed to extensive proportions 
with a large annual output of their product and 
a good financial return. Mr. Pieper is also a 
stockholder in the Michelman Boiler Works of 
Quincy, and has made for himself a favorable 
and envialile position in trade circles here, 
while his laltors have been of a character 
that have furnished general px-osperity as well as 
his individual success. 

Mr. Pieper was married to Isl'ms Louisa Erke, 
a daughter of Frank Erke, a farmer of Liberty 
township. Adams county, and one of the early 
settlers. Plis death occurred in 1899 and his wife 
passed away in 1897. Mr. and Mrs. Pieper were 
married in 1880 and they had five children, of 
whom one is deceased. The others are: Henry 
F., twenty-three years of age, connected with his 
father in business : Ida and Clara, at home ; and 
Fi-auk, who is attending the Gem City Business 
College. One daughter. Bertha, died at the agi- 
of four years. 

Fraternally Mr. Pieper is coinieeted with the 
^Modern Woodmen of America, the jMutual Aid 
Society and the Knights of the Maccabees. He 
belongs to tlir Salem Evangelical German 
church, at Xiiilli and State streets, and 
is also a dire tor in tlu- Younu' ]\Ien's Christian 



Association. In his political views he is a repub- 
lican, but has had neither time nor desire to seek 
political preferment as a reward for party feal- 
ty-, preferring to concentrate his energies upon 
his business interests. There has been no esoteric 
phase in his career, but a persistency of purpose 
whii/h has overcome obstacles and surmounted 
difficulties. As the architect of his own fortunes 
he has bnilded wiselv and well. 



MRS. MARY RICE. 



Mi's. Mary Rice, whose home is on section 27, 
Houston tov.-nship, where she owns an excellent 
farm of one hundred and thirty acres, is a na- 
tive of Westnioi'eland county, Pennsylvania, born 
Ajiril 17, 183(), her parents being Jacob and Han- 
nah (Kelly) Davidson. Her paternal grand- 
father was also named Jacob Davidson and her 
maternal gran(Kather was a Mr. Kelly. Both 
were of English lineage. Her great-grandfather 
was a minister of the Presbyterian church. Her 
mother was born in Westmoreland county, 
Pennsylvania, March 12, 1816. 

During the eai-ly girlhood of their daughter, 
Mary. Jacob and Hannah Davidson removed to 
Fayette county. Pennsylvania, where the daugh- 
ter was i-eared and made her home until after 
hei- marriage. In 1854 she became the wife of 
Jolui Rice, who was born in Payette county, 
Pennsylvania, December 2S, 1828, and was of 
French aiKl German descent. He pui'sued his 
education in the public schools of his native state 
and was engaged in merchandising in Pennsyl- 
vania, after attaining his majority. In the spring 
of 1855 he came with his wife to Illinois, they 
making the .iourney down the Ohio and up the 
Mississippi rivers to Quincy, Illinois, and thence 
in a box car to Camp Point. They located in 
Houston to\\nshi)i, where Mr. Rice carried on 
general farmins' until his death. In 1858 they 
took up their abode on the farm which is now the 
hiime of Mrs. Rice, and Mr. Rice devoted his en- 
ergies to its furthei" development and improve- 
ment until his life's labors were ended on the 3d 
of Octobei-, 189.3. 

In his busj;iess affairs he was energetic and 
determined, resolute and persevering, and the 
success which he enjoyed was all gained through 
his iiwn eiTorts. In community affairs he was 
|)i-oniinent and he favored every movement and 
measure for the public good. He served as a 
school ti-ustoe and also school director and the 
cause of public education found in him a warm 
friend. He was loyal to his friends, devoted to 
his family, aii'i honorable in all business transac- 
tions and thus he left to his children an untarn- 
ished name. His political allegiance was given 
to the democracv and he served his fellow towns- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



925 



men as supi'i'visL.i' for twn tiM'ins and as assessm' 
for several terms. 

Uuto j\Ir. and Airs. Rice Avere born eight chil- 
dren. Theresa Ann, who was born March 7, 
1856, is the wife of Samiiel J. Nevins and lives 
in California; Hannah F., born November 20, 
1858, is the wife of John Doreh and lives in 
Hancock county, Illinois ; Lydia May, who was 
born November 29, 1860, is the wife of "William 
Bruffy and resides in Golden ; Cyrus D., who 
was born June 21. 1863, married ]\Iagg'ie Hurdle, 
their home being in Hancock county ; Bi-yttie, 
who was born November 7, 1865, became the 
wife of Edgar R. Strickler, a resident of Missouri, 
but she died January 16, 1902, leaving four 
daughters; Lawrence M., born September 15, 
1869, is at home; George H., who was born Sep- 
tember 21, 1872, married Myrtle Sammous, their 
home being in Houston township ; Arthur W., 
who was born February 26, 1875, is living at 
liome. Tlic two sons at home are opertaing the 
farm for tlieir mother. They are democrats in 
their political faith and both George and Law- 
rence are members of the Masonic fraternity, 
while Ai-thur is identified with the Odd Fellows 
lodge at Golden. The last named practically has 
charge of the farm and is engaged in the culti- 
vation of the fields and the raising of stock, both 
branches of the business returning a good in- 
come. The fai'm comprises one hundred and thir- 
ty acres of lich and arable land, which is pleas- 
antly and conveniently located within four and a 
half miles of Golden, and is situated on sections 
22 and 27. Houston township. 

Mrs. Rice is a member of the United Brethren 
church. She has lived U])iin the old home farm 
since 1858 and has been a resident of the county 
for a half century, during which time a wonder- 
ful transformation has been wrought here in all 
the lines of business activity. She can recall 
many scenes and incidents of pioneer times and 
her memory forms a connecting link between the 
past, with its lack of improvements, and the pro- 
gressive present, when all sections of the county 
show everv indication of an advanced civilization. 



SA]\HTEL N. COOK. 



Sanmel N. Cook, a prosperous and prominent 
farmer of Ellington township, living on section 
29, was born in London, England, December 25, 
1844, and is a son of John and Ann (Reynard) 
Cook, also nati\"es of England, the former born 
January 13, 1802. the latter IMarch 4, 1814. The 
father engaged in gardening in his native land 
and in 1845 he bade adieu to his friends and na- 
tive counti'y and sailed with his family to Amer- 
ica. He located in Adams county and the fol- 
lowing year he purchased forty acres of land now 



owned by Harris Cook, joining the land of Sam- 
uel N. Cook on the south. He farmed there until 
his death, which occurred September 16, 1876. 
He was one of the worthy pioneer residents of 
the county and died respected by all who knew 
him. In his family were seven children: 
James II., now deceased, who served for three 
years in the Civil war as a member of the One 
Hundred and Nineteeth Illinois Infantry; Rey- 
nard, of Quincy, who for three years served as 
captain in the Third Wisconsin Infantry; John, 
a member of a publishing company of New Yoi'k 
city ; Mrs. Anna Smith, of Kansas : Samuel N. ; 
Harris, who is on the home farm ; and ]Mrs. Re- 
becca Haynes. 

Samuel N. Cook was only six weeks old when 
his parents came to the United States. He was 
reared and educated in Adams county, no event 
of special importance occurring to vai'y the 
routine of far)n life for him in his youth. He 
continued to reside upon the home farm until 
1881, when he purchased forty acres where he 
now resides. Here he raises corn and stock, some 
of his land being devoted to pasturage, and he 
has good grades of cattle and hogs. He also 
owns eighty acres about a mile from his home 
place, devoted to general farming, and twenty 
acres of timber land. 

On January 28, 1875, Mr. Cook married Miss 
Martha Powell, who was born in Ellington town- 
ship, September 16 1848, a daughter of John 
Powell, who was born in Kent county, Delaware, 
June 13, 1802, and was a son of Mark Powell, of 
Delaware. His father was a native of England. 
John Powell wedded Mary Lewis, who was born 
in Kent cour.ty, Delaware, March 10, 1809. and 
\vas a daua'hter of Benjamin Lewis, also a native 
of that state. Mr. and Mrs. Powell came to 
Adams county in 1832 and settled in Ellington 
township, where he entered three hundred and 
twenty acres of land from the government. This 
was entirely wild and imimproved and the first 
tax which he paid amounted to only sixty cents. 
He continued the cultivation and development of 
his fai-ni until he wrought a wonderful trans- 
fornuition in its appearance and it became very 
productive. He died March 6, 1881. at the age 
of eighty years, and his wife passed away No- 
vember 11, 1892, when eighty-two years of age. 
There were fifteen children in the Powell family, 
of whom the following ai-e living: Mrs. Hester 
A. Kidney, of Oklahoma ; Mrs. Nancy Cochran, 
of Iowa; Mrs. IMargaret Cook, of Quiney: Mrs. 
Cook: Mrs. Matilda Banghert, of Bloomfield, Illi- 
nois; and Thomas, a farmer of Quincy. LTnto 
Mr. and ilrs. Cook have been born five children : 
Charlotte. Cora, John, Arthur and Edgar. 

Mr. Cook Aotes with the republican party and 
has been called to public office by his fellow 
toAvnsmen who recognize his worth and ability, 



926 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



having served as township collector, road com- 
missioner and school trustee. He is public- 
spirited and fosters every movement for the gen- 
eral good, and his personal worth has endeared 
him to many friends, who have known him from 
his boyhood days to the present time. 



WILLIAM GREWE. 



"William Grewe, whose Inisiness career clearly 
illustrated the possibilities for accomplishment 
through diligence and determination in America, 
having come to this country empty-handed and 
steadily worked his way upward to affluence, 
was born in Germany, March 18, 1851. His par- 
ents were farming people of that country and 
there spent their entire lives. The son was reared 
upon the home farm, early becoming familiar 
with the practical work of the fields, and in the 
public schools he acquired his education. Feel- 
ing, however, that labor in America is a more di- 
rect source of profit than in the old country, 
where wages are very low, he sailed for the 
United States in 1870, coming direct to Quincy. 
He was then in early manhood and in order to 
learn the English language and also broaden his 
knowledge, he a-r^ended the public schools here 
and worked at various kinds of labor in order to 
meet his expeuses while pui'suing his education. 

Mr. Grewe afterward went to Hancock count.y, 
Illinois, where he engaged in farming for a short 
time, aud then returned to Quincy, but after a 
brief period he purchased a farm here in Adams 
county, near the village of Fowler, where he en- 
gaged in general agricultural pursuits. Success 
attended his labors and the sale of rich crops en- 
abled him to liny more land until he was the 
owner of a very valuable and productive tract 
of two hundred acres, on which he placed many 
modern improvements. 

Mr. Grewe was twice mai-ried. He first wedded 
Mary Lindenberger, who died in Quincy, 1894. 
He afterward married Miss Lena Spory, a native 
of Germany, born January 9, 1861, and a daugh- 
ter of John and Elizabeth (Wagner) Spory, also 
natives of Germany, whence they came to Amer- 
ica at an early day, settling in Hancock count.y, 
Illinois, where the father continued to engage 
in farming until his death. His wife also died 
on the farm there. Mr. Grewe had two children 
by his first marriage : Frederick W., who has 
been an invalid during the greater part of his 
life and now resides with ]\Irs. Grewe; and Au- 
gust B., who is his father's successor in business. 
He married Lulu Swartz and resides at No. 1016 
York street. 

To the work of geuci'al fMnninu' 'Sir. Grewe di- 
rected his energies until 188'2, wlien he removed 



to Quincy and took the city contract for the 
sprinkling of all the streets. He purchased sev- 
eral sprinkling wagons, employed several men 
and gave his personal supervision to the business 
until his death. He also engaged in the retail 
coal business, but because of failing health he 
turned the business over to his son and retired 
to private life. His death occurred January 8, 
1904. 

He was always deeply interested in politics, 
was an earnest champion of republican principles 
and did all in his power to promote the growth 
and insure the success of his party. He held 
iiiemlicrship with the Salem Evang-elical church, 
to which his wife also belongs. His business ca- 
reer was marked by steady advancement and 
growing success. He made the most of his op- 
portunities, was reliable at all times, and as the 
years advanced his capital increased until he 
was the possessor of considerable real and per- 
sonal property at the time of his demise. He 
built the brick residence where his widow now 
resides, at No. 301 South Eleventh street, and she 
owns other residence property at the corner of 
Fifteenth and Adams streets. She also has the 
old home farm of two hundred acres near the 
village of Fowler, partly lying in Gilmer and 
partly in Ellington tnwnships. 



ALFRED 0. AMENT. 

Alfred C. Anient, one of the successful farmers 
of I.Trsa townshiji, whose prosperity has resulted 
entirel.v from his own labors, was born in Han- 
cock county, Illinois, December 30, 1852, and is a 
son of Calvin and jMartha Ann (Lee) Anient. 
His parents came to Hancock county from the 
state of New York in early childhood with 
their respective parents. The father, who was 
b(uii in 1822, was educated for the miuistiy and 
about 1847 he was married and settled near War- 
saw in Hancock county. Wlieu he became a resi- 
dent of this titate it was a wild, frontier region, 
few homes having been made in the district where 
the family located. Indians were very numerous 
and there were many jianthers, wolves and bears. 
The family bore the hardships and trials incident 
to frontier life and aided largely in the substan- 
tial development of the county. Rev. Calvin 
Ament was a Methodist minister and preached 
frequently Ijetween Warsaw and Quincy. He 
would make an appointment to hold a service and 
would then deliver his sermon under a large elm 
tree. He dieci in the year 1854, and his wife 
passed away in August, 1885. They left two chil- 
dren, IMarshall David, who is now living in 
Clarion county, INIissouri: and Alfred C. 

'Mr. Aui'Mit- of this review obtained his educa- 
tion in tlic X"\vai-k Institute at Fowler, Kendall 




WILLIAM GREWE 



FAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



929 



county, Ulino-s, and in the high school at Camp 
Point. He was also a graduate of the Interna- 
tional Businens College of Quiney. After leaving 
school, he hegan teaching in district No. 71, Ui-sa 
township, and followed that profession there for 
eighteen years. He afterward tanght for one 
year in Ursa and one year in Marcelliue. He has 
been a life insurance agent for several years and 
has owned and managed his farm since 1881. 
During a part of this time he also engaged in 
teaching school and has been an important factor 
in the educ itional development of the county. He 
has resided continuously upon his farm since 
] 889 and is to-day the owner of two hundred and 
eighty aci'es oC rich bottom land, on which he car- 
ries on general agricultural pursuits. The fields 
are well tilled and all modern improvements are 
seen upon his place, so that it is one of the best 
farms of the locality. 

Mr. Anient was married July 31, 1878, to Miss 
Amanda L. ililler, a daughter of John L. and 
Susan J. (Jenkins) IMiller, the former a native of 
Illinois and the latter coming from Kentucky. 
Her father was a farmer by occupation and in 
1862 he enlisted in the Seventy-eighth Illinois In- 
fantrj' with his brother. W. E. Miller, of Marcel- 
line. He was wounded September 20, 1863, at 
the battle of Chickamauga and after h' ing on the 
held for three days M'as taken to the hospital, 
where he died six weeks later. His wife's death 
occurred December 15, 1904, upon the farm near 
Ursa, when she was seventy-six years of age. 
]Mrs. Ament was educated in the dLstrict schools, 
being four years one of her husband's pupils dur- 
ing her girlhood, and after her marriage she 
taught school in the Rock Creek and Indian Grove 
districts for two years. 

In his political views Mr. Ament is a repub- 
lican and has served as township treasurer for 
more than twentv vears. He belongs to !Marcel- 
line lodge No. 114. A. F. & A. M., the Knights of 
Pythias fraternity and the Independent Order of 
Odd Fellows. He and his wife hold membership 
in the Christian church at Ursa and are active 
and zealous workers in its behalf, while their 
many sterling traits of character have gained 
for them the warm friendship of all with whom 
thev come in contact. 



JOEL DARRAII, M. D. 

Di-. Joel Darrah, who figured prominently in 
the history of Adams county as a representative 
of the medical fraternity for many years, and 
whose life proved a great benefit to his fellow- 
inen, is yet remembered by many of the older 
settlers of Adams county and no history of 
Honey Creelc townshi]> would be complete with- 



out the record of his career. Dr. Darrah was 
born on the 20th day of July, 1808, in eastern 
Pennsylvania and his boyhood and youth were 
spent upon the farm, during which time he 
worked in the fields and profited by such educa- 
tional privileges as the public schools of the day 
and locality afforded. He possessed, however, a 
strong mind and laudable ambition, and deter- 
mining to enter the medical profession he matric- 
ulated in the University of Pennsylvania, being 
graduated from its medical department about 
1834 or 1835. Following his graduation he 
located for practice in the office of his brother. 
Dr. jMark Darrah, for a year. 

About 1836. however, he emigrated to Illinois, 
believing that the new, but rapidly developing, 
west would offer him an excellent opportunity 
for practice. Coming to this state he first began 
practicing at Collinsville, St. Clair coimty, Illi- 
nois, where he remained until 1841: That year 
witnessed his arrival in Adams county and he 
located on Section 13. Honej' Creek township. 
Although living on a farm he acquired an exten- 
sive practice — greater perhaps than that of any 
other physician who practiced in western Illinois 
at the time. His field of labor covered an area 
extending from Jlendon on the west to Mount 
Stei'ling on the east, and from Columbus on the 
south to Carthage on the north. He continued 
an active practitioner until the infirmities of age 
compelled him to jiut aside the labors of the pro- 
fession. In 1866 he announced his intention of 
retiring, but even after this he was frequently 
called into consultation by his brother practi- 
tioners and was also called to visit some of his 
old neighbors or friends who were loath to do 
without his professional services. His was the lot 
of the pioneer physician, who, living in a sparsely 
settled district, endured many hardships in prac- 
ticing his profession. He had to drive long dis- 
tances over the country in the heat of summer 
and the intense cold of the winter and as the 
roads at times were almost impassable, he went 
on hoi'seback to visit his patients. He was a 
gentleman of kindly spirit and broad, humani- 
tarian principles and sjinpathies and always 
responded to the call of the sick and suffering, 
giving little regard as to whether he would 
i-,>c('ive any compensation or not. However, he 
]n-ospered as the years went by and during his 
residence in Honey Creek township he acquired 
land to the extent of six hundred and forty 
acres. He was engaged somewhat largely in the 
raising and feeding of cattle and after retiring 
from professional life concentrated his energies 
ujton this branch of his business, in which he 
continued throughout his remaining days. 

In early manhood Dr. Darrah married Miss 
^lary A. Reiner, a native of Penn.sylvania, who 
died in 1867. Two vears later he wedded Miss 



93° 



PAST AND PEESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



Ahiria Xclson, a dausi'liter of William Nelson, of 
Houston townshij), Adams eoviuty. She still sur- 
vives her husband and now malies her home in 
Salt Lake City, Utah. Dr. Darrah was an old 
school democrat, unfaltering in supi^ort of the 
party. In his religious views he was liberal and 
independent, caring not for sects, creeds or fads, 
bixt exemplyfying in his life much of the Chris- 
tian si^irit and of the teachings of Him who came 
not to be ministered uuto but to minister. In the 
fall of 1876, while attending to some work in con- 
nection with his cattle-raising- interests on the 
Mississippi bottoms, he had a slight stroke of 
paralysis and his health gradually failing, his 
death resulted on the 2'2d of September, 1878, his 
remains being interred by those of his tirst wife 
in Coatsburg cemetery. His life had indeed been 
a iisefiil and helpful one and his fellowmen and 
the world are better for his having lived. 



FEEDEPvICK :\I. PENDLETON, M. D. 

Dr. Frederick M. Pendleton, who in the prac- 
tice of his profession is making a specialty of 
treatment of diseases of the eye, ear, nose and 
throat and is attending oculist and aurist to 
Blessing Hospital of Quincy, was born in Lan- 
singburg, New York, iu September, 1859, his par- 
ents being Henry and Harriet (Smith) Pendle- 
ton, the former born September 10, 1829, and 
the latter August 30, 1832. The paternal grand- 
father, a resident of Virginia, removed from that 
state to New York. Henrjc Pendleton was a mer- 
chant and in 1861 removed to Minooka, Grundy 
county, Ulin'.is, where he engaged in the hard- 
ware business. He was on his way to Chicago 
to buy goods when he was killed in an accident 
on the Rock Island railroad, near Joliet, Jan- 
uary 25, 186-1, being at that time only thirty-four 
years of age. He was a local preacher of the 
Methodist Episcopal church and was studying 
for the work of the regular ministry when his 
death occurred. His widow still survives him. 
They were the parents of four children, of whom 
one is deceased. 

Dr. Pendleton, the third of the family, 
attended the jiublic schools of Rlinooka, Illinois, 
and afterward entered the Wesleyan University 
at Bloomington, where he remainel until 1880, 
when he began preparation for a professional 
career by enrolling as a student in Rush ]\Iedi- 
cal College of Chicago. At the end of his fli^st 
course of lectures lie became a nurse in the Cook 
County Hospital, where he remained for a year, 
when he re-entered Rush College, being grad- 
uated with the class of 1883. At the same time 
he pursued coui-ses in ophthalmology and otology 
under Professor E. L. Holmes and Professor W. 



T. IMontgomery. He located for practice at 
Magnolia, Putnam county, Illinois, where he 
engaged in the general practice of medicine and 
surgery for about eleven years. In 1893 he pur- 
sued a post graduate eoiirse on the diseases of the 
eye, ear, nose and throat, at the Chicago Poly- 
clinic School of Medicine, and in 1894 he 
returned to Chicago and spent one year in the 
hospital and clinics and in the Illinois State 
Charitable Eye and Ear Infirmary. 

In 1895 D]-. Pendleton located in Quincy and 
has since limited his practice to the treatment of 
diseases of the eye, ear, nose and throat, with 
office in the Stern building. He has been very 
successful here and not only received a liberal 
patronage from Quincy but also from surround- 
ing districts and far into Missouri. He is also 
attending oculist and aurist to Blessing Hos- 
pital and is accounted one of the most compe- 
tent specialists in his line in the middle west. 
He belongs to the Illinois State Medical Society, 
Adams County ^Medical Society, Quincy I\Ied- 
ienl Library Association, American Academy 
cf Oplithalmolo;v and Oto-Laryngology, and 
thus keeps iu touch with the advancements of 
the science that result in practical benefit in the 
treatment of disease. He has read broadly along 
the line of his specialty and the profession as 
well as the public acknowledge his right to rank 
with llic most capable oculists and aurisfs of 
the state. 

Dr. Pendleton Avas married to Miss Allie A. 
Dirst, a daughter of Fletcher Dirst, formerly a 
farmer and stock-raiser of Grundy county, Illi- 
nois, and now living retired in IMinooka. They 
wcT'e married in 1884 and have two daughters: 
Xettia v., born in 1885; and IMiriam B., in 1896. 
The parents are members of the Vermont Street 
Methodist Episcopal church and Di-. Pendleton 
is a repiiblican. exercising his right of franchise 
in support of the men and measures of that party. 
He is first and above all a physician, performing 
each day's duty with a sense of conscientious 
obligation and the consensus of public opinion 
regarding him is most favorable, professionally 
and sociallv. 



CHADDOCK BOYS' SCHOOL. 

Chaddock Boys' School had its beginning in 
the early '50s, wh^n it was known as the German 
and English IMethodist Academy, and it has 
always been under the dii-ection of the ]\Ietho- 
dist Episcopal church. Professor Jaccpies, one 
of its eai'ly teachers, was president from 1860 
until 1865, and in the latter year, the Rev. 
George W. Gray, became president, continuing 




MISS ELEANOR A. TOBIE 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAJIS COUNTY. 



933 



at the head of the institution until 1871 or 1S72, 
and during that time D. L. ilusselman, now 
president of the G(?m City business College, was 
a teacher in the institution from 1867 until 1870. 
Upon the retirement of President Gray, the 
name was changed to Johnson CoUege, but this 
name was retained for only two or three years, 
when it became kno^vn as the Chaddock College. 
The former location of the school was where the 
Jeft'erson public school now .stands. About 1880, 
the school having become involved in debt. C. C. 
Chaddock, a philanthroiaic man of Astoria, Illi- 
nois, gave a large sum of money to the institu- 
tion, and when the John Wood property, at the 
corner of Eleventh and State streets, was sold 
in the courts, it was purchased by the college, 
which at that time became known as Chaddock 
College, that name being retained until changed 
to the Chaddock Boys' School, in 1899. At that 
time it was decided to make it a school exclu- 
sively for boys, and since then it has enjoyed an 
era of marked prosperity and growth, having 
paid off its debt, so that it is free from all finan- 
cial incumbrances. 

About 1883, H. J. Yickers, of Adams county, 
gave to the school a large siun of money and this 
was used in the erection of a large three-story 
brick building with basement. It is one hundred 
and twentj' by sixty feet and is used for a dor- 
mitory in connection with the school. Boys are 
admitted between the ages of six and sixteen 
years and may pursue academic and preparatory 
courses, fitting them for regular college work. 
The students are from sixteen different states 
and receive most thorough instruction. The 
school is conducted upon an economic basis and 
is under the direction of the ^Methodist church, 
the property being owned by the Illinois Con- 
ference. 

The assistant principal is Miss Anna Johnson, 
who is also teacher of drawing and manual 
training. Fourteen otlier well trained teachers 
constitute a competent faculty, with an enroll- 
ment of one hundred and twenty -five pupils. 
Half of the work is free, and the funds are sup- 
plied by friends of the institution. 



:\nSS ELEANOR A. TOBIE. 

Miss Eleanor A. Tobie, now principal of the 
Chaddock Boys' School, is a native of Rantoul. 
Champaian county, Illinois, and is a daughter 
of H. S.'^and :\Iary E. (Pritchard) Tobie'i the 
former a native of Massachiisetts, and the latter 
of Virginia, her ancestors being among those 
represented in the Revolutionary war. The To- 
bie family came originally from Ireland. Miss 
Tobie attended the public schools of Prairie 



City, Illinois, to which place her parents re- 
moved in her early girlhood, and she completed 
the high school course there by graduation. She 
afterward attended Hedding College, at Abing- 
don, Illinois, and also the State Normal School, 
and was a teacher in the public schools of Mc- 
Donough county, Illinois, for ten years. She 
afterward attended the Chicago Training School 
and for a time traveled for the school in the 
east. Miss Tobie is a member of the Order of 
the Eastern Star and has served as worthy ma- 
tron in her home town. She is also a deaconess 
in the ilethodist Episcopal church and her abil- 
itj' as an educator is well Imown. 

In Januaiy, 1899, she came to Quiney to take 
charge of the Chaddock Boj's' School, of which 
she has since been principal. The success of the 
school is largely due to her efficient management 
and the labors of Dr. W. T. Beadles, its presi- 
dent, and "\V. T. Dwire, its secretary. The school 
is now one of the solid educational institutions 
of the city and has done most creditable work 
under Miss Tobie 's direction. 



:\IART1N B. KUIIXS. 



ilartin B. Kuhns owns and operates a farm of 
one hundred and thirty-one acres on section 36, 
Ursa township. He is a native of Pennsylvania, 
his birth ha-\"ina' occurred April 14. 1832. His 
father, Philip Kuhns, was also a native of the 
Keystone state. AMien a young man ]\lartin B. 
Kulms came to Illinois, living in Mendon for 
some time and afterward removing to Ursa. Fol- 
lowing his marriage he took up his abode north of 
Ursa, where he purchased a farm, living there for 
ten or twelve years. He then sold that property 
and bought a farm on sectiim 36, Ursa township, 
where he now lives. Here he has one hundred 
and thirty-one acres of fine land and is engaged 
in general farming, having a well developed 
property, the richly cultivated fields indicating 
his eareftil supervision by the growth of crops. 
In the farm work he is associated with liis son. 
Although now nearly seventy -three yeai's of age, 
he works in the fields nearly all of the time just 
as he did twenty years ago when in the prime 
of manhood. 

~Sh: Kuhns was married in ^larch. 1857. to 
IMiss ^lary E. Daugherty of Ui-sa. a daughter of 
:\Iiehael and Elizalieth fFunk") Daugherty. They 
have four living childi'en : Lizzie E.. who is the 
wife of "William E. Ralph, a resident of Quiney: 
James A . : Anna : and Alice A . 

^Ir. Kuhns is a democrat in his political views 
but has never souglit or desired public office, 
preferring to give his undiA-ided attention to his 
inisiness affairs. He has. however, served as 



934 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



scliool director for many years ami has ever 
taken a deep and eomniendahle interest in every- 
thins; pertainint;' to the general welfare and has 
done all in his power to promote public progress. 



MASOXV. RIDDLE. 



ilasou V. Kiddle, who is successfully engaged 
in the breeding of tine Hereford cattle and Duroc 
Jersey hogs upon his farm in Keene township, 
was born December 25, 1863, at the place where 
he now resides, his jjarents being George D. and 
Elmina (Varnier) Riddle. The father was born 
in Falmouth. Kentucky, January 2, 1822, and 
came to Adams county about 18-10. He conducted 
a, hotel in Uvsa for several years and then sold 
that property and located upon the farm which 
is now the home of his son ]\Iason. He had been 
married after his removal to this state to Miss 
Elmina Varnier, who wan born in Gallatin coun- 
ty, llinois. November 6, 1826. His death occurred 
September 29. 1875, but his wife still survives and 
makes her home with her son ilason. 

In the schools of Loraine Mason V. Riddle pur- 
sued his education and he was reared to farm 
life, early becoming familiar with the duties and 
labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist. 
He has always engaged in the work to which he 
was reared and is to-day the owner of one hun- 
dred and sixty acres of very productive land on 
sections 15 and 16, Keene township. He also cul- 
tivates one hundred and thirty acres of land be- 
longing to his brother, who lives in Colorado. He 
is pai'ticularly well known as a stock-raiser, mak- 
ing a specialty of Hereford cattle, having now 
upon his place a herd of about fifty head of regis- 
tered and graded cattle. He also has full blooded 
Duroc Jersey hogs and has done not a little to 
improve the arade of stock raised in this coun- 
ty. He annually markets considerable stock and 
finds a ready sale for all that he sends from his 
farm. 

In 1888 :\lr. Riddle was married to rkliss Flor- 
ence Hill, who was liorn near Loraine, April 17, 
1869, and was a daughter of Cornelius and 
Amanda (Payne) Hill. Her father removed with 
his family to California when Mrs. Riddle was 
very young and lived there for eleven years. His 
wife died during that period. Mr. and Mrs. 
Riddle have heeonie the parents of two children, 
who are yet living, and have lost four, the family 
record being as follows : Iva, who was born Janu- 
ary 5. 1889, and died in July of the same year: 
Guy D., who was born September 4, 1890, and 
lives at home : Mabel, who was born December 23, 
1894, and died February 3, 1895 ; Lizzie, who 
was born April 19, 1896, and is with her parents; 
Homer B., who was boi-n December 14. 1898. and 



died February 1, 1900; and Oi-viile W., who was 
l)orn December 3, 1903, and died Jainuirv 17, 
1904. 

The parents belong to the Christian church 
and are interested in its work and contribute 
generously to its support. 'Sir. Riddle adheres to 
the principli'S of the republican party, believing 
its jilatform contains the basic elements of good 
government. He is a member of IModern Wood- 
men camp. No. 2152, at Loraine. He has led a 
very l>usy and iiseful life and the greater part 
of his possessions have been acqiiired entirely 
through his own efforts so that his history shoi;ld 
serve to encourage and inspire others, showing 
what can be accomplished through energy and 
untiring ei'fort in a land not hamjiered l\v caste 
or class. 



PHILLIP WISMAN. 



Phillip Wisman, the well known proprietor 
of the Locust Grove farm on section 12, 
Riverside township, has been a resident of Ad- 
ams county since 1857. He is a native of Prus- 
sia. Germany, born in 1838, and is a son of G. 
Wisman, who was a. farmer of the fatherland. 
On the old homestead farm Phillip Wisman was 
reared, and his education was acquired in the 
public schools near his home. He continued a 
resident of Germany vintil 1857, when, at the 
age of nineteen years, he crossed the Atlantic 
to the United States, landing at New Orleans, 
Louisiana, whence he proceeded up the Missis- 
sippi river to Quincy. He Avas first employed 
by the month as a farmhand, for he had no capi- 
tal to enable him to engage in business on his 
own accoiint. Desirous, however, of entering 
upon an independent business career, he rented 
land in Ellington township and in Ursa town- 
ship. Subsequently he rented his present farm 
in Rivei'side township, and when his labors had 
brought him sufficient capital to enable him to 
become a land owner he purchased this farm, 
thus coming into possession of eighty acres, in 
1878. He has since added to his property from 
time to time until he now owns altogether two 
hundred acres of very valuable farming land. 
He has a dairy of fifty cows and splendidly 
equipped creamery, with an excellent engine. 
He makes buttei- twice a week, and the product 
of the creamery, because of its excellent quality, 
finds a ready sale on the market. He has both 
Jersey and shorthorn cattle, and also raises 
Chester white hogs, having about two hundred 
each year. His fields are planted to corn and 
hay crops and the various departments of his 
business yield to him a good financial return. 
He has one of the best improved farms in this 





MR. AND MRS. PHILLIP WISMAN 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



937 



part of the county, it being equipped with a 
good residence and large and substantial out- 
buildings. His sons are of great assistance to 
him, and he has every reason to be proud of 
his family. 

In 1867 J\Ir. Wisman was married to Miss 
Henrietta Nagle, who was born in Germany and 
is a daughter of Ernest Nagle, who came to the 
United States in 1857. He was a cabinetmaker 
by trade and followed that trade in Quincy. 
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Wisman have been born 
seven children : Walter, at home : Mrs. Carrie 
Glascott; Ernest, who was married in 1904 to 
Miss L. Chattan : Richard, Roy and Florence, all 
at home ; and Helen, deceased. 

Mr. Wisman gives his political support to the 
republican party and is deeply interested in its 
success and growth. The hope that led him to 
seek a home in America has been more than real- 
ized, for here he has found the business oppor- 
tunities he sought, and by industry, diligence 
and perserverance he has gained success, and at 
the same time has won the confidence and friend- 
ship of many with whom lie has come in contact. 
His life record pi'oves what can be accomplished 
through labor when guided by soiind .judgment 
and his history should serve to encourage and 
inspire others. 



JOSEPH JEFFERSON. 

Joseph Jefferson is one of the extensive land- 
owners of Adams county, now living a retired 
life. He M-as born October 25, 1837. in Harlem, 
now a part of New York city, his parents being 
Thomas and Hannah (Twilton) Jefferson, both 
of whom wer-e natives of Yorkshire, England. 
The father was born April 15, 1802, and the 
mother's birth occurred on the 12th of February, 
1812. They came to New York from England, in 
1835, soon after their marriage and remained in 
the eastern metropolis for three years, after 
which they came west to Quincy. Here the father 
worked for John Sharp on a farm east of Quincy, 
and in 1841 he took up his abode in Concord 
township, where he purchased forty acres of 
land, but after residing thereon for a short time 
he then moved to the farm on which he spent his 
remaining days. To this tract of one hundred 
and twenty-two acres he added from time to time 
as his financial resources increased luitil at one 
time he owned three hundred and sixty acres. 
He died in 1886, while his wife passed awav in 
1872. 

Joseph Jefferson obtained his education in the 
public schools and was trained to work on the 
home farm, assisting materially in the cultiva- 
tion of the fields imtil after the outbreak of the 



Civil war, when he enlisted in Company I, One 
Hundred and Nineteenth Illinois Infantry, in 
1862, and served for three years, holding the 
rank of corporal. During that time he saw ser- 
vice in Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Penn- 
.sylvania and Washington, D. C. He was with 
the regiment eighteen months and then was 
transferred to the east, where he spent the re- 
mainder of the time in defense of the old flag. 
Following the war Mr. Jefferson returned to 
his father's fai-m and in March, 1867, he was 
married to IMiss Emily Williams, who was born 
February 20, 1837, in ]\Iaine county, Indiana, a 
daughter of Benjamin and ilargaret (Bennett) 
Williams, the former born in Tennessee, March 
23, 1796, and the latter in Virginia, on the 20th 
of March, 1799. Mr. Williams passed awav De- 
cember 28. 1849, and his wife. March 20, *1865. 
Mr. and Mva. Jefferson were married in Indiana 
and he then returned with his bride to Adams 
county. They have one son — Thomas E., who 
was born January 26, 1869, and married Lu- 
venia Peavehouse, of Clayton. They live with 
his father and they have two children : Augusta, 
born July 2S, 1893 ; and Joseph Benjamin, born 
December 10, 1896. Thomas Jefferson is a grad- 
uate of Chaddock College, of Quincy, and has 
always been associated with his father in busi- 
ness. Altogether they own six hundred acres 
of fine land, four hiindred acres belonging to the 
father and two hundred acres to the son. Thomas 
Jefferson, hov/ever, .superintends and operates the 
entire farm, thus relieving his father from all 
bu.siness cares and to-day Joseph Jefferson is 
enjoying a well earned rest. Their land is located 
on sections 9 and 10, Concord township, and is a 
rich and prodiictive tract, yielding good harvests, 
l^oth the father and son are supporters of the re- 
publican pai'ty and the entire family are mem- 
bers of the ]\Iethodist church. 'Sh: Jefferson is 
also a member of Clayton lodge. No. 147, A. F. 
& A. M., and belongs to the Grand Army of the 
Republic, thus maintaining pleasant relations 
with his old army comrades. In matters of citi- 
zenship he has always been loyal and in business 
affairs has been progi'essive and enterprising, so 
that to-day he is one of the prosperous residents 
of his county. 



MILLARD F. LESTER. 

]\nilai'd P. Lester, who ovms and operates a 
farm of one hundred and fifty-six acres on sec- 
tion 24, Payso?i township, was born upon this 
place, December 5, 1859, his parents being Wil- 
liam D. and Evaline (Gooding) Lester. The 
father was a native of Kentucky, born IMarcli 6, 
1819. and his parents were William and Eliza- 



938 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



beth Lester, both of whom were of English line- 
age and were residents of Kentucky at an early 
day. William D. Lester removed to Indiana, 
settling in Dearborn county upon a farm. He 
had two sisters, both of whom are deceased, and 
one brother, George AV. Lester, who is a eoopei' 
l)y trade and is now Jiving in ('layloii, Adams 
county, having come to Illinois prioi' to the ar- 
rival of his brother William. 'I'lie latter came 
in 18-tG and settled first in .Mendon, where he fol- 
lowed coojiering. In 1850 he located on what is 
now the old Lester homestead and for many years 
successfully carried on farming, becoming owner 
of one hundred and fifty-six acres of land, 
which, owing to the im]3rovements made and 
the cultivation bestowed upon it, became valu- 
alile property. He died September 13, 1892, at 
the age of seventy-three years, and his wife, 
who was born February 28, 1826, is still living, 
in the en.iJiynient of very good health. She is a 
member oi' the ]\Iissionarv na])tist church at 
Plainville. 

In the family were seven ehildi-eu, of whom five 
are living: Atha Ellen, born in Janizary, 1850, 
became the wife of Howard M. Sale and they 
lived in Los Angeles, California. She died in 
1902, leaving her husband and one son, the for- 
mer engaged in the wholesale drug biisiness. 
]Mary Frances married Dewey Kelley, who died 
at tlieir home in El Paso, Texas, March 25. 1893, 
after whieli his widow I'eturned to Illinois and 
is now living with her mother. Willliam W., who 
is a stock buyer of Plainville, married Clara 
Benson and they have one daughter. Albert D., a 
land agent and pro])erty owner at Guthrie, Okla- 
homa, married Annie Harris and has three living 
children. Alice E., twin sister of Albert, is the 
wife of Henry Wagy, a farmer living a mile and 
a half southwest of Plainville, and they have one 
child. Wilbui- II., who married Eva Morris, by 
whom he ha(' three children was a policeman of 
Guthrie, Oklahoma, and was killed by a gang of 
desperadoes who were robbing a car of groceries. 
He was then thirty-seven years of age. His 
widow now lives in Tingley, Iowa. 

ilillard F. Lester, the seventh member of his 
father's family, was educated in the public 
schools and has always lived upon the old home- 
stead farm, working in the fields in his youth 
when not enga^-ed with the duties of the sehool 
room. Since attaining his majoriy he has en- 
gaged in stock dealing to a greater or 
less extent, and has been very successful in 
business, being an excellent .judge of stock, so 
that he is enabled to make .indicious luirchases 
and profitable sales. Ilis fields are also well 
tilled, and his is one of the good f,-iniis of the 
county. 

In ]\Iay, 188;'). Mr. Lester was iniited in marri- 
age to ]\Iiss Dora Alorris, a daughtei- of John and 



Fliza Qjanib; ^Morris, who were natives of Lick- 
ing county, where their childhood days were 
passed. Kemoving to Illinois, they settled in 
Crawford county, whei-e Mrs. Ijester was born 
August 28, 1892. Her parents died in Crawford 
county and she came tt) Adams county in 1884, 
living with an aunt, Mrs. Ann Baker, in Rich- 
Held township. ^Ir. Lester had been previously 
married, his iirst wife being Julia Baker, a 
daughter of Simon and Ann (Lamb) Baker and 
a cousin of his present wife. There was one child 
by that marriage, Lura, born April 9, 1883, and 
now the wife of Alvin McKee. They live at the 
home of her father. 

Mr. Lester is a republican in his political 
views and is a school director. He belongs to 
the Modern Woodmen camp and to Stone's Prai- 
rie lodge. No. 759. I. 0. 0. F., of which he is a 
past noble grand and both he and his wife are 
members of the Rebekah lodge. They are also 
members of the ^Missionary Baptist church at 
Plainville. Mr. Ijester has always lived the quiet 
life of the farmer, but in his business career has 
displayed ihc valuable qualities of self-reliance, 
diligence and perseverence which always lead to 
success, and he is now one of the substantial 
farmers of the countv. 



L. II. A. NTCKERSON, :\f. D. 

Dr. L. II. A. Xiekersim, one of the leading rep- 
resentatives of the medical fraternity in Quincy, 
was Ixirn in Camden, Delaware, January 27, 1851. 
He is directly descended from William Nieker- 
son, of Norwich, England, who Avith his family 
sailed from Ipswi.'h .\pril 8, 1637, in the ship 
John and Doi-othy, to make for himself a home 
in the new world. He landed in Boston, June 
20, 1637. lie located at Yarmouth and while 
there made the first of a series of purchases of 
land from the Indians, which has since become 
Chatham, founded a1 that time by himself and 
mendjers of his family. Lineal descendants are 
still living on the land purchased at that time. 
William Niclcerson had three sons. One of these 
remained in .Alassachusetts, a second located in 
.Maryland and the third in Delaware, and it is 
from the latter branch that Dr. Niekerson is de- 
scended. 

He obtained his early education in Dover and 
Wilmington and graduated in medicine and .sur- 
gery from the I^niversity of Penn.sylvania in 
March, 1874. F(n' two years he practiced as 
resident physician in the Philadelphia Hospital, 
locating in Quincy in the spring of 1877. Dur- 
ing his twenty-eight years' residence here he has 
built u]) a very extensive practice. For several 




DR. L. H. A. NICKERSON 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COaNTY. 



941 



years lie had exclusive ehai-ge of Blessins' Hospi- 
tal and is now consulting physician and presi- 
dent of the medical staif. Dr. Nickerson is also 
nominator for the Equitable Life Insurance Com- 
pany for ten counties in westei'u Illinois; he is 
also local surgeon for the Wabash Eaihvay Com- 
pany and is medical examiner for the Royal Arca- 
num. He was president of the board of pensions 
surgeons in Quiney for a number of years and is 
identified with several societies, having for their 
ob.ject the dissemination of knowledge that will 
increase the efficiency of the medical fraternity. 
He is president for the second time of the Adams 
County Medical Society, is a member of the 
American ]\Iedical Association, the American 
Public Health Association, the State Medical So- 
ciety and other organizations of a similar cliar- 
aeter. 

Dr. Nickerson was married September 15, 
1S80, to Miss Jessie S. Roeschlaub, a daughter of 
Dr. M. J. Roeschlaiib. The son. H. L. Roe- 
schlaub Nickerson, is now a student in Yale Uni- 
versity. jMrs. Nickerson 's father was a graduate 
of Mi:nieh, Bavaria, and his father was dean of 
that world "s famous institution and private coun- 
selor to the king. 

Dr. and Sirs. Nickerson are prominent socially 
although the demands of an ever-increasing 
practice leave the doctor little time for social 
duties. Fraternally he is a Mason, having taken 
the Knight Templar degree in the El Aksa com- 
mandery. No. 55. As a physician he is skillful 
and painstaking with the strictest regard for a 
high standard of medical ethics. His usefulness 
in the practice of medicine has continually in- 
creased, for he has kept in constant touch with 
the progress of his profession. 



C4EORr4E F. PFANSCHMIDT. 

George F. Pfanschmidt, one of the leading and 
representative farmers of Ellington township, 
living on section 35, was born upon that place, 
November 12. 1854, and is of German descent. 
His father. Herman C. Pfanschmidt, was born 
in ]\Iuhlhausen. Prussia. March 8, 1825, his an- 
eestoi-s being among the most prominent and in- 
fluential people of that country and in touch 
with the king of Prussia in their day. He had a 
cousin who was an artist of renown, many of his 
paintings adorning the walls of the king's chapel 
at Berlin. His work was all of a religious char- 
acter. 

Our subieefs grandfather. Gotfried Sebastian 
Pfanschmidt, was a soldier in the Napoleonic 
wars and fought under General Blucher in a 
number of battles. In the fall of 1835 he came 



to America, accompanied by his wife and six 
children. They landed at Baltimore, Maryland, 
and cros.sed the Allegheny mountains in a wagon, 
but on arriving in Pittsburg they were compelled 
to remain in that city for thirteen weeks until the 
Ohio river opened in the spring. They then 
proceeded to St. Louis, where the children re- 
mained while the parents sought a favorable 
location. Mi'S. Pfanschmidt being vei'y much 
taken with Quiney. they decided to settle here 
and sent for the children. They first occupied 
an old frame house on the bluff west of Third 
street. That winter was a very severe one and 
the snow was very deep and the family would 
have frozen had they not brought considerable 
clothing with them. The following spring they 
located seven miles cast of the city on Mill creek 
in Ellington township, where Gotfried S. Pfan- 
schmidt entered one hundred and sixty acres of 
land from the government. Not a furrow had 
been turned nor an improvement made upon 
the place but he at once began to clear his land 
and cultivate his fields, breaking it first with 
oxen. In the course of time he developed a good 
farm and thus assisted materially in the work 
of reclaiming this once wild district for tlie pur- 
poses of civilization. 

Herman C. Pfanschmidt, the father of our 
subject, was reared amid the surroundings of 
frontier life and as his age and strength in- 
creased he assisted largely in the work of de- 
veloping the home farm, where he continued to 
reside imtil his retirment from active life in 
1884, when he removed to Quiney. He was mar- 
ried December 10, 1847, to Miss Chai'lotte Meise, 
who was born in Gei'many, ]\Iarch 19, 1826, and 
came to America with her parents, who were 
early farming people of Adams county. TJnto 
Mr. and Mrs. Herman C. Pfanschmidt were bom 
seven children: Edward, who is now a mer- 
chant of Chicago : William, who is living on the 
home farm with his brother George ; Pauline, the 
wife of J. Louis Pfau (if Chicago; Geoi-ge F., 
of this review ; Laura : ilrs. William Hirth, of 
Quiney: and Otelia. who died at the age of two 
years. The father died in Quiney on the 18th of 
April, 1899, and the mother's death occurred in 
Chicago., October 21, 1898. They celebrated 
their golden wedding in 1897. 

George F. Pfanschmidt attended the eountrj! 
schools and later continued his education in the 
Gem City Business College of Quiney. He 
worked with his father in his boyhood days, 
continuing upon the old homestead until his 
mai-riage, in 1884, the lady of his choice being 
Miss Mary Altenhein, who was born in Elling- 
ton township and is a daughter of Frederic 
Altenhein, whose sketch appears elsewhere in 
this volume. Her parents also celebrated their 
golden wedding. I\Tr. and Jlrs. Pfanschmidt 



942 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



have four childreu : Walter J., Arthur C. E., 
Koy P. C, and George B. 

After his marriage George P. Pfansehmidt 
took up his abode upon the home fann and is 
to-day the owner of one hundred and ninety 
acres of valuable land, and no richer land can 
be found in all the country than in Illinois. His 
farm is pleasantly situated about seven miles 
east of Quincy and he has one hundred acres 
planted to grain, while the remainder of the 
farm is pasture oi- timber land. He raises some 
stock and annually harvests good ci-ops. His 
home is a two-stoi-\' lirick residence which was 
erected in 1862. There are good barns and out- 
biiildings upon the jilaee for the shelter of grain 
and stock and in fact the farm is supplied with 
all modern equipments, while jMr. Pfansehmidt 
is' regarded as one of the most progressive and 
energetic agriculturists and one M'ho is thoroiigh- 
ly reliable in all his business transactions. His 
political support is tiiven the republican party, 
and he is a iiieiiibci- of the T.uthcran church. 



SIDNEY 



LA.\1)("K.\FT 



Sidney P. Landcraft, i)roiiiiuently connected 
with one of the leading productive industries of 
Quincy, was born in Hannibal, Missouri, Decem- 
ber 27, 1848. He is a son of William S. and Leti- 
tia P. (Iloneyman) Landcraft. His ancestors in 
the paternal line wei-e eai-ly settlers of Pennsyl- 
vania. His father i-i'inoved from Pennsylvania to 
Virginia, locating at Kock's Ferry near Rich- 
mond, about 1815. His brother, Grandison Land- 
craft, accompanied him and there became ])ost- 
master, which office he filled for forty-tive yeai-s. 
During all the excitement of the Civil war. -when 
party feeling and pi'ejudiee ran very hi^h. he 
remained a stanch rnion man. He died at tin- 
extreme old age of ninety-one years. Besides six 
brothers there were thi-ee sisters, Polly, Rebecca 
and Susan. 

In 1837 William S. jjaiulci-aft removed to Han- 
nibal, Missouri, and was one of the founders of 
that town, aidinn' in laying mit the town site and 
building the courthouse and proiiidlini;' substan- 
tial improvemiMit and progress along other lines. 
He engaged in the tanning business and also 
conducted a uroecry store for fifteen years, but 
in 1849 he disposed of his business interests there 
and started for California in the hope of rapidly 
acipiiring wealth. He was quite successful in 
his search for the prcciDiis metal on the Pacific 
coast and in ls.")li lie starird to return home with 
a goodly sum of iiidiicy. .Meeting some friends, 
however, he was induced tn turn back and again 
engaged in the search foi' t;old, but that vear he 



beeami' ill anil died, his remains being interred 
at Oakland. Califdi-nia. He was then fifty-six 
years of age. His wife died in 1874 at the age 
of fifty-three years. She was a representative 
of an old English family, the ancestry being 
traced back to Lord Lovell. Mr. and 'Sirs. Land- 
craft were the parents of six children, of whom 
three are living: Henry H. : j\Irs. ]Mary E. Wait, 
of New York city: and Sidney P. Of those de- 
ceased William S. served for three years in the 
Civil war and was killed at the battle of ]\Iission- 
ary Ridge. He belonged to the Tenth ^Missouri 
Regiment. Nathanii'l S. died at the age of twelve 
years, and Ai-ametta t]m\ at the age of fifteen 
years. 

Sidney P. Landcraft received fair educational 
privileges. He attended a ])rivate night school, 
working during each day and for some time pur- 
sued his studies in that manner in Cincinnati 
prior to the time he attained his majority. He 
was a little lad of eight years when he secured a 
]>nsition in a tobacco factory as stripper and there 
as his ability increased and he demonstrated his 
faithfulness and close application and untii-ing 
effort he was promoted imtil he became roller. 
In 1863 he was train boy on the Hannibal & St. 
Joseph Railroad and in 1866 became bi*akenran on 
the same road, acting in that capacity for two 
and a half years. He then became conductor on 
a freiLihl Ir.iiii. acting in that capacity for five 
yeai-s, iia\ ini; charge of specials and pay cars and 
alsii iiiakiiiL;- duI time cai'ds and doing other cler- 
ical work ill the office. In 1873 he was promoted 
to passenger conductor on the same line, which 
position he filled with the exception of a period 
of nineteen months spent in the hardwai-e busi- 
ness until December, 1899, when he resigned ^\'ith 
the idea of retiring from business life. He won 
fame in the services of the railroad, because of 
liis piiinstakinu' methods, capability and earnest 
(lc\cition to the interests of the rosds. He can 
1(1 day ])rocure a duplicate of each report made 
during his employment as conductor, giving a 
report of the people handled on the trains and 
other business in connection therewith, together 
with the number of cars. During this time he 
traveled an aggregate of about four million miles. 

Soon aL'ti-r resigning his ]iosition with the rail- 
i-iiad c<iiiip,-iny Mr. Landcraft was induced to rep- 
resent the Sheridan Stove Company, of Quincy, 
;is ti'aveling salesman, and was thus connected 
with the house for eighteen months. The man- 
agers of the business thus gave substantial evi- 
dence of their appreciation of his ability by elect- 
ing him to the office of secretary in June, 1902, 
and in this capacity he has since had the man- 
agement of the plant on Payson avenue. Under 
his control the business has been established on 
a more .successful basis, the output of the plant 
has been increased and the business has become a 




S. p. LANDCRAFT 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



945 



jn'ofitable one. All this is due to the keen clis- 
(/ernment, foresight and executive ability of the 
ju-esident, H. P. Walton, and of Jlr. Landcraft, 
who together have largely promoted the interests 
of the house and have won the appreciation and 
c-omnieudation of the stockholders. The plant 
has been improved in its equipment and its man- 
ufacturing capacity has been enlai'ged to include 
steel ranges, also the largest nickel plant in 
Quincy. There is likewise a private electric 
plant connected with the enterprise, which is 
now one of the leading productive indu.stries of 
the city, with a large output and constantly in- 
creasing trade. 

On the 22d of November. IST-t. Jlr. Landcraft 
was married to Miss Marian E. Ehvood, of St. 
Louis, ilissouri, a daughter of Archibald and 
]\Iarian (Wliitelaw) Ehvood, both of whom are 
natives of Scotland. Her maternal grandmother 
was present at the coronation of Queen Victoria. 
TTnto Mr. and Mrs. Landcraft have been born 
four children, but two sons died in infancy. The 
others are Ada E., the wife of Richard R. Mooi'e, 
of Quincy; and Sidney H. 

3Ir. Landcraft has been a member of the Ma- 
sonic fraternit.y since 1884 and is still affiliated 
with the lodge at IMonroe City, in w-hich he was 
initiated. He belongs to the Kau Valley Division 
No. 55, of Railroad Conductors of Kansas City. 
There are many notable elements in his career. 
His youth was spent amid unfavoring circum- 
stances and dependent upon his own resources 
from an early age of eight years he has guided his 
course and shaped his destiny so that he has 
passed through the ranks of mediocrity and 
stands among those whose labors are crowned 
by successful aecomplislmient. Diligence and 
unfaltering purpose have, perhaps, been his mo.st 
salient characteristics combined with an unfalt- 
ering devotion to duty and unquestioned tidelity 
to every trust reposed in him and he is to-day 
prominent auKing the representative business 
men of Qiiiucy. 



CHRISTOPHER S. CrRRY. 

Christopher S. Curry, who since 1896 has 
lived a retired life in Clayton, was born No- 
vember 9, 1836, in Jetferson county, Kentucky, 
and was a son of Thomas and ]\Ielinda (Mur- 
phy) Curry. His paternal grandfather, Daniel 
Curry, was a resident of Pennsylvania, whence 
he removed to Kentucky. Thomas Curry was 
born in the latter state, March 2, 1802, and his 
wife's birth occurred November 6, 1807. In 
1837 they removed to Adams county, w-here they 
spent their remaining days, being residents of 
Clayton township. 



Christopher S. Curry was only about a year 
old when he was brought by his parents to Illi- 
nois. He pursued his education in the piiblic 
schools and was reared to farm life. On the 26th 
of ]\Iay, 1859. he married Elizabeth Bennett, 
who was born in Adams county, October 24, 
1837. They became the parents of ten children : 
Charles T., born February 20, 1860, was married 
to Angie Garrett and lives in Clayton. They 
have two sous: Fred T., who was born October 
11, 1884, and was educated in the Clayton high 
.-school : and Robert Garrett, born July 18, 1891 ; 
Benjamin A., born July 25, 1861, is now en- 
gaged in the livery biisiness iu Clayton, married 
Ellen Jlorley and has one child. William 
B., who was born Pebi'uaiy 20, 1863, 
and lives in j\Ionmouth, married Alma Ausmus 
and since her death has married Gertie Deterlie; 
Luella, boi-n June 14, 1864, is the widow of 
Henry Campbell, of Clayton, and has six chil- 
dren ; James S., born July 30, 1865, married 
Ola Vandervooi-t and lives in Clayton township. 
Laura, born November 10, 1867, is the wife of 
Stewart Shank, a resident of Missouri. Lorin, 
born September 14, 1869, died January 15, 1891. 
Effie, born August 6, 1871, is at home. Bertie, 
born April 11, 1873, became the wife of Elmer 
Watson, and died January 31, 1901 ; and Otha 
H., who was born October 19, 1875, mai-ried 
Lula Vandervoort and lives in Galesburg. In 
1896 Mr. Curry was called upon to mourn the 
loss of his first wife, who died on the 3d of Oc- 
tober of that year. 

On the 11th of February, 1902, he married 
Susan M. Johnson, who was born near Camp 
Point, Adams county, and is a daughter of Hen- 
son and Elizabeth (Drake) Johnson, the for- 
mer a native of Indiana and the latter of Ken- 
tucky. Her mother died February 20, 1897, 
but "her father is now living in Billings, Mon- 
tana. Mrs. Curry was educated in the public 
schools at Camp Point and in early life learned 
the milliner's trade, which she followed for thir- 
ty-seven years, spending twenty-seven years in 
Minneapolis, ilinnesota, and several years in 
Chicago and in Kansas. 

"ThroiTghout his business career Mv. Curi-y fol- 
lowed the occupation of farming and success at-. 
tended his efforts. He is to-day the owner of 
two hundred and six acres of fine land on sec- 
tions 9 and 10, Concord toM'uship, which he 
rents. He also owns a fine home in Clayton, to 
which he retired in 1896, and is there enjoy- 
ing a well earned rest. He gives his political 
suppoi-t to the republican party and served as 
road commissioner for several years. His re- 
ligious faith is indicated by membership in the 
Christian church. He has lived in Adams county 
from pioneer times, his residence hei-e covering 



946 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



sixty-eitihi yi,'Hrs, so tluit liis life liistoiy is well 
known to his fellow townsmen anil all ace n-d 
him that respect and confidence wiiicli is luii- 
versally exteiidc^d in reeoiiiiition of ucimine 
worth. 



]\IRS. VIK(;iNIA K. ECKLES. 

Mrs. Virginia K. Eckles, who is the owner of a 
valuable and productive farm of one hundred 
and twenty acres on section 27, Houston town- 
ship, was "born in Adams county, July 7, 1842, 
a daughter of William and Caroline (ilorrow) 
Willard. Her father was a native of Tennessee, 
born June 7, 1811. and his wife's birth occurred 
in Kentucky, November 24, 1817. Both reached 
an advanced age, the former i)assing away April 
27. 1895, whiie the latter died on the 18th of 
January of the same year. 

Virginia K. Willard spent her girlhood days in 
her parents' home and obtained her education in 
the schools of the neighborhood. She was trained 
to assist in the duties of the household and was, 
therefore, well prepared to take charge of a home 
of her own when she was married, on the 13th 
of September, 18(i(i, l)c'coming the wife of William 
Einley Eckles, with whom she lived happily until 
death separated them. iMr. Eckles was born in 
Adams county, July 20, 1845, his parents being 
James II. and Nancy (Coulter) Eckles, who were 
natives of Pennsvlvania. the father born June 5, 
1818. and the mothei- July 14, 1825. IMr. Eckles 
came to Adams county. Illinois, November 13. 
1842, and on the 28th" of December, 1843, they 
Avere married. Their married life covered a long 
period, and Mr. Eckles passed away in January, 
1897. 

William F. Eckles was reared to the occupation 
of farming, early beginning work in the fields 
and meadows and thus gaining the practical ex- 
perience which enalili'd him to carefully and suc- 
cessfully manage his own farming interests in 
later life. He attended the public schools and, 
after putting aside his text-books, turned his at- 
tention to farming and also followed threshing 
to some extent. The farm which Mrs. Eckles in- 
herited from her father he placed luider a high 
state of cultivation, so that he was enabled to 
provide his wife and children with the necessi- 
ties and many of the comforts of life. I^nto them 
were born five chikh-en, as follows: ^lay, born 
June 27, 1867, became the wife of Fred Stewart 
and died June 8, 1901. She had one child, Harold 
E.. born April 8, 1896. Charles N., born :\Iarch 4. 
1869, died August 3, 1870. Thomas W.. who was 
born May 20, 1871, and lives on the homestead 
farm, was married June 14, 1893, to Blanche 
Kern and has four children : Elva Lee, born Sep- 



tember 27, 1894; Ella V., k)rn January 21, 1897; 
Etfie Aurette, ))orn August 5, 1899 ; and Lora 
May, April 10, 1891. Nancy Cora, born August 
24," 1873, is the wife of John F. Beckett, having 
been married ilarch 28, 1895, and their home is 
in Golden. They have one child, Floyd O., born 
June 11, 1898." Elmer S.. born November 3, 
1875, died January 25, 1876. 

Mv. Eckles gave his political support to the 
democratic party, and at one time served as col- 
lector of his township. He belonged to the An- 
cient Order of Il^nited Workmen and was a man 
whom to know was to respect and honor, for he 
so lived as to merit the trust of those with whom 
he came in contact, being trustworthy in busi- 
ness, reliable in citizenship and true to all the 
duties of home and social life. He was a mem- 
ber of the United Brethren cluirch. in which faith 
he died Octobei' 11, 1891, and his remains were 
interred in Ebenezer cemetery. Houston town- 
ship. 

Mrs. Eckles has always remained on the old 
homestead farm on section 27, Houston township, 
where her place, compi-ising one hundred and 
twenty acres, is well tilled and improved with 
substantial buildings. She has also twenty and 
a half acres of timber land four and a half miles 
northwest of (Jolden on section Ui. IIci- farm is 
operated by her son Thomas, who, with his fam- 
ily, yet resides on the old homestead and is pro- 
gressive and enterprising in his management of 
the farm. Mrs. Eckles belongs to the United 
Brethren church. She has a Avide acquaintance 
in the county in which her entire life has been 
passed and where she has gained many friends. 



SAMUEL KNOX. 

Samuel Knox, who for sixty-one years has been 
a resident of Adams county, and whose memory 
therefore form:; a connecting link between pio- 
neer days and the period of modern progress, 
was for many years actively engaged in farming 
but is now living a retired life on section 15, 
Ellington township. He was born in County 
Londonderry. Ireland. December 25. 1837, and 
came to Illinois in 1844 with his parents, Samuel 
and ]\lary (^McLean) Knox, who were likewise 
natives of Ireland. The father was a farmer by 
occupation and during the infancy of his son 
Samuel he brought his family to the United 
States, locating first in Summit Hill, Pennsyl- 
vania, in 1838. There he worked in the coal mines 
for six years, when, believing that he would have 
better business opportunities in the west where 
land could be secured at a low price, he made his 
way to Quinoy in the autunui of 1844. Soon aft- 
ei'ward he imrehased a ti-aet of land which was 






MR. AND MRS WILLIAM WILLARD MR. AND MRS. W. F. ECKLES MR. AND MRS, J. H. ECKLES 








MR AND MRS. T. VV. ECKLES MR. AND MRS. JOHN BECKETT AND FLOYD O. 

ELVA L., ELLA V., EFFIE A. AND LORA M. ECKLES 
MRS. MAY STEWART HAROLD E. STEWART 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



951 



wild aud unbroken, but he at once began to plow 
and plant the fields and in course of time gathered 
rich harvests. The family lived in true pioneer 
style in those early days, for all the evidences of 
frontier life abounded. Deer and other wild 
game were plentiful and furnished many a meal 
for the early settlers, ilr. Knox broke the 
ground with oxen, after clearing away the brush 
and timber, ana as the years advanced his agri- 
cultural interests returned to him a good income 
that enabled him to add to his original tract of 
eight acres another tract of similar proportions. 
He was widely and favorably known among the 
pioneer settlers and also has many warm friends 
among the more recent arrivals in the county. 
He died March 30, 1884, at the age of seventy- 
seven years and his wife survived him only three 
days. They were devoted members of the Presb.y- 
terian church, in which Mr. Knox served as an 
elder, and he gave his political allegiance to the 
republican party. 

Samuel Knox attended the early schools, which 
were eondiicted on the subscription plan in a little 
log schoolhouse, and when not busy with his books 
— he attended only through the winter month.s — 
he worked in the fields or performed other labor 
incident to the improvement of the home farm. 
It was not long before he had become competent 
at the work of plowing, planting and harvesting, 
and throughout his business career he continued 
the active operation of his farm. He now owns 
eighty acres of fine land about nine miles north- 
east of Quiney, which he rents. The farm is 
divided into rich pastures and good fields and is 
devoted to the raising of gi-ain and stock. In 
addition to this property Mr. Knox also has min- 
ing interests in Colorado. He votes with the 
republican party but has never been an office 
seeker, preferring to give his undivided attention 
to his business interests, in which he has met with 
signal success. He is familiar with the incidents 
and events which go to make up the pioneer his- 
tory of the county and what to many are a matter 
of record has been to him a matter of personal 
experience or observation in connection Avitli the 
improvement and upbuilding of this part of the 
state. 



CHARLES T. DAZEY. 



Charles T. Dazey. of Quiney, who has won in- 
ternational fame as a playwright and author, 
was born in the town of Lima, Adams county, 
Illinois, August 13, 185.5. His father. Mitchell 
Dazey, was a leading farmer of the county for 
many years, conducting a successful business as 
an agriculturist. Being in comfortable financial 
circumstances he was enabled to give his son 



excellent educational privileges and following a 
thorough course in the public schools of Quinc.v, 
Chai-les T. Dazey became a student in Johnson 
College. lie afterward went to Lexington, Ken- 
tucky, where he prepared for entrance into Har- 
vard University, being graduated within the 
classic walls of that institution in ISSl. He 
gained the degree of Bachelor of Arts and won 
some of the class honors, among others being 
unanimously elected class president. He also 
had the honor of serving as an editor of the 
HaiTard Advocate, with President Roosevelt, 
then in his senior year. At a later date the 
honorary degree of Master of Arts was con- 
ferred upon him by Illinois College. 

Thinking to make the practice of law his life 
work, he supplemented his literary course by 
study in Columbia College, preparatory to be- 
coming a member of the bar. but his assiduous 
attention to his text-books impaired his health 
and caused him to seek the benefits that miglit be 
derived from a change of climate. Going to 
Barnes county. North Dakota, he there man- 
aged an extensive wheat farm for some time 
and not only found it a remunerative occupa- 
tion, but also one which restored him to his old 
time health and sti-ength. It was at this stage 
in his career that his mind turned to the M'ork 
of the playright and he entered upon a line of 
activity that has made him one of the foremost 
dramatic wn-iters of the day. He had to some 
extent engaged in the production of plays, but 
merely as a stiidy in connection with his college 
work. His first play was Avritten while he was 
at Harvard and was a comediette called Rustica- 
tion. This was presented with more than ordi- 
nary success at the Boston IMuseum and proved 
the initial effort to a notable career as a play- 
MT.*ight. His first important production after he' 
entered seriously upon the work of dramatic 
Avriting was a play called the American King, 
which was presented by James O'Niel in 1882. 
This proved eminently popular aud brought him 
many commissions from prominent actors. His 
reputation in the line of his chosen profession 
has .since been a,ssured and the American King 
was followed successively by Erma, the Elf and 
other plays written for Katie Putnam : For a 
Brother's Life, presented by J. M. Hill: Love 
Finds a Way, written later for Katie Putnam : 
The Little Maverick, produced by ilaggie 
Slitchell, and In Old Kentucky, which was his 
first production that won him international 
fame. He devoted the winter of 1891-2 to the 
preparation of this play, residing meanwhile at 
the Newcomb Hotel. This play has been pro- 
duced annually in this country since that time 
and has also been presented in England, Austria 
and Germany with splendid success. In fact, 
it has drawn audiences scarcely equaled 



952 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



by finy other dramatic production and 
none has received more universal favorable 
eonnuent. The War of Wealth, which followed 
In Old Kentucky, has been presented in both 
Enjjland and Australia, as well as America, and 
has proven equally popular. The Subui'ban, 
produced by Jacob Litt, was another great suc- 
cess, and Home Polks, Mr. Dazey's latest play, 
bid.s fair to equal or surpass the record of In 
Old Kentucky. 

i\Ir. Daze>' has always been a contributor to 
variovis leading periodicals and was the aiithor 
of several poems which appeared in the Cen- 
tury. A contemporary biographer has said : 
"In his dramatic and literary work Mr. Dazey 
is conscientious and painstaking to the highest 
degree. A close and remarkably successful stu- 
dent of human nature, dominated by the highest 
motives, his writings are not only pure and 
wholesome, but appeal strongly to the people, 
touching a responsive chord in every heart. He 
has not been influenced by the constant demands 
of great actors and successful managers, but 
writes with care and deliberation and everything 
that comes from his pen is characterized by the 
same completeness and elegance of fini.sh. 
Among the dramatic writers of the day there 
is none more eminent or successful and his name 
will be honored in future years." 

Mr. Dazey married Miss Lucy Harding and 
they have one son. They made an extended trip 
abroad in 1896, visiting England, France and 
Ital\' and ever^-where were received with dis- 
tinguished lionor, especially in theatrical and lit- 
erary circles. Personally ilr. Dazey is a gen- 
tleman of broad culture, strong intellectual de- 
velopment, marked intellectiiality and unfail- 
ing courtesy — qualities which render him a de- 
lightful companion in cultui-ed society circles. 
He has had the honor of an election into several 
famous clubs of New York, including the Lotos, 
the Dramatists and thi' Tjamlis. 



n. 11. E:\i:\nxGA. 



Prominent among the business men of Adams 
county is IT. H. Emminga, who has been closely 
identified with the industrial and commercial 
interests of Golden since attaining man's es- 
tate, and his name has become inseparably con- 
nected with its financial I'eeords. He was born 
in Wiesens. Ostfriesland, Germany, December 
25, 1850, and can trace his ancestry back through 
many generations. His forefathers seem to 
have l)een largely connected with the so-called 
learned classes of olden times and made them- 



selves pi'orainent in church, school and other 
matters of public interest, signing themselves 
Eimuius, which is the Latin form of Emminga. 
Ubbo Emmius, who lived from 1547 to 1625, Avas 
a renowned historian, whose publications are 
taken as authority on the history of Ostfries- 
land, a small country on the North sea across 
from Great Britain, whose people never mixed 
with the other Germans and absolutely held their 
identity for over a thousand years. They were 
never successfully subjugated by other powers 
but governed themselves and did not pay any 
taxes until later times. The people of Golden 
and surrounding country are largely the de- 
.scendants of emigrants from that particular lit- 
tle corner of Germany. Hinrich R. Emminga, 
the father of our subject, was born in Ostfries- 
land in 1829 and was a millwright by occupa- 
tion, reaching perfection in his chosen calling by 
study and close application. In his native land 
he married iliss ^Margaretha H. Franzeu. who 
was born in 1824. Her father. Harm II. Fran- 
zen, for whom (lur subject was named, fought 
in the Franco-Prussian war as a cavalryman 
and was in the battle of Waterloo, June 18, 1815, 
where Napoleon I, was finally defeated, Wliile 
a poor, unassuming man, Mr. Franzen was held 
in the highest respect as a quiet, honorable gen- 
tleman who never made an enemy. Accompa- 
nied by his wife and children, Hinrich R. Em- 
minga crossed the Athmtic and landed at New 
Orleans, whence they made their way wp the 
river to Quincy, arriving at Golden in Febru- 
ary, 1852. at which time this resion was all wild 
prairie. On reaching his destination Mv. Em- 
minga had only one piece of money left — a gold 
coin worth seven dollars and eighty cents — but 
through industi'y and economy he soon became 
independent and well-to-do. He never desired 
to be rich, for he did not believe that wealth and 
happiness would harmonize. He built several 
mills for himself during his lifetime and engaged 
in their operation, becoming a practical miller 
as well as millwright. Never overcoming his 
love and devotion for the fatherland, he returned 
to Germany in 1863 and while there his wife died 
in 1868 and was laid to rest at Holtrop, Ostfries- 
land. In 1872 the father again came to America, 
but seven years later returned to Germany, 
where he passed away in 1888 and was Imried 
by the side of his wife. He left to his son the 
priceless heritage of an untarnished name and 
the following advice: "Learn to be contented 
and manage to (|uit this world's work when yon 
are fifty years old like I have done." 

H. H. Emminga received a good practical edu- 
cation in the common schools but only four 
months of his school life were devoted to the 
study of English. Although quite a lover of na- 
ture, he could never become interested in asri- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



953 



culture and matters pertaining thereto. He 
never learned to hitch up a hoi-se and does not 
enjoy driving even if the finest horses in the 
eountiy were at his command. Commercial pur- 
suits, however, have always had a great attrac- 
tion for him and he enjoys dealing with the out- 
side world, finding channels of his own without 
competing or becoming luifriendly with others. 
Without asking advice or assistance he found 
a way of dealing directly with foreign lands as 
readily as within our own country. 

On his arrival in Golden at an early hour in 
the morning. May 11, 1870, direct from the 
fatherland, Mr. Emminga had but small means 
and was imable to speak the English langiiage. 
He had spent his boyhood in this section up to 
the age of twelve years when the family returned 
to Germany, and he well remembere wading 
through the prairie swamps looking after lost 
cows where Golden is now situated, although it 
is the dividing point between the Illinois and 
^lississippi rivers, thus necessarily forming a 
ridge. A system of drainage, however, was an 
easy matter to prepare for a town site. On ]\Ir. 
Emminga 's return in 1870, it was with the de- 
termination to locate, live and die in Golden and 
he has never changed his intention. 

As an old-fashioned miller he knew how to 
grind meal and flour on millstones, biit owing 
to ill health he was finally forced to give up that 
occupation and seek other employment. Ac- 
cordingly in 1879 he commenced dealing and 
shipping grain of all kinds. He met with such 
success in his new venture that at the end of 
ten years, in 1889, he built a modern flour mill 
with the full roller process, which had a capacity 
of two hundred barrels per day and to which he 
gave the name of the New Era ]\Iills. In order 
to escape our o-wn overloaded markets he opened 
direct eonnnuuication with the West Indies, 
Gi'eat Britain, France, Holland and other for- 
eign markets, with satisfactory results and pleas- 
ant connections. The little village of Golden 
having no bank, he decided to enter that busi- 
ness and on the 1st of July. 1894, opened the 
People's Exchange Bank, which he at first con- 
ducted in the same room with his milling and 
grain interests. This brick building, erected 
for office purposes in 1891 and fitted up with 
vaults and a strong safe for his own use. an- 
swered all needs for some years, biit unfortu- 
nately it was located too far from the business 
center of the growing little cit.v. Besides this 
the banking business had gro'mi to such an ex- 
tent that it equalled that of any country bank 
in the county and it reqi^ired better quarters 
and a more convenient site for the public, so that 
INFr. Emminga is now (in 1905) erecting a mod- 
ern structure, forty by fift.y-two feet, to be a 



model of its kind in finish and convenience. In 
connection with banking, he has also become in- 
terested in the real estate biisiness. buying and 
selling property, examining records and furnish- 
ing loans. This department of his business is 
liberally patronized and his office has become a 
busy place. 

In 1872, Mr. Emminga was united in marriage 
to Miss E. Maria Gembler, who was born in San 
Antonio, Texas, December 12, 1854, and is a 
daughter of Johan Jacob Gembler, an old Texas 
pioneer and ranchman who emigrated from Ger- 
many and landed in Galveston in 1847. Two 
children bless this union : Margaretha, who was 
born April 5, 1873, and was educated at St. 
Mary's Convent of Quiney; and John Jacob, 
who was born May 30, 1875, and is a graduate 
of the Gem City Business College of Quiney, be- 
ing now cashier of the People's Exchange Bank 
of Golden, 

When Mr. Emminga located in Golden that 
village contained only a few hoiises. He has 
always been deeply interested in matters of looal 
improvement and has taken a very important 
part in building up the town. In 1898 a fine 
new public schoolhouse was built of brick and 
stone and of modern design. The people, being 
afraid of heaw taxation, were opposed to the 
plan at first, but when Mr. Emminga took up 
the matter, calling attention to the feasibility of 
issuing long time bonds at a low rate of interest, 
they changed their views and are now glad that 
they did so for they have never felt the burden 
of increased taxation. Mr. Emminga was ap- 
pointed notary public on the 21st of April, 1879, 
and has filled that office ever since to the entire 
satisfaction of all concerned. Since attaining 
his majority he has been a stanch supporter of 
the republican party and its principles, as was 
his father and as his son is at present. He be- 
lieves that liovernment is a brisiness concern 
with no room for amateurism or hobbies of any 
kind. He also advocates the doctrine that edu- 
cation and intelligence without the sem-iees of 
the church are entirely insufficient and that only 
Christianity can bring up mankind to the high- 
est sphere of life. A prominent member of the 
Lutheran Protestant church of Golden, he had 
the i-ebuilding of the church in 1904 principally 
in charge and in regard to its inside finishings 
it is now one of the finest to be found an^-where. 
IMr. Emminga has always taken a very active 
and prominent part in church work and recently 
offered ten thousand dollars if the proper au- 
thorities would establish a theological seminary 
in Golden. He finds his chief source of pleasure 
and recreation among his books, his libi-aiy con- 
taining about two thousand volumes, and he 
makes a special study of history, biographies and 



954 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



natural science. His fondness for travel has led 
him to visit nearly every state in the Union and 
also inneh of Europe, taking a deep interest in 
different nationalities and their customs as well 
as the works of nature. As a financier he ranks 
among the ablest in Adams county, being a man 
of keen discrimination and sound .judgment, and 
his executive ability and untiring indiistry have 
brought to him excellent success. As a citizen 
he ever stands ready to discharge any duty de- 
volving upon him and no man in the comnjunity 
is more widelv or favorably known. 



WILTON EPITRABl WHITE. 

Wilton Ephraim White, vice-president of the 
Gem City Business College, ancl hence connect- 
ed with the leading educational institution of 
this character in this country, was born Febru- 
ary 14, 1866, on a farm near Marion, Linn coun- 
ty, Iowa. His parents were James A. and Nancy 
(Ellis) White. The father's parents removed 
to Ohio from Virginia. The mother's people 
were from Vermont, whence they ^w^nt to Ohio, 
and in the latter state she gave her hand in mar- 
riage to I\Ir. White. Later they removed to 
Iowa, where I\Ir. White engaged in farming and 
also followed his trade of carpentry. At the 
time of the Civil war he enlisted in Company A, 
Thirty-first Iowa Infantry, lender Colonel Wil- 
liam Smith, July 6, 1862, and served contin- 
noiisly until the end of the war, taking part in 
over sixty important engagements, including the 
siege of Vieksburg, the iDattles of Lookout Moun- 
tain, Missionary Ridge, Chattanooga and At- 
lanta, and followed Sherman in his celebrated 
march "from Atlanta to the sea." After the 
Avar, ;\Ir. White continued working at his trade 
and farming in Iowa until 1872, when he emi- 
grated to Jewell county, Kansas, and is yet resid- 
ing with his wife upon a farm there. The chil- 
dren of the family were as follows : Basil, who 
died in 1890 as the result of an accident: Wil- 
liam B., twin brother of Wilton E., is a farmer 
in Kansas; Thompson S., who with his family 
I'esides in Quincy and is traveling salesman for 
the Quincy Casket Company; Charles D. is a 
traveling salesman residing in Portland, Ore- 
gon; Lyda, the wife of J. B. King, resides in 
Oklahoma: Lucy is the wife of C. Davis, of 
Washington. Kansas: IMary is the wife of Ed- 
win Kent of Jewell county, Kansas: Clara and 
Celia are still at home, the latter now pursuing 
a course in bookkeeping and stenography in the 
Cem City Business College. 

Wilton E. Wliite, the'sub.ject of this sketch, 
A\as but six years of age when his parents re- 



moved to Kansas. Jewell county, in 1872, was 
on the extreme border of settlement : passing In- 
dians were of daily occurrence ; and vast he"ds 
of buffalo roamed over the prairies. Amidst 
such scenes and conditions of hardy pioneer life 
the boy grew Tip, sharing the hardships and pri- 
vations in eonnnon with his brothers and sisters, 
and with the other settlers. During the summer 
of 1873, the grasshoppers completely destroyed 
the growing crops, which misfortune was fol- 
lowed l)y a very severe winter, so that the set- 
tlers were almost wholly dependent on "aid" 
sent l)y sympathizing citizens of neighboring 
.states. The whole community of pioneers were 
at the point of starvation many times during 
that winter. The family first lived in a "dug- 
out" and afterward in a commodious sod house. 
The fir.st school he attended was built of sod, the 
seats being slabs of native cottonwood luuiljer 
supported at each end by blocks cut from logs 
of the same wood: the desks were made of slabs 
with the fiat side up, supported by stakes driven 
into the dirt fioor. The first church there also 
was of sod ; but the settlement gained a foothold 
and gradually emerged from its dugouts and sod 
houses, and is now dotted Avith cities and vil- 
lages, while the settlers dwell in modern houses, 
and schools and churches abound. The boy was 
a diligent and dutiful student at the district 
school which he attended every winter, when he 
could be spared from the farm work and from 
assisting his father in his carpenter work, until 
about his sixteenth year. At this time occurred 
a circumstance which, although trivial in itself, 
changed the whole course of his desires and am- 
bitions. W. C. Palmer, an old schoolmate hav- 
ing gone away to college, had learned the print- 
er's trade and was employed in the printing of- 
fice at Jewell. Wilton observed him at work at 
the case one day, and after watching the process 
of typesetting for a time, his friend presented 
him with a few broken types from the " hell- 
In ix."" These were taken home and used in 
stamping the characters in every conceivable 
formation, on envelopes, fiy-leaves of books, and 
every other place capable of receiving the im- 
pi-essions. This proved so interesting to him 
that the young man resolved also to become a 
printer. His printer schoolmate had been ad- 
vanced to local editor, in addition to his diities 
as compositor, and young White found no trou- 
ble in getting a chance to play the "devil" and 
tiy the a)-t of typesetting in the same office, and 
was accordingly apprenticed to the Jewell Coun- 
t.v Republican, then owned by Benjamin Mus- 
ser, a banker and biisiness man of Jewell. His 
salary was $2 per week, and at the end of the 
fii'st year he had $101 to his credit in the bank, 
having supported himself by doing chores before 
and after working hours. While engaged in this 




W. E. WHITE 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



957 



work he applied himself so diligently that he 
was rapidly advanced and soon was holding the 
most responsible position in the office. He fol- 
lowed his chosen vocation for several years, and 
during a great part of this time he resided with 
the iliisser family, who are still pleased to call 
him ' ' Our boy. ' ' Here his association with edu- 
cated people brought him to a realization of his 
own need for higher educational advantages than 
he possessed. He accordingly resolved to edu- 
cate himself if possible. Carefully saving his 
earnings, he took up a course of study at the 
State Agricultural College, at Manhattan. Kan- 
sas, supporting himself mainly by working at 
his trade while pursuing his studies. In 1889 he 
entered the Kansas Wesleyan University, at Sa- 
lina, where he also supported himself by editing 
and doing the mechanical work on a school and 
conference newspaper. After completing his 
studies at Salina, -he engaged in public school 
teaching, but finding the wages in this line of 
work too low, he determined to fit himself as a 
commercial teacher. He accordingly entered the 
Gem City Business College, taking the full 
cour.se. After graduation he was employed for 
a time in a bank in the capacity of expert book- 
keeper and auditor. In January, 1892, he was 
cmplo.ved by Professor ^lusselman as teacher in 
the college, where he has served continuously 
since, being promoted from time to time un- 
til he now holds the position of professor of 
mathematics, commercial law, business corre- 
spondence, and punctuation — the principal 
chair on the faculty of the institution. Pro- 
fessor White is a favorite with his stiidents 
and is noted among them for his great patience 
as an instructor, and for the clearness of his 
demonstrations. He takes a great interest in 
the caiise of commercial education and keeps 
himself carefull.v informed on the advanced 
thought of his profession. Pie is a regular at- 
tendant at the sessions of the National Com- 
mercial Teachers' Federation, and was elected 
president of that body for 190.5 by iinanimous 
consent of the members. 

The professor is one of the heavj' stockholders 
in the college corporation, is a member of the 
board of dii-ectors. and has served as vice-presi- 
dent since 1898. He also owns a one-half inter- 
est in the elegant five-story building at the cor- 
ner of Seventh and Hampshire streets (the col- 
lege home) . the finest business block in Quincy. 
He is also interested financially and as an author 
in the ilusselman Piiblishing Company, publish- 
ing a celebrated line of commercial text-books, 
which have a large sale throiighout the United 
States. 

Professor "White was married August 21, 1893, 
to Miss Dora A. Cooley. daughter of P. D. 
Cooley, a retired farmer, then living in Quincy. 



but now residing in Colorado. Four children 
have been born to them : Clarence Cooley, born 
July 8, 1894, died November 11th of the same 
year; Wilton Parker, born July 27, 1898, and 
now a pupil in the public schools of Quincy; 
Dorothy Mildred, born [March 27, 1902, died 
iMarch 25, 1903; and Virginia Ellis, born July 
26, 1904. The family residence is at 803 Sixth 
avenue north. Quincy. 

Politically ]\Ir. White gives his support to the 
republican party. He is a member of Lambert 
lodge. No. 659. A. F. & A. M., in which he is 
one of the faithful and active workers, and is 
now serving as senior deacon in that body. Pro- 
fessor White has brought to bear on his educa- 
tional labors that fidelity and persistence which 
have characterized his progi-ess from the first — 
patience, perseverance, an ambition to master 
what he undertakes, and a desire to move for- 
ward rather than to .stand still, which in this 
age is another name for going backward. He 
has made for himself an enviable name and repu- 
tation, and has ably seconded the efforts of 
President Mussehnan in building up and main- 
taining in Quincy the leading commercial col- 
lege of America, which enjoys a national reputa- 
tion and enrolls its students from every state in 
the Union and from many foreign countries. 
Quincy is proud to note the success of Mr. Wliite 
and to number him among her substantial busi- 
ness men and prominent educators. 



ERDE W. BEATTT. 



Erde W. Beatty. a resident of Quincy, is one 
of the native sons of the city, his birth having 
here occurred in May, 1859, his parents being 
Thomas and Sarah (Owens) Beatty. In earty 
life the father followed the occupation of farm- 
ing in Ellington township, which was the place 
of his birth, but in later years took up his abode 
in Quincy, where he worked at the carriage- 
maker's trade and at the same time engaged in 
general repairing. He married Miss Sarah 
Owens, who vras born in ]\Ielrose township, 
Adams county, and was a daughter of John 
Owens, one of the pioneer residents and progres- 
sive farmers of this county. 

Erde W. Beatty is indebted to the public- 
school system of Adams county for the educa- 
tional privileges which were afforded him in 
his youth. In early manhood he learned the 
carriage-malv'^r's trade under the direction of 
his father, to whom he gave his assistance until 
he had attained his ma.iority. A partnership 
was then formed between them, which existed 
until 1887, when the father retired and was sue- 



958 



PAST AND PKESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



eeedecl in business b}^ his three sons, Erde W., 
John E., and Thomas IM.. under the firm name 
of Beatty Brothers. In the meantime the busi- 
ness had be&n developed into a large and pros- 
perous carriage manufacturing enterprise and 
the sons, being i^ractieal and skillful workmen, 
were well fitted to continiie the business. Their 
establishment was located at the southwest cor- 
ner of Twelrlh and Hampshire streets and was 
well e(|uii>ped with all modeni machinery. Men 
skilled in the trade were employed to do the 
work (if the sho]is and an excellent line of car- 
riages A\'as annually sent out, the product of the 
house being such that it found a ready sale on 
the market. Their trade constantly increased, 
bringing to them a good financial return, and 
Mr. Beatty rrf this review was thus connected 
with the industrial interests of Quincy for many 
years. The reputation which the house sus- 
tained was unassailable and the business methods 
followed would bear the closest inspection and 
scrutiny. 

In 1893 Erde "W. Beatty was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Anna C. Wild, who was born in 
Quincy. They now have two children: E. C. 
Obert and Sarah Margaret. Their circle of 
friends is extensive and the hospitality of many 
of the best homes of the city is freely accorded 
them. 

Mr. Beatty is a prominent democrat, deeply 
interested in the success and growth of his par- 
ty, yet he has no political aspirations for him- 
self. He belongs to Bodley lodge, No. 1, A. F. 
& A. M., and also has membership relations with 
the Modern Woodmen and other fraternal socie- 
ties. His life record has at all times been com- 
mendable, being characterized by integrity in 
business, and honor in all relations and his his- 
tory is but another illustration of the fact that 
in America, where effort is not pampered by 
caste or class, labor brings its sure reward. 



EARL H. TOOLE. M. D. 

Well known as a man and practitioner of 
medicine is Dr. Toole, one of the successful young 
physicians of Quincy, having been in general 
practice for the past seven years. He was born 
in St. Joseph, Missouri, July 28, 1875, his parents 
being Octavius B. and Christina (Hansen) Toole. 
The father was liorn in Weston, Missouri, near 
St. Joseph, July 18, 1847, and his wife was a 
native of Copenhagen, Denmark, born in 1857, 
coming to America when a child with her parents, 
who settled in a Danish community in Jackson 
county, Kansas. Christina Hansen was married 
to Octavius B. Toole at Atchison, Kansas, August 



14, 1871. Her death occurred, January Ki. 1881, 
',\'hen she was twenty-four years of age. O-tavius 
B. Toole was in the money order department of 
the post office at St. Joseph, Missouri, for several 
years, previous to his appointment as railway 
jjostal clei'k, running between Quincy, Illinois, 
and Kansas City, Missouri, which later position 
he filled for nearly thirty years. He died Feb- 
ruary 21, 1904, while yet in active service. He 
had been a cattleman in Montana, in the early 
'60s, in the same district of which his cousin, 
the Hon. J. K. Toole, is now governor. He was 
one of the first men to take an entire outfit over- 
land from St. Joseph to Montana, the joui-ney 
by ox-teams consuming six months. 

In the family of Octavius B. Toole, which 
moved to Quincy in 1876, wei-e thi'ee children, 
one of whom, Roy, died in infancy. Nellie, the 
only daughter, became the wife of Dr. V. T. 
Chadwell, of Quincy, Many years f(illii\ving 
the death of his first wife Octavius Toole mari-ieil 
Miss Alice McLaughlin, who had come from St. 
Joseph with the family and had cared for his 
children since the death of their mother. Through 
her efforts the son and daughter were enabled to 
have musical, literary and medical educations. 
One child, Florence, who was born in Oetuber, 
1902, is living with her mother. 

Dr. Toole, whose name introduces this record, 
Avas less than a year old when his parents came 
to this city. He attended the public schools 
here, completing the grammar school course at 
an early age, then entered the high school, finish- 
ing the sophomore year. His first position was 
A^'ith the Quincy flerald, where he was employed 
for a period of five years. During his last year 
of work at this office he attended the Gem City 
Business College, receiving a diploma from this 
institution in 1891. He prepared for his profes- 
sion as a student in the medical department of 
the University of Kansas City, Missouri, \vhere 
he remained two years, completino- his medical 
education at the Chicago Homeopathic iledical 
College, with the class of 1897. He secured an 
alternate interneship in the Chicago Homeo- 
I)athic Hospital for scolastic ability. He was 
granted a degree from Hahnemann ]\Iedical Col- 
lege in 1905. Removing to Quincy he entered 
upon general practice and has a good patronage 
which many an older physician might well envy. 
He belongs to the Adams County Medical Society 
and the Illinois State Medical Society and is "a 
I'egular practitioner, who is continually broaden- 
ing his knowledge and promoting his efficiencv by 
study of the questions upon and relating to the 
medical science. 

Dr. Toole was married April 4, 1900, to ]\Iiss 
Elizabeth Dimick, a daughter of Charles and 
Belle Dimick. Her mother is one of the leadintr 
workers in the Unitarian ehnrch of tliis eitv, and 




DR. E. H. TOOLE 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



961 



is actively identified witli literary organizations 
and woman's eliTb work. Her father has been 
a passenger conductor on the Chicago. Burling- 
ton and Quincy Railroad for many years and is 
now superintendent of the passenger station at 
Quincy. IMr. Dimick has a military record, hav- 
ing served throughout the Civil war as a member 
of the IMinnesota Battery and participating in 
some of the most important engagements, includ- 
ing ^Missionary Ridge and Lookout Mountain, 
which led to the preservation of the union. 

In his political belief Dr. Toole is a democrat. 
Fraternallv he is affiliated with Lambert lodge. 
No. 659. A. F. & A. M. ; and with Marquette 
lodue. L O. O. F. 



HORACE S. BROWN. 



Horace Safford Bi'own is one of the notable 
figures in Quincy, whose business efforts have 
been of direct and permanent benefit to the city 
and whose loyalty to his country has ever been 
manifest— seen as well in times of peace as in 
days of war when, as a member of the na^'^-. he 
rendered valuable aid to the nation. He was 
born during the pioneer epoch in the history of 
Illinois, his birth having occurred in Carthage, 
Hancock county, this state, in May, 1837, his 
parents being Homer and Hannah (Safford) 
Bro'wn. They were both of English lineage and 
the Browns were represented in the Colonial 
Army in the Revolutionary war. Both families 
came to Adams county with the first group of 
New England settlers who located in this part of 
the state. The Saifords were from New Hamp- 
shire, and, avri'^'ing in Quincy in 1833. soon aft- 
erward took up their abode in Jlelrose township. 
Homer Brown came from Massachusetts to Ad- 
ams county in 1834, and in 1836 married Han- 
nah Safford, in Quincy. They then removed to 
Carthage, Hancock coimty, but after a year re- 
turned to Qiiincy. Both were graduates of New 
Ipswich College of New Hampshire and were 
people of superior culture and refinement, exert- 
ing a beneficial influence upon the early social 
development of the county. In his younger man- 
hood Mr. Bi-own was an artist and portrait 
painter, but in 1848 he again went to Hancock 
county, Illinois, where he turned his attention to 
farming and there made his home until his death 
in 1876, he being then sixty-five years of age. His 
wife died about 1897, at the age of seventy-three 
years. They liad two children : Homer, who is 
engaged in the nursery business in Hancock 
county: and Horace. 

The latter, after attending school in Quincy 
and in Hancock county, became a student in An- 
tioch CollcG'e at Yellow Springs, Ohio, where he 



remained two years. On completing his college 
course he entered the government employ in con- 
nection with the -H'ork of making improvements 
on the Mississippi river. At first he was time- 
keeper, later foreman and subsequently superin- 
tendent. At the time of the Civil war he .joined 
the navA' as an engineer, being appointed by the 
secretary of the navy. He was principally on 
the monitor Nahant at Charleston and also on 
the frigate "Wabash, and was in all the engage- 
ments at Charleston. After the war he returned 
to Illinois and again engaged in business in con- 
nection with river improvements, working for 
the government as a contractor. The Quincy 
Dredging & Towing Company, of Quincy, was 
incorporated in 1883. with H. S. Brown as presi- 
dent and he has since served in that capacity. 
-\I. F. Langdcn is the present secretary of the 
company. They do a business in dredging, tow- 
ing and wrecking and have a fleet of vessels, tow 
lioats. barges and dredges. Mr. Bro^^Ti is also 
president of the ^larine "Ways of Quincy, Incor- 
porated, doing boat building and I'epairing. He 
is likewise secretary of the People's Ferry Com- 
pany. He is well known in connection with 
river improvement and has done much work in 
the harbor of Quincy. 

Mr. Bi-own was married in 1873 to IMiss Eliza 
Brown, of Parke county. Indiana, who died in 
1876. She left one daughter, Katherine Holland 
Brown, an authoress of national reputation, 
having since 1900 been a contributor to leading 
magazines of this countrv. Her series of French 
dialect stories, published in Everybody's Maga- 
zine in 1901-2, led the publishers to suggest her 
attempting a novel to portray some phase of 
French life in America and she soon chose the 
Icarian connnunity as her subject, bringing into 
contrast this self-centered commimistic enter- 
prise, with the work of the underground railroad. 
She gained information through original re- 
search and at length produced a beautiful storj-. 
Diane, which has awakened most favorable com- 
ment from leading ci'itics. because of its liter- 
ary merit as well as its theme interest. 

On the 9th of January, 1879, Mr. Brown was 
married to Miss Jennie Elder of Hamilton, Illi- 
nois, who was born in Shelbyville. this state, a 
daughter of James and ^Fartha (Patterson) El- 
der. There was one child of this marriage. — 
Paul, who died at the age of nine years. Mrs. 
Brown died in November. 1904. her friends 
mourning the loss of a truly good and noble 
woman. She was ever thoughtful of others — a 
faithful friend, a devoted wife and mother and 
a sincere Christian. 

Mr. Bro-wn is a prohibitionist and. as his po- 
litical allegiance indicates, a staunch supporter 
of the temperance cau.se. He belongs to the 
First Presbyterian church and in Masonry has 



u62 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



attaiued the Knight Templar degree. He is a 
raenibei" of the Quincy Historical Society and a 
man of public spirit, of high moral principles 
and upright life. 



FRANK DTJKER. 



Among the pioneer business men of Quincy 
Frank Duker was noted, having arrived in this 
city in 1848, and here he devoted his attention 
to the furniture a.nd undertaking business and 
through the capable control of his interests, his 
enterprise and indefatigable energy, he won the 
success which is the goal of all commercial or in- 
dustrial endeavor. Born in Germany on the 5th 
of March, 1825, he represented one of the old 
families of that country. His father died in 
Grermany during the early boyhood of the son 
Frank, who attended the common schools of his 
tive land and also learned the cabinet-maker's 
trade. He afterward came to America with his 
brotlier-in-law and sister, Mr. and Mrs. Pape. 
Landing at New Orleans, they came up the Mis- 
sissippi to Quincy. Later his mother and three 
brothers — Hennan, Henry and Theodore H. — 
crossed the Atlantic and made their way direct to 
Quincy, where the mother died. The brother, 
Theodore Duker, is engaged in the wholesale 
liquor business here, having for more than half 
a century been connected with the business in- 
terests of the city. 

After arriving in tliis country Frank Duker 
worked at the cabinet-maker's trade for some 
time. He was engaged in repairing old furni- 
tiire and to some extent directed his energy along 
undertaking lines. Wlien his labors had bi'ought 
to him sufficient capital to enable hmi to engage 
in business on his own account he entered into 
partnership with his brother in the con- 
duct of a furniture store and undertaking 
business. A foA\- years later he ]:)urchased his 
brother's interest and was afterward sole pro- 
prietor. He removd to No. 716 ]\raine street, 
where his business increased and at one time he 
had the largest patronage in his line in the city. 
He carried a very extensive stock of furniture 
catering to all classes of trade and yet receiving 
a large support from the best citizens of Quincy 
and the surrounding districts. He was thus 
identified with ctmimercial pursuits iintil his 
death, which occurred July 14, 1894. In 1873 
he built the tine business block in which John H. 
Duker now carries on the furniture and lander- 
taking business. 

On the 24th of Septemlier. 1850, Mr. Duker 
was married to ^liss Caroline Smith, a 
native of Germany, born October '29, 1829, 
and a daughter of George and Elizabeth 



Smith. Her mother died in Germany. Mr. 
Smith folloM'cd the baking business in his 
own country and later crossed the Atlantic 
to America, settling in Quincy, where he made 
his home with his children, living a retired life 
until his death. To i\Ir. and Mi's. Duker were 
born eleven children of whom four are now liv- 
ing. The eldest, John H. Duker, is engaged in 
the furniture business, and is represented else- 
where in this volume. Elizabeth is the widow of 
William Smith, who was extensively engaged in 
the lumber business in St. Louis, where his death 
occurred February 23, 1893. ]\Trs. Smith now 
makes her home in Quincy with her mother, Mrs. 
Duker. She has three children: William I\L, 
Eustachia C, and Frank Arthur, who is de- 
ceased. Mary, the third member of the Duker 
family, resides at home with her mother, as does 
the youngest daughter, Anna. Those deceased 
are Caroline, Henry, Frank, George, Theodore, 
Heniy and George. 

Mr. Duker gave his political allegiance to the 
democratic party, but never sought nor desired 
office, preferring to concentrate his energies upon 
his biisiness affairs, in which he met with signal 
success. He was identified with a few social or- 
ders of Quincy and held a membership in St. 
Boniface Catholic church, of which his wife and 
children are also members. He was truly a self- 
made man, for when he came to America he had 
to Ijorrow the money with which to purchase his 
steamer ticket. He began work as a common la- 
borer, but he advanced steadily in the business 
\vorld through his persistency of purpose and 
marked capability. He thus became prominent 
and well-to-do and he commanded the respect 
and good will of all with whom he was associated 
so that his death was deeply regretted by many 
friends. The business which he established is 
still conducted under the name of Frank Duker 
Sons and is now owned by John H. and Mrs. 
Clara B. Duker. In 1888 he erected a fine brick 
residence at No. 1022 Maine street, which is now 
owned by his widow and occupied by her and 
her children. 



WALTER F. EMERY. 



Walter F. Emery, deceased, was one of the 
pioneer settlers and representative citizens of 
Adams county, and a man whom to know was to 
respect and honor, for in all life's relations he 
was true to the trust reposed in him and met his 
obligations with conscientious fidelity. He was 
born in Vermont in 1828, and was reared to 
farm life. Ho came to Adams county in 1832 
and remained here until the spring of 1850, 





MR. AND MRS. W. F. EMERY 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



965 



when, attracted by the discovery of gold in Cali- 
fornia, he crossed the plains, making the long 
and arduous trip over the liot, sandy stretches 
and through the mountain passes. He hoped 
that he might readily acquire wealth in the gold 
fields, and for three years engaged in mining, 
but, like many others, he did not realize a for- 
tune, and retui-ned to Illinois by waj^ of the 
Isthmus of Panama. He had settled upon his 
farm in this counts' in 1835. entering one hun- 
dred and sixty acres of land from the govern- 
ment, for which he paid the usual price of one 
dollar and a quarter per acre. He broke the land 
with ox teams and erected a doiible log cabin. 
The farm is situated in Melrose township at 
what is now Twenty-fourth and State streets. 
The latter street, beyond Twenty-fourth street, 
was cut through his farm and he donated the 
land to the county. He experienced all the hard- 
ships and trials of pioneer life, assisted materi- 
ally in the development of the county when it was 
still a frontier settlement. During the early days 
he broke land with oxen for E. H. Buckley on 
Broadway between Twentieth and Twenty -second 
street in Quincj'. the land at that time being cov- 
ered with hazel brush. In addition to his farm 
in jMelrose township he became the owner of four 
hundred acres of land in Columbus township 
and a tract of one hundred acres of timber land. 
He also owned the site of the Woodland cemetery 
and sold this to Governor Wood for ten dollars 
per acre. 

Mr. Emery was united in marriage to ^liss 
Matilda Goodrich, who was born in the state of 
New York and was a niece of Governor John 
Wood, with whom she drove to Illinois in a 
buggy at a very early day. They became the 
parents of eight children, of whom four are now 
living: Emily A. resides on the home farm, of 
which she owns forty-nine acres, including the 
Quiney golf links. John F. married ilary How- 
ard, by whom he has two children, Laura B. and 
Lula P., and o\vns forty-six acres of the old 
home farm, on which he is engaged in gardening. 
James L. was educated in the Madison public 
schools and resides on the home farm, where he 
has twenty-two acres valued at one hundred and 
seventy-five dollars per acre. He married Ella 
Heffelmann, who is now deceased. Mrs. Char- 
lotte Smith, of Maine, was the youngest of the 
family, and is now deceased. 

Walter P. Emeiy was a whig in his political 
views in early life and gave his support to that 
party until its dissolution, when he joined the 
new republican party and continued one of its 
stalwart advocates until his death. lie held a 
number of township offices and was always faith- 
ful to the trust reposed in him. He died at the 
age of seventy-eight years, and his vrite passed 
away at the age of seventy-three rears. Both 



were held in high esteem, for they displayed 
many excellent traits of character. 

Mr. Emery was particularly helpful during 
the epoch of pioneer development in Adams 
county. He favored every movement or meas- 
ure that tended to promote public progress, and 
his efforts were of particular benefit in the line 
of agricultural development. In earh' days he 
was known as the champion cradler of the 
coimty, being able to cradle four acres of grain 
per day, which was considered a remarkable feat 
at that time. All who knew him respected him, 
and he well deserves mention among the early 
pioneer settlers. 



HERMAN WENNING. 



Herman Wenniug is one of the worthy citizens 
that Germany has fiirnished to Adams county. 
He is a native of the fatherland and a son of 
G. H. Wenning. who came with his family to 
America in 1863. Here the father died Novem- 
ber 20, 1873. His wife who bore the maiden 
name of ]\Iary Francin. was also a native of Ger- 
many and her death occurred November 8, 1880. 
They Avere the parents of five children: Henry 
who is living in Republic eountj', Kansas: Bar- 
ney, of the same county: Chi-istina, of Balti- 
more, ilaryland: Elizabeth, the wife of Frank 
Footerer, of Quiney ; and Herman. 

In taking \i\) the personal history of our sub- 
ject we present to our readers the life record 
of one who has a wide and favorable acquaint- 
ance in Adams county. He began his education 
in the schools of Germany and after coming to 
Illinois with his parents he continued his studies 
in the schools of Qi;iney, the family living in 
that city for one year. After that time ]Mr. 
Wenning took up his abode on a farm east of 
Quiney. where he made his home for eight years, 
subsequently sjiending three years in Houston 
township, and on the exjiiration of that period 
took up his abode on his present farm, which is 
situated on section 14, Keene township, where 
he has a rich and well developed tract of land 
of one hundred and sixty acres. His farm is 
well eqi^ipped with modern improvements and he 
is now carrying on general agricultural jtursuits 
and stock-raising. He is systematic and method- 
ical in his work and his indefatigable energy has 
resulted in the acquirement of a comfortable 
competence. 

Mr. Wenning was married to ^liss Kate 
Bence. of Newton, Illinois, on the 12tli day of 
February, 1879. She is a daiighter of S. and 
]\Iarv Bence, in whose familv were seven child- 



966 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



reii: Lizzie, unw tiie wife of William B. J\lix, 
of Keene iownsliip ; Theodore, living in Fall 
Creek; John, a resident of Camp Point; Kate 
L. : Charles, of Chatham, Illinois: and two who 
died in infancy. 

The home of Mr. and Mrs. Wenning' has been 
blessed with four children : Mary Ida, born Jan- 
uarv 22, 1881 ; Heni-v E., born December 30. 
188i: Charles W., born October 22. 1888; and 
Agnes A., born February 20, 1893. The parents 
are eommnnieants of the Catholic chnrch and 
j\Ir. Wenning is a democrat in his jiolitical views. 
Pie keeps well informed on the (piestions and 
issues of the day but has nrvcr sought office, 
though he has been called iipim to fill several 
official ]i'isilions, being conmiissioner of high- 
ways thrc" \-('ars and assessor four years. 



CLEMENT BUSH. 



Clement Bush, who in the new world has 
found the business opportunities he sought and 
which liave enabled him to work his way upward 
from a humble financial position to one of afllu- 
ence, is now proprietor of a hirge foundry and 
is conducting an extensive and profitable busi- 
ness. He Avas born in Bristol, England, in 1838, 
a son of John Nash and ilarcia (Ford) Bush. 
The father was a l.ilaeksmith by trade and for 
many years conducted ;i foundry. Pie died at 
the advanced age of eighty-two years, while his 
wife died at the age of si.xty-five years. 

Clement Bush attended the common schools 
near Bristol, England, until twelve years of age, 
and then started out to make his own living, be- 
ing employed in various ways. At the age of 
fourteen years he became an ajiprentice in a 
foundry, and thus worked for two years, when 
in 1857, at the age of sixteen years he came to 
America, locating first at Seneca Falls, New 
York, where he secured employment in the foun- 
di-y of Selby & Comiiany. He continued there 
fill' two years and then went to Auburn, New 
York, where he worked in a foundry for two 
and a half years. In 18(il he returned to Eng- 
land and remained in that country for eighteen 
yeai's. In 1863 he became proprietor of a foun- 
dry near Bristol, where he condiicted business 
for seventeen years, but through unfortunate in- 
vestments he lost most of his fortune and re- 
turned to America to stai't life anew, thinking 
that he would have better opportunities for rapid 
advancement in the new world. Pie went first 
to ^Montreal, Canada, where he continued for 
two years, working in the shops of the Grand 
Trunk Railroad Company. 

He removed to Quincy in 1884, as his wife did 



not like the severe northern winters. He chose 
Quincy as a location through the instrumentality 
of the Young Men's Business Association and 
here he took charge of the foimdry of Wright & 
Adams, on Front and Broadway, acting as their 
foreman for three yeai's. at the end of which 
time he rented the foundry, which lie opei-ated 
on Ills own account for thi-ee years, purchasing 
the materials of the company. In 1800 lie pur- 
chased a lot on Broadway, seventy-two feet 
front, and later he added to this one hundred 
and twelve feet, making a frontage of one hun- 
dred and eighty-four feet on Broadway, near 
Thirteenth street. There he conducted a foun- 
dry for nine years, at the end of which time he 
liuilt an addition and established the metal 
wheel works, building the shop in 1900. Wlien 
he first took charge of the business he had fif- 
teen men in his charge and had that number at 
the time of his removal to Broadway. Since 
building the wheel works he has employed from 
thirty to forty men. He manufactures metal 
wheels — the Bush wheel, used for fai'iii wagons. 
It is a patented wheel. He also conducts a gen- 
eral foundry business and general repair shop, 
and the patronage has constantly grown until 
the factory is continuously in operation. Many 
(■ontracts are awarded him and his business has 
long since reached pi'ofitable proportions. ]\Ir. 
Bush is also a stockholder in the Quincy Engine 
Works and is also interested in some foundries 
in England. 

In 1865 occurred the marriage of Mr. Biish 
and ^liss Ellen Lockley Woodland, a daughter 
of Richard R. Woodland, an attorney of Bristol, 
England. They have five children, all living: 
Clement J., born November 18, 1866. was mar- 
ried to Susie Behrman of Quincy, and they have 
one son, Kenneth Behrman Bush, who is attend- 
ing school. Blanche Evelyn is the wife of Thom- 
as C. Hughes, a farmer of central Illinois, and 
they had six children, of whom five are living. 
Albert Richard, who, like his eldest lu'other, is 
connected with the foundry, mai'ried Anna 
^leyer, and they liave three children, Harold, 
Donald and Lillian. Florence is the wife of A. 
L. Pliles, son of Professor Ililes of England. 
They reside in Quincy and Mr. Hiles has taken 
out his first naturalization papers. Frank Alex- 
ander, the youngest of the family, is also in his 
father's employ. The family attend the Episco- 
pal church. 

]\Ir. Bush is a member of Bodley lodge, Xo. 
1, A. F. i.^- A. M., and in his political views is a 
republican, having lieeii natui'alized seventeen 
years a.u'o. He was called upon to mourn the loss 
of his wife in 1903, her death occuri-ing on the 
11th of ^lay, of that year. She was laid to rest 
in AVoodland cemetery of Quincy amid I In' dci'p 
regret of many friends, liut her loss cami^ with 




CLEMENT BUSH 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



969 



greatest force to her family. Slie was a devoted 
wife and mother and the relation between ]\Ir. 
and 'Sim. Bush had always been most congenial. 
It was for her and their children that he always 
labored so untiringly and industriously until 
through his well directed business efforts he met 
with desirable success, being to-day one of the 
leading representatives of industrial interi'sts in 
(^(uiiicy. 



.TOnV ITEXKY BROrKSriniTDT. 

T\u- liislory nf tlie woi'ld shows thai the Ger- 
man element has been ;iii iiii|"irlaiit one in the 
civilizing influences which have worked foi- prog- 
ress and improvement in many countries. The 
Teutonic race has sent its people into various 
lands, and, carrying with them the enterprise, 
indomitable purpose and reliability so character- 
istic of the sons of the fatherland, their labors 
have borne good fruit in promoting the upbuild- 
ing of the various communities in which they 
have located. A native son of the fatherland 
and one whose life record displays the sterling 
characteristics of the German people, John 
Henry Brockschmidt was born upon a farm near 
Bohmte in the vicinity of Osnabruck in the king- 
dom of Hanover, Germany, September 16, 1830. 
His parents were Johann Heinrich and Louisa 
(Ossendorf) Brockschmidt and he was the eldest 
of their four children. 

After having completed a jiarish-school edu- 
cation, such as could be obtained at that time 
and realizing that he had little opportunity for 
advancement amid the farm surroundings of his 
native district he resolved that he would seek 
a home and fortune in America, believing be- 
cause of the reports that he had heard that he 
would en.ioy better business advantages and have 
a greater opportunity for advancement. Ac- 
cordingly he made arrangements for leaving the 
fatherland and bidding goodby to home and 
friends he sailed from Bremer Haven in Jinie, 
1S4S. There were no steamshijis at that time 
and it was not until the month of Septeiidjer that 
he landed in Baltimore. He proceeded thence 
to Cincinnati, where his uncle, Christian Brock- 
schmidt. was living and took up his abode with 
him. He had no capital nor could he speak the 
English tongue and in order that he might pro- 
vide for his immediate necessities he accepted 
any emplojnnent that would yield him an honest 
living. Thr(mgli the influence of his uncle he 
soon secured a position in a cigar faet(n-y as 
stripper boy and was thus employed until the 
spring of 1849, when he became ill with a severe 
attack of pneumonia and pleurisy. In order that 
he might have proper care he was removed to the 



city hospital at Cincinnati, but he became so ill 
that his life was despaired of. There, however, 
a young Gernian physician became deeply inter- 
ested in his patient and through his untiring ef- 
forts the life of Jlr. Brockschmidt was saved. 

Upon his recovery he was without money, with- 
out a position and his uncle was too poor to fur- 
nish him future shelter. He therefore wrote to 
an uncle, Joseph Brockschmidt, in Quincy, Illi- 
nois, who sent him money enough to meet the 
indebtedness that had necessarily been incurred 
and also pi'ovided him with traveling expenses 
enabling him to go from Cincinnati to Quincy, 
Illinois. He had, however, only fifteen cents 
when he arrived in the latter city, but he found 
a home with his uncle and in the spring of 1850 
he secured employment with George J. Laage, 
who was conducting a hat factory, which he en- 
tered as an apprentice, his term of indenture to 
cover four years, during which time he was to 
receive his board, lodging, washing and twenty- 
five doUai's pel" year for the first year, fifty dol- 
lars for the second year, seventy -five dollars for 
the third and one hundred dollars for the fourth 
year. Out of this meager sum he still managed 
to save' enough to make small remittances to his 
parents in Germany and to pay the passage 
of his brother Joseph H. Brockschmidt and his 
sister Agnes to this country. He also attended 
evening school, for it was his desire to master the 
English language and thus better qualify himself 
for a successful business career in this country. 
A laudable ambition has always been one of his 
sterling characteristics and it prompted him 
after the completion of his apprenticeship to go 
to St. Louis and become still moi-e efficient at his 
trade by working in various factories in that 
city for about two years. He also continued his 
education in the evening session of a business 
college there. 

In 1855 he returned to Quincy. where he em- 
barked in business on his own account at No. 519 
Hampshire street, conducting a little hat store 
with a hat factory in connection. With the added 
impetus of controlling a business of his own, he 
applied himself with unremitting diligence to 
the development of the trade and the execution 
of his work, and gradually his business grew 
until he was enabled to purchase the building in 
which he had first opened his store. He after- 
ward enlarged the plant by making one addition 
after another. While engaged in this business he 
employed his brother, Joseph Brockschmidt, as 
his assistant and in 1860 admitted him to a part- 
nership under the firm style of John H. Brock- 
schniiclt & Brother. This was continued until 
November 11, 1896, when the brother Joseph 
died. After his brother's death he resolved to 
retire from the trade and disposed of his store 



970 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



and factory. While engaged in aetive Inisiuess 
lie not only controlled the hat manufacturing en- 
terjirise and the sale of his commodity but also 
became associated with William Cramer in eon- 
ducting a distillery at Cedar Creek. He did not 
find this business congenial, however, and the 
liartnershiji was dissolved, Mr. Broekschmidt re- 
tiring in 1875. 

On the loth of September, 1S57, j\Ir. Broek- 
schiiiidt \s'as married to Miss Caroline Epple, 
and unto them were born sis children : Alfi-ed 
John, Loreii/o Joseph, Ositha Maria, Louise 
I'hilomina, Frank, Joseph and Agatha Caroline. 
Of these Lorenzo, Joseph and Agatha died in 
infancy. Of the living children Alfred is en- 
gaged in the practice of law in Quincy, Ositha 
M., also resides in Quincy and Frank J. is now 
conducting a dry goods establishment under the 
name of the Boston store in Quincy. Louise be- 
came the wife of Casper J. Dittmeyer and died 
August 23. 1903. in Quincy. leaving three sur- 
viving children, Herbert J.. Helen (Ositha and 
Pauline Louise, but the last named died in in- 
fancy, January 2J-, 1904. 

Ml', lirockschmidt. realizing the disadvantage 
under wliicli he had sutferi'd through lack of 
education, resolved that his children should have 
excellent advantages in this direction and in- 
sisted sti'enuously upon them attending school 
and thus beC'iuiug well equipped for life's prac- 
tical duties. Both sons received college educa- 
tions and tli*^ daughters graduated from a con- 
vent. In 1876 Mr. Broekschmidt was called upon 
to mourn the loss of his wife, who died im the 
Sth of April, of that year, leaving to him the 
care of four small children. He survived her for 
twenty-ono years, passing away October 21, 
1897, after an illness of only thirty-six hours. 

The history of John Henry Broekschmidt con- 
tains many lessons that are worthy of emulation, 
his life record proving the value of industry and 
determination in the active affairs of life. With 
few advantages, educational or otherwise, he 
started out to make his own way in the world and 
as the architect of his own fortunes he builded 
wisely and well, winning not only prosperity but 
also an untarnished name. For many years he 
figured as one of the leading business men of 
Quincy and is now numbered among its hon- 
ored dead. 



JOHN SMITH. 



John Smith, deceased, who settled in Quincy 
in 1837, was one of the first contractors of this 
city. His business was mostly railroad con- 
tracting and he had a wide and favorable 



acquaintance among business men in this part 
of the state. His birth occurred in County 
Donegal, Ireland, in February, 1812. His 
iather. Robert Smith, was also a native of 
Ireland, and the mother's birth occurred in 
that country. During the greater part of his 
life the father carried on farming on the Emer- 
ald Isle and both parents passed away there. 

John Smith acquired a good education in the 
schools of his native country and remained a 
resident of Ireland until twenty-five years of 
age, when he bade adieu to home and friends 
and sailed for the United States, believing that 
he might have better business opportunities in 
the new world. After landing he came direct 
to Quincy in 1837 and entered business life as 
a contractor, having become acquainted with 
that line of activity to some extent in Ireland. 
After engaging in general contracting for sev- 
eral years, he began as a railroad contractor 
and worked on many branches of the railroads 
in this part of the state. He followed that 
pursuit for a number of years, profiting by his 
labor, business management and executive 
force, and when he had accumulated a grati- 
fying competence he retired from active busi- 
ness life, enjoying a well earned rest up to the 
time of his demise. 

Mr. Smith was twice married, his first wife 
being Miss Emily Smith, a daughter of AVilliam 
Smith, who was an early settler of Adams 
county. He located on a farm in ]\Ielrose town- 
ship, just southeast of Quincy, and there en- 
gaged in agricultural pursuits throughout his 
remaining days. His wife also died on the old 
homestead. By his first marriage our subject 
had two sons who are still living : William J., 
a traveling salesman ; and John A., a farmer of 
Alonroe county, ilissouri. After the death of 
the mother of these children, Mr. Smith mar- 
ried her sister. Miss Jane Smith, and to them 
were born three children, but two died in 
infancy. The surviving son is Robert G., who 
holds a responsible position as traveling audit- 
or of the Western Railway Weighing Associa- 
tion for the railroads of Chicago. He thus 
spends much of his time on the road but he 
still makes his home in Quincy with his mother. 

Mr. Smith passed away September 27, 1873. 
He had made a wide acquaintance during his 
residence in Quincy, which covered more than 
a third of a century. He was alderman of his 
ward for two terms, being elected on the demo- 
cratic ticket. He held membership in the Pres- 
byterian church, to which his wife also be- 
longs. Although he came to America Avitli no 
capital, the hope that led him to seek a home 
in the new world was more than realized, for 
he found business opportunities that he could 
utilize and his persistency of purpose and ac- 




JOHN SMITH 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



973 



tivity in business won him success. He had a 
wide acquaintance among the pioneer residents 
and is yet remembered by many of the leading 
citizens of Quiney. who counted him as a 
friend. Following her husband's death, Mrs. 
Smith gave up the old homestead and moved 
to No. 701 Broadway, Mhere she and her son 
now reside. 



THOMAS REDJIOND. 



Thomas Redmond, superintendent of public 
works in Quiney and connected with the public 
service for many years, has through his devotion 
to duty and his public si^irit, gained a position 
in the regard of his fellow to\vnsmen that is en- 
\'iable. He was born in Quiney in 1855, a son 
of Thomas and Maiy (Dunlevey) Redmond. The 
father, born in Ireland in 1804, came to this 
country when about eighteen years of age and 
from that time forward was dependent entirely 
upon his own resources. He located first in 
Vermont and accepted any honest emplo.\^nent 
that offered. He spent a number of years in 
Boston and other points in the east and for a 
time was engaged in railroad contracting. Re- 
solving to seek a home in the west, he made his 
way to St. Louis and thence started up the ]\Iis- 
sissippi. After a brief sojourn at Burlington, 
Iowa, and Galena. Illinois, he returned to Quin- 
ey, where he located in 1837. He had no cap- 
ital nor had he any acquaintances in this city, 
but he possesses determination, strong will and 
force of character. He at once obtained em- 
ployment here, being first engaged in contract- 
ing and later in railroad work. Indiistrious and 
energetic, success attended him and he soon accu- 
mulated enough capital to enable him to piir- 
chase a few horses, carts and wagons and in 
company with Samuel Holmes and William 
Shannahan, he obtained a contract for grading 
on the old North Cross Railroad, between Quin- 
ey and Clayton. He continued in that business 
with success for a number of years. Ijeing at 
different times a member of the firms of Holmes, 
Redmond & Shannahan: Redmond, Donleiy & 
Company : Redmond, Powers & Smith : and Red- 
mond and Holmes. He was employed on the 
old "0. K." railroad and also in making the 
grade for the approach to the Quiney bridge. 
As he found opportiTuity he invested largely in 
real estate in and ad.joining Quiney, which prop- 
erty largely increased in value with the growth 
of the city and made him one of its substantial 
residents. He not only became a leading factor 
in business life, but also exerted wide felt in- 
fluence in public affairs and his devotion to the 
general good, combined with his ability, well en- 



titled him to public recognition and honors. In 
1848 he was elected a member of the city eoxm- 
ci] and with the exception of a period of two or 
three yeai-s served continuously for more than 
two decades. In 1866 upon the resignation of 
]Mayor Woodruff, he was elected without opposi- 
tion to fill the vacancy and for three successive 
terms he was chosen to the office, resigning in 
1864 in order to take his .seat in the state legisla- 
tiTre, to which he had been elected. He was long 
the veteran member of the city council and while 
serving as alderman and mayor he did effective 
sei'vice for the city, his labors proving beneficial 
along manj' lines of progress and material im- 
provement. Coming to this countrj- in limited 
financial circum.stances he worked his way .stead- 
ily upward until he became possessed of great 
wealth, and this he largely used to improve the 
city. He added a number of fine striictures to 
the business section of the city and was ever 
ready to respond to a public call for aid. Quiney 
numbered him among her distinguished men, he 
standing as a high tj^pe of the progressive citizen, 
the reliable business man and the faithful friend. 

Thomas Redmond, Sr., had nine children of 
whom four are deceased. The others are : ^lag- 
gie, wife of Jake Dick, of Qiiincy : Katie C, wife 
of H. J. Rieker, Jr., of the Ricker National Bank, 
of Quiney; iloUie G.. wife of C. :M. Fargo, of 
Springfield, Illinois; James, of Kansas City, ilis- 
souri; and Thomas. Patrick H. died in Phila- 
delphia, in 1895. and is buried in Quiney. 

Thomas Redmond, whose name introduces this 
record, attended the public and high schools of 
Quiney until eighteen years of age and from 
1884 he has been connected with the city work, 
largely with the board of public works. He 
served fir.st as inspector, later became secretary 
of that boai'd and since 1901 has been its super- 
intendent. His public seiwice, like his father's, 
has ever been characterized bj- unfaltering devo- 
tion to the public good and he brings marked 
business ability to the discharge of the duties 
that devolve upon him. His political support is 
given to the democracy. He is widely kno-\vn 
and popular in the city and has a large cii-cle of 
friends. 



L. L. :\rTERS. 



L. L. 'Myers, living on section 23, Gilmer to^^^^- 
ship, has for more than a half century made his 
home in .\dams county. He was born in Penn- 
sylvania, in September, 1850, and the following 
year was brought to Illinois by his parents, who 
located in Mendon to-wmship. His father, Henry 
Myers, was rlso a native of the Keystone state 
and was a carpenter and farmer. He was mar- 



974 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



riecl to Miss Anna Tinsman, a native of Pennsyl- 
vania, and they were much respected among the 
pioneer residents of Adams county, Illinois. In 
their family were fourteen children: Mary, the 
wife of Moses G. Worman, of Mendon township ; 
Jacob T., of Gilmer township -, Mrs. Nancy Wor- 
man. living- in ]\Tendon township ; Sarah, the wife 
of Dr. Gilliland, of Coatsbnrg; Mrs. Catherine 
Osborn. of Qnincy: Mrs. Elvina Young, living 
in Oklahoma: Cyrus, and Jesse, both deceased; 
John IT., of Mendon; Mrs. Elvira Dudley, of 
IMendon ; ]\Irs. Izora Ogle, living in Gilmer town- 
ship; Tj. L., of this review; Mrs. Vanette Evans, 
of TToney Creek township and L. C, who is liv- 
ing on the home place in ^Tendon townshi]). 

In taking up the personal history of L. L. 
Myers we present to our readers the life record 
of on(> whii is widely niid favorably known in 
this ciiunty, for almost his entire life has been 
passed within its borders. He was educated in 
the public schools of ^lendon, devoting his time 
to the duties of the schoolroom and tlie pleasures 
of the playground. Since leaving school his 
time has been given to farming and stock-raising, 
and he is to-day the owner of a very rich and 
arable tract of land of one hundred and sixty 
acres in Gilmer townshi]). Here he raises fine 
stock for which he finds a ready sale on the 
market. 

Mr. ]\Iyers a\'hs mai'i'icd to .Miss Margai'ct Luiii- 
mis, in 187r), TJie lady was born in ^\dams 
county and by her marriage became the mother 
of four ch.ildren : .\d;t. Sarah, Leroy, and Mel- 
vin, all at home. Mi-. .Myers has served as school 
treasurer an(l is deeply and helpfully interested 
in the cause of education. His political allegi- 
ance is given tn the deiiiDcraiic jiarty and he is 
a member of the .Methodist Episcopal church. 
He has been found loyal in eitizenshiji, reliabh^ 
in business, and trustworthy in friendshiji. 



S. I?. ^lc.\.\TI/l'Y, 



S. R. IMcAnulty. who is migaged in breeding 
and dealing in pure-lilooded Poland China hogs 
and Percheron, "B<'leian and German coach horses, 
makes his liunie in (nilden. He is a native son 
of Adams eiiunt\-. his l)irtli having occurred in 
Camp Piiint Idw'iiship. Oetobei- :U, 1839. His 
father, Samuel Ab-AiiuUy, was a native of Penn- 
sylvania, born in 1800, and the grandfather, 
Joseph ]\rcAnulty, was a native of Scotland but 
became (me of the early settlers of Pennsylvania. 
In 1812 he removed with his family to Ohio, set- 
tling in Greene county, where Joseph McAnulty 
was reared to manhood. He was married in 
1826 to Lucinda ]\IeParland, a native of Greene 
county. Ohio, and in 1831 they came to Adams 



county, Illinois, locating in Camp Point town- 
shi]i. Here he opened up a farm, becoming 
owner of nearly five hundred acres of land, which 
he placed under a high state of cultivation. 
Upon this farm he reared his family but later 
removed to Camp Point, where he spent his re- 
maining days in honorable retirement from 
further labor. His death occurred there about 
1888, and his wife died four years jirevious. In 
the family were two sons and four daughters, of 
whom three daughters are yet living. 

S. R. McAnulty, the only surviving son, was 
reared to manhood on the old homestead farm in 
CampPointtownship,where he attended the com- 
mon schools through the winter months and in 
the sunnni'i- seasons worked on the farm. After 
i-eaching man's estate he was married in Houston 
township, ifareh 7, 1861, to j\Iiss ]\Iary ;M. Piei-ce, 
a native of Ohio, who came to Adams county 
when a child of three years with her fatlier, Isaac 
T. Pierce. The .young couple began their domes- 
tic life in IIou.ston township, where Mr. Mc- 
Anulty had eighty acres of land. This he at once 
begaji to cultivate and improve and as his rich 
crops brought him a good financial return he 
made further purchases until his farm com- 
prised four hundred acres. He has since, how- 
ever, sold much of this and now retains possession 
of a quarter section, on which is a substantial 
residence, good barn and all the necessary out- 
buildings for the shelter of grain and stock. He 
also planted an orchard and divided the place 
into fields of convenient size by well kept fences 
and added all the modern accessories of a model 
farm. In connection with general farming he is 
engaged in breeding and dealing in Poland China 
hogs, pure-blooded horses, constituting Perch- 
eron. Belgian and German coach hor.ses. He has 
thus become well known as a breeder of both hogs 
and horses and this department of his business 
has proved a profitable one. He removed to 
(golden in October. 1902, and purchased an at- 
tractive residence there, which he remodeled and 
repaired. He also bought .additional lots and 
around the ]3lace is an iron fence, concrete walks 
and well kept lawn, and in fact, is one of the 
attractive homes of Golden. Here Mr. and Mrs. 
]McAnulty reside. They became the parents of 
three children : Minnie J., is now the wife of 
Clarence Van Nosdell, who is operating the Mc- 
Anulty farm and they have three children ; 
Sanniel Glen, Elsie and Ada ; Eva M., is the wife 
of William A. Bottorff, also living on a part of 
the ]\lcAnulty farm, and they have four children : 
Ruliy, William A.. IMariim and Hazel; Lola A. 
is the wife of Henry Reynolds, of Camp Point 
township, and they have two children, Samuel 
and Lola. 

Politically :\lr. McAnulty is identified with the 
democratic ]iarty hut w<is fdi-irierly a r(»]>ublicau 





MRS. S. R. McAXULTY 



S. R. McAXULTY 




ISAAC T. PIERCE 




SAMUEL McAXULTY 




MRS. SAMUEL McANULTY 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



977 



and east his first pi-esidential ballot for Abraham 
Lincoln in 1860. While living on the fai-m he 
served as supervisor for one term and as road 
commissioner for seven years. He was also town- 
ship school trustee for six years and served on 
the school board for fifteen years, includinar a 
consecutive service of fourteen years. He be- 
longs to the Ancient Order of United Workmen. 
Mr. ]\IcAnulty began life a poor man, working at 
twenty-five cents per day, but his untiring labor 
and enterprise, together with the assistance of 
his estimable wife, has enabled him to accumulate 
a large and vahiable property and a good home, 
so that he is now one of the substantial citizens 
of the county. 



HIRAM N. WHEELER. 

Hiram N. AVheeler, whose energies and activi- 
ties have for many years been concentrated upon 
the work of improvement in Quincy along 
many lines contributing to its general progress 
and upbuilding, and who, in connection with jour- 
nalism, has gained a wide reputation in the state, 
was born March 30, 1S44, in St. Charles, Kane 
county, Illinois. Plis parents, James T. and 
Jeruslia A. (Young) Wheeler, were natives of 
New Brunswick and the former followed the 
occupation of farming. He was in limited finan- 
cial circumstances and the children therefoi'e 
had no opportunities for educational advance- 
ment. Hiram Wheeler mastered the rudimentary 
branches of learning by sti;dy at home through 
the long winter evenings after the chores were 
done. His days and months were occiipied by 
the arduous labors of the farm, his youth being 
a period of unremitting toil. He received no 
diploma as an indication of a completed school 
course, being taught only at home where he 
learned to read, write, to spell and cipher. His 
early habits of life were those of work, especially 
in the sununer months when there were no leisure 
hours ; but occasionally in the winter seasons 
there came to the children of the household slight 
periods of recreation gained through skating and 
coasting. 

Mr. Wheeler early displayed a love of books 
and eagerly improved every opportunity for 
reading that came to him: and. inheriting a 
taste for the better class of literature and an 
interest in scientific subjects, his reading proved 
of direct benefit to him as a preparation for the 
work which he chose as a profession in later 
years. When but seventeen years of age he 
entered the army as did most of the boys of his 
acquaintance in the neighborhood and served for 
four years as a defender of the Union cause. 

From his bovhood davs ~Slr. WHieeler has been 



connected to a greater or less extent with the 
newspaper. He began writing when but a boy, 
first for the country weeklies and afterward for 
the Chicago dailies. In the school of experience 
he continually broadened his knowledge, eagerly 
reading such books and newspapers as he could 
secure, and his eiforts as a journalistic corres- 
pondent developed his latent powers and brought 
to him an education that in its practical results 
is largely in advance of that acquired by many 
a college bred bo.y. 

The occupation of farming proving uncon- 
genial, he directed all his efforts and energies 
into the field of journalism. He began regular 
work on a small country weekly and gradually 
won advancement in the field of newspaper writ- 
ing and ownership until through many years his 
name has been well known in journalistic circles 
in Illinois. His dominant characteristic, per- 
haps, aside from the relations of the home, has 
been a sturdy patriotism that has prompted tire- 
less effort in behalf of the city of Quincy, of 
which he became a resident in 1881. For Quincy 
he has worked without rest and without pay. 
Pie has thought long and deeply upon the subject 
of public progress and improvement here and his 
writings upon this theme would fill many vol- 
umes. They have been an influential force and 
important factor in the upbuilding of the city. 
His hardest and best work has been devoted to 
the betterment of Quincy, in the promotion of its 
commercial and industrial advancement and of 
its material and intellectual interests. Mr. 
Wheeler has taken a deep interest in Quincy 's 
public schools and has been their consistent, 
steadfa.st, loyal friend. 

Mr. Wlieeler's efforts have been strongly ex- 
erted in siipport of the political principles which 
he has deemed would work the greatest good to 
the greatest number. He is a democrat, earnest, 
sincere and outspoken, his devotion to the party 
being pi-ompted by iiatriotism that has never 
sought recognition at the hands of his party, but 
has done its service with a spirit of unselfish 
devotion. Though sometimes opposing an unfit 
nominee of his party, he has fought the battles 
of democracy unflinchingly and at all times, 
often to his social and fina2icial detriment. He 
has never faltered in his support of its principles 
nor has he sought the least return at its hands, 
caring nothing for the rewards of office in recog- 
nition of party fealty. Next to his home city 
democracy has held a place in his thoughts and 
work. 

JMr. Wheeler has been married twice. He first 
wedded ilaria Ferson and \into them were born 
three children : Dean, John and i\rary, but the 
last named died at the age of nineteen years. 
His second wife bore the name of Bertha Little- 
field and tlii'ii- rhildren ai'c Oladvs Elsie and 



978 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



JMariau Bemiee. An ideal home relation has been 
developed through his imtiriuo' devotion to wife 
and children, he counting' no personal sacrifice 
on his part too great if it wonld enhance the 
happiness or advance the welfare of the members 
of his household. 

An appreciative admirer of all the works of 
nature, he is especially a great lover of trees and 
for a quarter of a centTiry he has preached the 
gospel of tree culture in Quincy. He finds one 
of his chief sources of recreation and pleasure 
in Avorking and living among his trees and plants 
and it is a pain and grief to him to see one of 
them in.jured. Naturally he has deep interest 
in the public paries and has been the champion 
i)f every measure or effort for their improve- 
ment. The animal creation also receives his 
effective championship, and recognizing that 
they are amenable to the physical conditions of 
pain and pleasure, of hunger and of comfort and 
warmth as is the human being, he has through 
his writings and in all possible ways advocated 
tlie spirit of protection for the lirute creation. 



BAKER 0. STIELTON. 

Baker 0. Slu^ltcm. cashier of the Noxall ^Mau- 
facturing Company, was born in Bates county, 
Missouri, in 1879, his parents being J. M. and 
Elizabeth (Baker) Rhelton. The mother's people 
were from. KentuelsA'. J. ^1. Shelton was born 
near Decati.ir. Illinois, and went to Missouri in 
the late '50s. and bought about seven Irandred 
acres of land and began stock raising and farm- 
ing in Bales county, where with his family he 
still resides. Unto him and his wife were born 
five children : Alice D., wife of Ed Thompson, 
wild is r(i;ini'i'tcd with the postoffice service and 
lives in Quincy: .lnsephine T., tlie wife of "Wil- 
liam llow;)i-d. :i f:ii'mer of Bates county, Mis- 
souri : Nota. the wife of Ed Smith, of Bates 
county: and Delbei't. wlio is attending school. 

Baker O. Shelton attended school in his native 
county, and a f forwards entered the Warrens- 
buru- Normal Seliool. fi-om which he was gradu- 
;\\i'(] in June. lSi)7. In the fall of that year he 
came to Quincy and was graduated from the 
Oem City Business Collea'e in 1898, being thus 
well e(|uipped for the practical and responsible 
duties of the business M-orld. He then went 
to work for the Noxall IManufacturing Company 
as a clei-k- ;niil in 1lie fall of 1899 was promoted 
to the ])os!ti!in of bookkeeper, in which capacity 
he served until February, 1903. when he became 
ca.shier. which is his present business I'elation, 
his advancement coming to him in recognition of 
his al'ilitv. fidelity, promptness and accuracy in 
■■ill that he does. 



ilr. Shelton is a member of Bodley lodge. No. 
1, A. F. & A. i[.. and also the Royal Ai'canum. 
He belongs to the Ciunberland Presbyterian 
church and in his political views is a republican. 
He has the laudable ambition and strong purpose 
which insure business progress and already he 
has won a creditable position since becoming 
identified with business interests in Quincy. 



JOSEPH W. EMERY. 



Varied bixsiness interests claiming the time and 
attention of Joseph W. Emery have demon- 
strated his ability to cope with the intricate 
conditions which exist in the world of trade to- 
day where complexity and competition are rife. 
He has carved out for himself an honorable name 
and desirable success and is to-day associated, 
through financial investment or in the active 
management, with several leading concerns of the 
citj-. being best known as the president and treas- 
urer of the Channon-Emery Stove Company. 

jMr. Emery was born in Taunton, Massachu- 
setts, November 10, 1850, and was in his fifth 
year when brought to Quincy by his parents. Rev. 
Dr. S. H. and Julia R. Emery. Spending the 
days of his boyhood and youth in Quincy. he 
was a student in the pixblic schools until having 
advanced through successive grades he was grad- 
uated from the high school. 

]\Ir. Emery entered iipon his business career as 
an employe in the banking house of L. & C. H. 
Bull, and was afterward a member of the bank- 
ing firm of E. J. Parker & Company, who suc- 
ceeded to the commercial department of their 
business. Later the commercial and savings de- 
partments were consolidated and Mr. Emery was 
made cashier. This was one of the largest pri- 
vate banking institutions in the west outside of 
Chicago and the greater cities and the duties 
which devolved upon Mr. Emery in this connec- 
tion were of a multiform and responsible char- 
acter. In 1881 he .ioined William V. Channon in 
organizing the stove manufacturing business, of 
which he is no^v the head. The firm name of 
Channon, Emery & Company was assumed and 
upon the incorporation lender the name of Chan- 
non-Emery Stove Company. Mr. Emery was 
chosen vice president. Later he became president 
and treasurer of the company and with these 
official titles he has since directed the large and 
imjiortant Irasiness of the house, making it one 
of the leading productive industries of the state, 
furnishing employment to a large force of work- 
men. 

He is a director of the State Savings, Loan and 
Trust Company and has been president of the 
"Western Association of Stove Manufacturers. 




J. W. EMERY 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



He has likewise beeu president of the Chamber of 
Commerce of Qiiiney and in this connection has 
put forth effective effort in advancing the busi- 
ness interests of the city. He is a trustee of 
Blessing Hospital, a trustee of "Funds and 
Property of the diocese of Quincy" and a mem- 
ber of the Church of the Good Shepherd. Socially 
he is connected with the Quiney Country Club 
and has been honored with its presidency. 

In 1879 'Sh: Emery was first married to ]\Iiss 
Effie B. Stillwell, of Hannibal, Missouri, who 
died in 1887. In 1893 Mr. Emery was married to 
i\riss May F. Neweomb, a daughter of the late R. 
F. Neweomb, of Quiney, and they have two chil- 
dren, Katharine and Joseph W. 



DANIEL 0. DUNN. 



Daniel 0. Dunn, who since 1868 has made his 
home in Adams county, where throughout the 
entire period he has followed farming, now lives 
on section 24, Fall Creek toMTi.ship. He was born 
December 4, 1844, in Grant county, Kentucky, 
upon a farm near WilliamstowTi. He is a son 
of Chi-istopher and Celieia (Marxbury) Dmui. 
The father was born near the city of Dublin, 
Ireland, and for many generations his ancestors 
had lived on the Emerald Isle. With his brother 
John he crossed the Atlantic to America and 
settled in Grant county, Kentucky, where he 
worked at farm labor for a time. Later he 
engaged in operating rented land. There he met 
and married iliss ]\Iarxbury, who was born and 
reared in that state. They became the parents 
of four children. John, who was a resident of 
Adams county, was a member of the Fourth 
Kentucky Infantry and was wounded in Stone- 
man's Raid at Atlanta. He was captured but 
was left by the roadside for dead and some girls 
found him and took caxe of him and when he 
had siifficiently recovered to be moved, the.y took 
him inside the Union lines. He died in this 
county. Susan, living in Quincy, is the widow 
of Charles Gillham, who was a farmer. Daniel 
O., is the third of the family. IMollie became the 
wife of Mr. Finton and lived in Jackson county, 
Iowa. By a former marriage she had one child. 
Mrs. Finton is now deceased. 

Daniel O. Dunn was reared ujion the home 
farm in Kentucky, and when only seventeen 
years of age he responded to the country's call 
for aid, his patriotic spirit having been aroused 
by the attempt to overthrow the Union. He 
.pined the Eighteenth Kentucky Volunteer In- 
fantry, November 22. 1861, and was with the 
Third Division, Third Brigade, Third Army 
Corps. He participated in the engagements at 
Richmond, Tullahoma, Atlanta. Chicamauga, 



Chattanooga and the Atlanta campaign. Buz- 
zard's Roo.st, Ringgold, Kenesaw Mountain and 
the march to the sea, spending Christmas day in 
Savannah, Geoi'gia, after which he marched into 
North Carolina, where Johnston surrendered to 
Sherman. He then marched on to Richmond and 
thence to Washington, participating in the 
Grand Review, and was mustered out at Louis- 
ville, Kentuclrv", July 18, 1865. He had done his 
full duty as a soldier, faithfully defending the 
old flag and the cause it represented, whether 
it led him to the lonely picket line or to the 
firing line. 

]\lr. Dunn retu'Tied to his home in Kentucky 
and in 1868 came to Adams coimty. He is a 
stone-mason by ti-ade, but since coming to Illi- 
nois has followed farming and is now a practical 
and progressive agriculturist of Paj'son town- 
ship. 

On the 27th day of July, 1881. Mr. Dunn was 
married to Miss Anna Edmonds, a daughter of 
Anderson and Cordelia (Jackson) Edmonds, 
whose ancestors removed from Tennessee to Illi- 
nios. Both the Jackson and Edmonds families 
were of Scotch-Irish descent, and Mrs. Edmonds 
was born on the farm which is now the home of 
^Ir. Dunn. Unto ilr. and IMrs. Dunn have been 
born five children : ]Madge, born July 29, 1883 ; 
Ernest J., November 12, 1885 ; Forrest Edmonds, 
June 2, 1889; Mildred Marie, May 29, 1895; 
Elmo La Vere, September 14, 1899. The elder 
daughter attended the Payson high school and 
for a year taught school. The wife and mother 
died April 22, 1902, and her remains were in- 
terred in Fall Creek cemetery. She belonged to 
the Methodist Episcopal chiirch of Payson and 
was held in warm regard by many friends. 

]\fr. Dunn gives his political support to the 
republican party, but has never sought or de- 
sired office, prefei-ring to give his undivided 
attention to his business affairs. In matters of 
citizenship, however, he is never remi.ss and is as 
true and loyal to his country today as when he 
followed the stars and stripes on southern battle- 
fields. 



REV. WILLIAM SCHLINKMANN. 

Rev. William Schlinkmann, pastor of St. 
Peter's Evangelicl English Lutheran church 
at Quiney, was born in Westphalia, Germany, in 
1858, and has been a resident of America since 
1879. His early education was acquired in his 
native countrj', and when about twenty-one years 
of age, thinking that he might enjoy better op- 
portunities in the new world, he crossed the 
Atlantic and made his way to St. Louis, Missouri, 
where he secured employment as a draughtsman 



982 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



and bookkeeper with a inillwi-ight finn. He con- 
tini;ed in that employ for a year, and then, hav- 
ing determined to devote his life to the work of 
the ministry he entered the ^lissouri Evangelical 
Seminary, located near ilarthasville, Missonri. 
He devoted three years to preparation for the 
ministry and was graduated in 1883, being 
ordained on the 1st of July of the same year, at 
St. Charles, ^Missouri. 

His first field of labor was at Fort IMadison, 
Iowa, where he was pastor of St. John's Evan- 
gelical church for four years and four months. 
In 1887 he came to Quiney, and entered upon the 
work as pastor of St. Peter's P^vangelieal Luth- 
eran church, located at York and Ninth streets. 
Here he has since remained, giving his undivided 
attention to the Tijibuilding of the church and 
the promotion of its work along varioxis lines. 
This church was founded in 1857, by the Rev. 
Quehl, who remained as pastor for two and a 
half years. The ehureli was located at X". 11 
Vermont street, and the services were held in 
both English and German. Later Rev. Simon 
Liese became ])astor. taking charge in March, 
1860. and continuing as pastor until 1885. The 
present house of worshiji was erected in 1875, 
during his pastorate, and as the result of his un- 
tiring efforts for that end. lU' was also instru- 
mental in securing the building of the parochial 
school at No. 318 South Ninth street. In 1885 
Rev. George Eisele became pastor and so con- 
tinued until his death, which occurred November 
8, 1886. He was succeeded by Rev. William 
Schlinkmnnn. who took charge in November, 
1887. The membership represents one hundred 
and twenty families and altogether includes be- 
tween live and six lunidred ])eople. There is an 
attendance of tifty-seven jnipils at the school and 
the vai-i(ms branches of the church work are in 
flourishiuL!- condition. The church property is 
valued at twenty thdusaud dollars and is free 
from debt, all financial encumbrance having been 
removed during ttie pastorate of Rev Schlink- 
mann. During his jiastorate a fine brick par- 
sonage has aiso been erected With imtiring zeal 
]\Ir. Schlinkmann labors for llie develoiiment of 
the church and the extension of its iuHuence, and 
lie has 111" love and conlidencc of his people 
whom he has sei-ved fm- eigliteen years, enjoying 
as well the esteem nf tlmse wIkiui he has met out- 
side the churcli. 

Rev. Schlinkmann was married (October '23, 
1883, to Miss Sophia Wehner. a daughter of 
Henry Wehner, of Westphalia, Germany, the 
marriage being celebrated in St. Charles, ]\Iis- 
souri. Ten children have been born of this 
miion, of whom two died in infancy, the others 
being: Fred, who is studying for the ministry 
at Eden Colli'ge, in St. Louis, Missouri; Mary, 
at home; William, who is studving for the min- 



istry in Elmhurst College, in Du Page county, 
Illinois; Reinhard, a student in the Franklin 
school ; Adele and John, who are in school ; and 
Theodoiv and Daniel at home. It mu.st be grat- 
ifying to the parents that their two eldest sons 
have announced their intention of becoming min- 
isters of the gospel and thus carry forward the 
work of the father. The influence of the family 
has been a most potent one for good in the com- 
nuniity where they reside, and under the guid- 
ance of Rev. Schlinkmann the church has made 
substantial progress, growing in healthful man- 
ner along many lines that have been a permeat- 
ing influence in the reclamation of the world to 
righteousness. 



ST. FRANCIS SOLANUS COLLEGE. 

St. Francis Solanus College is one of the oldest 
l>rivate educational institutions of Quiney, hav- 
ing been founded in 1859 and opened in 1860, 
while in 1873 it was chartered. The school was 
first conducted on IMaine street, between Seventh 
and Eighth streets, but in 1860 was removed to 
No. 1800 Vine street. At that time a church 
and monastery were founded by the Franciscan 
Fathers of the German Province of the Holy 
Cross. The educational institution was first con- 
ducted as a conniion and high school and for a 
short time was taught in the monastery. In the 
meantime an orphan asylum was biiilt and was 
used as a school building iintil 186-1 or 1865. In 
the latter year a school building was erected next 
to the church, used both for- pai'oehial and high 
school purposes. In 1870 it was decided to open 
a boarding college and this was completed in 
September. 1871, what i.s now known as the east- 
ern wing being used for college purposes. The 
woi'k of constructing the present building was 
begun in 1894. fii-st adding an annex to the east 
of the original buildinsi-. In 1895 the west wing 
was erected and in 1898 the center portion of the 
structure, thus ccmnecting both ends ; the entire 
building covering at present three hundred and 
fifty feet by a depth of one hundred and sixty 
feet, and containing four stories and a basement. 

The organizers of the school came from Ger- 
many in 1859 and built the church and founded 
the school. The Vei-y Rev. P. Anselm Mueller, 
O. F. M., came fi-(im Germany in 1862 and the 
following \-ear took charge of the college, con- 
tinuing at its head until January, 1893. 'I'lien 
after an interval of nine years, he returiu'd to the 
school in January, 1902, and has since r(^inained 
in charge. All of the additions to the college 
Imilding were made by Rev. Father Nicholas 
Leonai'd. who in 1901. was accidentally injured 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



985 



at Omaha, Nebraska, and died in St. Lonis, Mis- 
souri, in 1903. There are now twelve fathers con- 
nected with the college, three secular teachers 
and one assistant runsic teacher and there is an 
average attendance of two hundred pupils. Boys 
are not admitted under ten years of age. The 
purpose of the school is to give Catholic train- 
ing to the young in addition to which the boys 
are educated for commercial or higher pursuits. 
The school is splendidly equipped, in fact is a 
model in many particulars, special attention be- 
ing given to lighting and heating the building 
and to its sanitary conditions. The course of 
instruction is thorough and in addition to the 
common branches and scientific studies, instruc- 
tion is given in various branches of music. The 
school has done most creditable work for the in- 
tellectual and moral development of its pupils 
and has been a strengthening influence to the 
chui'ch. 



WALTER ALBERT BIXBT. 

Walter Albei't Bixby, general manager of the 
Quiney Gas & Electric Company, was born in 
Ii'onton, Ohio, April 28, 1861. It is definitely 
known that the Bixby family is of Danish origin, 
but the more immediate ancestors lived in Eng- 
land, being residents of Bixford, Suffolk county. 
There they mingled with the English until the 
Danish element in the blood and also in the 
characteristics of the family was almost lost. 
The progenitor of the family in America was 
Joseph Bixby, who came from England to the 
new world iia 1636 and settled in Ispwich, Massa- 
chusetts, in leiT, while in 1660 he became a resi- 
dent of what is now Bixford, that state. The 
Bixbys were remarkable for their piety and 
patriotism. The early members of the family 
had to stjniggle with the Indians for the posses- 
sion of the forests and there were many difficult 
circumstances attendant upon the establishment 
of their homes in pioneer districts. It is a well 
known fact that not one criminal has ever been 
found in any one branch of the family and the 
name has ever been an untarnished one. There 
were ten commissioned officers in the late war 
from New England alone and many ])rivate sol- 
diers who belonged to this family. The eighth 
son of Josei>h Bixby was Benjamin Bixby, who 
in turn was the father of Sanuiel Bixby, born 
in Hopsfteld, Massachusetts, January 2, 1689. 
The next in the line of descent was Solomon 
Bixby, also a native of Massachusetts and he was 
the father of Joel Bixby, who was born Novem- 
ber 15. 1768, at Barr, Massachusetts, and died 
May 13, 1820, at Worcester, ilassachusetts. The 



line of de.seent to our .subject is traced down 
through Rnfus Bixby, who was born April 3, 
1798, at Worcester, Massachusetts, and was mar- 
ried December 13, 1821, to Lucy Smith. He 
removed to Columbus, Ohio, and died October 
2, 1865, while his wife died in that city July 28, 
1835. They were the grandparents of Walter 
Albert Bixby. The parents Avere Edwin and 
Elizabeth (Wilson) Bixby. The father was born 
at St. Albans, Vermont, Julj' 11, 1829, and was 
married November 22, 1855. He left Vermont 
when a boy and removed to Dayton, Ohio, where 
he learnecl the trade of a silversmith at a time 
when silver spoons and other table utensils were 
hammered out. He continued to work at his 
trade for some time and in 1854 removed to 
Ironton. Ohio, where he opened up a business 
of his own in the jewelry trade. 

Walter Albert Bixby was a student in the 
public schools of his native town and completed 
the high school course by graduation in 1878, 
when seventeen years of age. He entered upon 
his business career as a bookkeeper in connec- 
tion Avith the pig iron furnace and was thus 
employed for five years. In 1883 he removed to 
Nebraska City, Nebraska, where he accepted the 
position of superintendent of the gas plant, but 
remained there for only three months, when on 
the 1st of July, 1883, he went to Galena, Illinois, 
as superintendent of the gas works there. In 
1889 he removed to Little Rock. Arkansas, to 
accept the management of the water works and 
two years later he went to Wichita, Kansas, act- 
ing as manager of the water works there for two 
years. Fi-om 1S93 until 1894 he was manager of 
the gas works at Sherman, Texas, and in 1894 
he removed to Lorain, Ohio, becoming siaperin- 
tendent of construction of the water department 
of the Johnson Comi^any rail mills, acting in 
that capacity iintil 1896. He next removed to 
Champaign, Illinois, where he served as super- 
intendent of the gas company until 1900, when 
he went to Decatur as general manager of the 
Decatur Gas & Electric Company. On the 1st 
of January, 1904, he arrived in Quiney to accept 
the management for the gas and electric com- 
pany of this city and is now occupying that 
responsible position. 

Mr. Bixby is a member of the Masonic frater- 
nity and also belongs to the lodge of Elks at 
Quiney. In his political views he is independent. 
He was married October 8, 1885. to Miss Eliza 
(LeCompte"^ Holmes at Galena, Illinois, a 
daughter of Daniel A. Holmes, who was a dry 
goods merchant and died in 1903. 'Sir. and Mrs. 
Bixby are the parents of two children : Isabella, 
who was born in Galena, Illinois. October 27, 
1888, and is now a student in the high school of 
Quiney; and Walter Edwin, born August 20, 
1896, and now attending the public schools. I\Ir. 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



Bixhy is a nienihcf of the Presbytei-ian cluircli, 
while his wife belougs to the Episcoxial church, 
and although their residence in Quiney has been 
of short duration tliey have already gained a 
number of warm friends. 



ANDREW WETZEL. 



Andrew Wetzel, whose birth occui'red in Fred- 
ericksburg, Virginia, Septeml:>er 23, 1831, was 
the second son of William and P]lizabeth Wetzel. 
The father, a native ot iircnicn, Germany, came 
to America in 1829 and located in Fredericks- 
burg, while later he removed to Wheeling, West 
Virginia. Andrew Wetzel left the parental home 
at the age of twelve years and became a cabin 
boy on one of the packets then mmning on the 
Ohio river. Later he held the positions of stew- 
ard and clerk on the boats running between St. 
Louis and New Orleans and also between St. 
Louis and Keokuk, aiul upon his retirement from 
the river in 1856 he went to Kankakee, Illinois, 
where he formed a partnership with Captain 
Stiles and entered the grocery business, remain- 
ing in Kankakee until 1861, when he came to 
Quiney and entered into partnership with John 
Wliitbread, Jr., his brother-in-law. They con- 
ducted a wholesale and retail grocery business 
on Hampshire sti-eet, between Fifth and Sixth 
streets, the former propei'ty of John Whitbread, 
Sr., who died in ISfil. Later Andrew Wetzel 
purchased the interest of his partner and re- 
moved the store to Hampshire street, between 
Sixth and Seventh streets, in the rooms under 
the Occidental Hotel, where he conducted a 
wholesale and retail business until 1873, when he 
sold out to William Osborn and removed to North 
Thirtieth street. After living there for two years, 
he returned to the city and was tirst in the store 
of B. L. Ayers and later of John Putnam. In 
1880 he again went into business for himself, but 
on account of ill health, caused by a sunstroke, 
was obliged to retire in 188;"). His death occuri-ed 
December 8, 1894, and the eonnnmiity mourned 
the lo.ss of one whom it had respected as a busi- 
ness man and citizen. 

At the Boatman 's church in St. Louis Andrew 
Wetzel was married, September 10, 1853, to Miss 
Lucy J. Whitbread, a daughter of John and 
Elizabeth Whitliread, natives of London, p]ng- 
land. Mrs. Wetzel was born in that city, IMareh 
9, 1835, and was brought to America by her par- 
ents in 1840 on a .sailing vessel, which was six 
weeks in cro.ssing the ocean. They located in 
New York, but a year later removed to Quiney, 
Illinois, where Mrs. Wetzel has since made her 
home, with the exception of the jx'riod from the 
time of her marriage in 185.3 until 1861. She 



is now living at No. 807 State street with her 
son Charles. Her father built one of the first 
brick houses of Quiney, in the year 1844, and it 
is still standing — a three-story building on the 
north side of Oak, between Fourth and Fifth 
streets, which at the time of its erection stood at 
the edge of the forest. Mrs. Wetzel has been a 
life-long member of the Episcopal church, having 
l)een baptized in her infancy in St. Paul's Cathe- 
dral in London, and confirmed in St. John Cathe- 
dral in Quiney in 1861. 

Ten children were born unto Mv. and ^Irs. 
Wetzel, of whom four are living : Lucy, born 
November 5, 1856, in St. Louis, was married in 
Quiney in 1880 to Alfred N. Berry, M'ho is now 
city agent for the Monon Railroad at Frankfort, 
Indiana. Kate H., born November 11. 1863, in 
Quiney, was married in 18S6 to Clarence L. By- 
bee, who was killed in the railroad yards here 
November 13, 1903, after twenty-six years' ser- 
vice Math the Chicago, Burlington & Quiney Rail- 
road Company. George B. Wetzel, born July 18, 
1872, married Sarah Ilai-dman at Cameron, IMis- 
souri, September 10, 1890, and now lives at Kan- 
sas City, ilissouri. He has been in the employ 
of the Adams Express Company for the past six- 
teen years as express messenger, running from 
St. Louis to Kansas City. 

Charles E. Wetzel, the youngest membei- of the 
family, attended the public schools in Quiney un- 
til twelve years of age, and the following year 
attended the public schools at Cameron, Missouri. 
Returning to Quiney, he began working in the 
Dayton Tablet Factory and, after a year, was 
employed in the office of Taylor Brothers, flour 
manufacturers, with whom he remained for four 
months as office boy. He next attended the Gem 
City Business College for seven numths and at 
the same time was working for the Journal Print- 
ing Company as carrier. When fifteen years of 
age he entered the employ of Harrop & Hack- 
man, druggists, at Fifth and Cherry streets, con- 
tinuing in that service until twenty years of age, 
when he became a student in the Indiana School 
of Pharmacy at Valparaiso, being graduated 
there with the class of 1896. He then returned 
to Quiney and entei'ed the employ of P. II. Breer, 
at Eighth and Jefferson streets, remaining with 
that house until the death of the proprietor, when 
he entered the store of Byerly & Tubbesing, at 
236 North Fifth street, continuing there as an 
employe from March 1, 1897, to May 10, 1900, 
when he purchased the drug stock of F. H. Tub- 
besing & Company, who were then projirietors. 
He has since been proprietor of the Courthouse 
Pharmacy and is now conducting a profitable 
business, having a well appointed store, favor- 
ably sittuded in the biisiness district, and enjoy- 
intr a liberal ]iatronage. Mr. Wetzel is a member 
of St. John's Cathedral (Episcopal) church and 




ANDREW WETZEL 




CHARLES E. WETZEL 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



991 



was a member of its choii- between the ages of 
seven and fourteen years. In politics he is a re- 
publican, and he manifests a, public-spirited in- 
tei-est in the welfare and improvement of the 
city, whether it be along material, political or 
moral lines. 



WILLIA]M K. ABBOTT. 

William K. Abbott, engaged in the manufac- 
ture of bi'ick in Quiucy and filling the position 
of alderman, in which capacity he has given tan- 
gible proof of his public-spirited citizenship and 
devotion to the general improvement and sub- 
stantial upbuilding of the city, was born near 
London, Ontario, Canada, February 21, 1860. 
His father, William H. Abbott, emigrated from 
Barnstable. Devonshire, England, to America 
^\•hen about twenty-five years of age but his 
grandfather, William Abbott, spent his entire 
life in England. The father first located in New 
York but af tenvard went to New Jersey, where he 
was married to iliss Annie Kennedy, who was 
born in Ireland, near Belfast, of Seotch-English- 
Irish parentage, and came to this country when 
nineteen years of age. In 1S60 they went to 
Canada, where William K. Abbott was born. The 
father had been associated with his father in 
wool carding business in England and in Amer- 
ica he followed various pursuits, including the 
trade of bricklaying. He continued in Canada 
for about three years and then went to Buffalo, 
New York, where he remained for a short time. 
Subsequently he settled in Quincy, establishing 
his home in this city in the fall of 1864. Here 
he worked at the bricklayer's trade for .several 
years and then turned his attention to farming 
and fruit-raising, being thus engaged until 1888, 
when he returned to England, where he spent 
two or three years. He again came to the United 
States in 1891 and lived retired, making his 
home with his children. He was the father of 
ten children, of whom seven are yet living, two 
being residents of Adams county and the others 
of St. Louis. Jlissouri, with the exception of 
one daughter, who makes her home in Tiskilwa, 
Illinois. William II. Abbott is deceased, and his 
widow now resides in St. Louis with her clilrst 
daughter. 

William K. Abbott, whose name introduces 
this record, was a public school student in 
Quincy, having been brought to this city when 
only four years of age. He also attended a paro- 
chial school on Eighth and Maine streets and 
when but fourteen years of age he put aside his 
text-books and entered the field of business ac- 
tivity. He worked with his father on a farm. 



where he remained for several years and about 
1877 he returned to Quincy, where he secured a 
]>osition in the Comstock-Cassel foundry. There 
he learned the nickel-])lating business and was 
employed in that way for several years. Later 
he secured a position in the grocery house of C. 
R. Oliver, where he was employed for two years, 
after which he was taken ill and returned to the 
farm in order to recuperate his health. In 1891 
he once more located in Quincy and entered the 
brick business in connection with Carl I'rante, 
whose daughter he married the same year and 
with whom he was associated for two years, after 
which he engaged in farming alone for three 
years. On the expiration of that period he ac- 
cepted a position as .stationary engineer and in 
1899 he bought out Gerhard Sanders, proprietor 
of the brickyard, and organized the firm of Ilmn- 
mert & Abbott. The yard was originally opened 
by Carl Prante in 1872 and building, sidewalk 
and hand made brick are manufactured. Em- 
ployment is furnished throughout the year to ten 
or twelve men and at times sixteen employes are 
required to meet the demand for the output. 
Mr. Abbott is now in control of a profitable busi- 
ness, which is steadily growing and his career is 
a successful one, for which he deserves miich 
credit, as he started out in life empty-handed 
and has gradually worked his way upward 
through persistent purpose, close application and 
straightforward dealing. 

On the 18th day of April, 1891, Mi'. Abbott 
was united in marriage to Miss Ida Augusta 
Prante, a daughter of Carl Prante, one of the 
early brick manufacturers of Quincy, having 
engaged in the business here for forty-five years. 
He then retired from active industrial life and is 
still living at the ripe old age of seventy-nine 
years. Six children have been born unto I\Ii-. 
and Mrs. Abbott : Earl William, born June 20, 
1892; Carl Louis, November 20, 1893; Char- 
lotte, February 10, 1895 ; Lyman Eugene, No- 
vember 7, 1899; Margaret. February 1, 1901; 
and Isabel, January 23, 1904. The elder child- 
ren are attending school. 

Mr. Abbott is a member of the Fraternal 
Order of Eagles and his wife belongs to the 
Bethel Met.hodi.st Episcopal chui-ch. In politics 
he is an earnest democrat, somewhat prominent 
in local political circles and on the 4th of April, 
1903, he was elected to represent his ward for 
two years on the board of city aldermen, receiv- 
ing a plurality of forty-two in a ward which 
u.sually gives a republican ma.iority of one hund- 
red and sixty. Ilis election, therefore, was a 
personal tribute to his superior worth and pop- 
ularity. He was also elected to the same office 
in 1898 by a ma.jority of fifty-seven. His public 
service has been characterized by all that stands 
for good citizenship and for devotion to the gen- 



992 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



eral welfare. He is now chairman of th(i city hall 
committee aucl a member of the tiro commission- 
ers, the ordinance and the railroad committees. 
His public and private life are alike above re- 
proach and in his business career as well as in 
official circles he has commanded the esteem and 
trust of those with whom he has been associated. 



MICHAEL STEIXKl.*. 

]\Iichael Steiner, one of the huiKircd pioneers 
and representative farmers of Adums county, 
was born in Gernuuiy, on the :30th of Janutiry, 
1810, and spent the days of his boyhood and 
youth in his native land. He served in the Ger- 
man army for a time, his captain lieing the fath- 
er of Prince Albert. Desiring to avoid further 
military service he came to the new world in 
1836, and on landing- in New York proceeded to 
Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, where he found em- 
ployment on a coal boat. He next went to Vicks- 
burg, Mis.sissippi, and in 1837 landed in Quinc.>', 
Illinois. For some time he worked in Mr. Wliii)- 
ple's sawmill and while there sawed the asli 
tlooi'ing for 0. II. Browning's house. 

Turning liis attention to agricultural pursuits, 
Mr. Steiner located on a farm on the northern 
line of Adams county in 1842 and as time passed 
he accumulated a fine property, becoming the 
owner of three hundred acres of good land and 
also gave his sons one hundred and sixty acres. 
In early days he raised and sold wlieat for tweii- 
ty-five cents per bushel and had to pay as high 
as four dollars per bushel for salt. In 18-45 he 
made his way aei-oss the country to Macomb be- 
fore there were any roads in that part of the 
state and he experienced many of the hardships 
and privations of pioneer times. 

In 1839 I\Ir. Steiner was united in marriage 
to Miss Ann Catherine Gable, who was also born 
in Germany, on the 20th of February, 1820, and 
they became the parents of nine children, of 
whom four sons and two daughters are still liv- 
ing. After a useful and well spent life Mr. 
Steiner died in May, 1892, and his wife passed 
away in May. 1898. Politically he was a .sup- 
porter of the democratic party and fraternally 
was connected with the Masonic order. 



PATRICK B. HYNES. 

Patrick B. Hynes, whose advancement in busi- 
ness has come through consecutive stages, and 
who at each forward step has found a broader 



outlook and greater oi^portunity for continued 
progress, is the founder of the Hynes Buggy 
Company and is now acting as superintendent 
and general manager. Persistency of purpose, 
enterprise and thorough understanding of the 
trade have formed the foundati(m upon which he 
has builded his success. 

A native of Ireland, Mr. Hynes was born 
en the 13th of March, 1841, his parents being 
Bartholomew and Bridget (Flaherty) Hynes. 
The father came from Ireland in 1845, settling 
at Springfield, Ohio, and there he was in the 
railroad service until his death, which occurred 
in 1853. His wife, long surviving him, passed 
away in 1894. They were the parents of five 
children. 

In his youth Patrick B. Hynes attended the 
parochial schools aiul at the age of twelve years 
became a student in the Wesleyan Seminary, 
where he continued his studies for four years. 
He left school at the age of sixteen and has 
since been a factor in business life, dependent 
upon his own resources, so that whatever suc- 
cess he has achieved is attributable entirely to 
his own labor. He first began clerking in a gro- 
cery store and afterward learned the trade of 
buggy and carriage making, turning his atten- 
tion to that pursuit in 1858. In 1861 he went 
to Indiana but later returned to his old home 
and accepted the position of foreman for the 
E. & J. Driscoll Carriage Company, acting in 
that capacity for a year and a half. At the 
end of that time he purchased an interest in the 
business and was a partner for a similar period, 
but eventually sold out and in 1869 came to 
Quincy, where he founded the Hynes & iloore 
Carriage Works, on Sixth, lietween Hampshire 
and Vermont streets. This afterward became 
the Hynes Carriage Company and in 1892 was 
incorporated under the name of the Hynes 
Buggy Company. The factory is located at the 
southeast corner of Fifth and Jersey streets, 
where the business has been carried on for a 
quarter of a century. From a small beginning 
the trade has grown steadily until now in the 
conduct of the enterprise sixty workmen are 
employed and the product is shipped not only 
to many parts of this countiy but also to South 
Africa, Cuba and Mexico. Mr. Hynes, as super- 
intendent and general manager, has oversight 
over the entire business, and under his capable 
control the business has been developed until it 
is now one of the leading industrial concerns of 
the city. In this enterprise Mr. Hynes is asso- 
ciated with H. F. J. Ricker, Jr., who is presi- 
dent of the company, and B. Awerkamp, who is 
treasurer. 

l\Ir. Hynes was married in 1868 to IMiss Mary 
C. Riordan, whose mother died in Quincy, in 
1904, at the advanced age of eighty-six years. 





MR. AND MRS. MICHAEL STEINER 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



995 



Unto Mr. and Mrs. Hyne.s have been born five 
children : Alice E., who is living in Los Angeles, 
California; Olive Frances, who is also in Cali- 
fornia ; Maude, a resident of Quincy ; Edith, of 
this city; and Herbert R., who makes his home 
in Quiney and travels for the Hynes Buggy 
Company. The family are members of St. 
Peter '.s Catholic church and in his political 
views Mr. Hynes is independent, nor has he 
ever sought office. In duties of citizenship, 
however, he is not remiss, and his aid can ever 
be counted upon to further public progress 
along practical lines, residting in general good 
to the city. In his business career, with a real- 
ization of the fact that "there is no excellence 
without labor," he carefully prepared himself 
for his trade by thorough preparation and has 
since by close attention to the details of his 
business, and capable control of all of its greater 
departments, made steady progress and gained 
a place among the substantial citizens of Quiney. 



bex.ja:\iin g. vasen. 

Benjamin G. Vasen, whose connection with 
■various business interests in Quiney ranks him 
with its representative citizens of marked en- 
terprise and keen discernment, was born in 
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the 2d of July, 
1857. The first ten years of his life were spent 
in the city of his nativity, after which he ac- 
companied his parents on their removal to the 
middle west, the family home being established 
in Quiney. His public school education was 
supplemented by a full course in bookkeeping 
and mathematics in a commercial college. 

He has been dependent upon his own re- 
sources from the age of thirteen years, at which 
time he entered upon his active business career 
as an employe of the firm of Hirseh & Vasen. 
Later he was bookkeeper and cashier at St. 
Joseph, Missouri, for the branch house of J. 
Jonas & Company, but in January, 1875, re- 
turned to Quiney to accept a position with 
Morton & Nichols, taking charge of the build- 
ing association and loan departments of their 
business, to which he succeeded. He has for 
thirty years been a leading representative of 
the building association interests of Quiney, 
and in this regard his labors have been of the 
utmost value to the city and its residents, being 
a direct factor in the material improvement and 
progress of Quiney. In 1881 he opened an in- 
surance, real estate and loan office and soon 
succeeded in securing a large clientage, which 
has placed him among the promineiat represen- 
tatives of this department of business activity 
in Quiney. In 1893 he removed to the corner 



of Fifth and Maine streets, occupying the rooms 
for many years constituting the quarters of the 
banking house of L. & C. H. Bull. In 1903 he 
erected a building at No. 517 Elaine street, in 
which he now maintains his office, having there 
a well equipped suite of rooms. 

The history of Mr. Vasen in detail would 
show largely the record of building and loan 
operations in Quiney, and also of the state of 
Illinois. He was the organizer and the first 
secretary of the People's Savings Loan & 
Building Association, which was formed in No- 
vember, 1883, and in December, 1885, he was 
chosen secretary of the Quiney Building & 
Homestead Association, occupying both posi- 
tions to the present time. In the latter he had 
acted as assistant secretary from January, 1875. 
He has handled for the two associations of which 
he is secretary more than five million dollars 
without any loss and at a considerable profit to 
the stockholders. He is an expert accountant 
and an experienced insurance man, and while 
financing the afl:'airs of the companies with 
which he has been connected he has at the same 
time contributed to the city's welfare and ma- 
terial upbuilding by enabling many of the men 
of moderate means to secure homes through 
the loans obtained from the corporations with 
which he is connected. He possesses excellent 
business sagacity and keen discernment, his 
judgment being rarely if ever at fault. He is 
capable, prompt and reliable, and his energy 
has been one of the dominant characteristics 
in his successful career marked by consecutive 
advancement. 

A man of resourceful business ability, he has 
not confined his efforts entirely to one line, for 
he was one of the promoters of the Modern Iron 
Works, is vice-president of the Sheridan Stove 
Manufacturing Company, and identified with a 
number of industrial corporations in Quiney; 
has for the past twenty years been secretary of 
the State Leagxie Building & Loan Associations 
and was one of the organizers of the United 
States League of Building & Loan Associations 
and its first secretary, also the Insurance Com- 
pany of the State of Illinois and served in its 
directory. The welfare of the city aside from 
his business operations is a matter of deep con- 
cern and interest to him and he has co-operated 
in many improvements for the general good. 
He is now one of the members of the Blessing 
Hospital Association. 

In January, 1883, occurred the marriage of 
Jlr. Vasen and ]\riss Julia Eshner of Philadel- 
phia, Pennsylvania, who died October 2, 1901, 
leaving four children : Freda J.. Maurice E,, 
George B., and Beulah. In his fraternal rela- 
tions Mr. Vasen is connected with the I. 0. B. 
B.. the Miitual Aid, the Loyal Americans, the 



996 



PAST AND PEESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



Koyal Ai-caiuim, the Benevolent Protective Or- 
der of Elks and the Modern Woodmen of Ameri- 
ca. He has a wide and favorable acquaintance 
in the city where he has so long made his home 
and where he has so directed his labors as to win 
for himself an hondralile name and desirable 
competence. 



MRS. DOROTHY E. K. SPINDLER. 

i\lrs. Dorothy E. K. Spindh'i-, who owns and 
conducts a l)ook store at No. till Hampshire 
street, deserves to be classed with the leading rep- 
resentatives of commercial interests in Quincy, 
for, in the management of her store, she dis- 
plays excellent business and executive force and 
keen diseei'ument. She was born in Germany, 
December 12, 1853, and her parents, Henry F. 
and Elizabeth (Schultz) Ritz, were natives of 
the province of Hanovei-. The father was owner 
of a wagon factory, which he conducted up to 
the time of his death, on the 5th of December, 
1853. He was a representative of a worthy and 
prominent family of that country, his ancestors 
being among the landed people. 

Unto Mr. and Airs. Ritz were l)orn a large fam- 
ily. Heinrich. the eldest sou, was a tailor by 
trade and gave up his birthright to his younger 
brother because of ill health. Christian, the sec- 
ond of the family, served for some time as a 
soldier of the German army and afterward 
started for America, from which time no news 
was ever received from him. August came to 
Quincy aboiit 1850 and was married here. He 
was a fine wood carver, and for a number of 
years he carried on a carpenter shop in this city, 
"but is now living in Chicago. Frederick took 
charge of the home estate upon the death of his 
father and managed it until the younger chil- 
dren were grown, after which he came to Amer- 
ica and was engaged in farming in Minnesota 
until his retirement from business life, being still 
a resident of that state. George, who was a 
member of the king of Hanover's staff for twen- 
ty-five years, or until the kingdom became a part 
of Prussia, died a few years ago. Ernst, named 
in honor of King Ernst of Hanover — a privilege 
granted to the eighth child of a family— assisted 
his brother George until he came to America 
about the time of President Gi'ant's election. 
He died in Quincy in 1902, leaving his widow 
and two daughters in very comfortable financial 
circumstances. Maria lived and died in Ger- 
many. Mrs. Spindler is the next of the family. 
William, coming to Quincy, spent three or four 
years here and then went to St. Louis. Ludwig 
cnme to Quincy in 1868 and died about 1895. 



Dorothy Ritz attended the schools of Hanover 
and, when a young lady of sixteen years, came 
to America with lier brothers in 1869, their home 
being established in Quincy, where, in 1870, she 
gave her hand in marriage to ^Michael Spindler, 
who was well known in biTsiness circles here, be- 
ing engaged in the shoe lousiness on Hampshire 
street, between Fifth and Sixth streets. He was 
also engaged in the manufacture of shoes for a 
number of years, but eventually withdrew from 
that department of his work. His death occurred 
in 1895, when he was sixty years of age. Pie 
was an enterprising merchant, progressive in his 
methods and straightforward in his dealings, and 
his business record enabled him to leave an un- 
tarnished name to his family. 

By his first marriage ill'. Spindler had seven 
children, of whom two are yet living. The chil- 
dren born unto iMiehael and Dorothy Spindler 
are: Albert H., who has charge of a wholesale 
liquor business in Seattle, Washington; and 
Lewis, who is engaged in the grocery business in 
Chicago. 

]\Irs. Spindler has been identified with com- 
mercial interests in Qiiincy for a number of 
years and ncnv owns and manages a book store at 
Xo. 611 Hampshire street, under the name of 
the Spindler News Company. She has been at 
this location for nine years and has a gratifying 
patronage, carrying a stock of goods that is pleas- 
ing to the general public and, therefore, wins a 
good trade. j\Irs. Spindler belongs to the Dai;gh- 
ters of Rebekali and Daughters of Pocahontas 
and is also a member of the Episcopal church. 
She certainly deserves much credit for the suc- 
cessful manner in which she has conducted her 
mercantile enterprise. 



HENRY SCHNERING. 

Henrj' Schnering, who carries on general 
farming on section 5, Melrose township, was 
born September 28, 1853, in the townsliip where 
he yet resides. His father, Anton Schnering, 
was born in Germany, September 21, 1823, and 
on the 1st of May, 1848, was united in marriage 
to Miss Christina Frinling. He learned the 
weaver's trade in his native country and fol- 
lowed that piirsuit in Germany until 1846, when 
he crossed the Atlantic to the new world, set- 
tling first in Quincy. Not long afterward he 
secured employment as a farm liand and later 
he rented land, continuing its cultivation until 
his labors had l)rought him capital sufficient to 
enable him to purchase a farm of his own. In 
1856 he became the owner of forty-three and a 
half acres in Melrose township, on section 5, and 
with characteristic energy he began its develop- 




MRS. D. E. K. SPINDLER 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



999 



iiient and cultivation. Later he purchased an- 
other tract of eighteen acres on State street and 
twenty acres in Melrose township. Throutrhout 
the period of his residence in Adams county he 
(■ontinued to engage in agricultural pursuits. 
1 1 e was one of the pioneer fanners of the com- 
iiiunity and commanded the respect of his fel- 
low men by reason of what he accomplished in 
the business world. He died January 1(1, 1SS3, 
and his wife passed away May 26, 1900. when 
.she had reached the advanced age of eighty 
years. They were members of the Catholic 
clnirch and in his political views Mr. Schnering 
was a democrat. In their family were the fol- 
lowing named : Christina E., who became the 
wife of William Fessler of Missouri; Catherine 
S., who is living in Quincy; Mary A.; Henry, of 
this review ; Joseph, who resides in South Da- 
kota -. Anton, deceased; Herman; Alomis and 
Frank, both deceased. 

Henry Schnering and his sister IMary reside 
upon the home farm which he is now operating. 
He carries on general agricultural pursuits and 
in connection with the cultivation of the fields 
he raises some stock. He was reared to farm 
life and has always followed this occupation, 
being now recognized as one of the leading and 
jirogressive agriculturists of his community. 
He has likewise followed in his father's polit- 
ical footsteps, his judgment isanctioning the 
policy and principles of the democratic part.v. 
His religious faith is in harmony w'ith the teach- 
ings of Catholicism. 



A. M. LACKEY. 



A. M. Lackey, who is now living a retired 
life in Clayton, was for a number of years an 
active business man of the town. His birth 
occurred in Bond county, Illinois, April 10, 
1834. His father, Thomas Lackey, was born 
in Ohio in 1800 and was there reared. After 
attaining his majority he married Bet.sy Mer- 
ritt, a native of Ohio, and he followed farming 
in that state until his removal to Illinois in 
1823. He was indeed one of its first settlers 
for only five years before had the state been 
admitted to the Union and there were great 
wections that had not yet been clainu^d by the 
white settlers. He lived near the Illinois river 
among the Indians until the fall of 1833. when 
he removed to Brown county and there opened 
up a farm, comprising one hundred and sixty 
acres of land. Upon that farm he reared his 
famil}' and he spent his last days in the home 
of his son, A. M. Lackey, in Clayton, passing 
away in 1884, at the ripe old age of eighty-three 



years and six montlis. His wife had died sev- 
eral years previous. A. M. Lackey was one of 
a family of four sons and three daughters, who 
reached manhood and womaidiood but onlj- 
two are now living, the sister being Ellen, the 
wife of John Hayes, of Boulder, Colorado. 

;\Ir. Lackey of this review was reared upon 
the old family homestead in Brown county and 
is not only a self-educated luit also a self-made 
man for the school privileges of his youth were 
ver.v limited. His training at farm labor, how- 
ever, was not meagre and the lessons of indus- 
try and integrity which were early impressed 
upon his mind have borne rich fruit in later 
years. He sought a companion and helpmate 
on life's journey and was married on the 17th 
of ilay, 1855, to Miss Rhoda E. Ausmus, a na- 
tive of Brown county, her father's farm being 
five miles from the farm upon which her hus- 
band was reared. Her parents were Frederick 
and Margaret (Saddler) Ausmus, natives of 
Tennessee and early settlers of Brown count}', 
where they remained for many years and 
reared their family. 

Following his marriage ^[r. Lackey began 
farming in Brown county, where he had a small 
house and a tract of land, his home being a 
log cabin. There he experienced many of the 
hardships and difficulties incident to frontier 
life but as the years passed he overcame many 
obstacles and later bought more land, which 
he improved and cultivated. He owned one 
hundred and forty acres, on which he placed 
good improvements, and in his farming opera- 
tions lie eventually met with success. Later he 
sold that farm and purchased the old Lackey 
homestead, which he operated for three years. 
He then sold out and removed to Clayton, e.stab- 
lishing his home here on the 1st of February, 
1876, in a good residence which he erected. He 
was engaged in business for ten or twelve years 
and then retired from commercial life and has 
since enjoyed a well merited rest. 

Mr. Lackey responded to his country's call 
for aid in 1862, enlisting in the month of Au- 
gust in Brown county as a member of the One 
Hundred and Nineteenth Illinois Infantry. 
With his command he went south and partici- 
pated in many im|)ortant engagements that led 
to the preservation of th(» Union. He was in 
the Red river campaign, where they were with- 
in sound of battle for forty days. He was also 
in the engagement at Nashville and Yellow 
Bayou, receiving a gunshot wound at the lat- 
ter place and also a sunstroke. He was then 
taken on board a hospital boat, and finally 
received an honorable discharge at Springfield, 
Illinois, in August, 1865. after which he re- ■ 
turned to his home with a most creditable mili- 
tary record. He belongs to the (irand Army 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



Post at Clayton nnd eujoys full confidence and 
friendship of many wlio were among his fellow- 
soldiers upon the battle-fields of the south. 

His early political support was given to the 
whig party and his first presidential ballot was 
cast for liillard Fillmore. Since the organiza- 
tion of the republican party he has always 
voted that ticket. lie has never been an office 
seeker nor taken any active part in politics, 
preferring to coucenti-ate his energies upon his 
business affairs. 

Unto jMr. and Mrs. Lackey were born six 
children : Susan jM. is the wife of Henry Bart- 
lett, a baker of Clayton. John C. died at the 
age of thirty-three years, leaving a wife. 
Charles F. died in infancy. Grant is an engineer 
on the Wabash Railroad, living at Springfield, 
Illinois. Adelle N. is engaged in teaching 
music in Quincy. A. M. Lackey, Jr., died in 
infancy. The parents are members of the 
Presbyterian church and are highly esteemed 
in Clayton, where they have now lived for more 
than a quarter of a century. 



EDMOND CRAWFORD. 

Edmond Crawford, manager for the North 
Star Egg Case Company, of Quincy, is a native 
of Adams county, his birth having occurred at 
La Prairie, May' 18, ISCiG. His paternal grand- 
father, William CraM-furd. a native of New 
York, removed from (iciicva. Iliat state, with 
his family about 18.58, ami si-tllcd upon a farm 
in Adams comity, Illiiinis. where he carried on 
agrieiiltural pTirsnits foi' iii;iii\' yi-ars. He had 
(me hundred and sixty ai-res of hind, whieh he 
placed under a high state of cultivation and 
was actively connected with farming interests 
imtil his removal to (Quincy, where he lived re- 
tired until his dealli, which occurred in Feb- 
niary, 1904, when he had reached the advanced 
age of ninety-one years. His wife died in 1880. 

George B. Crawford, son of William Craw- 
ford, came with the family to the Avest and, 
leaving the old homestead, turned his attention 
to railroading in 18B7. malcing his home in Clay- 
ton. Illinois. The following year lie i-enioved 
to Springfield, Ihis state, and suhse(|uently he 
came to Quincy, where he was employed in the 
office of the Wabash Railroad Company until 
1872. He then Avent to Labelle. ^Missouri, as 
agent for the Quincy. ^Fissouri & Pacific Rail- 
road Company, continuing thei-e until 1876, 
when he accepted a position at Hannibal, in 
the office of the Chicago. Burlington & Quincy 
Railroad. There he remained until 1897. when 
retiring from railroad service he returned to 
Quincy and is now employed by the North Star 



Egg Case Company. He was married about 
18ti4, at West Pembroke, New York, to Miss 
Emma Carroll, and they had two children, but 
Fred died at the age of two years. 

Edmond Crawford, son of George Crawford, 
attended school in Labelle, Missouri, continu- 
ing his studies luitil he had mastered the 
branches of a high-school course. When about 
sixteen years of age he began working in a 
printing office, where he was employed for two 
years, subseciuent to which time he entered the 
service of the Wabash and the Missouri, Kan- 
sas & Texas Railroad Companies, at Hannibal, 
Missouri, being retained in that service until 
September, 1892, when he became connected 
with the Hoosac Tunnel Line of Fast Freight, 
as line solicitor. He was with that company 
until 1894, when he resigned and began work- 
ing for the North Star Egg Case Company as 
sliipping clerk. In 1896 he was made book- 
kecjier, and in 1899 was appointed manager, 
in which capacity he has since been retained, 
rendering most efficient service. The company 
has been incorporated under the present name 
for twelve years and manufactures egg case 
fillers, employing fifty men througliout the year. 

Mv. Crawford was married in 1891 to Miss 
Jennie McBratney, of Griggsville, Illinois, and 
they now have one child, Charles F., born Sep- 
tember 21, 1896. The parents are members of 
the Congregational church and Mr. Crawford 
gives his political support to the democracy. 
The improvement and mastery of his opportun- 
ity contains the secret of the business success 
that he has achieved, and he furthermore en- 
joys the full confidence of the business com- 
munity. 



REV. JOSEPH STILL. 

Rev. Joseph Still, pastor of St. John's Cath- 
olic church of Quincy, was born in Uerdingen, 
Germany, May 25, 1849. His primary educa- 
tion served as an excellent foundation for his 
college training, which was pursued at Mun- 
ster, where he studied both philosophy and 
theology. Having carefully prepared for the 
holy calling which he determined to make his 
life work, he was ordained to the priesthood 
at Munster on the 22d of May, 1875. and soon 
afterward he completed his arrangements to 
make America the field of his labors in con- 
nection with the church and crossed the At- 
lantic, landing in New York on the 8th of 
September, 1875. He went to Germantown, 
Clinton county, Illinois, and remained in 
charge of the Catholic church at that place 




REV. lOSEPH STILL 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



1003 



until May, 1880, when he was transferred to 
Quincy. 

Here Father Still established St. John's 
church on the 22d of May, 1880, becoming its 
first pastor, and under his guidance and as the 
result of his zeal and consecration the church 
has grown numerically and spiritually. The 
congregation now numbers more than three 
hundred families. Anna J. Cox gave the land 
on which the church was built and Father Still 
collected all the money for its erection, the 
first building being a large brick structi^re 
used both as a church and school house and 
dedicated on the 21st of November, 1880. In 
1895 the new school house was built, and on 
the 13th day of October of the same year the 
corner stone of the new stone church was laid 
by Rt. Rev. Bishop Ryan, of Alton, who later 
dedicated the edifice on its completion, Febru- 
ary 13, 1898. All of this work has been ac- 
complished through the untiring efforts of 
Father Still, and there are now more than 
three hundred pupils in attendance at the 
school. In 1884 he established St. Vincent's 
Home for Aged People. In this as well as in 
the church and school work he has done great 
good for the community. 

Father Still is tlie friend as well as the pas- 
tor of his people, all of whom feel for him gen- 
uine affection. He has the ability of .securing 
the active co-operation of the members of the 
various departments of the church's activities 
and in bringing harmony into the M'orking 
forces, so that the best results possible are at- 
tained. He is a most generous man, of benevo- 
lent and kindlj' spirit, and while he does not 
believe in the indiscriminate giving that fosters 
vagrancy, he is quick to respond to those who 
are truly needy and are worthy of assistance. 
As a speaker he is earnest and convincing, 
logical and impressive, and commands the at- 
tention of all. The work that he has done 
for the moral upbuilding of the community 
and his personal traits of character have won 
him the respect and good will of Protestants 
as well as Catholics. 



ROBERT A. VARNER. 



Robert A. Yarner. now deceased, was for a 
number of years engaged in general mei-cantile 
pursuits in Adams county. He was born Decem- 
ber 12, 1825, in Boone county, Kentucky, and 
piirsued his education in the public schools of 
the state. He remained a resident there until 
thirty-five years of age, when he came to Adams 
county, Illinois, settling on section 4, McKee 
townsliip. where his widow now resides. 



In 1863 'SLr. Varner was united in marriage to 
Rosa Corrigan, of Concord township, who was 
born in Ireland, in June, 1837, and came to this 
country with her jjarents when thirteen years of 
age. Mr. and Mrs. Varner had five children who 
are yet living : Anna May, the wife of George 
Wagend, who lives in Burlington, Kansas ; Mary 
Ellen, the wife of William Roy, of Concord 
towaiship ; Sarah, who is in a convent in Balti- 
more, Maryland ; Robert B., who married Emma 
Kendle and lives in ]\IcKee township ; and Daisy, 
the wife of Lewis F. Ciirry, living on the old 
homestead with Mrs. Varner. 

Throughout his entire business career Robert 
A. Varner carried on general farming, and 
prosj)ering in his undertakings became the owner 
of an excellent tract of land in Adams county. 
To its further development and improvement he 
directed his energies until his death, which 
occurred September 21, 1895, when he was 
nearly seventy years of age. He served as 
supervisor of McKee township for several years 
and was always interested in everything that 
pertained to the progress and upbuilding of his 
locality. There were many traits of character in 
his life record which are worthy of emulation 
and which won him the respect and admiration 
of liis fellowmen. ilrs. Varner still resides upon 
the old homestead, where .she has one hundred 
and seventy acres of fine land on section 4, 
McKee towoiship, which is now operated by her 
son-in-law, R. F. Curry, who carries on general 
farming and stock-raising. She is a member of 
the Catholic church at Liberty. 



HENRY JENTER. 



Henry Jenter, the secretary of the Kiiittel 
Show Case Company, of Quincy, was born in 
Ann Arbor, Michigan, March 24, 1859, his par- 
ents being Christian and Mary (Maier) Jenter. 
They both crossed the Atlantic from Witten- 
berg, Germany, in 1851, as passengers on the 
same vessel, and they were married in ^lichi- 
gan, where the father followed his trade of 
cabinet-making, his home being in Ann Arbor. 

At the usual age Henry Jenter began his 
education as a public-school student and was 
advanced through successive grades until he 
had completed the high school course by gradu- 
ation when seventeen years of age. He then 
learned the trade of cabinet-making, which ho 
followed in his native city for four or five 
yeai's, after which he removed to Chicago and 
was wath the Brunswick-Balke-Collander Com- 
pany, continuing in the employ of that house 
from 1882 until 1894. While there he applied 
himself to the study of drawing and drafting 



I004 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



of ottice furniture and fixtures and became very 
proficient in that line. Kemoviug to Quiuey 
in 18'J4, lie here entered the service of the Knit- 
tel Show Case Company as superintendent and 
thus hatl charge of the constructive work in the 
factory for four years, at the end of which time 
he purchased an interest in the business and 
was elected secretary of the company. This 
company was established in 1876 and was in- 
corporated twenty years later. It was the first 
company iu the United States to conduct a 
wholesale trade in show cases and the business 
has steadily grown, not a little of the siaccess 
in the past decade being attributable to the 
practical skill and executive force of Mr. Jen- 
ter, who puts forth every energy for the ex- 
pansion of the enterprise along lines of legiti- 
mate success. He now has general charge and 
supervision of the plant, which is located at 
Nos. 31!) to 339 North Third street, employment 
being' furnished to about one hundred and 
twenty-five workmen throughout the year. 

Mr. -Tenter was married to Miss Ida M. Stein- 
grede. of Quincy, a daughter of Charles Stein- 
grede, who was at one time an employe of the 
Knittel Show Case Company, but diecl in 1896. 
The nuirriage was celebrated in June, 1897, 
and they now have one child, Emma Louise, 
who was born in July, 1902. 

A republican in his political views, Mr. Jen- 
ter keeps well informed on the questions and 
issues of the day, so that he is able to support 
his position by intelligent argument, yet he 
has never been active in political circles as an 
office seeker. His business claims the major 
part of his attention, and in the shops he is an 
able superintendent because of his skill as an 
artisan and his practical knowledge of the 
work. Fair in his relations to his employes, he 
has worked his own way \;pward and is ever 
interested in the advancement of others. 



JOITX W. WOODRUFF. 

John W. Woodruff, who is an agriculturist, 
financier and thorough-going business man, de- 
serves mention among the representative citizens 
of Adams county, was born in Ursa, January 27. 
1854, his parents being Captain Freeman and 
Frances (TIarrison) Woodruff. His paternal 
grandjiarents were Timothy and Aliigail 
(Seward) Woodruff, the former born in Uutler 
county, Ohio, February 12, 1783, and the latter 
in New Jersey, February 12, 1785. In 1838 they 
removed from Ohio to Adams county, Illinois, 
and after living on Bear creek until the following 
spring, settled in Ursa towiishi]) on what is now 



the old Woodruff homestead. There Timothy 
Woodruff engaged iu farming luitil his death, 
J\Iarch 28, 1859. His wife died in May, 1872. 

Captain Freeman Woodruff, reared amid the 
wild scenes of frontier life, also became a farmer 
and as the years passed, through earnest and in- 
defatigable labor and juducious investment, he 
became the owner of valuable property interests, 
real and personal, that ranked him with the 
wealthy citizens of Adams county. He was for 
three years a loyal defender of the Union cause 
in the Civil war and won promotion to the rank 
of captain in recognition of his bravery and fidel- 
ity. He was married, December 28, 1844, to 
Miss Frances Harrison, who was born December 
29, 1825, a daughter of John and Frances (But- 
ler) Harrison, who were natives of Ohio and at 
an early day became residents of Ursa township, 
Adams county. The history of Captain Wood- 
ruff and his wife is given at li'iigth on another 
l)age of this work. 

John W. Woodruff pursued his education in 
the schools of Ursa until 1871, when he became 
a student in Carthage College, at Carthage, Il- 
linois, there spending three years. His educa- 
tion completed, he returned home to take up farm 
work and always engaged in general agricultural 
pursuits upon the old homestead, more and more 
largely relieving his father of the active labor 
and management of the farm as the years passed 
by. In all of his farm work he has been method- 
ical, systematic and progressive, keeping in touch 
with modern methods, whereby a mininumi effort 
produces a maxiuunn result. Following his 
father's death, in January, 1905, he was made 
administrator of the estate, which he is now 
managing. He has also been administrator of 
several other estates — a responsibility that has 
been entrusted to him because of his well known 
business ability and irreproachable integrity. He 
understands intricate business problems with 
marked readiness and is seldom, if ever, at fault 
in matters of business judgment, while his re- 
liability has formed an important element in his 
successful career. In addition to his other in- 
terests he is a director and adjuster of the Ursa, 
Mendon and Lima Fire Insurance Company. 

His trustworthiness and his public-spirited 
citizen.ship have led to his selection for public 
office and in 1895 he served as tax collector of 
["rsa townshii). He has also been school director 
for twenty-foui- years, just completing his eighth 
ti'riii in that position. Further political honors 
would undoubtedly been given him had he de- 
sired, but his ambitions are not in the direction 
of ofifice holding, although he is deeply interested 
in his party and its success. He always votes 
the republican ticket and has been chairman of 
the republican township committee, holding the 
office for ten years ending in the fall of 1904. 




MR. AND MRS. I. W. WOODRUFF 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



1007 



On the 23d of October, 1877, Mr. Woodn;ff 
was married at the residence of Prank Stone, in 
Ur.sa, Illinois, to Miss Irene Castle, a daughter of 
Giles and Liicinda (Stone) Castle. Her father, 
a resident of Camp Point, was born June 10, 
1828, and died February 22, 1904. The children 
of Mr. and Mrs. Woodi'uff were : Ada M., born 
Julv 29, 1879 : Arthur M., who was born ]March 
26," 1881, and was married, August 25, 1904-, to 
Lillian B. Grimes, a daughter of William B. and 
Bell (Burrows) Grimes; and Ethel F., born Feb- 
ruary 11, 1896. The family residence is on the 
old Woodruff homestead, where Timothy Wood- 
i'uff located at an early day. On this large farm 
are three residences, one occupied liy John W. 
Woodruff' and his family. 

Since I8S0 ilr. Woodruff' has been a member 
(if :\Iairi.niiie lodge. No. lU, A. F. & A. i\l., in 
which he is a past master and he has also been 
representative to the grand lodge for several 
years. He likewise belongs to Ursa lodge. No. 
127, I. O. 0. F., in which he is a past grand and 
now treasurer : the Modern Woodmen camp. No. 
995, at Ursa; the Daughters of Rebekah at Ursa; 
and the Eastern Star chapter at Jlendon. The 
family are consistent members of the Christian 
church at Ursa and their social prominence gains 
them the entry into the best homes of the county. 
Mr. Woodruff' has never sought to figure jiromi- 
nently in a public light, content to manage his 
business aft'airs with discretion and ability, and 
find in the respect and trust of his fellowmen 
the reward of an honorable and upright as well 
as siiccessful career. 



JOSEPH A. ROY. 



Joseph A. Roy, successfully practicing law 
at the bar of Quiney, was born in Clayton, Ad- 
ams county, Illinois, July 3, 1866. In the pater- 
nal line he is of Scotch descent and his grand- 
father, John Roy, spent his entire life in Scot- 
land. John Sinclair Roy, his father, is a native 
of Glasgow, Scotland, and first visited America 
In company with his father, when nine years 
of age. He then returned to his native land, 
but he carried back with him pleasant impres- 
sions of the new world, which were afterward 
strengthened by what he read and heard of this 
country. Accordingly when twenty years of 
age, he again crossed the Atlantic to New York, 
and located first in Freehold, New Jersey, 
where he was married November 30, 1849, to 
Miss Agnes Liggett, a daughter of John Lig- 
gett, a native of Ireland. In 1856 John Sinclair 
Roy came to Adams county and began farming 
in the vicinitv of Clavton, where for many 



years he successfully carried on agricultural 
pursuits. In 1893 he retired from the farm 
and removed to Quiney, enjoying the fruits of 
his former toil in a well earned rest. Unto him 
and his wife have been born eight children : 
John, a practicing physician of Omaha, Ne- 
braska: Mary, who became the wife of Thad- 
deus T. Burke, of Golden, Illinois, and died 
October 19, 1904, at the age of fifty years; 
^Margaret, the wife of John II. Lucas, of Time- 
well, Illinois; James L., who died May 13, 1903, 
at the age of forty-five years ; David P., of Jack- 
sonville, Illinois; William T., who is living on 
the homestead farm near Clayton ; Joseph A. 
and Arthur R., practicing attorneys of Quiney. 
Joseph A. Roy pursued his early education 
in the public schools of his native town and his 
law '"ourse in Chaddock College, from which 
institution he was graduated with the class of 
May, 1893. He was then admitted to the Illi- 
nois bar and began practice in Quiney. in the 
same year. He has been a strong and success- 
ful lawyer from the start, seldom losing a case. 
which is due in large measure to his careful 
preparation. He is seldom, if ever, at fault in 
his application of a legal principle or precedent 
to the point at issue and his thorough under- 
standing of the science of jurisprudence, com- 
bined with remarkable clearness of thought as 
manifest in his ready speech, cogent reasoning 
and logical deductions, makes him an able coun- 
selor and strong advoeate. He now occupies 
offices in the Stern Building. 

Mr. Roy is a democrat in his political belief 
and served as city attorney of Quiney from 
1895 until 1897, having been elected by a ma- 
jority of thirteen hundred and fifty-one votes, 
which was a flattering testimonial of public 
confidence. He is a political Avorker, active 
and ready for duty, and his party has received 
substantial assistance from him. He is a force- 
ful and effective campaign speaker, with excel- 
lent oratorical ability, and moreover his utter- 
ances always ring with the stamp of his firm 
persona! conviction. In July, 1898. he was 
nominated for congress, against Benjamin F. 
]\lar.sh, a long time occupant of the office, and 
was defeated by the very small plurality of 
two hundred and twenty-eight. Mr. Roy put 
in nomination Judge Akers, the present circuit 
iudge, at the judicial convention in Pittsfield 
in 1903. 

On the 19th of April, 1904, ^Mr. Roy was 
married to ^liss Louise, a daughter of Daniel 
and Clarissa (iMcDeed) Rosencrans, of Dewitt, 
Illinois, and they have gained uuiny warm 
friends during their residence in Quiney. Mr. 
Roy is a man of fine social qualifications, with 
a courteous nuTiuier and kindly deference for 
the opinions of others that renders him a favor- 



ioo8 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



ite in social circles, and yet lie nevei- fails to 
express his honest convictions or uphold his 
views on any vital question. 



HENRY J. Si\nTir, D. D. S. 

Dr. Henry J. Smith, deceased, who was en- 
gaged in the practice of dentistry in Quiney 
from 1S65 luitil his death, in 1892, was born in 
Altoona, Pennsylvania, March 17, 1840. His 
father was engaged in the conduct of a tannery 
in Pennsylvania and became very wealthy. He 
and his wife died in Altoona when their son 
Henry was only six years of age. He then went 
to make his homo with the family of his uncle, 
H. J. Swoope, wliii was engaged in the real es- 
tate business in .Mtodiui during the greater part 
of his life. 

After attending the jmlilie scIkidIs of his na- 
tive city Dr. Smith began preparation for a life 
work by entering upon the study of medicine 
but when the Civil war broke out he put aside 
all personal and liusiness considerations and re- 
sponded to the country's call for aid, enlisting 
in 18G"2. He became a captain of the Sixty-third 
Pennsylvania Infantry and commanded his 
company throughout the war, participating in 
many battles of importance. He was wounded 
in the engagement of Fredericksburg and again 
in a hotly contested liattle at Gettysburg and was 
in the hospital at Washington for some time. 
The two bullets remained in his body through- 
out life. He was sent home to Altoona, Penn- 
sylvania, where he remained until his wounds 
had partially healed. He then re.joined his com- 
pany at Coliunbia, South Carolina. Not long 
afterward he was taken prisoner and was incar- 
cerated for nine months but was treated well 
by the authorities of the southern prison. After 
obtaining his release he re.ioined his company 
and served until the close of the war, being hon- 
orably discharged in Washington in 1865. He 
was a brave and loyal soldier, never faltering in 
the performance of his duty, and his valor and 
courage often inspired his men who served under 
him. 

Dr. Smith then came to Quiney. Here he 
gave up the study of medicine and took up the 
study of dentistry, entering into a partnership 
with an old and well known dentist. Dr. Lewis, 
with whom he continued in ]iractice for a num- 
ber of years. He eontiiuied a representative of 
the dental fraternity in Quiney until his death 
and was at work in his office until the day prior 
to his demise, when he was taken ill with heai't 
trouble, dying the following day. May 12. 1892. 
He had a well appointed office and throughout 
the years of his practice ko]it in touch with the 



progress that was continually being nuide by the 
dental fraternity. He used the latest improved 
instruments and his skill and ability secured him 
a, very gratifying patronage. 

In 1871 Dr. Smith was married in Quiney to 
Miss C<n'nelia K. Ke.yes, who was born in the 
liousi' where she now resides, and is a daughter 
of Willard and Mary (Folsom) Keyes, the for- 
mer a native of Vermont and the latter of New 
Hampshire. Her father was one of the first set- 
tlers of Quinc.y and became very prominent and 
very wealthy, engaging in the real estate busi- 
ness for many years and handling nnich valuable 
property. Further mention is made of him in 
both the biographical and historical sections of 
this work. Unto Dr. and Jlrs. Smith was born 
but one child, Harry K., who married Amy C. 
Castle, of Quiney. He is an electrical engineer 
but liecause of ill health he and his wife are now 
residing in Tacoma, Washington. They have 
two children, Gwendolen and Harold Seymoi;r. 

Dr. Smith was a stanch republican but never 
an office seeker. He belonged to the Grand 
Army post at Qiiincy and was also a Knight 
Templar IMason. the commandery having charge 
of the fiuieral services when he was laid to rest. 
He long ranked with the leading citizens of 
Quiney, gaining a high reputation in his profes- 
sion, was known as a public-spirited citizen and 
in social circles popular because of his genial 
manner, manly disposition and deference for 
the opinions of others. He held membership in 
the Episcopal church and in that faith passed to 
his long rest. Mrs. Smith is also a member of 
the Episcopal church. She now resides at the 
old Keyes homestead at No. 803 Broadway. This 
was one of the first houses erected in Quiney and 
was at the time the finest brick residence here. 



DAVID P. LAWLESS. 

David P. Lawless, who on the 5th of Decem- 
ber, 1904, became county recorder of Adams 
county, to which position he was elected in the 
previous November, and who, prior to that 
time had been engaged in general farming, was 
born in Gilmer township, October 19, 1864, his 
parents being John Quiney and Lizzie (Pearce) 
Lawless. The paternal grandfather, John Law- 
less, came from Grant county, Kentucky, to Illi- 
nois in 1835, settling in Gilmer township, Ad- 
ams county, where he purchased a farm of 
eighty acres, to which he added from time to 
time until he had valuable realty holdings at 
his death. In his family were five sons and 
four daughters. One son died in early man- 
hood, while the others married and settled in 
this eountv. 




DR. HENRY J. SMITH 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



Johu Quiucy Lawless, the eldest sou and third 
child, was born in Grant county, Kentucky, 
December 2, 1826, and was therefore eight 
years of age at the time of his parents ' removal 
to Illinois. He attended the country schools 
and as his age and strength increased, he per- 
formed more and more largely the work of the 
farm and after attaining his majority began 
agricultural pursuits on his own account. He 
is a vei-y energetic, enterprising man, and real- 
izing that earnest labor is the basis of all suc- 
cess he worked indefatigably for many years 
and accumulated much property. He is now 
the owner of two hundred acres of land in 
Honey Creek township, one hundred and five 
acres in Columbus township, one hundred and 
sixty acres in Burton township, two hundred 
and eighty acres in Gilmer township, making a 
total of seven hundred and forty-five acres of 
very rich, arable and valuable land in Adams 
county. He continued in active farming until 
1901, when he put aside the more arduous 
duties of a business career and now makes his 
home in the village of Columbus. He engaged 
in general farming and also made a specialty 
of the raising and feeding of hogs. 

John Q. Lawless was married to Miss Lizzie 
Pearce, a daughter of David Pearce, of Gilmer 
township. The wedding was celebrated in 
1862. and they became the parents of seven 
children, but one died in infancy, John at the 
age of four years and Thomas when two years 
old. Of the surviving children David P. is the 
eldest. The others are: Margaret, the wife of 
W. C. Lytle, who is living in Burton township 
and has two sons ; William Benton, who resides 
in Honey Creek township and who married Miss 
Edna Aaron, of Kane township, by whom he 
has two children, a son deceased and one son 
living at the age of five years; and Anna Mary, 
wife of Fred Pfanschmidt, of Gilmer township, 
by whom she has a daughter, three years old. 
Mr. and Mrs. John Q. Lawless attend the Meth- 
odist Episcopal church and in his political views 
he is a republican. He stands to-day as one of 
the most successful and energetic agriculturists 
of the county, his advancement having been 
won through his own indefatigable efforts and 
earnest purpose, and he is also one of the hon- 
ored pioneer settlers, for almost seventy years 
a resident of the county. 

Following the acquirement of his more spe- 
cifically literary education in the public schools 
near his home, David P. Lawless attended the 
Gem City Business College of Quincy, and when 
he put aside his school books in 1888 he began 
farming upon one of his father's farms, where 
he put to the practical test the knowledge that 
he had acquired in the schoolroom and upon the 
old homestead. Practical in his methods and 



fearing not that laborious attention to detail 
without which there is no success, he labored 
on persistently and with good results until 1904, 
when he reeeivcGl the nomination of the repub- 
lican party for the office of recorder of Adams 
county. He was elected on the 8tli of Novem- 
ber, 1901, by a plurality of between eleven and 
twelve hundred, and on the 5th of December 
he assumed the diities of the office. He is now 
capably serving in that position, bi-inging to 
his work the same businesslike dispatch which 
characterized his labors on the farm and the 
same fidelity which marked his discharge of his 
private interests. 

On the 18th of November, 1891, Mr. Lawless 
was imited in marriage to Miss Marguerite, 
daughter of Barzillia Earel, who resided near 
Camp Point, in Columbus township. ]\Irs. Law- 
less is a member of the IMethodist Episcopal 
church, while fraternally Mr. Lawless is affili- 
ated with Columbus lodge, No. 227, A. F. & A. 
M., and politically has alwa.ys been an earnest 
republican. He is a worthy representative of 
an honored poineer family and while his life 
has been passed in the quiet pursuits of the 
farm he has always commanded the respect and 
trust of his fellownien. 



JOHN K. RETICKER, M. D. 

Dr. John K. Rotieker, engaged in the practice 
of medicine and surgery in Quincy since 1895, 
was born in Rock Island, Illinois, November 13, 
1872, his parents being Johu il. and Anna C. 
(Kiniel) Retieker. His grandparents were na- 
tives of Maryland, and his grandmother, 'Sirs. 
Mary Retieker, is now living in Quincy at the 
advanced age of eighty-five years. His mater- 
nal grandfather was a farmer of Viola, ]\Iercer 
county, Illinois, where both he and his wife 
died. John M. Retieker was one of a family of 
seven children: Sophia, the widow of Cap- 
tain Withrow and a resident of Lagrange, Mis- 
souri ; John ]\I. ; Edward, who was drowned at 
Cincinnati, Ohio ; Howard ; Mary, wife of David 
Eldred, of Chicago ; Harry, of Rock Island, Illi- 
nois; and Ada, the wife of Spencer Jobes, of 
Quincy. 

John ]\r. Retieker was born in Baltimore, 
:\raryland, and in early life engaged in mer- 
chandising in Rock Island county, Illinois. He 
was sheriff of Rock Island county from 1882 
until 1886, when he removed to Iowa, where 
he entered into agricultural pursuits. He came 
to Quincy in 1898 and is now in the employ 
of the Quincy Grocery Company. He married 
Anna C. Kimel, a native of Mercer county, lUi- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



iiois, aiul they liccanie the parents of three ehil- 
dreu: Flora B., the wife of Alfred Blakesley, 
of Kansas City ; Catherine A., wife of Clarence 
Blakesley, of Rock Island, Illinois ; and John K. 

In the common schools of Rock Island, Illi- 
nois, John K. Retieker began his education and 
continued his studies in the high school of Red 
Oak, Iowa. He was later a student in the Gem 
City Business College, at Quiney, and prepared 
for the practice of medicine and surgery in the 
State University of Iowa, from which he was 
graduated in 1895. He began practice in 
Quiney in June of the same year and was not 
long in demonstrating his ability in handling 
difficult eases. He is very careful in the matter 
of diagnosis and his judgment is seldom, if ever, 
at fault in anticipating the outcome of disease, 
while his use of remedial agencies has made 
his labors in the sick room so satisfactory that 
he is classed to-day among the leading physi- 
cians and surgeons of Quiney. He belongs to 
the Adams County Medical Society, the Illinois 
State Medical Society and American ^Medical 
Association. 

In his political views Dr. Retieker is a demo- 
crat but is without political aspiration for him- 
self. He was married October 14, 1897. to Miss 
]\Iary E. Crew, of Wheeling, West Virginia, a 
daughter of Samuel and Euphemia (Barnes) 
Crew. Their children are Virginia A. and 
Helene. Dr. Retieker built a neat, modern 
residence in 1903 at No. 1235 Broadway, 
Quiney. 



WILLIAM SCIIEID. 



William Sclieid, police magistrate of Quiney, 
was born in this city, May 20, 1859, his parents 
being Henry and Helena (Merker) Scheid. The 
father, a native of Germany, emigrated to Amer- 
ica in 1855, settling in Sandusky, Ohio. After 
a brief residence there he came to Quiney, being 
married here. He \\as a cooper by trade, but in 
Quiney he served as clei'k and bookkeeper. He 
died in 1887, at the age of sixty-six years, and 
his wife passed away in 1882, at the age of fift>-- 
two years. In the family were eleven children, 
of whom the subject of this sketch was the 
second in order of birth. Those still living are 
William; Benjamin, a resident of St. Louis; Josie 
and Dora. 

The now police magistrate of Quiney was edu- 
cated in the public schools of this city and in a 
business college of Kansas City. Wlien a young 
man he learned the barber's trade and for some 
time was in business for himself. He was also 
for a few years connected Avith the Quiney police 
force. Later he was a candidate for judge of 



the police court but was defeated for the nomina- 
tion by a small majority. Again the friends of 
Mr. Scheid. observing his cool and deliberate 
judgment, never allowing himself to be exercised 
or excited in any matter in which he was in- 
terested, conceived the idea that he woiild have 
an excellent disposition in the judicial channel 
and again placed him in nomination for judicial 
honors. At the democratic primary election he 
was victorious over three or four sti'ong oppon- 
ents. At the election he was elected by a large 
majority. The judge is of an excellent temper- 
ament and in disposing of the thousand or more 
cases that have come before him up to the present 
time has demonstrated superior judgment. He 
])Ossesses high ability in his obseiwation of human 
nature, thus making few errors in condemning 
or being lenient in administering justice. There- 
fore his record on the bench will go down in 
history, as a credit to himself and his children 
after him. No doubt when the pages of this 
publication have faded with age the name of 
Judge William Scheid will be remembered with 
honor for his excellent work in doing his duty 
without fear or favor while on the bench of the 
Quiney police court. 

On 'the 25th of February, 18S(i, ilr. Scheid 
was married to Miss Amelia B. Tack, of La 
Grange, Missouri, and they have three children: 
Liilu L., Elmer W. and Gertrude. They also lost 
three in childhood : Harry, who died at the age 
of four years; George W and Henry, who died 
in infancy. 

In fraternal relations the subject of this sketch 
is connected v/ith the Knights of Bythias, the 
Woodmen of the World and the Fraternal Order 
of Eagles. In the last-named he is now serving 
as chaplain and is past master in the Woodmen 
of the World. The Judge is of a quiet, unassum- 
ing nature: kind and as gentle as a woman when 
circumstances permit it, yet stern and unchanged 
when duty demands it, and the ablest law>-er-s and 
the best citizens of Quiney who have visited and 
observed the dignity and fairness that prevails 
in his court .speak in the highest praise. Instinct, 
inherited from a good father and mother, will 
only allow "justice" to lie the guiding star of 
Justice William Scheid. 



JOHN J. WAGNER. 



John J. Wagner, who follows farming on 
section 5. ]\Ielrose townshi]). was born on this 
place, September 3, 1863. He is a son of Peter 
H. Wagner, whose birth occurred in Germany 
and who came to the United States in 1845. 
He had been a florist in the fatherland but 
believing that he might have better business 




WILLIAM SCHEID 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



1015 



opportunities in the new world he sailed for 
America, landing at New Orleans. He then 
made his way up the river by boat to St. Louis, 
where he resided for five years, being employed 
in a nursery during that time. In 1852 he 
crossed the plains to California and followed 
mining for a short time, after which he engaged 
ill gardening near Sacramento. He spent three 
years in the Golden state and returned to St. 
Louis by way of the Isthmus of Panama. Mr. 
Wagner was married in St. Louis to Miss Mar- 
garet Miller, now deceased, who was born in 
Germany. They removed to Quincy in 1858 
and one year later Mr. Wagner purchased what 
is known as the old Wagner farm and which, 
having been divided, is now in possession of 
John J. and George H. Wagner. Here the fa- 
ther engaged in gardening and conducted a suc- 
cessful business up to the time of his death, 
which occurred in 1891, when he was sixty-nine 
years of age. He had eighty acres of land and 
the products which he raised were of excellent 
size and quality so that he was always able to 
command the highest market price for his vege- 
tables. In politics he was a democrat but never 
sought or desired office, preferring to give his 
undivided attention to his business interests. 
Unto him and his wife were born two children, 
the elder being George H. Wagner, who wed- 
ded Mary Pflueger, and follows farming in Mel- 
rose township. 

John J. Wagner, the younger son, began his 
education in the public schools of his native 
township and when not occupied with his text- 
books assisted in the work on the home farm. 
He and his brother became partners with their 
father in gardening and after the father's 
death they inherited the home property, each 
receiving forty-two acres of land. Mr. Wag- 
ner's farm is located at Forty-second and State 
streets and here he is successfully engaged in 
raising fruit. He also has good pasture land 
and keeps fifteen cows for dairy purposes. His 
business is well conducted and he has a liberal 
patronage so that he is meeting with desirable 
success in his undertakings. 

Mr. Wagner was married to Miss Carrie 
Pflueger, who was born in Melrose township, 
Adams county, and is a daughter of William 
Pflueger, who came to this county about 1860 
and carried on agricultural pursuits. Unto ^Ir. 
and Mrs. Wagner have been born six children : 
Bessie, Charles, Jacob, Albert, Marion and 
Oscar. The parents hold membership in the 
Lutheran church and Mr. Wagner votes with 
the democratic party. He served as constable 
of his township for eight years and he is a mem- 
ber of Quincy lodge, No! 365, I. 0. 0. F., and 
Herman lodge, A. F. & A. M. The fact that 
manv of his warmest friends are those who have 



known him from his boyhood to the present 
time is an indication that he is leading an up- 
right, honorable life. 



GEORGE WILLIAM OSGOOD. 

George William Osgood, proprietor of a large 
livery stable of Quincy and well known as an 
enterprising business man and also in musical 
circles of the city, was born in Hancock county, 
Illinois, December 17, 1868, his parents being 
Samuel P. and Ellen (Bagby) Osgood. The 
father, a native of Pike county, Illinois, is a 
music teacher. His wife was born near Au- 
gusta, Illinois, and both are now living in 
Ewing, Jlissouri. This branch of the Osgood 
family was prominent at an early day in Bos- 
ton, Massachusetts. The paternal grandfather 
of our subject was the first of the family to 
settle in Illinois. His wife was Sophia Ham- 
mond and they reared a family of three chil- 
dren : Samuel P. : Lucius ; and Lucy, who died 
soon after her graduation from the Blooming- 
ton (Illinois) Normal school. William and 
Eliza (Warren) Bagbj', the maternal grand- 
parents of George W. Osgood, are now residing 
in Augusta, Illinois, and their married life cov- 
ers sixty-five years. They had a family of eight 
children: Wallace, now deceased; Mary, the 
-widow of William Pickens; Margaret, the 
widow of Dr. Wade, of St. Joseph, Missouri; 
John, deceased ; Elian ; Charles C., of Brook- 
field, ^Missouri; Augustus, of Skidmore, Mis- 
souri; and Addie, the widow of James Burns, 
of Stirling, Illinois. 

In the family of Samuel P. and Ellen 
(Bagby) Osgood were eleven children: George 
W. ; Charles F., a practicing physician of Mor- 
gan City, Utah : Harry 'SI., a music teacher of 
La Belle, ^Missouri; Edward P.. who is engaged 
in the real estate business in Perry, Missouri; 
Anna May. the wife of Fred Young, of Kan- 
sas City; Nellie, the wife of Edgar Robert, of 
Lewis county, IMissouri; Frank C. a dentist; 
James, of Morgan City, Utah; Earl and Pearl, 
twins, living in Ewing; and Gladys, also of 
Ewing. 

George William Osgood was educated in the 
public schools and left home at the age of thir- 
teen years in order to make his own way in 
the world. He began working in a printing 
office. Possessing a natural love of music and 
desiring instruction in the art and also realiz- 
ing the need and value of other educational 
development along literary lines he matricu- 
lated in the Indiana State Normal school at 
Valjiaraiso. where he first pursued a literary 



ioi6 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



course and afterward took uj) the study of 
music, being graduated with the class of 1890. 
He then accepted a position as instructor in 
the musical department in the "Western Acad- 
emy at La Belle, Missouri, which position he 
filled with credit for three years, acting as 
teacher of both vocal and instrumental music. 
There were one hundred and fifty in his de 
partment and eighty pupils were enrolled under 
his tutorship. In 1893 he pur.sued a post-grad- 
uate course under Professor Frederick Root 
and Emiel Liebling, of Chicago. He then 
opened branch studios in Chicago and Quincy, 
continuing his teaching in both cities for three 
years, but in 1898 gave his undivided atteutitin 
to his classes in Quincy until he embarked in 
the present business. 

During his earlier years ]\Ir. Osgood mani- 
fested a strong love for horses and was for a 
time under the training of E. K. Sweet. His 
interest in horses finally culminated in his pur- 
chase of the Newcomb livery on the 4th of No- 
vember. 1902, and he has since conducted it. 
This is a large and splendidly equipped estab- 
lishment and his patrons embrace many of the 
most prominent men of the city. He conducts 
the enterprise along sti'ietly business lines and 
has met with creditable and desirable success 
in the undertaking. 

On the 15th of November, 1898. :Mr. Osgood 
was married to Miss Emma Heidrich, a daugh- 
ter of Martin and Gertrude fSehlagg) Heid- 
rich. He belongs to the ]Mas(Uiic fraternity and 
is recognized as a valued factor in the musical 
and social circles of Quincy. 



CHARLES C. PFANSCHMIDT. 

Charles C. Pfanschmidt, for many years ac- 
tively connected with agrictultural interests, is 
now enjoying a well earned rest in a comfortable 
home in Quincy, having i)ut aside further busi- 
ness cares save the supervision of his invested 
interests. He was ])orn in Pru.ssia, near Berlin, 
on the 31st of January, 1831, and is a son of God- 
frey and Elizabeth (Kleinschmidt) Pfan.schmidt. 
His father was a tanner by trade and for three 
years (1813-1814-1815), was a member of Gen- 
eral Blucher's body-guard, being in the battles 
at Leipsic and Watei'loo. In 1834 he brought 
his family to America, landing at Baltimore, 
whence he drove across the country to St. Louis 
and from the latter city he came to Qiiiney by 
boat, reaching his destination in the month of 
December. In 1835 he entered one huiulrcd and 
sixty acres of land in Ellington township, for 
which he paid the usual government jirice of one 
dollar and a quarter per acre. This was entirely 



wild and uncultivated and with characteristic 
energy he began clearing and In-eaking his land, 
ixsing ox-teams for this purpose. He lived upon 
this, however, until his death, which occurred in 
1841. 

Charles C. Pfanschmidt was a lad of three 
summers when brought to Adams county and was 
reared upon his father's farm here, sharing the 
arduoiTs labor of developing a frontier home. He 
first attended school in Gilmer township, the 
little "temple of learning" being a log building 
which was three miles from his home. He was 
afterward a student in a log house in Ellington 
township and tlie methods of instruction were 
almost as primitive as the school buildings, but 
reading and observation have broadened his 
knowledge in later years and he is to-day a well- 
informed man. He has always followed the oc- 
cupation to which he was reared and when 
twenty years of age he came into possession of 
eighty acres of his father's farm. Later he pur- 
chased more land ad.joining his farm on the south 
and west in Ellington township and continued 
the active ciiltivation of his farms until October, 
1894. His home place comprised one hi;ndred 
and fifty-seven acres and he also had a quarter 
section of laud near Payson, while his wife owned 
eighty acres in Ellington township. Mr. Pfan- 
schmidt has sold his farming land and since 1894 
has lived a retired life in Quincy, where he has 
some good realty. In addition to his oato home 
he has three dwellings in this city. He lives at 
No. 522 South Twelfth street, where he has a 
nice two-story brick residence and also owns a 
brick house on Fifth and IMaiden Lane, a frame 
dwelling at the corner of Fifth and Payson ave- 
nue and another frame structure at the corner of 
Twenty-third and Washington streets. 

Mr. Pfanschmidt was married to Miss Slaiy 
Liml). who was born in England, in 1833, and is 
a daughter of James and Anna (Todd) Limb, 
wlio were natives of England. Her father was 
a brick and pottery manufacti^rer in that country 
and he came with his family to Quincy when Mrs. 
Pfanschmidt was only six years of age. Here 
he turned his attention to farming, having three 
hundred acres of land in Ellington township, 
Adams county, which he continT;ed to cultivate 
up until the time of his death, being then seventy- 
six years of age. T^nto Mr. and ^Irs. Pfanschmidt 
have been born ten children, but the second, 
Henry, is now deceased. The others are: Mrs. 
Louisa Knollenberg, Mi-s. Hannah Neikemp, Mrs. 
Clara Ebert, Jlrs. ilary Geisel, Jlrs. Elizabeth 
Petrie, Charles A., Mrs. Ida Cook, Fred, and 
^linnie. at home. 

The children are comfortably situated in life, 
most of them having liomes of their own. For 
over half a century Mr. and Mrs. Pfanschmidt 
have traveled life's journey together and on the 




C. C. PFANSCHMIDT AND FAMILY 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



1019 



14th of October, 1903 they celebrated their 
golden wedding. 

Mr. Pfanschmidt enjoys excellent health for 
one of his years and possesses the strength and 
vigor of a much yonnger man. He gives his 
supei-vision to his town property but otherwise 
is resting from active business cares. He owes his 
success entirely to his own labors, for when he 
started out in life he had little capital, but by 
perseverance and energy has worked his way 
steadily iipward, accinnulating a comfortable 
competence through his business ability and ex- 
ecutive force. In politics he is a republican and 
served as school director of Ellington township 
for eighteen years, was also collector and road 
commissioner. He belongs to Burton lodge. No. 
142. I. O. O. F., and has a wide and favorable 
acquaintance in Adams county, where he has 
lived for seventv-one vears. 



JOHN BERNARD STROTHOPF. 

John Bernard Strothoff, now deceased, was 
for a number of years a representative farmer 
of Ellington township and was one of the 
worthy citizens Avhich Germany furnished to 
Adams county. He was born in Prussia, April 
6, 1824, and came to America in 1848, being 
then a young man of twenty-four years. In 
1851 he crossed the plains to California, 
attracted by the discovery of gold on the Pa- 
cific slope, thinking that he might rapidly re- 
alize a fortune in the far west. Making his 
way to the Sacramento valley he there en- 
gaged in mining until 18.55, in which year he 
rctiu'ned to the ^Mississippi valley and estab- 
lished his home in Adams county, purchasing 
the farm which is now the property of his 
widow. 

^Ir. Strothoff was married on December 14, 
185.5, to I\Iiss ilary Catherine Roth, who was 
born in Hesse, Germany, April 2, 1857, and is 
a daughter of Urban Roth. Her parents came 
to America when she was a little maiden of 
only five summers and located in Adams 
county, Illinois, where her father purchased 
one hundred and fifty acres of land lying west 
of Burton. There he carried on agricultural 
pursuits for many years and passed away at 
the age of seventy years. His wife, howev^er, 
reached the very advanced age of ninet.v-three 
years. Unto ilr. and Mrs. Strothoff were born 
ten children : Herbert, ]\rargaret. Marv and 
Henry, who are living in Quincy; Anna. Emma. 
Louisa and John B., all four deceased; Ida; and 
Stephen I. F. They also reared three adopted 
children. 



After his marriage ]\Ir. Strothoff began farm- 
ing on his own account and throughout his re- 
maining days engaged in the improvement of 
his farm and the cultivation of his fields. In 
1876, he erected a fine brick residence two 
stories in height and contained eleven rooms, 
it being one of the finest homes in the county. 
He also placed many substantial improvements 
upon his land and in fact equipped it with all 
modern accessories of a model farm. He lived 
a bu.sy, useful and active life, was thoroughly 
reliable in all his trade transactions and was 
respected for his devotion to duty, his faith- 
fulness in friendship and his devotion to his 
family. He was a member of St. Francis Cath- 
olic church and died in that faith July 25, 1885. 

^Irs. Strothoff still survives and is living 
upon the old homestead farm to which her hus- 
band took her as a bride in 1855 — a half cen- 
tury ago. This farm comprises four hundred 
acres of land just outside the city limits of 
Quincy. The home farm is seven miles east 
of the cit.v and is now managed and cultivated 
b.v her son Stephen, who has twenty acres plant- 
ed to wheat and sixty-five acres to corn. Two 
hundred acres are covered with timber, both 
oak and hickory, and the remainder of the farm 
is devoted to pastiu'age, he keeping thirt.y-four 
cows and thirty hogs. He is a progressive agri- 
culturist, carrying forward his work with de- 
termination and energy and is, therefore, meet- 
ing Avith success. Mrs. Strothoff and her chil- 
dren are communicants of St. Francis Catholic 
church and the family is a prominent one in 
Adams county, the members of the household 
occupying a favorable position in social circles. 



FREDERICK AYILLIA:\I HALBACH. 

It would seem trite to those familiar with the 
history of Frederick William Halbach to say 
that he has risen from an obscure position in 
the business world to rank with the representa- 
tive and successful merchants of Quincy and 
yet it is but just to say in a history that will 
desecend to future generations that his has been 
a business career that any might be proud to 
possess. Starting out in life at an early age 
dependent upon his own resources he has ad- 
vanced through determined effort and by con- 
secutive steps until he is to-day in control of 
one of the leading mercantile enterprises of the 
middle Mississippi valley. Never making an 
engagement that lie has not kept or incurring 
an obligation that he has not discharged he 
has thus gained for himself an honorable name 
among his business associates and his life 
record should serve as a source of encourage- 
ment and inspiration to others, showing what 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



may be accomplished through force of char- 
acter and unremitting energy. 

Mr. Halbach was born in Westphalia, Prus- 
sia, in 1847, his parents being- T. and Sophia 
(Koenemann) Ilalbach. He acquired his edu- 
cation in the schools of his native land and 
at the age of eighteen years came to America, 
spending two years in New York city, where 
he served as clerk in a dry-goods store. The 
yonr 1866 witnessed his arrival in Quincy, 
wlici'c he secured a position as salesman in the 
dry-^oods store owned by Julius Kespohl. 
Thi'fc he remained until 1873, when Mr. Kes- 
pohl sold out to H. H. Schroeder and Mr. Hal- 
bach. For a year they continued at the old 
stand aud then removed to a business block 
next door, which they occupied for twenty- 
seven years. In 1900 they removed to their 
present location on Sixth and Maine street, 
occupying here a fine building, fifty-five by 
one hundred and twenty-five feet, four stories 
in height and basement. They utilize the en- 
tire building in their display of dry-goods, 
cloaks and notions and since their removal to 
this place they have doubled their business. 
The Halbach, Schroeder Company was incor- 
porated in 1899 with Mr. Halbach as president 
and treasurer, John Meyer as vice-president 
and Rudolph "Wilms as secretary. They now 
control an extensive patronage by reason of 
the excellent line of goods which they carry, 
their reasonable prices and straightforward 
business methods. Employment is furnished 
to seventy-five peo])le and it is tlie policy of 
the house to maintain strictly just relations 
with their em])liiyi's. i)aying good wages aud 
recognizing capable service liy promotion as 
opportunity ofi'ei's. 

In 1870 Mr. Halbach was inarried to Miss 
Fredericka Kespohl. a daughter of Henry Kes- 
pohl, who died about 1880. They became the 
parents of ten children, of whom a son and 
daughter died in infancy, while eight are yet 
living: Charles Ilalbach, the eldest, married 
Miss Eggleston, is living in Quincy and is in- 
terested in the mercantile business with his 
father. He has one son, Frank, who is attend- 
ing the public schools. May is the wife of 
James Murphy, connected with the Northwes- 
tern Railway Company at ]\Iinneaiiolis, Miinie- 
sota, and they have one child. Marion. Doro- 
thy is the wife of Harry Gage, connected with 
the ( 'assidy Commission Company of Quincy, 
Ida and Elsie are at home. Robert is asso- 
ciated with his father in business. Emil attends 
the high school and Florence is a.^ student in 
the Webster school. 

The family are prominent socially and their 
own attractive home is .iustly celebrated for 
its gracious and free-hearted hospitality. They 



attend the Unitarian church and ]\Ir. Ilalbach 
gives his political support to the I'epublican 
party. He is a noble example of the self-made 
man and though it is no unnatural thing for 
a youth in humble circumstances to work his 
way upward to success in this country, such a 
history is always worthy of consideration, con- 
taining lessons that may well be felt. When 
j\Ir, Plalbaeh arrived in this country at the age 
of eighteen years he had very little capital 
but he possessed strong determination and 
energy and upon that foundation he has build- 
ed his success. Such old and time-tried max- 
ims as "honesty is the best policy," "there is 
no excellence without labor," he made the 
basis for his advancement and to-day he stands 
at the head of a company controlling one of 
the largest mercantile establishments of Quincy. 



REV. J. P. KERR. 



Rev. J. P. KeiT. who has been i)astor of St. 
Peter's Catholic church of Quincy since 1893. 
was born on the 29th of December. 18i3, in 
EnnLskillen, County Fermanagh, Ireland, and 
is a son of Charles and Bridget (Nolan) Kerr, 
who spent their entire lives in that countrv and 
are both now deceased. In their family were 
four children, three sons and one daughter, all 
now deceased with exception of Father Kerr, 
who was the youngest. He attended the com- 
mon schools of his native place until sixteen 
years of age and then studied the classics at 
Portora royal school for about two years. In 
1867 he came to America and in October of that 
year entered the Seminary of Our Lady of An- 
gels at Niagara Falls, where he remained for 
about a year. He then left school in oi'der to 
earn the money needed to carry on his studies 
and later entered the college at Teutopolis, 
Illinois, where he continued his education for 
about eighteen months. He next became a 
student in the Theological Seminary at Mil- 
waukee, AViseonsin, where he completed a four 
years' course, and on the 19th of March, 1875, 
was ordained priest by the Rt. Rev. P. J. Baltes, 
bishop of Alton, Illinois. 

Father Kerr's first pastorate was St. Joseph's 
church at Bloomfield, Illinois, where he re- 
mained luitil 1885, when he was transferred to 
Brown's settlement in Montgomery county, 
Illinois. From there he went to Carlinville and 
in 1893 came to Quincy, as before stated. St. 
Peter's church had its origin as far back as 1839, 
when St. Lawrence church was built at the 
corner of Eighth and JIaine streets. This house 
of vrorshij) continued to sei've the congregation 




REV. J. P. KERR 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



1023 



until ISfi!), when the old building was torn down 
and a new one erected, called St. Peter's church. 
This was dedicated January 1, 1870. the work 
being- carried on under the ministry of Rev. 
Father Peter ]\[cGirr. He also built the present 
school and continued as pastor until his ^death, 
which occurred in ^larch, 1893, when he was 
succeeded by Rev. J. P. Kerr, who has the various 
departments of the church work in a flourishing 
condition, his parish havinu' become an active 
fo!'ci.> fdi- riizliti'nusni'ss in (^uincy. 



SAXFORD C. PITNEY. 

Sanford C. Pitney, who is filling the position 
of circuit clerk of Adams county, was born 
in St. Louis, [Missouri, February 1, 1850. His 
parents were Lewis and Keziah (Fox) Pitney, 
the former a native of Pennsylvania and the 
latter of New York. They were married in 
the Empire state and became residents of St. 
Louis about 1849, but previous to that time they 
had lived in Ohio, where the father was en- 
gaged in the manufacture of furniture until 
his plant was destroyed by fire. He then re- 
moved to the middle west and after spending a 
year in St. Louis he came to Quincy in the fall 
of 1850. Here he was associated with Adam 
Schmitt in the furniture business until his 
death, which occurred in 1851, the disease being 
cholera. His wife, long siirviving him, passed 
away in 1880. They were the parents of seven 
children : Frances L., who became the wife of 
Rufus ]\riller, but both are now deceased ; Mary 
E., who is now living in Washington, D. C, 
and is the widow of W. S. Lee, of Quincy, who 
became a captain of the Third Illinois Cavalrj' 
and was killed in a skirmish near ]\Ieniphis in 
1863, his remains being brought back to Quincy 
for interment ; Ora L.. who is also living in 
Washington ; Warren F., who was formerly en- 
gaged in the real-estate business in Quincy, but 
is now in Chicago ; Louvisa. who is the wife 
of B. Cross and is living in Mount Holly, New 
Jersey; Albert L., who is in the government 
employ in Washington and had charge of the 
government exhibits at the World's Columbian 
Exposition and the Louisiana Purchase Expo- 
sition, being a draftsman of note and an artist 
of considerable ability: and Sanford C, of this 
review. 

Brought to Quincy when only about six 
months old, Sanford C. Pitney was a public- 
school student between the ages of six and six- 
teen years, after which he became associated 
with his brother Warren in the real-estate busi- 
ness. From 1872 until 1880 he was connected 
with the Wheeler & Wilson ^lanufacturing 



Companj', and on leaving that employ became 
city salesman for F. H. ilason & Company. 
lie was also with the firm of Tripp & ]\lanson 
for a time and in 1886 he went into the gro- 
cery business at the corner of Sixth and Chest- 
nut streets, being thus engaged until 1895, when 
he sold out. In 1898-9 he became one of the 
incorporators of the Quincy Foundry & Nov- 
elty Company for the purpose of manufactur- 
ing light castings and developing patents. He 
is also the patentee of the Pitney shutter 
worker, a device used for opening and closing 
blinds. In 1899 he sold out his interest in that 
company, and in July, 1902, he was made quar- 
termaster's clerk at the Illinois Soldiers and 
Sailors Home, in which capacity he served until 
the fall of 1904, when, having received the nomi- 
nation for the office of circuit clerk, he was elect- 
ed, on the 8th of November, by a plurality of 
five hundred and thirty-four votes and is now 
capably discharging the duties of that position. 
He is a staunch republican and has always 
taken a deep and active interest in politics. 

;\Ir. Pitnej^ was married January 20, 1876, to 
]\liss Lydia Robertson, of Adams county, a 
daughter of A. C. Robertson, of Beverly, this 
county. They have one son, Sanford R. Pitney, 
who was born November 9, 1876, and married 
Miss Edith Thornton, a daughter of James 
Thornton, of Mendon township. Sanford R. 
Pitney owns a nice farm on which he and his 
wife have a pleasant home, and their marriage 
has been blessed with one son, Thornton Pitney. 

Fraternally Sanford C. Pitney is connected 
with Quincy'lodge, No. 296, A. F. & A. M., and 
is in hearty sympathy with its tenets and teach- 
ings. His entire life has been passed in Quincy 
and he has a wide acquaintance, while the fact 
that many of his stanchest friends ai'e those 
who have known liim from boyhood, is an in- 
dication that he has ever been worthy the re- 
spect and trust of those with whom he has so 
long been associated. 



MRS. EVA E. RICHARDSON. 

Sirs. Eva E. Richardson is a well known and 
highly esteemed resident of Beverly and is a 
woman of much more than ordinary business 
ability. She is a native of Illinois, born in 
Tioga, Hancock county, ]May 21, 1856, and is 
a daughter of William and Hannah Koch. Her 
father claimed Prussia. Ormany, as the land 
of his birth and it was in 1854 that he emigrated 
to the new world and took up his residence in 
Tioga, Illinois, where he made his home until 
coming to Quincy in 1860. Here he was prin- 
cipally engaged in the teaming and livery busi- 



1024. 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



iiess until his death, which ooeurred in 1880. 
His Avife survived him and died in 1896. Their 
family consisted of eight children, namel}^ : 
Julia, a resident of Quiuc.y; Henry, of Ediua, 
Missouri; Fred, of Denver, Colorado; Lizzie, 
wife of Anthony ]\Iayley, of Butte City, ]Mon- 
tana; Anna, wife of John Pieper, of Denver; 
Estella, wife of Joseph Rollings, of Colorado 
Spriuiis ; Edward, who is in the east ; and Eva 
E. 

Mrs. Richardson was principally reared and 
educated in Quincy and after leaving school 
she learned the dres.smaker's trade, which she 
successfully followed for a time. In 1885 she 
gave her hand in marriage to Charles W. Rich- 
ardson, a son of James Richardson, who was 
one of the honored pioneers of Beverly town- 
ship, building the third house within its bor- 
ders, in 1835. It is still standing and continues 
to be used. Charles W. Richardson has one 
brother and three sisters living in this county ; 
James, a resident of Payson ; Mary, the wife 
of "William Robertson, of Beverly township ; 
Matilda, wife of James Robertson, of Fowler; 
and Charlotte, wife of William Dredge, of Bev- 
erly. By a previous marriage Charles W. Rich- 
ardson had five children, namely: Freeman, a 
resident of Barry, Illinois; James E., who is 
living on the home farm; Elizabeth B., who re- 
sides with Mrs. Richardson in Beverly; Susa, 
wife of Dr. G. A. Lierle, of Payson ; and :\Ionroe 
R., also with iMrs. Richardson, who has been 
a mother to the children in the true sense of 
that Avord. She is the owner of a fine farm of 
one hundred and sixty acres in Beverly to\yn- 
ship, and in its management she has met with 
excellent success. She is widely and favorably 
known and has many friends throughout Ad- 
ams county. Her husband died October 31, 
1896. 



JOSEPH S. REECE. 

Joseph S. Rr'ci-c is the ciwnrr of v,-dual>l(' farm- 
ing interests in Adams ccnuity, his possessions 
aggregating one hundred and eighty acres, his 
home farm being on section 27, Keene township. 
He was born in Clermont county, Ohio, November 
21, 1838. his parents being Samuel and Elizabeth 
(Seals) Reece. The father was born April 28, 
1817, and the mother's birth occurred March 7, 
1811. They came to Adams county in 1847, es- 
tablishing their home in Keene township, where 
for many years Mr. Reece carried on general 
farming. He died July 30, 1877, and his wife, 
long surviving him, passed awav September 10, 
1904. 



Joseph S. Reece was educated in the scliools of 
Ohio and in Keene township, Adams county, Il- 
linois, largely attending subscription schools. 
After putting aside his text-books he learned the 
carpenter's trade, which he followed until thirty 
years of age, and since that time he has carried on 
general farming. As the years have gone by he 
has prospered in his undertakings and, his finan- 
cial resoiirees increasing as he sold his crops for 
a good price, he made fvirther investments in 
property and is to-day the owner of one hundred 
and eighty acres of land lying on three different 
sections in Keene township. This he operates in 
connection -with his son and they are progressive 
and enterprising agricidturists, meeting with a 
very creditable success in their undertakings. 

On the 20th of January, 1859, ]\Ir. Reece was 
married to Miss Sarah Jane Ward, who was born 
August 11, 1838, and is a daughter of William J. 
and Patience ]Marie (Rogers) Ward. Her father 
was born in Roxbury, Connecticut. July 22, 
1810, and came to Illinois when a young man. 
Here he was married to Miss Patience M. Rogers, 
whose birth occurred in New York, September 
6. 1818. They remained residents of Adams 
county until 1845, when they returned to New 
York, there remaining for six years. In 1851, 
however, they again came west and ^Mr. Ward 
continued a resident of this county until his 
death, which occurred December 23, 1879. His 
wife died shortly after their return to Illinois, 
pa.ssing away January 18, 1852. Unto Mr. and 
^Irs. Reece have lieen born two children : George 
W., who was born August 21, 1862, and resides 
in Keene township, married Olive Fink and has 
one child, Mary I\Iargueritc, born in June, 1902; 
Ennna E., born Noveml>cr 16, 1868, is living at 
home with her parents. 

Mr. Reece gives his political .support to the 
democracy, believing that its principles contain 
the best elements of good government. He served 
as collector for three years, was town clerk for 
three years and has been justice of the peace for 
twenty years. His decisions are strictly fair and 
impartial, being based upon law and equity as 
well. In all his public duties he has been true to 
the trust reposed in him and his private life is 
well worthv of connnendation. 



HENRY C. SPRICK. 



Henry ('. Spriek, assistant cashier of the 
State Street Bank of Quincy, was born in Fon- 
tanelle, Nebraska, January 26, 1864, his jiar- 
ents being Henry and Sophia (Wilkinning) 
Spriek, both of whom were natives of Westpha- 
lia, Germany, the former born IMarch 1, 1826, 




SAMUEL REECE 

J 
GEORGE W. REECE 



^ „,.^^^ ■^"^■'^- KLI^ABETH REECE w. j. WARD 

S. REECE MRS. J. S. REECE 

MISS EMMA E. REECE 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



1027 



and tlie latter ilay 30, 1S37. They were mar- 
ried in Quincy JLarch 21, 1858. The father 
had emigrated from Germany to America in 
1853 and, securing employment in Quincy, 
worked in this city for several years. He 
joined the first colonization society that went 
from here to Nebraska, maldng the journey in 
1855 and locating in the village of Fontanelle, 
where he now makes his home. When he was 
married he took his bride with him from Quincy 
to Nebraska, in a wagon drawn by oxen, and 
they lived in true pioneer style in the west 
until the advancing civilization had brought 
all the advantages and improvements known to 
the older east. In the family were ten chil- 
dren but three are now deceased, Dedrich hav- 
ing died in infancy and Louisa at the age of 
fourteen years, while Alfred was killed in 1901, 
at the age of twenty-three years. The others 
are : Mary, the wife of Rev. C. Sick, of Ster- 
ling, Nebraska ; Henry C. ; Sophia, wife of Pro- 
fessor Carl Krueger, connected with Midland 
College, at Atchison, Kansas; Anna, wife of 
Edward Niebaum, a resident farmer of Wash- 
ington county, Nebraska : Albert, who is man- 
aging the homestead farm in Nebraska; Emma, 
the wife of Otto Langhorst, a general merchant 
of Fontanelle, Nebraska ; and Clara, living with 
her parents. 

Henry C. Spriek pursued his early education 
in his native city, also attended a parochial 
school and at the age of seventeen entered the 
high school at Blair. Nebraska, where he spent 
one year. At the age of eighteen he became 
a public-school student in Quincy, and when 
nineteen entered upon a course of study in the 
Gem City Business College, from which he was 
graduated in 1886, when twenty-two years of 
age. He then returned to the old home in Ne- 
braska and worked on the farm for a year. In 
1887-8 he acted as private secretary to his 
father, who was then serving as state senator 
of Nebraska. In the spring of 1888, going to 
Omaha. Nebraska, he was employed for sev- 
eral months in the office of the firm of Lininger 
& Metcalf. wholesale dealers in implements and 
farm machinery, and in the fall of 1888 he 
purchased an interest in a business at Fremont, 
becoming a member of the firm of Ostermann 
& Spriek, wholesale dealers in confectionery, 
fruits and produce. He continued the business 
for two years, meeting with good success, and 
in December. 1889, he sold his interest. In 
1S90 he came to Quincy and accepted a position 
in the State Street Bank, where he acted as 
bookkeeper for a year and a half, when he pur- 
chased an interest in the bank and was made 
teller. In 1902 he became assistant cashier, 
which is his present official connection with the 
institution. He is also interested in other en- 



terprises of the city as a stockholder and direc- 
tor, and is regarded as one of the most progres- 
sive and energetic young business men of 
Quincy. 

Mr. Spriek was married to Miss Clara Heicl- 
bredcr. a daughter of H. Heidbreder, of Quincy, 
on the l-lth of August, 1890, and they have two 
children : Harvey, who was born March 22, 
1892, and is a student in St. Peter's school; 
and Helen, who was born September 20, 1897, 
and is attending the public schools. The par- 
ents are members of St. Peter's Evangelical 
church and in his political views ]\Ir. Spriek 
is a republican. Every step in his career has 
been thoughtfully made, and the qualities 
which make for progress and successful accom- 
plishment have been manifest since he entered 
the business world. He has wrought along 
modern business lines and has become a well 
known factor in financial circles in Quincy, 
having the entire confidence of the business 
community. 



OLTMAN R. LEENERTS. 

0. R. Leenerts, the owner of an excellent farm 
on section 21, Northeast toAvnship, was born in 
Oltmansfehn. Germany, August 1, 1835, and has 
been a resident of Adams eoimty since 1858. His 
father was R. O. Leenerts, whose birth occurred 
in Germany in 1808. There he remained until 
1858, when'with his family he came to the United 
States and made his way into the interior of the 
country, settling in Northeast township, Adams 
county, Illinois. His wife bore the maiden name 
of Etta Schweers and was also born in Germany, 
where she died in 1852. In their family were 
thirteen children, namely : 0. R. of this review ; 
Leenert L., living in Northeast to-\vnship ; Etta, 
the wife of Hinrich Aden of this township, now 
deceased; Anna, the wife of Lndwig Schluter, 
also of Northeast township : Frank, living in Ne- 
braska; and John S.. of the same state. The 
others all died in early life. 

0. R. Leenerts pursued his education in the 
schools of his native land and was there reared to 
manhood. In 1854 he was united in marriage to 
Miss Katie Junker, who was born in Germany 
and became the mother of one son, — Frank, who 
died at the age of three years. For his second 
wife :\Ir. Leenerts wedded Hilka Gronewold. who 
was also born in Germany, and they had six chil- 
dren: Mary, the wife of Ulfert Block, of 
Nebraska; Etta, the wife of William Block, of 
Nebraska ; Edith, the wife of Ricus Block, who is 
living in that state; Frank and Clans, who are 
residents of Northeast township ; and Annie, the 
wife of P. D. Brown. 



1028 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



For his third wife JMr. Leenerts chose Helena 
Daniels, who was born iu Germany, June 15, 
1852, and came to America in 1882. They have 
five children : Ilettie, the wife of William Grone- 
wold, of this township : John, Ollie, Ileniy and 
Bertha, all at home. 

jMr. Leenerts has always followed farming and 
in connection with the tilling of the soil he en- 
gages in the raising of hogs and cattle. He now 
has two hundred and fifteen acres of land on sec- 
tions 21 and 22. When he arrived here the land 
had little money value, bringing but a few dol- 
lars per acre, but now it is worth at least one 
hundred dollars per acre. 

Mr. Leenerts is a member of the Lutheran 
church, and was one of the best contributors 
towards building the fine new Lutheran Trinity 
church in Golden last year. His political sup- 
port is given to the republican party. He has 
never had occasion to regret his determination to 
seek a home in America, for he has prospered in 
his business career here, gradually working his 
way upward until he is now numbered among the 
substantial residents of his eouiitv. 



JOSEPH J. :michael 



Strong purposes and well directed effort will 
do more for a man in the way of winning suc- 
cess than any fortunate combination of circum- 
stances or inherited wealth, and it is these quali- 
ties wdiich have proven salient features in the 
life of Joseph J. Michael and made him one of 
the prosperous and prominent business men of 
Quiney, his native city. He was born ]\Iarch 25, 
1856, and is a representative of one of the early 
families here. His grandfather. Henry Michael, 
removed with his wife and children to Cincin- 
nati, Ohio, and later to Quiney, Illinois, where 
he .spent his remaining days, his death occurring 
when he was aljout eighty years of age, and his 
remains being interred in St. Boniface ceme- 
tery. 

Herman H. Michael, sou of Heniy Michael, 
was born in Hamlrarg, Germany, and accompan- 
ied his parents to the new world about 1844, .the 
family home being established in Cincinnati, 
Ohio, where he learned the cooper's trade. He 
afterward spent a year in Chicago, but finding 
that place too swampy he came to Quiney, w'here 
he worked in the Lee cooperage establishment 
until he had saved enough money to engage in 
business on his own account. He then conducted 
business for himself, meeting with gratifying 
success until about fifteen years ago, when he 
retired from the trade to enjoy a well earned 
rest. He also dealt to some extent in real es- 



tate. He is now eighty years of age, while his 
wife has reached the age of seventy-one. They 
were the parents of nine children, of whom two 
died in infancy, Frank and Edward. The oth- 
ers are Joseph J. ; Anna, wife of Fred Ruten, of 
Quiney, by whom she has four children; John 
B., traveling salesman for the Blomer & Michael 
Company; William, a priest of the Catholic 
ohureh now located at Pierron, Illinois ; Eliza- 
lieth, who is caring for her parents ; Henry H., 
bookkeeper for the Blomer & ^lichael Company, 
who married a daughter of James Hudson and 
has one child; Katie, wife of Henry Brinks, of 
the firm of Brinks & Son, contractors of Quiney, 
and the mother of two children. The family be- 
long to St. Mary's Catholic church. 

Joseph J. Michael attended the jjarochial 
schools of Quiney, St. Francis College, and Gem 
City Business College. He began working when 
in his thirteenth year, attending school in the 
v/inter months. He was employed by Henry 
Bull at the age of thirteen to w'ork in his botan- 
ical garden, and for one year he occupied a posi- 
tion in the soap works of Flacks & Reniann. It 
was Mr. Michael's early ambition to study prac- 
tical building architecture and therefore learned 
the brick-mason's trade, which he followed for 
ten years. For several years during the winter 
months of his journeymanship as bricklayer he 
worked in the pork-packing establishment of 
Vanden Boom & Blomer in all its various de- 
partments. In 1876 he was employed for one 
year as shipping clerk by the Bonnet & Duffy 
Stove Manufacturing Company. During the 
last three years of his connection with the brick- 
mason's trade, he conducted business as a con- 
tractor, spending two years of that time in 
Quiney and one year in Creston, Iowa, where he 
erected a hotel, the gas works, a schoolhouse, 
church, a bank building, and a number of resi- 
dences, working a number of men whom he took 
there with him from Quiney, iu 1880. He ne.xt 
entered the ofHce of the pork-paeking firm of 
Vanden Boom & Blomer, with whom he contin- 
ued for about a year, learning the business. On 
IMay 1, 1882, he associated himself with ]\Ir. 
Blomer and F. Wolf, in a similar enterprise, 
lender the firm name of Blomer, Wolf & JMichael, 
a relationship which was continued for eight 
years, when Mr. Wolf withdrew and the finn 
became known as Blomer & Michael, lieing a 
partnership concern until 1900, when the busi- 
ness was incorporated under the style of Blomer 
& Michael Company. ]\[r. Michael is vice presi- 
dent and seeretaiy, while Henry Blomer is presi- 
dent and John G. Blomer, treasurer. They em- 
ploy during the summer season one hundred and 
twenty-five men, and in the winter months one 
hundred and seventv-five men, exclusive of their 




JOSEPH J. MICHAEL 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



1031 



office and sales foi-ce — a fact which indicates 
something of the extent of their trade. They do 
a reg'ular packing- and curing business, dressing 
cattle, sheep and hogs, manufacturing sausage 
and jobbing provisions, and their sales have 
reached a large annual figure. 

]\Ir. ]\Iichael is a man of resourceful business 
ability and has been a valued factor in the man- 
agement of other business enterprises of im- 
portance to the city as well as to the individual 
.stockholders. He is secretary of the Quincy 
Grocery Company, owners of one of the large 
Avholesale grocery houses of this city, and he is 
likewise a director in the ]Michelmann Boiler 
"Works and a stockholder in the Ricker National 
Bank. He is a man of keen business discern- 
ment, capable, energetic and resolute, and his 
worth in trade circles of Quincy is widely ac- 
knowledged. 

Mr. IMichael was married in October, 1884, to 
Miss Catherine Altmix, a daughter of John Alt- 
mix, one of the old settlers of this city. They 
had six children, but Joseph and Paul died in 
infancy. The others are Hubert, Clara, Roman 
and Gertrude, all of whom are attending school. 
The wife and mother died in 1896, and Mr. Mi- 
chael afterward married ]\Iiss Elizabeth M. Tus- 
haus. of Quincy, a daughter of J. II. Tushaus, a 
pioneer grocer of Qiiincy. They were married 
in June of 1897, and there are five children by 
this union, but a son, Edward, died in infancy. 
The others are : Genevieve, Pauline, Henrietta 
and Josephine. The parents are members of 
St. Francis Catholic church, and ^Ir. Michael 
belongs to the Knights of CohTuibus, the Westei-n 
Catholic Union, St. Francis Building Society, 
St. Boniface Social Club, St. Aloysious Orphan 
Society, and the St. Mary's Ambulance Society 
He is one of the strong business men of the city, 
strong in his honor and his good name, also in 
his ability to plan and perform, and his efforts 
have contributed to the city's commercial pros- 
perity as well as to his individual success. 



SYLYANUS I. BRAGG. 

Sylvanus I. Bragg, a leading representative 
of the manufacturing interests of Qi^incy, has 
arisen from a humble position in business cir- 
cles, through the close application and unfalter- 
ing determination which are indispensable con- 
comitants of all .siiceess. He was born near 
Bethel, Missouri, March 13, 1860, and I'epre- 
sents one of the old families of that state. His 
great-grandfather removed with his family 
from Kentucky to ^lissouri in 1830 and spent 
the remainder of his life there, his remains now 



resting in the family cemetery, where sleep his 
.son, grandson and great-grandson, the last 
named being the brother of our subject. Syl- 
vanus I. Bragg, the grandfather, accompanied 
his parents on their removal in 1830 and was 
identified with the pioneer development of 
Shelby county. He was a cousin of General 
Bragg of the Confederate Arm.v and was serv- 
ing as county judge of Shelby comity at the 
beginning of the Civil war. Throughout his 
entire life he was a planter, and he died about 
1888, when eight j^-five years of age. C. W. 
Bragg, father of our subject, w-as born in Ken- 
tucky and with the family went to Missouri, 
where he followed the occupation of farming. 
He joined the Confederate Arm,y at the out- 
break of the Civil war and died while held a.s 
prisoner of war in St. Louis, in 1863. His wife, 
who bore the maiden name of Josie Stone, and 
who was also born in Kentucky, is now living 
in Shelbyville, Missouri. They were the par- 
ents of four children, of whom two died in in- 
fancy. The surviving daughter is Jennie, the 
wife of ]M. B. Pickett, a stock-raiser residing 
in Bethel, Missouri. 

Sylvanus I. Bragg, son of C. W. Bragg, ob- 
tained his early education in the public schools 
of Shelby county, ^Missouri, dividing his atten- 
tion between the work of the schoolroom and 
the labors of the farm until twenty years of age. 
In 1880 he went to southern Missouri and be- 
came clerk and bookkeeper in a genei-al store, 
in which he remained for three years, when in 
1884 he went to CarroUton, Missouri, where he 
entered upon arrangements to travel for A. 
Quick, a wholesale grocer, with whom he con- 
tinued for a year. In 1885 he became traveling 
salesman for the Huggins Cracker & Candy 
Company, of Kansas City, Missouri, and at the 
end of seven years he assumed the superinten- 
dency of the business, which he managed for a 
year. 

In 1893 I\Ir. Bragg resigned that position 
and began business on his own account, asso- 
ciating himself with "W. H. Grant and F. W. 
Kreipe, under the name of the Grant-Bragg 
Cand.v Compan.y, of Kansas City, manufactur- 
ers of and wholesale dealers in candy. After a 
year, however, Mr. Bragg withdrew, selling 
his interest, and in 1894 he went to Atlanta, 
Georgia, and with that city as his headquarters 
he became traveling representative for the F. 

D. Seward Confectionery Company, of St. 
Louis. A year later he resigned and accepted 
the management of the candy factorv of Frank 

E. Block Company, of Atlanta, Georgia, assum- 
ing charge at a time when there were but few 
people employed in the establishment. "When 
he resigned in 1901, after being with the com- 
pany for six years, he had so built up the busi- 



I032 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



jiess that one Imndred and seventy people were 
employed and the trade was very extensive, 
but owing to family ties he severed his busi- 
ness relations in the sonth and went to Kansas 
City. From that point he looked for a favor- 
able location for the establishment of a candy 
factory and decided ixpon Quincy as a prom is 
ing field. Accordingly, in August, 1901. he 
eame to this city and opened a place of business 
at No. 125 North Sixth street, starting in in a 
small way with five people, while he acted as 
traveling salesman. The business continiially 
grew, as his prodiicts commended him favor- 
ably to the public, and in 1903 he removed to 
No. 129 North Sixth street. He also occupies 
the rear of the Iniildings from numbers 123 
to 129 and the basement under the same, and he 
employs on an average of twenty people in the 
factory and store and two traveling salesmen 
on the road and one in the city. His business 
has grown with most gratifying rapidity and 
his annual sales have i:ow reached a large fig- 
ure. 

In 1883 ilr. Bragg was married to Miss ]\[ina 
Stacy, of Butler, ilissouri. a daughter of George 
0. Stacy, who was then engaged in the music 
business at Butler, but died in Quincy, in 
IMarch, 1904. They are members of the Chris- 
tian church and reside at No. 1441 Hampshire 
street. In his political views Mr. Bragg is a 
democrat, but without political aspiration, con- 
centrating his energies upon his business in- 
terests, which, owing to his strong purpose and 
unfaltering diligence, combined with an inti- 
mate and practical knowledge of the business, 
have brought to liim :i very desirable compe- 
tence. 



ALEXANDER BRADFORD. 

Alexander Bradford, a farmer and stock-raiser 
of Ursa township, was born January 21, 1855, 
his parents being Nicholas P. and Elizabeth 
(Theoble) Bradfoi'd, both of whom were natives 
of Kentucky, the former born in Pendleton 
county and the latter in Orant county. The 
father was a farmer by occupation and both he 
and his wife are now deceased. 

Alexander Bradford left Kentucky when 
twenty-nine years of age. He worked by the 
month in Missouri for two years and then came 
to Mareelline, Adams county. He was married 
November 5, 1884, to Ella J. Groves, a daughter 
of Daniel P. and Elizabeth (Wood) Groves, 
farming people of Mareelline. Her mother is 
now living but her father died when twenty- 
eight vears of age. His widow afterward married 



Alexander Caldwell, who I'esides in Kentucky. 
Unto I\Ir. and ilrs. Bradford were born four 
children : Homer R., who was born October 21, 
1887, and is now attending school in Quinev; 
Charles M., born February^ 11. 1890; Edna E., 
born .Tulv 25, 1896; and Estella, boi-n Ausust 
21. 1903.' 

;\lr. Bradford is the owner of one luuidred and 
ninety-three acres of good land and is largely 
engaged in stock-raising, having good grades of 
cattle, horses and hogs upon his place. He is an 
excellent judge of stock, and is thus able to make 
judicious purchases and profitable sales. His 
business interests are well condiicted, and he is 
strictly reliable in all his dealings, so that his 
business integrity stands as an unquestioned fact 
in his career. In his political views he is a demo- 
crat, and served as school director for several 
years, but otherwise has held no public office; 
nor has he cared for political preferment. He 
is a member of the Court of Honor and of the 
Jlodern Woodmen camp. He belongs to Mareel- 
line lodge. No. 127, I. 0. O. F., ancfboth he and 
his wife hold membership in the Christian church 
at IMarcelline, contributing generously to its sup- 
port and having an active interest in its work. 



BERND DIRKS. 



Bernd Dirks, one of the leading farmers of 
Honey Creek township, was born in Hanover, 
Germany, November 9, 1825, a son of Bernd 
Dirks, Sr., who was a shoemaker by trade. The 
son pursued his education in his native land 
and remained at home until twenty-six years of 
age, when in 1852 he eame to America, believ- 
ing that he might have better business oppor- 
tunities in the new world, where advancement 
is more quickly secured and labor brings a 
surer reward. He landed at New York city 
and remained in the Empire state for four 
years, working on a farm. In November, 1855, 
he came to Quincy, arriving on the 3d of De- 
cember. He worked for about fifteen months 
in the city and then established his home in 
Honey Creek township, where he rented land 
for seven years. On the expiration of that pe- 
riod, when his labors had brought him sufficient 
capital, he purchased forty acres of land where 
he now lives and has made it his home con- 
tinuously since. He has also extended the 
boundaries of his farm until it now comprises 
eighty-one acres and he likewise owns another 
tract of land of seventy acres south of his pres- 
ent home, which is cultivated by his son Ber- 
nard. Mr. Dirks now rents his home place, 
tliTTs leaving the active work of the farm to 




ALEXANDER BRADFORD 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



1035 



others, while he is enjoying a well earned rest. 
His is one of the best kept farms in this part 
of the county, being neat and thrifty in appear- 
ance and supplied ^^ith good buildings and all 
modern accessories. 

Sir. Dirks was married in Quincj', in 1856, 
to Miss Heipke Miller, who was born in Etzel, 
Germany, in 1832. and came to the United 
States in 1851. Their marriage has been 
blessed with nine children and the family circle 
yet remains unbroken by the hand of death. 
These are Bernard, Catherine, Anna, Henry, 
Sophia, Anke, Mary, Lena, and Bertha. The 
family home is about one mile west of Coats- 
burg. The parents are members of the Lu- 
theran church, and Mv. Dirks gives his political 
support to the democracy. He is truly a self- 
macle man for when he started out in life on his 
own account he had no capital, nor did he re- 
ceive any assistance through influential friends. 
He has depended entirely upon his own labor, 
working perseveringly as the years have gone 
by until his effoi-ts have brought him to the 
goal Mhicli he started out to reach in early 
manhood. 



HENRY A. OENNING. 

Henry A. Oenning, coming to Quincy at the 
age of twenty-one years, has since been identi- 
fied with the business of this city and since 1866 
has been numbered among its reliable mer- 
chants, maintaining a business policy which 
has made his name a synonym of commercial 
integrity and has also gained for him a meas- 
ure of success that places him with the substan- 
tial citizens. 

Quincy largely owes its upbuilding and ad- 
vancement to the German element in its citi- 
zenship, and of this class Mr. Oenning is a 
representative. He was box'n in Westphalia, 
Germany, ]May 9, 1834, and in 1856 arrived in 
America, coming at once to Quincy. He was a 
cabinet-maker and carpenter by trade and fol- 
lowed those pursuits until 1860, when he be- 
came a teacher in St. Boniface school. His en- 
ergies were devoted to educational labor for 
six years and in 1866 he became a factor in 
mercantile life, forming a partnership with 
John Benning under the firm style of Benning 
& Oenning, general merchants, at No. 638 
]\raine street. In 1868 or 1869 he purchased 
his partner's interest and, ceasing to deal in 
general mechandise, he confined his attention 
to the trade in books, glass and picture framing. 
In 1870 he removed to No. 640 IMaine street and 
in 1872-3 he was at No. 632 ]\Iaine street, while 
in 1874 he located at No. 642 ]\laine .street. 



where he remained until 1889, when he pur- 
chased the property at No. 632 Maine street 
and has since conducted business there. In 
1891 the firm name M-as changed to H. A. Oen- 
ning & Companj', and the business was incor- 
porated in 1900 under the name of the Oenning 
Glass & Book Company, with H. A. Oen- 
ning as president ; George Wewer, secretary ; 
and Alfred Kurz, treasurer. They did a whole- 
sale business in window glass. The house has 
had a continuous existence for forty years, and 
has ever maintained a foremost place in busi- 
ne.ss cii'cles of the city, commanding a trade 
that has been secured through strictly reliable 
and enterprising methods. Prosperity, worth- 
ily won and justly deserved, has crowned the 
labors of 'Sir. Oenning and the consensus of 
public opinion names him as one of the promi- 
nent business men of Quincy. He is a stock- 
holder in several other leading business concerns 
of the city and is a director in the ilenke & 
Grimm Planing ]Mill Company and the Modern 
Iron "Works. 

~Mv. Oenning was married in Quincy, in 
1865, to Miss Elizabeth Heuer and they are 
members of St. Boniface Catholic church and 
Mr. Oenning is one of the trustees. He is also 
supreme treasurer of the Western Catholic 
Union and treasurer of St. Nicholas Branch, 
No. 1, W. C. U., of Quincy, in which capacity 
he has served for many years. In politics he is 
a democrat, with a business man's interest in 
the affairs and progress of his country, yet 
without political aspiration. His devotion to 
his city and her upbuilding has found tangible 
evidence in the liberal support he has given 
to many movements for the general good. His 
name is honored in commercial circles as one 
who meets faithfully every obligation and 
among those to whom he is bound in ties of 
friendship he conuiiands the sincerest regard 
and good will. 



CHRISTIAN KLEIN. 



Christian Klein, president of the Eagle To- 
bacco Company, of Quincy, belongs to that 
class whom the world styles self-made men, for 
without any pecuniary assistance at the outset 
of his career he has battled earnestly and ener- 
getically from the age of twelve years to win 
success and gain a creditable and profitable 
position in the business woi'ld. He eertainly 
deserves much credit for what he has accom- 
plished. 

Born in Warsaw, Illinois, in 1860, Christian 
Klein is a son of John Adam and Christina 
dialler) Klein. The father came from Wur- 



1036 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



tembei-g, German}', in 1852. and settled in War- 
saw, where he followed the carpenter's trade, 
which he learned in his native land. In 1868 
he removed to Quiney and was here identified 
with building interests until his death, which 
occnrred in 1872. In Germany he married 
]\Iiss Haller. who survived him until 1902, dy- 
ing- at the advanced age of eighty-two years. 
They were the parents of seven children, of 
Avhom four died in infancy. Rose became the 
wife of Fred Fuhrman, foreman of the Ruff 
Brewery, and died in 1873. Christina died in 
Quiney, in 1872. John is also deceased. The 
living children are Louise, wife of Henry 
Scheid. of Quiney: William, at home; and 
Christian. 

(Christian KIriii -was a student in the public 
schools of Warsaw and of Quiney until twelve 
years of age, when he started out in life on 
his own account. lie was a young lad to face 
the world with its liusiness responsibilities, but 
the resolute will and tlie determination which 
he displayed in his youth has been the corner- 
stone ujion which he lias builded his success. 
Ur first worked fell- otto 1-ilanket, dealer in 
fancy goods and notions, thus spending three 
years, after Avliich he entered the employ of 
the Etna Iron Works, but seeing no possibility 
for advancement there, after a year he secured 
a position in the Gem City tobacco factory. 
This was in 1876 and he was employed in the 
factory for eight years, after which he spent 
two and a half years as traveling representative 
for that house. In 1886 lie began traveling for 
the Drummond Tobacco Company, Avhich he 
represented on the road until 1899, when he 
became interested in the Eagle Tobacco Com- 
pany as manager of the sales department, and 
in September, 1900, he was elected president, 
the other officers being Henry Breder, vice- 
president; Henry Sehwagmeyer, secretary and 
treasurer, and John Rush, superintendent. The 
Eagle Tobacco Company was organized in 1SS6 
on a small scale, manufacturing plug and 
smoking tobacco. Since that time the business 
has grown until now employment is furni.shed 
to fifty operatives in the factory and seven 
men are upon the road representing the house, 
traveling over Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, ^lis- 
souri, Illinois, Indiana, also Colorado and the 
Pacific coast country. They manufacture Gold- 
en Rule plug, Knoxall Twist and Keywest clip- 
pings and the house is well known to the trade 
because of the excellence of its product and the 
reliable business methods maintained in all 
comniercial transactions. 

In 1896 iMr. Klein was married to ^liss May 
Salsbury, a daughter of Dexter Salsburv, a 
contractor of stone work at Grand Rapids, 
^lichigan. Thev are members of the Congre- 



gational church and ;\lr. Klein belongs to Mar- 
quette lodge, No. 36, I. 0. O. P. He has social 
qualities which made him popular upon the 
road and at home, and there is in him a weight 
of character which is felt in liusiness and other 
relations of life, a character that began its 
growth Avhen he started out for himself at an 
early age, that was developed through self- 
reliance and perseverance and that now com- 
mands uniform respect. 



JAMES E. PARSONS. 



James E. Parsons, a well-to-do and respected 
fruit grower of Riverside township, living on 
section 25, has made his home in Adams county 
since 1868. He was born in Kent, England, in 
1844 and is a son of Henry S. and Sarah (Hoar) 
Parsons, the latter .still living in England at the 
very venerable age of ninety years. The father 
was a baker and died at the age of sixty years, 
while visiting in the United States. 

James E. Parsons continued at the home until 
twenty-three years of age and became a nursery 
and seed man. In 1866 he crossed the Atlantic, 
making his way to Chicago, and for a short time 
he continued a resident of that city. He then 
went to Galesburg, Illinois, where he engaged in 
clerking for two years. In 1868 he arrived at 
Quiney and soon joined Henry Bull in the nurs- 
ery business, in which he continued for sixteen 
years at Sixteenth and Hampshire streets. In 
1882 he purchased his present farm, Avhieh lies 
just north of tlie city limits and borders Twenty- 
fourth street. He has here thirty-six acres of 
very valuable land devoted largely to horticul- 
tural pursuits, twenty acres being comprised 
within his orchard, which contains fine apple, 
peach, plum and pear trees. He also raises hogs 
to some extent, and in his fields cultivates corn 
and hay. He likewise has some of the best chick- 
ens in Illinois, making a specialty of the white 
Wyandottes. He is a most progressive agricul- 
turist, and everything about his place is kept in 
excellent condition, while the poultry and stock 
which he raises is of very high grades. 

Mr. Par.sons was married to Miss Mary A. 
Pittock, the wedding bi>ing celebrated in Gales- 
burg, July 3, 186S. They were one of three 
couples who were married at that time, the cere- 
mony being performed by the Rev. E. Beecher, 
a nephew of Henry Ward Beecher. Mrs. Par- 
sons M-as born in Kent, England, and is a daugh- 
ter of William E. and Elizabeth A. (Pool) Pittock. 
Unto j\Ir. and I\Irs. Parsons have been born seven 
children : Edwin H., who is a fruit grower of 
Riverside county, California: Emma A., the wife 





MR. AND MRS. JAMES E. PARSONS 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



1039 



of H. W. Sinnoek of McCloud, California; ilrs. 
Nellie Dolan of St. Lonis : Herbert and Edith B., 
both at home; A. J., deceased, and Grace, at 
home. 

Mr. Parsons is a stanch repnblieau, and both 
he and his wife are inembers of the Metliodist 
Episcopal church, taking an active and helpful 
interest in it.s work. He has been very successful 
in his business career and now has a good home 
and splendidly developed farm. He is a man of 
excellent intellectual capacity, sound .iudgment 
and k'een discrimination, and whatever he under- 
takes he carries forward to successful completion, 
broiofcing no obstacles that can be overcome by 
determined purpose and honorable effort. 



AVILLIAil I. McKEE. 



William I. JIcKee, president of the "W. I. 
McKee Lumber Company of Quincy, conduct- 
ing an extensive wholesale business in hand- 
ling the product of large mills on the Pacific 
coast and in the northwest, is a man of intense 
activity, marked enterprise and business dis- 
cernment, and through the exercise of these 
qualities has attained an enviable position in 
commercial circles. Born in Prescott, Wiscon- 
sin, he possesses the energetic .spirit of the we.st. 
His natal year was 1862, his parents being 
John M. and IMary (Va.svinder) McKee, natives 
of Pennsylvania and Ohio respectively. They 
removed to Prescott, Wisconsin, about 1857 
and in 1868 became residents of Bloomington, 
Illinois, where they made their home until their 
deaths, the father being engaged in merchan- 
dising. He died in 1873, his wife in 1901. They 
were the parents of five children. 

William I. McKee, the fourth in order of 
birth, attended school in Bloomington until 
twelve years of age, when he began work in a 
printing office. After three years thus spent 
he entered a railroad office, in which he was 
employed for nine years. In 1887 he began 
working for a lumber company in Blooming- 
ton and thus gained his first practical knowl- 
edge of the business in which he has since 
attained very gratifying success. He was sent 
to Clinton, Illinois, as manager of the com- 
pany's yard there, and later was recalled to 
Bloomington as manager of the main yard, 
while subsequently he entered the general office 
of the company at Chicago. In 1893 he re- 
signed that position and for a year was era- 
ployed by a lumber company on the Pacific 
coast. In 189-4 he came to Quincy. and for 
three or four years traveled for the Gray's 
Harbor Lumber Company, continuing with that 
house until 1898 when he embarked in business 



on his own account, ])uying and selling lumber, 
with his main office in Quincy. In 1902 he or- 
ganized the W. I. J\IcKee Lumber Company, of 
which he has since been president, with J. W. 
^McFadden as vice-president; S. P. Johns, sec- 
retary; and J. II. JIathews, treasurer. This 
was incorporated under the laws of Washing- 
ton. The mill is in Tacoma, Washington, and 
they also handle the output of mills in ilontana, 
Washington, Oregon and California, doing an 
exclusive wholesale business. The company 
employs sixty men, including three traveling 
salesmen and the business is steadily growing. 
In 1889, at Quincy, Mr. IMcKee was married 
to Miss Mary E. Berry, a daughter of Colonel 
W. W. Berry, deceased, and they have one 
child, Mildred, who, at the age of twelve years, 
is attending the public schools. Mr. JIcKee 
exercises his right of franchise in support of 
the men and measures of the republican party, 
his interests in politics being that of a business 
man and public-spirited citizen and not that of 
an office seeker. He has concentrated his en- 
ergies upon whatever work has been entrusted 
to him and whatever duties have fallen to his 
lot since as a boy of twelve years he started to 
make his own way in the world. There is no 
esoteric phase in his career, his advancement 
being gained by persistent effort, earnest pur- 
pose and indefatigable diligence, and his ex- 
ample is well woi'thy of emulation, while his 
history is a clear illustration of the fact that 
enterprise and labor bring their sure reward. 



GEORGE J. MERKER. 

George J. i\Ierker, who is widely and favor- 
ably known in Melrose township, was born with- 
in its borders, Februar'y 5. 1855, and is a son 
of John ]\Ierker, a native of Pennsylvania. His 
paternal grandfather was George Merker, a na- 
tive of Germany and the founder of the family 
in the new world. After arriving at years of 
;naturity John Merker was united in mari'iage 
to jMiss Henrietta Wagoner, who was born in 
Germany and was a daughter of Christian Wag- 
ner, who bec'.me one of the early residents of 
Adams county. Jlr. Merker established his home 
in Adams count.v at an early day. Coming to 
the west with his parents he purchased land in 
this part of the state. At that time they used 
sleds for wagons for they had no wheels. ^lany 
other evidences of a pioneer condition were seen, 
much of the land being still in its primitive con- 
dition, while the homes of the settlers were wide- 
ly scattered. John Merker became the o\vner 
of a farni in Melrose township and was also the 
owner of a tract of land of ninety acres in ^lis- 



1040 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



souri. He died at the comparatively early age 
of forty-two years. 

George J. Merker pursued liis education in 
the schools of Jlelrose township and has followed 
fanning throughout his entire life. When not 
busy with his school books he aided his father 
in the development of the home farm, and as he 
grew in years and strength he largely assumed 
the labor and manageuieut of the home place. 
He i.s today the owner of forty acres of land on 
section 23, Melrose township, and its proximity 
to the city, being only two and a half miles dis- 
tant, enables him to easily seciu'e all of the ad- 
vantages and conveniences of city life and at 
the same time enjoy the opportunities and free- 
dom of a rural existence. He is engaged in the 
raising of fruit and vegetables for the city 
market and rents the land which he does not 
utilize in this way. He has prospered in his 
iindertakings, meeting with very creditable suc- 
cess, for the products which he raises find a 
ready sale, owing to their excellence as regards 
both size and quality. 

Mr. IMerker was united in marriage to Miss 
Anna 0. Spitze, who was born in Warsaw, Illi- 
nois, and they have eight children, all of whom 
are yet living: John, Fred, Henrietta, Anna, 
Ed, koyal CSelma M. and Edith. The parents 
hold membership in St. John's Lutheran church 
and Mr. Mei'ker gives his political support to 
the democracy, but has never been an active 
politician in the sense of office seeker, preferring 
to give his undivided attention to his business 
affairs, whereby he has been able to provide a 
very comfortable living for his family and put 
aside a goodly sum for the proverbial rainy day. 



LOriS BOQUET. 

Louis Boquet, for twenty-seven years engaged 
in the commission business in Quincy, where his 
couiiiMTi'ial integrity was never questioned and 
where his enterprise proved a forceful element 
in l)ringing him success, was born in the northern 
part of France, September 18, 1835, his parents 
being Ferdinand and jNIarie Rosa (Bodin) Bo- 
quet, who were also natives of France and came 
to this country soon after the ai-rivnl of their son 
Tjouis. 

Tlio latter, accompanied by his brother Ferdi- 
nand, crossed the Atlantic to New Orleans and 
afterward sent for their parents. Ferdinand 
Boquet became ill while in the Crescent City and 
died there, his remains being interred in a New 
Orleans cemetery. Later Louis Boquet removed 
to Nauvoo, Illinois, where he was living at the 
time of his parents' arrival from France, they 
having left that country ere news of their son 



Ferdinand's death could be sent them, and so 
they did not receive the sad tidings until they 
reached this state. Louis Boquet and his parents 
settled on a farm near Basco, Illinois, where both 
the father and the mother died. The son was 
first married to Miss Adeline Ansley, also a na- 
tive of France, and seven years later her death 
occurred. The only child of that marriage is 
IjOTiis Boquet, Jr.. a cook, who married Julia 
Bonniiert. and resides in Keokuk, Iowa. 

For a few years Mr. Boquet made his home in 
Warsaw, Illinois, where he engaged in the whole- 
sale commission business, buying eggs, butter and 
other commodities, which he largely shipped to 
the New Orleans market. Removing to Alexan- 
der. Missouri, he continued in the commission 
business on a large scale, dealing in poultry, 
meats and other pi'oduets. He met with very 
gratifying success there, but, after a year, think- 
ing Quincy would prove a still more favorable 
place of bi;siness, he came to this city and was 
one of the leading commission merchants here 
until his death. He began business near the new 
postoffiee and a few years later removed to No. 
215 North Seventh street, where he remained un- 
til his life's labors were ended. He possessed all 
the requisite qualities of the successful commis- 
sion merchant, having a thorough landerstauding 
of the business, an excellent memory for prices 
and all the nniltitudiudus details of the business, 
and his enterprise and keen discernment brought 
to him gratifying- success. As his financial re- 
sources increased he made investments in real 
estate and became the dwiiei- of much valuable 
property, which bronglit to him a good annual 
return. 

While living in Warsaw, Illinois, in 1869, Mr. 
Boqiiet was married to Miss A. Marie Huntziger, 
a native of Alsace, France, and a daughter of 
August and Rosina (Rosine) Huntziger. ITer 
pai'ents were aLso natives of France and spent 
nnich of their lives there, the father being en- 
gaged in farming and in the wine business. He 
died in France, after which the mother came to 
America and passed her last days in Augusta, 
Iowa. There were three children born to Louis 
and Marie Boquet : Jules, the eldest, married 
Clara Lange and worked for a telephone com- 
pany of Quincy. He was killed by an electric 
shock and his widow is now employed in the tele- 
]ihone office where her husband previously 
worked. Edmond, born October 26, 1875, mar- 
ried Emma Eberhardt, and they have one son, 
Ralph. Edmond Bequet is his father's successor 
in the connnission business and is now conducting 
a very profitable trade, dealing largely in poul- 
try. Harry, the youngest son, when a boy of 
thirteen years, was playing one day and climbed 
a telegraph pole. Pie sustained an electric shock 
in so doing that terminated his life. 




LOUIS BOorET 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



1043 



_The death of Mr. Boquet oeeurred December 
2k 1897. He was a republican in lii.s political 
views, but took very little interest in polities, 
seldom exercising his right of franchise. He was 
a very liberal man, giving freely in charity and 
wherever he saw that assistance was needed. He 
did not believe in the indiscriminate giving that 
fosters vagrancy, but bestowed his gifts where 
they would prove of practical benefit, and many 
there are who have reason to cherish his memory 
because of his benefactions. He stood high in 
public regard, especially among the business men 
who knew him, and commanded the good will and 
confidence of all. Jlrs. Boquet now resides in a 
nice residence at No. 1016 Vermont street, which 
property was built by her husband, and she also 
owns other property on Hampshire street. 



NOBLE M. HEANEY. 



Noble i\I. Heaney, who is engaged in the gro- 
cery business in Quincy under the firm name of 
N. M. Heaney & Son, was born on the 7th of 
July, 1850, in Menclon, Illinois, and is a son of 
Samuel and Mary Anne (Hewitt) Heanej', na- 
tives of County Cavan, Ireland. The father's 
liirth occurred September 28, 1824, and on the 
2d of December, 1844, he married ]\Iiss ilary 
Anne Hewitt, who was born in 1812. They left 
Ireland in the early part of tlie year 1849 for 
America, and on landing at New Orleans took 
a boat up the Mississippi river to St. Louis, 
where they had to stop on account of sickness. 
While there Samuel Heaney lost his mother, 
sister and one child by death. Leaving the 
family in St. Louis, he worked his way up the 
river on a boat to Quincy, having given his 
wife all the money he possessed, which was 
only ten dollars. He arrived in this city in 
June, 1848, but not finding employment he 
Avalked to ]Mendon, a distance of about fifteen 
miles, and there found work, driving a team 
for a tannery at fifty cents per daj'. As soon 
as he had earned sufficient money he sent for 
his family, and after their arriv^al was employed 
in the tannei-y, where he was given the same 
wages as for driving the team. At this time 
his wife aided him in suppoi-ting the family by 
making gloves, for which she received one dol- 
lar per dozen. In the evenings after his own 
work was done. 'Sir. Heaney assisted his wife at 
turning and shaping the gloves, and in this 
way they were able to earn one dollar per day. 
At length they saved enough to buy a house and 
three lots in IMendon and in 1859 purchased a 
farm for six thousand dollars, siving in ex- 
change the house and lots valued at one thou- 
sand dollars in part payment. They afterward 



bought more land adjoining this farm until 
they owned two hundred and forty-seven acres, 
which is still in possession of the family. After 
a useful and well spent life Samuel Heaney died 
March 25, 1904, honored and respected by all 
who knew him. He was an Episcopalian in re- 
ligious belief and a republican in politics, hav- 
ing become a naturalized citizen November 14, 
1859. His estimable wife died April 5, 1894. 
They were the parents of four children: Ed- 
ward, who was born September 4, 1845, and 
died Januarv 31, 1888; Thomas, who was born 
February 24, 1848, and died in April, 1849: 
Noble I\Iorton, born Julv 7, 1850: and Samuel 
^Y.. born March 12. 1856. 

Noble M. Heaney was educated in the common 
schools of this county and lived on the home 
farm until nineteen years of age, after which he 
clerked in a general store at Mendon for one 
year. He next attended business college in 
Quincy for one year and at the end of that 
time returned to ]\lendon. where he was em- 
ployed as a clerk until 1874. On the 22d of 
January, that year, he was united in marriage 
to Miss Mary Alice Sproat, of ^lendon, a daugh- 
ter of Percy and Louisa Sproat. By this union 
five children were born : Ada Iva and Ida Ettie. 
twins, born February 12, 1875: Emma, born Oc- 
tober 21, 1876 : ^lartha ^Margaret, born April 9. 
1879 : and Arthur Noble, born Januai-v 6. 1882. 
Ada Iva died July 22. 1875, and Ida Ettie died 
July 30. 1876, but the others ai-e still living. 
:\rartha M. was married ]May 16. 1901. to Kholen 
Henderson, of ^lendon, and they have two chil- 
dren : Noble Rholen, born January 28, 1902, 
and George Arthur, born June 24. 1904. ]Mr. 
Heaney has been called upon to mourn the loss of 
his wife, who died on their farm in ^lendon 
township, November 19, 1899. 

After his marriage Mr. Heaney remained in 
business in ^Mendon until August 11, 1876, when 
he purchased his father-in-law's farm of one 
hundred and fifty-four acres in ^lendon town- 
ship, for which he gave twelve thousand dol- 
lars and which he still owns. His is only the 
second transfer of title, for 'Sir. Sproat had pur- 
chased the farm from its first owner in 1837. Af- 
ter living on his farm for eight years. IMr. Hean- 
ey rented the place and removed to Coatsburg. 
where he engaged in general merchandising for 
two years. At the end of that time he removed 
his stock of goods to ilendon. but shortly after- 
ward sold out. and after one year spent at that 
place he and his brother, Samuel W.. went to 
Ouincv. where thev opened a groeerv store at 
Nos. 228-230 North Fifth street in 1878. carry- 
ing on bTisiness under the firm name of Heaney 
Brothers for ten years. Selling out, N. 'SL 
Heaney then returned to his farm in ^lendon 
township, but three years later he again rented 



1044 



PAST AND PEESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



the place and took up liis residence iu Quincy, 
again embarking in the grocery business at No. 
234 North Fifth street. A year later he re- 
turned to his old stand at Nos. 22S-230 the same 
.street, and is still carrying on business there un- 
der the firm name of N. M. ITeauev & Son. 



GEORGE STEINER. 



George Steiuer, extensively and successfully 
engaged in the control of agricultural interests 
and also a prominent figure in financial circles, 
being president of the Loraine State Bank, was 
born in Adams county, June 6, 1848. He is a 
son of Michael and Catherine (Gable) Steiner, 
both of whom are natives of Germany, the for- 
mer born in 1810 and the latter in 1820. The 
father spent the days of his boyhood and youth 
in his native country and in 1836 came to Amer- 
ica, locating in Quincy the following year. He 
worked in a mill for five years and then estab- 
lished his home in Keene, where he located on a 
farm and spent his remaining days, his death oc- 
curring in i\Ia}^ 1892. while his wife passed 
away in ilay, 1898. 

George Steiner acquired his early education 
in the public schools and, reared to farm life, 
early became familiar with all the duties and 
labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist. 
Realizing the value of industry and enterprise, 
he has made those qualities strong features in 
his business career and has ever been watchful 
of opportiuiity, iitilizing his advantages so that 
they have been resultant factors in bringing him 
success. He purchased a farm in 1873, becom- 
ing owner of fifty acres on section 5, Keene 
township, and this has since remained in his 
possession, while its boundaries he has extended 
from time to time by additional purchases. He 
is now the owner of four hundred and fifteen 
acres of valuable land on sections 5 and 8, 
Keene township, and he also owns two hundred 
and twenty-five acres in Hancock county. He 
operates all of his land and is extensively en- 
gaged in stock-raising, his annual sales of stock 
bringing him a large financial return. In 1904 
he assisted in organizing the Loraine State Bank, 
which opened its doors for business on the 24tli 
of November, that year. He is pi-esident of this 
institution and is carrying on a general banking 
business, having already made this one of the 
strong moneyed concerns of the county. 

On the 27th of March. 1873, Mr. Steiner was 
married to Miss Elizabeth Ann Humphrey, who 
was born November 22, 1854. in Lewis county, 
Missouri, and is a daughter of David B. and 
Sarah ("Wright) Humphrey. Tlie father was 
born in Virginia, in June, 1823, and the moth- 



er's birth occurred iu Kentucky, August 8, 183(3. 
;\Ir. Humphrey died December 5, 1855, and in 
1860 his widow came to Adams county, where 
she has since lived, now making her home with 
Mrs. Steiner. She was married a second time, to 
James Stickney, who enlisted as a soldier of the 
Civil war and died of smallpox in St. Louis while 
in the army. On the 15th of June, 1868, ^Irs. 
Stickney became the wife of John A. Lee. who 
was a farmer and died ilarch 13, 1904. 

Unto ^Ir. and Mrs. Steiner have been born 
eight children : John H., who was born January 
5, 1874. is i^rincipal of the Coatsburg high 
school; Edwin E., who was born April 21, 1875, 
married Elizabeth Hardy and is now engaged in 
teaching school in Golden; Michael E., who was 
born April 1, 1877, married Dora Jones and re- 
sides upon a farm near the old homestead ; Louis 
L.. born March 4, 1879, is a student in a medical 
school in Keokuk ; Glenn H., born January 9, 
1881. is shipping clerk with a telephone company 
in Kentucky ; Karl, born March 28, 1883, is a 
medical student in Keokuk; Agnes, born April 
3, 1885, is the wife of J. Frank Adair and lives 
in Loraine ; Bertha, born ilai'ch 17, 1887. is at 
home. 

i\Ir. Steiner is an advocate of democratic prin- 
ciples and has served as collector for two years 
and as assessor for one year. His wife is a 
member of the Methodist Episcopal church. 
Their home is located about three miles north- 
west of Loraine and is justly celebrated for its 
warm hearted hospitality. Mr. Steiner is an ex- 
cellent example of a self-made man, for, starting 
out in life on his own account at an early age, 
he has acquired a handsome competence through 
Avell directed and earnest labor. He is easily 
approachable, showing courtesy to all with whom 
he comes in contact and is a companionable, gen- 
ial gentleman, having a host of warm friends. 
His sterling worth and many manly qualities 
;ire widely acknowledged. He never acts except 
from honest motives, and in aU his varied rela- 
tions in business affaii's and in social life he has 
maintained a character and standing tliat im- 
presses all with his sincere and manly piu'pose 
to do by others as he would have others do to 
him. 



ROBERT G. KELLS. 



Robert G. Kells is one of the native sons of 
Adams county, whose record is a creditable 
one. He was born in Honey Creek township in 
1867. His father, Robert Kells, was a native 
of Ireland and came to America in 1848. cross- 
ing the Atlantic to New York city. He first 
made his wav into the interior of the countv. 




MR. AND MRS. GEORGE STEINER 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



1047 



settling on a farm in lloney Creek township, 
not far from ^Mendon. He was united in mar- 
riage to Miss ilary Wible, of ilendou, and they 
became the parents of four children: William 
M., who is now living in ^Mendou; ]Mrs. Annie 
IMcGinley of Arkansas ; Robert G. ; and Mrs. 
^lamie McGinlej', of Marshall, Missouri. The 
father was one of the pioneer settlers of the 
county, arriving here at an early date when the 
work of improvement and progress seemed 
scarcely begun. He died in the year 1898. 

Robert G. Kells is indebted to the public- 
school sj'stem of Adams coimtj- for the educa- 
tional privileges he enjoyed. He attended 
school in both Mendon and Honey Creek town- 
ships and after putting aside his text-books he 
gave his attention to farming. He has always 
carried on agricultural pursuits and his labors 
have been a source of his success. He is today 
the owner of one hundred and twenty acres of 
land which is arable and productive. By the 
rotation of crops he keeps his fields in good 
condition and annually harvests a large amount 
of grain. 

Mr. Kells was united in marriage to 3Iiss 
Myrtle Slonigan. a daughter of ^Ir. and IMrs. 
James Slonigan, of Hone.v Creek township. 
Their wedding was celebrated in 1898 and has 
been blessed with one son, Arthur (i. ]\Ir. Kells 
is a democrat in his political views, and both he 
and his wife enjoy the warm regard of many 
friends, having a wide and favorable acquaint- 
ance in this countv. 



LEWIS W. RAGLAXD. 

Lewis W. Raglaud. who is engaged in real es- 
tate and life insurance in and about the city of 
Quincy. was born at Pliunb Hill, Washington 
county, Illinois, March 13, 1868. His parents, 
Hawkins and Sarah (Hogan) Ragland, were 
of Lowland Scotch descent. The first represen- 
tatives of the name in America settled in Vir- 
ginia. Later they went to the Carolinas and 
thence later generations went to Kentucky. 
From the latter state Hawkins Raglaud came to 
Illinois in 1829, settling at Elkhorn, where he 
engaged in fai-ming. He was one of the leading 
and infliiential citizens in communitj' affairs, 
served as justice of the peace for manj' years, 
and assisted in training troops for service in 
the Civil war. acting as fifer for the companies 
that were drilling for active service at the front. 
He was a firm believer in the doctrines of the 
Regular Baptist church, and his political support 
was always given to democracy. 

The one idea that he held uppermost and 
strived to attain was good character and good 



rei)utati()u. He died in 1889, being seventy-nine 
years old. His widow still survives. They were 
the jjarents of four living children, of which 
Lewis W. is the youngest. The others are 
William, a farmer residing at Tamaroa, Illinois ; 
Jennie, the wife of Lenard Stewart, a resident 
of Tamaroa, and Elizabeth, the deceased wife 
of William Kauffman, of Tamaroa. 

Lewis W. Ragland was reared on the farm and 
pursued his early education in the coiintrj- dis- 
trict schools. Later, as the duties of the farm 
would permit, he attended the village schools of 
Tamaroa until twenty years of age, when he 
began teaching. He taught in the country 
schools for three years. Desirous of securing 
a better education, he entered the Northern In- 
diana Normal School at Valparaiso, Indiana, in 
1891, where he remained for a year and a half. 
Resuming his teaching, he served as principal of 
Oakdale public schools, Oakdale, Illinois, three 
years, at the expiration of which time he re- 
turned to Valparaiso and graduated from the 
teachers and scientific courses in that school in 
1896, receiving the degree of B. S. Being elected 
principal of public schools of Bellflower, Illinois, 
he occupied this position for three years and then 
entered the Northern Illinois State Normal 
School at De Kalb. Illinois, where he graduated 
two years later, 1901. Thus he had spent five 
years in .special preparation for teaching, during 
which time he had won three diplomas In the 
summer of 1901 he was elected superintendent 
of the piablic schools at Crystal Lake and Nunda, 
Illinois, which position he filled for two years. 
In Jul.y, 1903, he came to Quincy to engage in 
real estate operations, being a member of the 
firm of Gooch Brothers & Ragland. Upon com- 
ing to Quincy he opened an office in the Maertz 
building, from which he removed in the follow- 
ing November to the Stern building. At this 
time he took up life insurance, in connection 
with his real estate work, and became a represen- 
tative of the Ecjuitable Life Assurance Society 
of the United States. His work in this connec- 
tion has been verj^ gratifying both to himself 
and the company-. As a member of the real es- 
tate firm, he operates in and out of the city. 
The firm has negotiated many important realty 
transfers and now has a eood clientage. 

On the 11th of August. 1897, llr. Ragland 
was married to iliss Ellen Atherton, a daughter 
of Ward and Julia (Shedd) Atherton, of Hoyle- 
ton, Illinois. They have two children. Nugent 
Atherton and Harold Warren. The parents are 
members of the Vermont Street ^Methodist Epis- 
copal church and they have won for themselves 
a desirable position in social circles, where their 
worth and intelligence are received as passports. 
Acquiring an ediieation by his own efforts alone, 
the elemental strength of his character which 



1048 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



lie thus displayed hns leathered force as the 
years have gone by, and with determined pur- 
pose he has advanced not only in business circles 
but in those lines of life which develop honorable 
manhood and strong cliai'acter. 



JOHN W. :\IYERS. 



The spirit of commercial enterprise, which 
forms the basis of all modern prosperity and 
proves the foundation iipon which towns and 
cities are built, finds a worthy representative 
in John W. Myers, who is connected with several 
business concerns of the city, his interest center- 
ing chiefly, however, in the Reliable Incubator 
& Brooder Company, of which he is a lai'ge stock- 
holder. 

ilr. ]\ryers was born in Knox county, JMissouri, 
January 17, 1861. His father, A. 0. Myers, re- 
moved from New York to IMissouri at an early 
day. He espoused the cause of the Union during 
the Civil war and served throughout the period 
of hostilities. Wliile he M-as at the front his 
Avife died and he afterward removed to Quiucy, 
where he became foreman for the firm of How- 
ard, Lockweather & Howard, general contractors 
and builders, building bridges, courthouses, etc. 
In this capacity he acted as supei'intendent of the 
construction of the courthouse of Quincy. He 
continued in that business until wdthin a few 
years, when he became associated with his son 
in the incubator business. 

John W. IMyers, a public school student in his 
early youth, afterward attended college near 
Trenton, New Jersey, and when he regarded his 
education as completed he returned home, but 
soon afterward went to Colorado. A few months 
later, however, he again came to Quincy and 
here learned the trade of candy-making with 
C'lark & Morgan, being there employed until 
1S92. Previous to that time he had become in- 
terested in the s^ibject of maniifacturing incu- 
bators. As a boy he was always experimenting 
in poultry and was the owner of many prize 
chickens. Naturally his attention was attracted 
by the manufacture of incubators and making 
this a study he became actively interested in the 
business as a manufacturer of an incubator 
known as the Leader. This did not jd'ove entii-e- 
ly satisfactory, however, and he began figuring 
on improvements, with the result that the Reli- 
able incubator is the one now manufactured and 
sold upon the market by Mr. Myers and his as- 
sociates in the business, under the name of the 
Reliable Incubator & Brooder Company. The 
company was incorporated in 1884. They aban- 
doned the manufacture of the Leader in 1891 and 



have since given entire attention to the Reliable, 
which won the first prize at the World's Colum- 
bian Exposition in Cliicago ; also at Atlanta, 
Georgia; Omaha, Nebraska: and at the Internal 
Exi>osition at Brussels, Belgium. At the Paris 
Exposition the company owned their own build- 
ing and eai-ried ofif every prize in their class and 
also at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition at 
St. Louis, in 1904. At the factory in Quincy 
emplo^^llent is furnished throughout the year 
to sixty-five or seventy men, and in the winter 
season the number of workmen often reaches 
one hundred and fifty. Their product is shipped 
to all parts of the world and its superiority over 
every other incubator on the market is indicated 
by the fact of the many prizes they hare won. 
The business was started on a small scale, the 
owners at first putting in their weekly wages, 
but gradually the enterprise has grown into a 
very profitable industrial concern. Mr. Myers 
is also an investor in other business enterprises 
of Quincy and in controlling his private incUis- 
trial interests he has also added to the general 
prosperity of the city. 

On the' 12th of February, 1885, I\Ir. ilyers was 
united in marriage to IMiss Agnes Reynolds, a 
daughter of Henry Reynolds, one of the oldest 
settlers of this city. Her father is now deceased, 
but the mother is still living. Mr. and Mrs. 
Myers have six children : jMabel, who is employed 
in her father's office: Lillian; Margaret: John; 
Frederick; and Edward. 

Mv. flyers exercises his right of franchise in 
support of the men and measures of the repub- 
lican party. Almost his entire life has been 
passed in Quincy. where he has so directed his 
labors along well defined lines of business activ- 
ity that he has not only gained gratifying suc- 
cess but has also commanded the confidence and 
good will of all. 



JOHN B. ARROWSMITH. 

John B. Arrowsmitli, an enterprising fai'uier 
of Ellington township, was born on section 31, 
where he still resides, his natal day being Octo- 
ber 3, 1865, His father, John Arrowsmitli, was 
a native of New York city, born December 12, 
1812, and was a son of Edward Arrowsmitli, also 
a natiA'c of New York, wliile his grandfather was 
a native of England. John Arrowsmitli was 
married in the Empire state to Eliza Ann 
Cooper, a daughter of James Cooper, and they 
came to Adams county in 1841, settling upon 
tile i'anii wiiich is now the home of John B. 
Ai'i'o\vsi)iith. Before his removal to Illinois the 
fathei' had been superintendent of a large sugar 
plantation in Cuba. He lived upon this farm 




J. W. MYERS 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADA]\IS COUNTY. 



1051 



until his death, -which occurred at the venerable 
age of eiglity-one years. He held membership 
in the Presbji;erian church and gave his politi- 
cal sujjport to the republican party. His wife 
died at the age of seventy-six years. Their chil- 
dren are as follows : ilrs. ^Margaret Arrowsmith, 
who is living in St. Joseph, Missoiiri; Frank, a 
resident of Quincy : Anna, also living in St. Jo- 
seph, ilissouri ; Etta, the wife of George R. Mc- 
Donald, and John B. 

In the schools of Quincy John B. Arrowsmith 
acquired his education and after putting aside 
his text-books he secured a clerkship in Quincy 
and was thus employed until 1893, since which 
time he has lived upon the home farm. The 
place comprises one hundred and ten acres of 
good land and is convenientlj' and pleasantly 
situated about a half mile east of the city limits. 
It is de^'oted to general farming and is neat and 
thrifty in appearance, while none of the acces- 
sories of a model farm of the twentieth century 
are lacking. The home is a good two-story brick 
residence. There are also substantial barns and 
outbuildings, furnishing ample shelter for the 
grain and stock. There is also a good orchard 
upon the place which yields its fruits in season. 

In 1899 Mr. Arrowsmith was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Maggie Harvey, a native of Adams 
county. Fraternally he is connected with the 
Modern Woodmen of America and politically 
he is a repi;blican. He has served as collector 
of Ellington township, is now towoi clerk, and 
is one of its representative citizens and promi- 
nent farmers, active in business affairs and re- 
liable in all his trade transactions. 



JOHN L. BERT. 



John L. Bert, who has worked his way up- 
ward through consecutive stages of Imsiness de- 
velopment and advancement until he is now sole 
proprietor of a large carpet house of Quincy, 
was born in St. Louis, Missouri, April 7, 1835. but 
was brought to this city when only three months 
old and has since made his home here. His pa- 
ternal grandparents were Jean Tjouis and Cath- 
erine (Bermond) Bert, of Rohrbach, Germany. 
His father, Jean Pliillip Bert, one of tlie early 
settlers of Quincy, was born in Haan, a French 
village situated, however, across the German bor- 
der. He was descended from French Huguenots. 
Crossing the Atlantic in 1832, he landedat Bal- 
timore, INlai'yland, and thence made his way to 
Hagerstown, that state, while in 1833 he removed 
to St. Louis, Missouri. In January, 1835, he 
came to Quincy and purelia.sed a lot on Fourtli 
.street between ^Maine and Jersey streets, whei-e 
he had a foui'-i-oom house erected. He then 



brought his family to the new home, arriving 
on the Irth of July, 1835. He was married in 
Darmstadt, Germany, in 1828, to ^liss Elizabeth 
Barbara Liebig, a native of Darmstadt. ^Ir. 
Bert was a tailor by trade and conducted a 
tailoring establishment in Quincy up to the time 
of his death, which occurred in 1860, when he 
Avas about fifty-six years of age, his birth having 
occurred on the 28th of December, 1804. His 
wife died in this city in 1882. 

John L. Bert acquired his education in public 
and private schools of Quincy, and when four- 
teen years of age. considering his more specifi- 
cally literary education finished, he entered night 
school in order that he might jjrepare for the 
business woi'ld by learning bookkeeping. Ac- 
cepting a position as clerk in a dr.y-goods store, 
he was thus employed for three years. He then 
entered the employ of Henry Root, with whom 
he continued until 1865, when ;Mr. Root sold 
his business to the newly organized firm of 
Shiun, Bert & Hill. For two years this firm 
conducted the business, dealing in dry goods 
and carpets, but in 1866 Mr. Shinn died. The 
firm continued as Bert & Hill. In 1868 they 
disposed of their stock of dry goods, confining 
their attention exclusively to the sale of carpets, 
and in 1871 Mr. Bert pi;rchased ilr. Hill's in- 
terest and has since Ijeen sole pi'oprietor. His 
business has steadil.v increased with the growth 
of the city and has long since reached profitable 
proportions. He has been at his present location 
since 1879, in which year he erected the elegant 
Bert block, three stories in height, at No. 123 
North Fourth street. He carries a large and 
carefully selected line of goods and has an es- 
tablishment which woiild be a credit to a city 
of much greater size than Quincy. His business 
methods, conforming to a high standard of com- 
mercial ethics, commend him to the confidence 
and business support of the public and his en- 
terprise and diligence have also been salient fac- 
tors in winning him the signal success which he 
now en.joys and which has made him a leader 
in commercial circles of the city. 

In Quincy in 1860 ^Mr. Bert was united in 
marriage to ]\Iiss Mary E. Fox. a daughter of 
Oliver H. Fox, a farmer who came from ^Massa- 
chusetts to Adams county in 1838. They have 
one child. Harry Leon, who was born June 9, 
1863, in Quinc.v and married iliss Nannie 
Williams, who died in March, 1903, leaving three 
children, ^lary, Elizabeth and Archie Leon, all 
now students in the public schools. 

^Ir. Bert is a member of [Marquette lodge. No. 
36. I. 0. 0. F. He attends the Unitarian church 
and in his political views is an unfaltering re- 
publican, having firm faith in the ultimate tri- 
umph of the principles of his party. Spending 
Ills entire life in Quincy, lie is familiar with tlie 



I052 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



histoiy of its devi'lopinent through seventy j^ears 
and feels just pride in wliat has been accom- 
plished along lines of substantial improvement. 
His aid can always be counted upon for the 
furtherance of any progressive and beneficial 
measures, and he is classed with the representa- 
tive and valued citizens whose work and worth 
are widely acknowledged. His business career, 
too, has ever been of a character that would 
bear the closest investigation and scrutiny, and 
through the natural development of a commer- 
cial enterprise that has been fostered by dili- 
gence and perseverance he has won a place 
among the prosperous residents of Adams 
county. 



cultural interests. In politics Mr. Reichert is 
a democrat but has never desired office, prefer- 
ring to give his attention to his business affairs, 
in which he has met with well deserved success. 



JACOB REICHERT, JR. 

Jacob Reichert, Ji-., a prominent farmer living 
on section 11. jMelrose township, was born on a 
farm in that township. August 25, 1860, and is 
a son of Jacob Reichert, Sr., whose sketch ap- 
pears elsewhere in this volume. He attended 
the common schools of this county and acquired 
a fair education. Remaining at home he assisted 
his father in the operation of the farm until his 
marriage, thus becoming familiar with all 
thi' duties and labors that fall to the lot of the 
agriculturist. He was married in the 26th of 
October, 1882, to Miss JMargaret Sophie Meyer, 
who was born in Adams county, July 20, 1863, 
and is a daughter of Gotlieb and Molie (Boba) 
Me.ver. Her father, who was a farmer by occu- 
pation, engaged in the tilling of the soil through- 
out his entire life and died on the 6th of Janua- 
aiy, 1896. Her mother's death occurred Sep- 
tember 20. 1868. Unto Mr. and Mr.s. Reichert 
have been born four children, namely: Charles 
August, who was born October 1, 1883; Grover 
Henry, born August 24. 1887; Carlisle M., born 
Januarv 25, 18;t(», mid Irma ^I., born ]\Iav 5, 
1897. 

After his marriage .Mi-. Reichert rented a farm 
near the old homestead and continued its cultiva- 
tion for six years, when he i-emoved to the vil- 
lage of Fowler in Ellington townjghip. There 
he engaged in the cultivation of a farm for 
seven years, after which he pureha.sed the place 
where he now i-esides. Ilei'e he owns one hun- 
dred and eighty acres of tine land and is suc- 
cessfully engaged in ucneral farming, having 
wrought many imjiiMVeiiients in the farm and 
added to it all the modei-n ei|uipments that ren- 
der farming less difficult. His place is located 
about seven miles from (,)uinc.v and is charac- 
terized by neatness and thrift in every depart- 
ment, showing the owner to be a man of good 
business ability, capable of conduetinii- his auri- 



WILLIAM M. GRIFFITH. 

William M. Griffith is the owner of one of the 
fine farms of Clayton township and is accounted 
one of the representative agriculturists of his 
community. He was born August 19, 1852, and 
in his business affairs is associated with his 
brother, Albert B. Griffith, who was born March 
19, 1864. They live together on the old home- 
stead. They are sons of Albert J. Griffith, who 
was born March 13, 1827, in ^Montgomery countv, 
Maryland, and in 1839 came with his father to 
Adams countv, this state. He located at Hiints- 
ville and conducted a store there for a year or 
two, but in 1842 removed to the farm upon which 
his sous now I'cside, making it his home throiTgh- 
out his remaining days, his death occurring Oc- 
tober 13. 1900. He acciuired his education in 
the district schools and in the schools of Clayton, 
and throughout the greater part of his life he 
was engaged in the cultivation of the soil, ac- 
quiring a good financial return as a reward for 
his well directed and honorable labors. He was 
also recognized as one of the leaders of public 
thought and opinion in his district and in 1873 
he wa.s elected to fill a vacancy in the state legis- 
lature, serving throughout the remainder of the 
term. He was also supervisor for four years. At 
the time of the Civil war he raised a company in 
1862 and was elected its captain. This command 
was assigned to duty as Company I, Eighty- 
fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, with which 
he served for one year, after which he was dis- 
chai'ged at Nashville, Tennessee, on account of 
illness. Wliether in military, political or busi- 
ness circles he was always found loyal to his duty 
and in his adopted county was always regarded 
as a very prominent man. He died October 13, 
1900. 

William ]\I. Griffith was educated at Monmouth 
College. In eai-ly life he engaged in farm work, 
assisting in the cultivation and improvement of 
the old homestead, and later he engaged in mer- 
chandising in Nebraska for some time but con- 
tinued to make his home in Adams count.v. In 
connection with his brother Albert he owns two 
hundred and thirty acres of fine land on sec- 
tion 4. Concord township, two miles from Clay- 
ton. They are here engaged in the stock business, 
malcing a specialty of Aberdeen Angus cattle. 
They also raise some hogs and horses and they 
buy must of their feed. 



1 

1 


i 


I'Slk 3R 


.' 


.-0.-: 


^^W ' 


'H 




MR. AND MRS. A. J. GRIFFITH 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



IOS5 



Albert Griffith was married in February. 1!)05, 
and he and his wife yet reside on the old home 
farm, Mrs. Gi'iffith managing the affairs of the 
household for her husliand and brother-in-law. 
Both William and Albert Griffith are advocates 
of the democratic party and its principles and in 
1884 the former waas elected supervisor and in 
that capacity served his township for twelve 
years, proving a capable officer and one whose 
first regard was his duty to his county. The 
family is one of prominence in the conununity 
and the brothers are known as very reliable 
and enterprising busine.ss men, enjoying in high 
measure the confidence and esteem of those who 
know them. 



HENRY HATCH, M. D. 

Dr. Heniy Hatch, physician and surgeon of 
Quincy, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 
February 22, 1848, and stands as a high type 
of the self-made man of America and one who 
in the face of discouraging obstacles and seem- 
ingly insurmountable difficulties, has gradually 
advanced until he occupies a position of distinc- 
tion in his chosen profession in Hlinois. Or- 
phaned at an early age he displayed the ele- 
mental forces of his character which have de- 
veloped into a strong manhood, with effective 
powers for good and for business accomplish- 
ment in the line of siiccess. 

He followed, in the east, the employment that 
would yield him an honest living, and when 
about seven years of age he came to Illinois, 
making his home near Griggsville, where he 
worked as a farm hand and also attended school 
as opportunity offered. Ambitious to secure an 
education, when fifteen years of age he pursued 
a course in literature and science in the Illinois 
University at Bloomington, thus laying a good 
foundation on which to rear the superstructure 
of professional learning in later years. His 
literai'y course completed he went to Lawrence, 
Kansas, where he obtained a clerkship in a dry- 
goods store, but in 1868 he returned to Grigg's- 
ville and entered on the execution of a long 
cherished plan — preparation for the medical 
jDrofession. His preceptor was Dr. E. R. Stoner, 
of Griggsville, and following his preliminary 
reading he pursued three courses of lectures in 
the Louisville Medical College, where he won 
his degree on the 28th of February, 1873. He 
has always been a close and earnest student of 
the questions and writings bearing upon his pro- 
fession, and in 1880 he pursued a post-graduate 
course in the Loner Island College Hospital, at 
Brooklyn. New York, and afterward went 
abroad, attendinar the clinics of some of the lead- 



ing physiciaii^j and surgeons of P>urupe. chiefly 
in Paris and Bei-lin. 

Since September, 1881, Dr. Hatch has prac- 
ticed in Quincy with constantly growing suc- 
cess, and although the demands made for his 
profe.ssional services have been constant and 
heavy he has yet found time to promote other 
In-auehes of professional work, contributing at 
various times to medical journals and also to 
Appleton's American Encyclopedia. Subjects 
upon which he has written have been far-reach- 
ing for his profession. He was one of the first 
t(j advocate the contagiousness and infectiou.sness 
of tuberculous diseases in 1872, while yet a stu- 
dent before he graduated in 1873. His gradu- 
ating thesis was upon the same subject. He 
published and read the fir.st illu.strated paper 
on Electric Injuries at Louisville, Kentucky, be- 
fore the ilississippi Valle.y Medical Association. 
Besides this he has had a number of papers on 
surgery and medical subjects. 

About twenty years ago he earnestly advo- 
cated the subject of criminology, and he earn- 
estly advocated the prevention of crime, first 
health certificates, for those that are anticipating 
max-riage; second, unsexing of criminals to stop 
the provocation of crime ; third, extermination of 
those M'ho are hopeless degenerates. 

He delivered an address before the national 
prison congress in 1904, and during the fol- 
lowing winter did all in his power to influence 
the law-makers of the various states to cause 
the passage of a law for the betterment of hu- 
manity. From 1882 until 1887 he was professor 
of the principles and practice of medicine in 
Chaddock College. He was physician in charge 
of Blessing Hospital from 1882 and is now 
gynecologist to Blessing Hospital, and physician 
in chai'ge of "Woodland Home. He has been 
surgeon for the Chicago. Burlington & Quincy 
Railroad Company since 1893 and he is a mem- 
ber of Adams County and Illinois State Medical 
Societies, the American Medical Association, the 
Academy of Railway Surgeons, the International 
Association of Railway Sxxrgeons, the Mississippi 
Valley IMedical Association and the Tri-State 
Medical Association. He is patient under ad- 
verse criticism, helpful to younger members of 
the profession and at all times his duties are 
performed with strict regard to a high standard 
of professional ethics. He is now an examiner 
for several life insurance companies, in addition 
to a large private practice of an important char- 
acter. 

On the 28th of November. 1872, Dr. Hatch 
was married to ]Miss Clara E. Crawford, of 
Griggsville. who died June 12. 1892, and on 
the 6th of September. 1893. he was married to 
Miss Emma L. Lyon, of Sedalia, Missouri. They 
have one daughter. Clarion Ennna. born April 



1056 



PAST AND FKESENT OP ADAMS COUiNTY. 



;^0, 1895. Dr. Ilateli is a membei" of the Masonic 
fraternity and other social organizations and a 
genial nature, .supplementing liis strong intellec- 
tuality and force of characer, renders hiui popu- 
lar in social circles, while his life work commands 
for him the respect and admiration of all who 
know aught of his career. 



CHARLES DUKER. 



Charles Duker, deceased, who was on of the 
well known managers and bookkeeper of 
his father's wholesale liquor store in Quincy 
and who was accounted one of the prom- 
inent young men of the city, was born here on the 
22d of December, 1862, his parents being J. Her- 
man and Clara E. (Glass) Duker. The father 
was a native of Germany but the mother's birth 
occurred in this city. J. Herman Duker was 
engaged in the wholesale liquor business here 
for many years and was also president of the 
Quincy National Bank. He stood prominent 
among the leading men of this city, wielding a 
wide influence in public life and business aifairs 
and his career was an illustration of the fact 
that success is not the outcome of genius but is 
the result of clear judgment and experience. 

Charles Duker supplemented his early educa- 
tion by .studying at St. Francis College at Quincy 
and prepared for bi;siness life as a student in 
Musselman's business college of this city. He 
put his theoretical training to the practical test 
as a clerk in a men's furnishing goods store at 
Quincy, acting as a salesman for several years. 
Later he joined his father in business, becoming 
bookkeeper in his wholesale liquor house, and he 
also had charge of his father's invested interests 
in that enterprise. He was thus connected with 
commercial pursuits of Quincy until his death. 

On the 8th of November, 1883, Charles Duker 
was married to Miss Anna Kathe, who was born 
in Quincy, March 7, 1863, a daughter of William 
and Elizabeth (HeLman) Kathe, who were na- 
tives of Germany and came to America about 
1850, .settling in this city. They were among the 
early residents here. The father was a cabinet- 
maker by trade and followed that pursuit until 
his life's labors were ended in death. Mrs. 
Kathe still survives her husband and makes her 
home in Quincy M'ith her daughter Mrs. Duker. 
Unto our subject and his wife were born two 
children: Winnifred, who was born March 19, 
1885 ; and Florence, born September 22, 1886. 
Both are still with their mother. 

Mr. Diiker died August 3, 1886, and his death 
was deeply deplored by his many friends 
throuuhout Quincy, for he had a wide and favor- 



able acquaintance in the city of his nativity. He 
was a member of the Benevolent Association of 
Quincy and served as its financial secretary for 
several years. In politics he was a democrat 
and he and his M'ife held membership in St. 
Boniface Catholic church. He had the ability 
and qualifications that have ever characterized 
the Duker famil.y and in his active business 
career met with success. He was also prominent 
in social circles and those who knew him esteemed 
him because of his genial manner, cordial dis- 
position and deference for the opinion of others, 
ilrs. Duker and her mother are now residing 
at No. 1501 Broadway, in a splendid double 
brick modern residence, just built. 



A. E. IIASE, 



A. E. Hase, a leading representative of indus- 
trialism in Qiiincy, conducting business under 
the name of The Wenzel Wagon Company, was 
born in this city in 1874. his parents being 
Henry and Emma Hase. Henry Hase came to 
America from Germany with his father in 1850 
and was at one time engaged in teaming in 
Quincy but is now retired. His wife died in Au- 
gust, 1904. The.y were the parents of six chil- 
dren: Charlie, who is married and resides in 
Chicago; Ida, the wife of Charlie Higgins, of 
Quincy; A. E.. of this review; Edwin, a tailor, 
who is married and lived in Atchison, Kansas; 
Ricliai'd and Jacob, both of Quincy. 

A student in the public .schools of Quincy be- 
tween the ages of six and sixteen years, A. E. 
Hase then ])ut aside his text-books and began to 
learn the trade of nickel-plating. Later he was 
employed in the Newconib Hotel and when seven- 
teen years of age he began working for P. B. 
Hynes, learning the trade of carriage painting in 
his carriage factory. He was thus employed for 
three years and in 1893 he went south to New 
( >i-l<'ans for tlic \\iiiter. Upon his return he en- 
trrcd t!ic eiiii)l,)y ,if J. P. Wenzel, builder of 
Avagons and buggies at No. 906 Maine street, be- 
ing employed in the painting department. In 
1901 he purchased a half interest in the busi- 
ness and the firm of Wenzel & Company was 
then formed. Two years later he purchased his 
partner's interest and the name was changed to 
The Wenzel Wagon Company, A. E. Hase, pro- 
jirietor. He manufactures buggies and wagons, 
employing on an average of six men throughout 
the .vear, Avhile in some seasons eight or ten mcTi 
are employed. 

Mr. Hase was married, ]\Iay 5, 1897. tci ^liss 
Ida Wiggins, of Steffenville, Missouri, a d:ingli- 
ter of Peter Wiggins, formerly a wau'nniiinl^ri-. 
lint now living retifcd in Steffenvill". Tlicv liad 




CHARLES DUKER 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



1059 



thrive ehildreii. 0110 of whom is deceased : Edwin, 
wJio died in 1904, at the age of five and a half 
j^eai's. The others are Dorothy, aged four, and 
Henry, a year and a half old. In politics ilr. 
Hase is a republican. A young man, he has 
displayed the traits of character which lead to 
success. He has mastered his trade with a thor- 
oughness that made him an excellent workman, 
and so carefully controlled his financial resources 
that in time he was enabled to become the head 
of an enterprise that has now reached paying 
proportions. 



WILBEK STRICKLER. 

"Wilber Strickler, living on a fine farm on sec- 
tions 30 and 31, Houston township, is a native 
son of this township, born March 6, 1861j hi.s 
parents being Jeremiah and Sarilda (Downing) 
Strickler. The father was born in Pennsylvania, 
in 1835, and the mother's birth occurred in 
1S37. ilr. Strickler was broiTght by his parents 
to Illinois in 1837. when only two years of age. 
the family driving from Pennsylvania in a 
wagon across the countiy to Adams county. This 
was at that time a pioneer district, giving little 
evidence of the rapid changes which were soon 
to occur and transform it into one of the leading 
counties of this great commonwealth. After ar- 
riving at years of maturity he began farming on 
his own account and made that his life work. 
He is now living retii'ed but his wife passed away 
about 1892. 

;Mr. Strickler, whose luime introduces this re- 
view, was educated in the common schools of his 
native township and he, too, has made farming 
his life work. He was united in marriage on the 
24th of January, 1883, to iliss Emma C. Groves, 
who was born April 7, 1863, and is a daughter 
of Stephen and Mary Jane (Campbell) Groves. 
Her father was born in Cabell county, "West 
Virginia, Febr-uary 22. 1818, and her mother's 
birth occurred December 2. 1845. The father 
has been tT^-ice married, however. He was of 
German lineage, his great-grandfather, John 
Groves, having come from Prussia about the time 
that Pennsylvania was established by William 
Penn, from whom he received a land grant and 
settled on what is known as Graf's Run, in the 
Keystone state. He was of the Quaker faitli 
and lived a quiet life in the colony of Pennsyl- 
vania. His son. Jacob Groves, was born in Penn- 
sylvania and following his removal to West Vir- 
ginia engaged in weaving for many years, his 
death occurring at Wlieeling. that state. Among 
his seven children was Joseph Groves, who was 
born in Jefferson count.v. West Virginia, but 
was reared in Cabell countv, where he remained 



until 1828, when he arrived in Sangamon comi- 
ty, Illinois. Three years later he removed to 
Brown county and carried on farming there as a 
pioneer settler. He spent his last days upon his 
farm in that county and died in his seventy- 
third year. His wife, who bore the maiden name 
of Catherine Staley, died at the age of fifty 
years. She was born in Jett'erson county, Vir- 
ginia, and was descended from ancestors who 
lived in Pennsylvania. 

Stephen Groves was the third of a family of 
ten children and his birth occurred in Cabell 
county, West Virginia, February 22, 1818, so 
that he had reached the age of ten years when 
his grandparents traveled westward to Illinois 
in an old-fashioned prairie schooner drawn by 
horses. He was a student in a log schoolhouse 
with its clay and stick chimney, slab seats and 
other primitive furnishings. When eighteen 
years of age he started out in life on his own 
account, and for two years was employed in a 
distillerj', working for an iincle who lived about 
fifteen miles from Springfield, Illinois. He then 
sought employment as a farm hand, receiving 
twenty-five dollars per month for his services. 
In 1837 he became the owner of a farm b.y en- 
tering one hundred and twenty acres of land in 
Brown county, upon which he built a pioneer 
cabin and at once began to clear and improve the 
tract. He also engaged in trapping at an early 
day, selling his furs to the American Fur Com- 
pany at -St. Louis. A few years later he ex- 
changed his Brown county farm for land in 
Houston township, Adams county, Avhich he 
owned in connection with a brother-in-law, to 
whom he aftemard sold his interest but pur- 
chased another farm in the same township. He 
continued to carry on farming throughout his 
entire life, and as the years passed accumulated 
a valuable property, owning six hundred and 
forty-four acres of land in Houston township 
and also forty acres in Andrew county, Missoiiri. 
He made a specialty of raising Poland China 
hogs, and in his business affairs was very suc- 
cessful. 

He first married ]\Irs. Xancy Strickler on the 
2Sth of December. 1846. She was Miss Nancy 
Witt in her maidenhood and her first husband, 
Aliram Strickler, survived their marriage only 
a few months. Mrs. Groves died June 26, 1850, 
and the two children of that marriage are now 
living: ^Martha, the wife of R. L. Davis, of 
Bolckow, Andrew count.v, ^Missouri, and Jacob, 
who married Margaret Campbell and resides in 
Camp Point, Illinois. Following the death of 
his first wife, Mr. Groves married Maiw Jane 
Campbell and they had seven children: Emma. 
Joseph, John, Stephen, Daniel, Artiiiiesa. the 
wife of George S. Re.vnolds. and one who died 
in infancy. 



io6o 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



Unto Jlr. unci ilrs. Striekler have been born 
five children : Joseph E., born January 25, ISSl; 
Mary Olive, September 4, 1885; Nellie, March 
18, 1888; Aubrey C, June 22, 1891, and Eva 
L., December 31, 1893. 

Mr. and ]\Irs. Striekler o\vn two hundred and 
seventy-seven acres of valuable land situated on 
sections 30 and 31, Houston township, about 
seven miles noi-theast of Golden and there he is 
engaged in general farming and stock-raising, 
being a prosperous business man, who carries 
forward to successful completion whatever he 
undertakes. He votes with the democratic party 
and is a member of the Odd Fellows lodge and 
the Mutual Protective League, both of Golden, 
while his wife belongs to the I\Iethodist church. 
Their circle of friends is almost co-extensive 
with the circle of their acquaintance and they 
are widely known in Adams cdunty, wliore they 
have long resided. 



MARCUS L. Tno:\rpsoN. 

Claims Tj. Thompson, a retired fanner, was 
born in Athens county, Ohio, January 6, 1816, 
his parents being William and Rachel (Pilcher) 
Thompson. The father was a farmer by occupa- 
tion and came to Illinois in 1833, reaching Adams 
county on the 4th of July. He made the journey 
down the Ohio river in a flatboat to Louisville, 
Keiituclcy. and thence proceeded by wagon to 
Fall Creek township, Adams county, where he 
purchased land on section 12. becoming the owner 
of one hundred and sixty acres. He afterward 
bought eighty acres and continued farming until 
he lost his eyesight. He remained blind until 
his death, which occurred in 1880, his remains 
being interred in the Fall Creek cemetery. His 
wife, who died of cholera in 1851, is buried iu 
Payson cemetery. 

In their family were nine children : Loiiisa, 
who died in womanhood; ]\Iarcus L. ; Emily, who 
is the the widow of Nathaniel Williams, by whom 
she had ten children, and makes her home in 
Denver, Colorado; Theresa, who became the wife 
of Francis Bo\^aiiau and died in Quincy, while 
her three children died within a week after her 
death, all of cholera ; Vinson S., a practising phy- 
sician of Payson and Mendon, who married Jean- 
ette Hoyt and died in California, as did his wife, 
leaving two children, Elizabeth, who married 
Henry Dills of Quincy, and both are now de- 
ceased, while of their family of ten children nine 
are living; ilartha, who became the wife of Jason 
Bnshnell of Barry, Pike county, Illinois, and both 
are now deceased, while their only child died in 
infancy ; Jane, who became the wife of James 



Kenworthy. wlu) died in Nodaway, Missouri, 
while her death occurred in Chicago, and their 
family numbered five sons and two daughters ; 
Harriet, who njarried James Hastings and lived 
in Mendota and afterward in Seattle, Washing- 
ton, where his death occurred and where she still 
makes her home, while two of their five children 
are yet living. There were also two half-sisters 
in this family ; Dora became the wife of David 
Tipple of Fall Creek township, and they have 
two living children and one deceased. Esther V. 
is now a teacher in the National Business Col- 
lege at Quincy. 

ilarcus L. Thompson received his education in 
Ohio and in Center school in Pall Creek towniship 
and throughout his entire life has engaged in 
farming on his present place. He followed that 
pursuit at a time when they used an old wooden 
mold board plow. As a companion and helpmate 
on life's journey he chose Miss Elanisa Gamble, 
a daughter of William and Catherine Gamble, 
who came from Ohio to Greene county, Illinois. 
Their ancestors had previously lived in Virginia 
and originally came from Ireland. Mr. and Mrs. 
Gamble established their home near Carrollton, 
Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson traveled life's 
journey together for more than sixty years and 
were then separated by death, Mrs. Thompson 
passing away January 2. 1904. They were the 
parents of nine children : Sarah Pi-ances is the 
wife of Henry Walker of Tennessee, Illinois, and 
they had seven children, of whom three are liv- 
ing. Lois A., who taught school for two years, 
is now living at home. William E. is a farmer 
of Pall Creek township and married Casander 
Blauser, by whom he has three children, one of 
whom is a teacher. ^lary C. is the deceased wife 
of A. C. Berry, who formerly lived near Spokane, 
Washington. They had two children. JIartha J. 
is at home with her father. Charles A., who 
f(n'mer]y engaged in teaching school in Illinois 
and Missouri, is now living at Cashmere, Wash- 
ington. He married Ella Pfander and has three 
children. John G. married Ollie Shinn and is a 
farmer in Pall Creek township b\it formerly en- 
gaged in teaching for ten years. They have three 
children, a son and two daughters. Ella R., a 
teacher, became the wife of William Waddell and 
lives in Tennessee, Illinois, where he follows mer- 
chandising. Hattie died in infancy. 

Mr. Thompson has an intimate knowledge of 
pioneer conditions in this part of the state. He 
can remember seeing Governor Carlin's wife 
milking cows and she was barefooted at that time. 
Customs have greatly changed since that age. 
Their home was near Hampshire street, not far 
from the courthouse square in Quincy. The pres- 
ent city was then but a small town and gave little 
promise of becoming a metropolitan center,which 




MR. AND MRS. M. L. THOMPSON 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



1063 



it is to-day. Mr. Thompson had to haul all his 
grain to Quincy with ox teams and, after taking 
his oats to market in the manner indicated, he re- 
ceived only ten cents per bushel. It required a 
day and a night to make the trip. He can re- 
member the death of Mrs. Stewart and that she 
was hauled to the graveyard on a sled, although 
it was summer, for there was nothing else to take 
the body to the place of interment. An old mill 
stood at the head of the gorge and was owned by 
a Mr. Whitney, but a brother-in-law afterward 
purchased the building and removed it to Fourth 
street in Quincy. Mr. Thompson remained dur- 
ing his first winter in Adams count}' in an old 
log cabin with a clapboard roof and clapboard 
door, and it was often necessary to stand by the 
fireplace and eat their meals, for the remainder 
of the cabin was so cold. The snow woiild often 
drift in between the logs and lay to the dej^th of 
several inches on the floor. On one occasion while 
visiting in Marshall county he went to the polls 
and the judges asked him what state he lived in, 
saying they liad to be particular. He was a whig 
and cast his first presidential ballot for William 
Plenry Harrison, giving his support to that party 
until he .joined the ranks of the republican party, 
with which he has now voted for many years. 
He and his family belong to the Methodist church. 
He is, indeed, a venerable citizen, one respected 
and honored by all, and his life forms a connect- 
ing link between the primitive past and the pro- 
gressive present. 



JAMES N. SPRIGG. 



Among the lawyers practicing at the Quincy 
bar whose advancement in life stands as an illus- 
tration of the fact that ability, genius and earn- 
est labor will win sure recognition in this 
country, is nmnbered James N. Sprigg. His 
early life was passed amid unfavorable circum- 
stances in which he enjoyed few privileges, edu- 
cational or otherwise. His birthplace was a Jog 
cabin upon a farm in Schuyler county, his natal 
day August 15, 1850. As a barefooted boy he 
followed the plow and worked in the fields from 
the time of early .spring planting until crops 
were harvested in the late autumn, performing a 
man's work often during the period of his early 
youth. As opportunity offered he attended the 
district school, but his education was more large- 
ly acqi7ired under the direction of the district- 
school teacher who usually boarded at his house 
and assisted him with his lessons in the evening 
after the woz-k was done, and the love of books 
often inspired him to study far into the night. 
Thus he laid the foundation for a broad litei-arv 



fihu-ation, and when opportunity offered he en- 
tered Harvard University, in which he com- 
pleted a full law course in 1876, winning the 
degree of Bachelor of Law. He was admitted to 
the ilassachusetts bar on public examination in 
open court, but the possibilities of the middle 
west attracted him and he resolved to make his 
native state the scene of his labors. 

Soon afterward he located in Quincy, and by 
the siipreme court was admitted to practice at 
the Illinois bar. Entering upon the active du- 
ties of the profession it was not long before he 
had demonstrated his skill in coping with intri- 
cate problems of jurisprudence. His preparation 
of eases was characterized by earnestness and 
thoroughness and in the presentation of his cause 
there was clear, cogent reasoning and logical 
arguments. After practicing for a time he be- 
came a member of the board of the United States 
district court and successively of the circuit, 
appellate and supreme courts. He has been a 
general practitioner with a growing clientage 
that in more recent years has connected him 
with the most important litigation tried in the 
courts of the district. For two years after lo- 
cating in Quincy he was the junior member of 
the firm of Keath & Sprigg. after which he prac- 
ticed alone until 1886, when the firm of Sprigg 
& Anderson was formed, thus continuing with 
the exception of two years until 1896, when the 
admission of another partner changed the firm 
style to Sprigg, Anderson & Vandeventer. 

j\Ir. Sprigg, in his association with ^Ir. Ander- 
son, acted as corporation counsel of the city for 
several years. He was appointed by the board 
of supervisors county attorney of Adams county 
in 1893 as the successor of the late Mr. Wheat, 
and has since continued in that office, one of the 
most capable incumbents that the position has 
ever known. He is also regarded as a wise 
counselor, and his advice is often sought upon 
various matters of legal importance by the resi- 
dents of the citv and countv. 

On the 27th of June, 1889, ilr. Sprigg was 
married to IMiss Annie C. Oilman, of Haverhill, 
^Massachusetts, and they have an attractive home 
on East Jersey street, in addition to which they 
own a model farm east of Quincy, which is fre- 
(]uently the scene of delightful entertainment. 

In his political views Jlr. Sprigg was origi- 
nally a republican. His auce.stors were advo- 
cates of abolition principles and he, too, was 
strongly opposed to the in.stitution of human 
slavery, although but a boy at the time of the 
Civil war. He continued to vote with the repub- 
lican party up to the time of President Cleve- 
land's second term, when he endorsed the demo- 
ci-atic platform adopted at Chicago and has since 
been a stanch advocate of democracy. His po- 
litical pdsition is never a matter of doubt, for he 



1064 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



is loyal in the advocacy of his honest convictions, 
entlorsing his views with absolute fearlessness, 
yet he has none of the aggressiveness which 
aroiises bitter antagonism. Earnest effort, 
close application and the exercise of his native 
talents have won him jirestige as a member of the 
Quincy bar, a fact which is highly complimen- 
tary, for this Isar has unmbered many eminent 
and pi'oininent men. 



JOHN A. KOCH, M. D. 

Dr. John A. Kocli, of Qnincy. who is prac- 
ticing along modern scientific methods and has 
thereby attained success and prominence that 
classes him with the leading representatives of 
the medical fraternity in his section of the state, 
was born here May 17, 1874, his parents being 
John L. and Anna L. (Albrecht) Koch, who are 
natives of Westphaliaj Germany, and emigrated 
to America in childhood days with their respec- 
tive parents. The paternal grandfather came 
to the United States in 1832, locating in Quincy 
when this place was a mere hamlet. He was a 
practical harness-maker and established a shop 
in which his son, John L., learned the trade and 
for many years thereafter was connected with 
that line of business. Unto Mr. and iMrs. John 
L. Koch were born nine children, of whom the 
Doctor is the sixth in order of birth. 

In the grammar schools of Quincy Dr. Koch 
pursued his early education and later attended 
St. Francis College. In 1890 he entered the 
employ of the Miller & Arthur Drug Com- 
pany, of Quincy, with whom he served as clci-k 
for some time with the intention of ultimately 
becoming a druggist. After a year he went to 
Chicago, where he worked for the Morrison 
Plummer Company and was also employed in 
a retail drug store on the south side of that 
cit.y. Removing to Washington, D. C, he was 
appointed jiharraacist of the Garfield ^Memorial 
Hospital. He was graduated in pharmacy 
at the National College of Pharmacy with 
the class of 1894. While filling the posi- 
tion as a pharmacist he took up the study 
of medicine and eventually entered the medical 
department of Columbian University, from 
"•hich he was graduated with the class of 1897. 
Iiiniiediatel.v afterward he was appointed resi- 
dent physician of the Garfield ^Memorial Hospital, 
but in a short time he resigned that position and 
went to Europe, pursuing post-graduate work 
in Berlin University and also in Vienna. He 
thus thoroughly e([uipped liimself for his chosen 
life work, and upon his return to the United 
States in the fall of 1898 he again came to 



Quincy. "where he opened an office and has since 
continued in the general practice of medicine 
and surgery. The success that ever comes in 
recognition of superior ability is today his and 
he not only enjoys the confidence of the public, 
but also has the good will and admii-atiou of the 
lirofession who recognize his strict conformity 
to professional ethics and his thorough under- 
standing of the great principles that underlie 
the practice of medicine. He was appointed 
ph.ysician to St. Mary's Hospital, to St. Francis' 
College, the St. Mary's Institute and St. Vincent's 
Home for the Aged, and in all these positions 
is still serving, discharging his duties in con- 
nection with the work of a large general prac- 
tice. He is also a member of and pi-esident of 
the Adams County Medical Society, belongs to 
the Illinois State Medical Society and the Ameri- 
can iledical Association. 

On the 4th of October, 1898, Dr. Koch was 
married to Miss Louise Irvin, of Watsontown, 
Pennsylvania. They hold membership in St. 
Boniface Catholic church and Dr. Koch belongs 
to the Knights of Columbus of Quincy and to 
the Western Catholic Union. He is yet a young 
man. possessing strong intellectual force, keen 
discernment and well developed talents, and his 
ability has already gained him prominence in his 
chosen profession, which undoubtedly holds in 
store for him higher honoi-s and still greater 
successes. 



TH0:\1AS A. SCHERER. 

Thniiias A. Seherer, who is most ei'edilnbly 
filling the position of city attorney and 
since 1897 has engaged in the practice 
of law in Quincy, was born in Ottawa, Illinois, 
in 1873. His father, Anton Seherer, was a 
native of Germany and is now living in Ottawa. 
at the age of sixty-four years. He crossed the 
Atlantic to the new world in 1860, locating in La 
Salle county, where he worked at the trade of 
\\\)od turning. He afterward conducted a hotel 
and is now engaged in merchandising. His 
political views are in accord with the principles 
of democracy. His wife, Mrs. Cai'oline Seherer, 
was also born in Germany and has now reached 
the age of sixty-ciyht years. They wei'c the 
I)arents of six children, but one is now deceased. 
The others are Otto A., who is engaged in the 
jewelry business in Toluca, Illinois; William, 
who is a real estate dealer in farminu' lands, living 
at Ottawa; Charles, engaged in the marble bu.si- 
ness at Kankakee, Illinois; Augusta, the wife of 
Charles A. Renz, a stationary engineer at Ottawa ; 
and Thomas A. 




THOMAS A. SCHERER 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



1067 



Entering the public schools of the city of his 
nativity, Thomas A. Scherer began his education 
tliere and advanced through successive grades 
until he had completed the high school course by 
graduation with the class of 1892. With good 
preliminiary training he then entered the Uni- 
versity of Michigan in 1894, and pursued the law 
course until graduated with the class of 1896. 
The following year he located for jjractice in 
Quincy and was alone iintil 1898. when he formed 
a law partnership with W. P. Martindale, a 
relationship that has since been maintained. His 
practice has been very successful and he is now 
interested in a class of litigation that is an in- 
dication of his ability and the trust reposed in 
him by the public. The year prior to entering 
upon liis law studies he was engaged in civil 
engineering in the employ of Coimty Surveyor 
Ii'win of La Salle county. 

In 1903 Mr. Scherer was married to Alice 
Knight, a daiighter of John and Mary (Fitz- 
gerald) Knight. She was born in Quincy in 
1883. Botli Mr. and Mrs. Scherer are members 
of St. Rose of Lima church and he is district 
deputy of the Knights of Columbus and also be- 
longs to the Modern Woodmen of America. In 
his political views he is a democrat and is serving 
as secretary of the democratic city central com- 
mittee. He was elected to the office of city 
attorne.v in the spring of 1903, and re-elected 
in 190.5 for a term of two years. At the time of 
the Spanish-American war he enlisted in Com- 
pany F, Fifth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and 
served iintil its discharge and he is now treasurer 
of the Spanish-American War Veterans Associa- 
tion at Quincy. He belongs to the Adams 
County and to the Quincy Bar Associations and 
is recognized as one of the most capable among 
the younger members of the Quincy bar. 



JOHN L. NISWANDER. 

John L. Niswander, senior member of the 
firm of J. L. Niswander & Company, electri- 
cians of Quinc.v, was born in Holmes county, 
Ohio, February 12, 1859, his parents being 
Samuel and Margaret (Fink) Niswander. His 
ancestors lived in Pennsylvania, whence repre- 
sentatives of the name went to Ohio and Samuel 
Niswander was born in Holmes coiuity of the 
latter state. He there followed the occupation 
of farming for some years and in 1866 removed 
to Indiana, where his death occurred in 1868. 

John L. Niswander. the youngest in the fam- 
ily of nine children, attended the public schools 
of Holmes county, Ohio, and also of Elkhart 
county, Indiana. Leaving school when about 
fifteen vears of age he worked upon a farm 



until nineteen, when thinking that he would 
find other pursuits more congenial and remu- 
nerative, he turned his attention to railroading 
in 1878 and was thus engaged for two years. 
In 1880 he entered the electrical department of 
the railroad service in Michigan, being engaged 
at construction and repair work and thus 
gained the first practical knowledge of the 
calling which has since claimed his time and 
energies. He was connected with the railroad 
service until 1886, when he entered the employ 
of the Edison Company, doing construction 
work with them for about three years. In 1889 
he entered the service of the Thompson-Houston 
Company of Chicago, in the electrical depart- 
ment of the street car construction work, con- 
tinuing there for about seven months, when 
he came to Quincy for that company, about 
1890, in order to change the system from horse 
to electric power for the operation of the 
Quincy street railway lines. When this was 
completed he accepted a position with the 
Quincy Horse. Rail & Carriage Company as 
electrician and continued to act in that capacity 
until 1899, when he resigned and went into the 
electrical business on his own account, under 
the name of J. L. NLswander & Company, doing 
all kinds of electrical work. The Independent 
Telephone Company runs its lines into his office 
and he had charge of the business at this end. 
He has been accorded a liberal patronage since 
embarking in the business on his o-\vn account 
and the secret of his success is his proficiency 
and straightforward dealing. 

In 1883, 'Sir. Niswander was united in mar- 
riage to ]\Iiss Clara A. Salisbury of Petoskey, 
Michigan, who died in May, 1901, leaving two 
children : 'Slay and Alta Lind, both at home. 
Sir. Niswander is a member of Bodley lodge, 
No. 1, A. F. & A. M., and in his political views 
is a republican. His business career has been 
markecl by steady progress, resulting from his 
strong determination and unfaltering energ.v 
and what he has accomplished indicates the 
strength of his character and his enterprising 
s])irit. 



EILERT E. WEERTS. 



Eilert E. Weerts is numbered among the na- 
tive sons of Adams county, his birth having oc- 
curred in Clayton township. March 2. 1878. He 
was born on the old homestead on the northeast 
quarter of section 9, which was first settled by 
his grandfather, Heie J. Weerts, who bought 
fifty acres of the same on January 4, 1853, for 
four hundred dollars, erected a log cabin thereon 
and broke the prairie land for cultivation. The 



io68 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



i;ran(lfatlier and his family arrived from Hol- 
leu. Ostfrieslaud, in the fall of 1852, coming by 
vessel to New Orleans and tlienee by boat to 
Qiiincy by way of St. Louis. He died July 22, 
1855, and his wife, grandmother Antje J., ou 
the 15th of October," 1860. Their son, Eilert 
H. Weerts, father of our subject, then lived in 
the home place. He was born in Hollen, Febru- 
ary 2li 1819, and was married January 28, 1856, 
to Antje H. Franzen, who came here a short time 
before from Luebertsfehn, Ostfriesland, where 
she was born November 15, 1835. At his death, 
wliicli occurred January 30, 1902, he owned five 
liuiidrcd and thirt.v acres of farm land, worth 
one hundred dollars per acre, besides much other 
property. The home place went to the youngest 
son and namesake, Eilert E. In the family were 
twelve children : Mena, the wife of John Schoe- 
neman, of Golden ; Henry, living in Clayton 
township ; Hye, a resident of Brown county, Illi- 
nois; Anna B., the wife of John Buss, of Brown 
county; Minnie, the wife of ]M. H. Aden^ of 
Northeast township ; John, of Clayton township ; 
one sou, who died in infancy; Ehme, also of 
Clayton to^vnship ; Prank, who is temporarily 
located in Denver, Colorado, owing to ill health ; 
Hattie, the wife of George H. Flessner, of Clay- 
ton township : Isa H., a twin sister of Hattie and 
the wife of August Heinecke, of Clayton town- 
ship, and Eilert E. 

Reared in his j^areuts' home, Eilert E. Weerts 
attended the pi;blic schools of Clayton township 
and also studied in the German school at Golden. 
When he had completed his education he began 
farming and stock-raising on his own account 
and has since engaged in this line of business. 
In connection with the tilling of the soil he 
raises, Ini.ys and sells stock, being a well known 
breeder of fine stock, especially horses and cat- 
tle, and has some very fine animals upon his 
place which sell at high prices. Mr. Weerts is 
a man of excellent business capacity, marked 
enterprise and keen foresight, and his labors 
have resulted successfully, making him one of 
the sulistantial citizens of his township. 

Mr. Weerts was married in 1902 to Miss Chris- 
tina Flessner, and to them was born one daugh- 
ter, Fanny Lucinda, August 21, 1904. Mrs. 
Weerts is a daughter of William H. Flessne^, 
who came from Germany in 1850 and located in 
Clayton township, while at the jiresent time his 
home is in Golden. IMrs. Weerts had eight brotli- 
ers and sisters : Lena, the deceased wife of Wallie 
Weyen, of Golden; one son, who died in in- 
f anc.v ; Henry, of Clayton township ; Mary, the 
wife of Charley Totsch, of Northeast township; 
John, (ieorge and Simon, of Nortlieast township, 
and Ed, of Clavton townsliip, who died :\rav 19, 
190-1. 



Mr. and Mrs. Weei'ts hold membership in the 
Lutheran church and he gives his political sup- 
port to the democratic party. His attention 
is confined chiefly, however, to his business af- 
fairs which he has capably conducted so that 
he is now winning success and is, therefore, able 
to provide his wife and children with a com- 
fortable livino-. 



MARCELLllS L. CHASE. 

Marcellus L. Chase, deceased, who for many 
years was a leading farmer and fruit grower of 
Melrose township, was born in Ellington town- 
ship, March 27, 1837. He acquired his educa- 
tion in McKendree College at Lebanon, Illinois, 
and being thus well (jualified for life's practical 
and responsible duties he returned to his home. 

In 1860 Mr. Chase united in marriage to Miss 
Adelia S. Horner, a daughter of Nathan Horner, 
of Lelianon, Illinois, who died in Jackson coun- 
ty, Illinois, April 14. 1870. For his second wife 
he chose Miss Eliza J. Reeder, a daughter of 
Daniel Reeder, who was one of the first settlers 
of Melrose township. This mai'riage was cele- 
brated April 3. 1876. By the first luiion there 
were seven children, of whom three are living: 
Dr. Frank Chase, who is engaged in the practice 
of medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, William, who 
is living in Portland, Oregon; and Robert, a 
I'csident farmer of Ellington township. By the 
second marriage there is one daughter, Nellie 
E., who is the wife of Casper Mast. Her mother 
died when she was only three years of age and 
]\Ir. Chase afterward wedded iliss Elizabeth 
King. 

Mr. Chase and his father, William Chase, who 
was a pioneer settler of Adams county, became 
heavy landowners in Ellington township, mak- 
ing extensive investments in town property from 
time to time. Soon after his second marriage, 
however, he left Ellington township and located 
in Melrose township upon the farm which is now 
Ihe property of his daughter, ilrs. Nellie ]\Iast. 
This land was entered by her grandfather, Dan- 
iel Reeder, who to secure the property from the 
government paid the u.sual purchase price of one 
dollar and a ([uarter per acre. It is known as 
the old Cliase homestead and comprises sixty 
acres of laud situated on sections 19 and 20, the 
home being located on the latter .section. ]\Ir. 
Chase always carried on general farming and he 
lived an active, busy life, owing his success to 
his own well directed labors. 

In politics he was a republican and in re- 
ligious belief was a IMethodist, holding member- 
ship with the church of that denomination in 
Adams county. His entire life was spent in this 





MR. AND MRS. M. L. CHASE 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



107 1 



coimty and he so lived as to win the favorable re- 
gard and friendship of many with whom he was 
associated. His death occurred November 8, 
1889, and was deeply regretted by those who had 
known him as well as by his immediate family. 



CHRISTIAN F. MAST. 

Christian F. Mast, a well known farmer of 
Melrose township, living on section 18, was born 
in this locality, January 15, 1850. He is a son 
of Casper Mast, a native of Baden, Germany, 
who came to the United States with his parents 
when ten years of age. He married Rosina Dold, 
also a native of Baden, Germany. His father, 
Michael ^last, had located three miles south of 
the farm on which Christian F. Mast now re- 
sides and devoted his time to general agricul- 
tural pursuits. He took up his abode in this 
county about 1840 and was, therefore, numbered 
among the pioneer settlers. Casper Mast was 
reared upon the old homestead farm and there 
remained until 1858, when he purchased the 
farm on section 18, Melrose township, continuing 
to make it his home until 1860. He then re- 
moved to Quincy, where he lived a retired life. 
He purchased his land, comprising a tract of 
sixty acres for one hundred dollars in gold. Few 
iinprovements had been made thereon, and with 
great energy and determination he set about the 
work of clearing the place and improving the 
fields, ultimately making it a productive and val- 
uable property. He died in Quincy in 1894. at 
the age of seventy-eight years, his birtli having 
occurred in 1816, and at that time he had all his 
teeth. He was a remarkably well preserved 
man, and although well advanced in years he 
enjoj^ed good health almost to the last. 

Christian F. Mast obtained his education in 
the public schools of Adams county and in Quin- 
cy College. He was reared to farm life, early 
becoming familiar with the work of the fields 
and as he neared manhood he determined to en- 
gage in the same labor as a life work. He has 
always continued to reside upon the old farm 
homestead which he now owns, and the farm is 
conveniently located about five miles southeast 
of the courthouse. It comprises ninety-nine 
acres devoted to general farming, to the cultiva- 
tion of fruit, and to the raising of poultry and 
stock. He has some very fine chickens, and also 
good grades of cattle, liorses and hogs. Every- 
thing on his fa I'm is indicative of his progressive 
spirit and practical methods and he is accounted 
one of the leading and representative agricultur- 
ists of this community. 

In 1870 ^Ir. ^last was married to Miss Mary 
E. Freeze, who was born in Quincy and is now 



deceased. Thej' became the parents of seven 
children, all of whom are now living, namely : 
Joseph Casper William, Benjamin, Casper, 
Mai-y, Christian, Lawrence, and Clarence. 

In his political views Mr. ^last is a democrat 
and has served as town clerk and commissioner. 
His religious faith is that of the Catholic church. 
His entire life has been passed on the farm 
which is yet his home and he has, therefore, wit- 
nessed much of the development and upbuilding 
of his county as it has put off the evidences and 
conditions of pioneer life and taken on the 
changes and improvements of civilization 
known to the older east. 



ALFRED JOHN BROCKSCIOIIDT. 

Alfred John Brockschmidt, who in the prac- 
tice of law has advanced beyond the ranks of 
mediocrity and stands among the successful few, 
was born Augvist 11, 1860, in Quincy, his pa- 
rents being John Henry and Caroline (Epple) 
Brockschmidt, whose sketch appears elsewhere 
in this volume. Between the ages of six and 
twelve years he was a student in the parochial 
school connected with St. Boniface church. 
He afterward entered St. Francis College, de- 
voting three years to the preparatory course 
and four years to the collegiate course, and 
later he pursued a two-years' post-gradi;ate 
course. He was graduated in 1879 at the age 
of nineteen years, winning high honors and 
receiving the degree of Bachelor of Arts. Dur- 
ing the last two years of his college course 
he read law under the direction of 0. H. BroAvn- 
ing. In 1881 he received the Master of Arts 
degree from his alma mater, and it was in the 
same ,vear that he was enrolled as a law student 
in Yale University, where he remained for two 
>-ears, being graduated in 1883 with the degi-ee 
of Bachelor of Laws. He afterward took a two- 
years' post-graduate course and, advanced by 
thorough preparatory training, became well 
qualified for tlie important duties which have 
(ievolved upon him. The degree of blaster of 
Law was conferred upon him in 1884 and in 
1885 he received the degree of Doctor of Civil 
Law. At the time of his graduation in the lat- 
ter year he also won the Winchester scholarship, 
which entitled him to spend one year at Berlin 
and one year at Paris, but he did not take ad- 
vantage of this at the time. 

Returning to Quincj^ 'Mr. Broclischmidt en- 
tered upon the active practice of his profession, 
in which he has met with exceptional success. 
He is a general law praetitioTier, having compre- 
liensive knowledge of the principles of .iurispru- 
dence and his careful preparation of his cases 



PAST AND FKE8ENT OF ADAMS COUNTY 



1072 

enables him to present his case l)efui-e court or 
jury in a clear, concise manner that never fails to 
make an impression upon his auditors and seldom 
fails to win the verdict desired. Successfully 
passing an examination in 1885 he was permitted 
to practice in the high courts of Canada. In 
June, 1884, he was admitted to practice before 
the supreme court of Connecticut, and in Octo- 
ber of that year he was admitted to the hav of 
Illinois, while in 1886 he was admitted to prac- 
tice in the federal courts at Springfield. He was 
also admitted to the supreme court of New York 
in November, 1884. He has argued many cases 
and lost but few. No one better knows the 
necessity for thorough preparation and no one 
more industriously prepares his eases than Mr. 
Brockschmidt. His course in the court room is 
characterized by a calmness and dignity that in- 
dicate reserve strength. He is always courteous 
and deferential toward the court, kind and for- 
bearing toward his adversaries. He examines 
a witness carefully and thoroughly, but treats 
him with a respect M'hich makes the witness 
grateful for his kindness and forbearance. His 
handling of his case is always full, comprehen- 
sive and accurate: his analysis of the facts is 
clear and exhaustive; he sees Avithout effort the 
relation and dependence of the facts, and so 
groups them as to enable him to throw their 
combined force upon the point they tend to 
prove. His opinions show great research, in- 
dustry and care and challenge the approval of 
and commend themselves to the bench and bar. 
?tlr. Brockschmidt was married August 28, 
1901, to Miss Mathilde Loire, a daughter of 
Philibert Loire, of St. Louis, Missouri. Mr. and 
]\Irs. Brockschmidt hold membership in St. Boni- 
face Catholic church, and in politics he is a 
democrat. 



W1LLIA]\I J. BARBOUR, :M. D. 

Dr. William J. Barbour, who became a resident 
of Quiney in 1873 and whose residence in the 
coiinty dated from 1860, was a man whose gen- 
uine personal worth and business integrity were 
such as to win for him an honorable place among 
the representative men of this portion of the state 
and therefore his death, which occurred on the 
17th of ]\Iarch, 1873, was the occasion of deep 
spread regret among his many friends. He was 
a native of Belfast, Ireland, and a son of William 
and Elizabeth Barbour, both of whom were na- 
tives of Ireland, in which country they spent 
their entire lives, their home being in Belfast. 
It was this familv that were the originators of the 



well known Barbour linen thread, which has been 
sulci throughout the civilized world. Mrs. Wil- 
liam J. Barbour now has in her possession an 
old spinning wheel that was used in the family 
more than one hundred years ago. The first rep- 
resentatives of the family to come to America 
were Robert and Thomas Barbour, who settled 
in New York city and there began manufacturing 
linen thread, continuing in that business until 
their life's labors were ended in death and biiild- 
ing up an industry of large proportions. 

Dr. William J. Barbour laegan his education 
in the common schools of Ireland and afterward 
entered upon the study of medicine preparatory 
to making its practice his life work. He at- 
tended the medical school in Belfast, where he 
pursued a full course and was therefore well 
qualified for his chosen vocation. He entered 
upon practice in his native city, where he con- 
tinued for a few years and then came to America, 
settling in New York city. He then removed to 
Washington, D. C, and was connected with the 
medical fraternity of the capital for several 
years, subsequent to which time he came to the 
west, locating in St. Louis, i\Iissoiiri. There he 
followed his chosen profession until 1860, when 
he came to Adams county, Illinois, settling at 
Columbus. Because of impaired health he de- 
cided to abandon practice and followed his pro- 
fession only to a limited extent among the farm- 
ers in his immediate neighborhood. He pur- 
chased a farm in the vicinity of Columbus and 
devoted his attention more largely to general 
agricultural pursuits. He continued to reside 
upon the farm until 1873, when he removed to 
((»uincy, although he never engaged in active 
practice here. If his friends desired a presecrip- 
tion he would gladly write one out as a favor. He 
delighted in travel, visiting many parts of the 
United States and also many foreign countries 
and thereby gaining the culture, broad knowl- 
edge and experience which only travel can bring. 
In 1863 Dr. Barbour was mari'ied to ]\Iiss 
Sarah A. Taylor, a native of Columbus and a 
daughter of William and Lucy Ann Taylor, both 
of M'liom were natives of the south and came to 
Adams county, Illinois, at an early day. The 
father was a weaver by trade and he and his 
wife resided in the vicinity of Columbus until 
their deaths. There were three children born 
unto Dr. and ]Mrs. Barbour; William A., the 
eldest, married Anna L. Dunn, and resides in 
San Francisco, California, where he owns a 
large factory at Nos. 224 to 226 Bush street. 
There he is engaged in the manufacture of linen 
thread for all the western trade and also does 
a large exi)orting business in this commodity. The 
daughters, ilary B., and Jane, are twins. The 
foi-mer is the wife of George H. Stahl, one of 
the leading business men of Quiney, engaged in 




DR. WILLIAM J. BARBOUR 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY . 



1075 



the niauiifactiu-e of 1hp ^vell known Excelsior in- 
enbator which has Ijeen on the mai-lvct for nearly 
twenty years. lie is active and influential in 
trade circles and he and his wife occupy a beau- 
tiful home at No. 300 South Eighteenth street. 
Jane is the wife of Harry H. Chai'les, also con- 
nected with the incubator business in Dayton, 
Ohio. 

Dr. Barbour endorsed the principles of the 
rej)uhlican party but had no desire for political 
office. Fraternally he was connected with the 
iMasonic lodge and the Independent Order of 
Odd Fellows at Quincy and he and all of his 
family were members of the Presbyterian church 
here. He was very successful in his practice 
and became well-to-do, so that after his removal 
to Adam.s county he M'as enabled to make a large 
investment in property, wherefrom he derived 
a good income. His marked diligence and energy 
proved the foundation for a successful career and 
gradually he worked his way upward, winning 
not only success but also a most enviable reputa- 
tion because of his reliability in business and 
his devotion to the principles of an honorable 
manhood, displaying throughout his entire life 
those sterling qualities which in every land and 
clime command regard. ]\Irs. Barbour has many 
friends in Quincy and enjoys the hospitality of 
the best homes. She owns a nice home of her 
own at 1902 Kentucky street, but spends much of 
her time at the residence of her daughter, Mrs. 
Stahl. 



DANIEL A. REEDER. 



Daniel A. Reeder was born May 14, 1851, on 
the farm in Melrose township which is now his 
home. His father was the first settler in this 
township and the name is, therefore, inseparably 
connected with the history of Adams county. 
Daniel Reeder, Sr., was a native of North Caro- 
lina, born in 1786, and after arriving' at years 
of maturity he married Frances Johnson, whose 
birth occurred in Kentucky in 1804. Her grand- 
mother came to the United States on the May- 
flower. The Reeder family was an old and prom- 
inent one of the south. Daniel Reeder became 
a, pioneer settler of Kentucky and when the 
country became involved in the second war with 
England he espoused the American cause and 
proved a valiant soldier of his country. Fol- 
lowing this war he remained a resident of Ken- 
tucky for a few years and came to Quincy in 
1826. There was nothing but a little hamlet 
where now stands the beautiful and enterprising 
citv and almost the entire county was wild and 



unitiiproved. few settlements having been made 
within its borders. He soon afterward located 
in ;\Ielrose township, being the first settler with- 
in its borders. He and his family entered about 
one thousand acres of land and he built a log 
cabin, living in true pioneer style and experi- 
encing the hardships and trials which fall to the 
lot of those who establish homes on the frontier. 
During the preceding winter the family sub- 
sisted largely upon Avild game which could be 
had in abundance. Wolves and other wild ani- 
mals were still numerous in the neighborhood 
and at intervals Indians visited this portion of 
the state. Mr. Reeder contimied in the develop- 
ment of his farm on which his life's labors were 
ended in death in the fall of 1861. His wife sur- 
xaved him for a number of years and died at the 
advanced age of eighty-two years. He was a re- 
publican in his political views and in matters 
of citizenship he was practical and public-spir- 
ited, doing all in his power to aid in the perma- 
nent development and improvement of this por- 
tion of the state. He was one of the first 
subscribers for the Quincy Whig. He built the 
first frame house in Melrose township, it being 
now the home of his son, and was deeply inter- 
ested in the intellectual and moral as well as the 
material progress of his community. In his fam- 
ily were thirteen children, and those living are : 
Mrs. Elizabeth Shinn, of Spokane, Washington; 
Mrs. Augusta Bancroft, of the same state; Mrs. 
Martha Sheperd and Daniel A. 

Daniel A. Reeder acquired his education in 
the schools of I\Ielrose toAvnship and in Quincy 
College. No event of special importance oc- 
curred to vary the routine of farm life for him 
in his youth. He worked with his father in the 
cultivation and improvement of the old home- 
stead and continued to reside thereon until the 
time of his raari-iage. He wedded Miss Susan 
Crosom, who was born about six miles south 
of her present home in Adams county, and is 
a daughter of Alexander Crosom, who was born 
at Harper's Ferry, Virginia, and became a pio- 
neer settler of Adams county. He wedded Mary 
Hadley, whose birth occiirred in Fall Creek 
toAAaiship, Adams county, and who was the first 
white female child born in Illinois. Unto Mr. 
and Mrs. Reeder were born three children, who 
are yet living: Grace, the wife of Julius 
Crocker; Hugh, who is a .student in the Gem 
City Business College of Quincy, and Ester, at 
home. 

Mr. Reeder 's farm comprises one hundred 
acres of arable land located about four and a 
half miles southeast of Quincy, on section 19, 
]Melrose township. He has an excellent orchard, 
covering fifteen acres and he also has four acres 
planted to sti'awberries. In addition to the 
raising of fruit he carries on general farming 



1076 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



aud stock- raising aud he now has fifteen cows 
and a number of good horses on his place. 
Ever}i:lnng about the farm is neat and thrifty 
in appearance and his products find a ready sale 
on the market, so that he annually receives a 
good income in return for his labor. He and 
liis wife hold membership in the ^Methodist Epis- 
copal church and in his fraternal relations he 
is connected with the Independent Order of Odd 
Fellows aud the Woodmen of the World. His 
political views accord with the principles of the 
republican party, but while he keeps well in- 
formed on the cpxestions and issues of the day he 
has never sought office, preferring to give his 
undivided attention to his business affairs which 
have bronglit liim signal success. 



JOSEPH AV. NICHOLSON. 

Joseph W. Nicholson is the owner of one of the 
finest couutry homes in Adams county and is 
largely engaged in horlicultui-al pursuils. lie 
was born Decemlier (J, ISi'J. his pai'ents being 
John and Hester (Oi'r) Nicholson, thi' former a 
native of Falmouth, Kentucky, iiorn August 27. 
1811. and the latter of Indiana, born December 
27. 182:1 The father came to Adams county. 
Illinois, with his parents, ill', and ili-s. William 
Nicholson, the family lioiiie h<')im' estab- 
lished in Ouincy when this was siill a, pioneer I'e- 
U'ion of the state, there being miiy a few build- 
ings on the site of the ]ii-esi-n1 beautiful and 
thriving city. John Nicholson afterward re- 
moved to Fi-sa townsliii) and bought the farm on 
\vhieh he spent his remaininu days. His death 
occurred on the 'Ad of ,M:n-eli, 1S!)(I. iinil his wife 
died June Itj. 188-4. 

In the faniil>' of this worthy couple were the 
following children : Thei-esa, liorii in 1847. is 
now the wife of Francis Roan, a resident of Ursa 
Itnviisliip, and they have three children. Joseph 
W.. of this review, is the next in order of l)irth. 
John, born in 1851, married Serelda Nicholson 
and has two children. Saville, born in 1853, died 
in infancy. Susan, born in 1855, married Na- 
poleon Orr, of Kansas City, by whom she had 
live I'hildren, an<l she died in isil4. Fafayette, 
boi-n in 1857. married Kmei-ine Ijong and has 
three children. They live in Ursa township. Olive 
1>., born in 1859, is the wife of lleni'v iloi'i'is, of 
Riverside township, and tliey have nine children, 
(leorge, who was born in 1861 and lives in River- 
side township, nmrried Nettie Predmore, who 
died in June, 1888, leaving two children, and he 
subsequently married Doi-a Broachman, by whom 
he has five childr'en. Kate, born in 18(54, married 
William ilitchell, now a resident of Kansas City, 
ilLssouri, and she died in 1892, leaving six chil- 



dren. Hester E., born in 186G, is the wife of 
William Darnell, of ilendon township, and they 
have six children. 

J. W. Nicholson was reared to farm life, early 
becoming familiar with the duties and labors that 
fall to the lot of the agriculturist. He is now the 
owner of three hundred and twenty acres of land, 
of which one hundred and seventeen acres is 
])lauted to fruit, there being a pear orchard cov- 
ering twenty-five acres. His farm is splendidly 
develoi)ed, the fields being luider a high state of 
cultivation, and he is particularly well known as 
a horticulturist, the fruit he raises being of the 
finest size and quality aud, therefore, command- 
ing a good price on the market. He has a fine 
home, which was erected at a cost of twenty-five 
hundred dollars, and also owns two fine business 
houses in Quincy. 

On the 2(;th 'of August. 1880. Mr. Nicholson 
was married to Jliss Adealia King, who was born 
October 2, 1863, a daughter of William and Eliza 
(Galani(n-e) King. The father was b(u-n in Ken- 
tuel:y. Ajiril 11. 1811. and came to Illinois in 
18.'!0. He M-as then a ])oor man Imt woi'k'ed hard 
and saved his money and at the time of his death. 
^\'hi(•ll occurred November 14, 1879, he was one of 
the weathiest farmers in this part of the state. 
His wife, who -was born in North Carolina, Feb- 
ruary 14, 1820. died on the 15th of February, 
1879. Unto ill', and ilrs. Nicholson have been 
born five chiliireii, three of whom are yet living: 
Una Opal, who was born Augi;st 27, 1881, was 
married October 15, 1903, to Vernie Inman, of 
Ursa township, and they have one child. Jessie 
E., Avho was born August 13, 1883, was married 
November 12, 1902, to Elmer Daugherty, who re- 
sides near the Nicholson farm, and they have one 
child. Fay King, who was Ixirn August 5. 1895. 
lives at home. 

The Nicholson farm is pleasantly situated two 
and one-half miles from Ursa on section 20. Ur.sa 
township. Mr. Nicholson served as school trustee 
for several years and in politics is a democrat. 
He and his wife hold membership in the Chris- 
tian church, of Ursa, and are people of the high- 
est respectability, enjoying the warm regard and 
friendship of many who Icnow them. 



JOHN II. FRANZEN. 



John II. Franzen is a well known and highly 
esteemed citizen of Northeast fownsliip, his home 
being located on the south half of the northwest 
quarter of section 33. Upon that place he was 
born February 11, 1866, a son of Iliurich PI. 
and Antje II. (Flesner) Franzen. both natives 
of (iermany. The father was lioi'u in Iloltrop, 
Ostfrieslan'd, on the 18th of October, 1821. while 




SIR. AND MRS. J. \V. NICHOLSON 



fASr AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



1079 



the mother's birth oecnrred in Westei'sander, 
Ostfriesland, August 6, 1828. She was a daugh- 
ter of Hinrich G. Flesner, who was also born in 
AVestersander. August 23. 1784:. and died in this 
county ]May 20, 1866. Her mother, who bore 
the maiden name of Jubihelena AVietjes, was a 
native of Iloltrop and died in Adams county, 
Illinois, on the 30th of November, 1862, at the 
age of sixty-eight years. 

On the 24tli of July, 1847, was celebrated the 
marriage of Hinrich IT. Franzen and Autje H. 
Flesner, and on the 28th of October, 1849, they 
left the fatherland in companj' with her parents. 
After a long and stormy voyage thej' landed in 
New Orleans, January 11, 1850, and proceeded 
up the ilississippi to St. Loi;is. where thej^ were 
detained on account of the river being frozen, 
making it impossible for the boats to run. Leav- 
ing their families in that city ]Mr. Franzen and 
his father-in-law started on foot for Adams 
county. Illinois, climbing the steep bluffs and 
making their way through the brush along the 
banks of the river, as they were afraid of get- 
ting lost if they got out of sight of the water. 
Totally exliausted they finally arrived at the 
home of their old friend, Jan W. Buss, who, 
with C4erd T. Franken and their families, were 
the first of their countrymen to settle on the 
prairie near the present site of Golden, having 
arrived in ^lay, 1848. Mr. Franzen soon re- 
turned to St. Louis by the way he had come and 
remained there until spring. He was a black- 
smith by trade and a first class mechanic. In fact 
he was a naturally highly gifted and intelligent 
man. It took him but a short time to master the 
English language, and friendly and upright as 
he was, he became of great assistance to the early 
comers from the fatherland, who looked to him 
as their adviser. 

In ilay, 1850, Mr. Franzen lirought his fam- 
ily to Adams county, ha^'ing previously worked 
at his trade in St. Louis for thirteen weeks, dur- 
ing which time he made eighty dollars. On his 
arrival here he opened a blacksmith shop east of 
the old German "Prairie" church in Claji;on 
township, it being a welcome addition to the new 
settlement, but the early pioneers had no money 
to pay for work done for them, so Air. Franzen 
accepted their jiroduce instead first for the sup- 
port of his fanrily, but as the supplies increased 
he conceived the idea of packing the butter and 
eggs, hauling them to Quincy by cheap ox-team 
transportation, and then shipping them down 
the river ]1^- boat to St. Louis. This venture 
proved quite successful and the business finally 
developed into a regular pioneer country store. 
His old account books show a regular opening 
of such an institution on the 7th of April, 1851. 
The first reariilar bill of goods amounted to 



one hundred and fourteen dollars and eighty- 
two cents, upon which twentj-four dollars and 
se^•enty-fi^•e cents was paid mostly in produce. 
Two weeks later there was another bill of one 
liundred and twenty-one dollars and thirty-six 
cents and twentj^-two dollars and forty-three 
cents credited thereon. This was a much needed 
business and was first conducted in a shed at- 
tached to the log cabin. Air. Franzen soon 
bought the northwest quarter, first described, 
from Fleming Burke for two liundred dollars, 
but had to buy a second title, costing also two 
hundred dollars. This land was bought by Air. 
Burke a few years before for seventeen dollars 
and two wagon loads of fence rails, supposing 
that it would never be fit for cultivation. Being 
out on the open prairie he selected the highest 
point on the old wagon road winding its way 
across the prairie from Alacomb to Quincy and 
erected thereon a log house in the fall of 1851, 
tl'.ese being the only dwellings known at that 
time. A group of them soon made their appear- 
ance around this lonely home, being a store and 
blacksmith shop, established by Air. Franzen in 
this wild, open country, and there he spent the 
remainder of his life. He became widely and 
favorablj' known and at his place the tired trav- 
eler stopped for rest and refreshments. Here 
he could get his wagon repaired, the tires set and 
the broken chain welded. At the store the pub- 
lic could be accommodated with almost anji^hing 
needed, be it a pair of boots or a straw hat, a 
pair of jeans, a hickory .shirt, bed rope, ox chain, 
coffee, nails, molasses, haii'pins or pitchforks, no 
matter what. Air. Franzen had it for sale. For 
nianj' years he carried on business here, but his 
last years were spent in retirement. 

On the 25th of July, 1897, Air. and Airs. Fran- 
zen celebrated their golden wedding, many neigh- 
bors and old friends taking them by surprise. 
A line of carriages over a half mile in length 
drove up the lane leading to the house and 
soon the yard was filled with people. Hearty 
congratulations, really meant, were in order, but 
clasped hands and true eyes spoke more than 
words. The present of a new carriage and har- 
ness further showed their love and respect. Tell- 
ing of old reminiscences, songs and music, and 
a wagonload of good things to eat and drink, 
which soon arrived, made the occasion quite 
happy and delightful. When the glow of sunset 
appeared Air. Franzen thanked his friends in 
his masterly manner, in words of kindness and 
heartfelt expressions which will never be for- 
gotten by all present. Before another year had 
passed he closed his eyes in peace on the 17tli 
of April, 1898, and his widow has since taken 
up her abode in the village of Golden, where she 
is spending her last days in quiet and content. 



loSo 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



Ami lu'i'c we will reiiionibcr ^Mother Franzen, 
for (i\ir old pioneer women, who shared the hard- 
shi])s of such life with their hnsbands, are so 
often overlooked. If a true and faithfnl wife 
ever took npon herself a full shai'e of sneli life's 
burdens, it was she. and without siu-h relief, this 
life's joiirney as herein pietureil. would ni'ver 
have found its way. 

In the family of this worthy coviplr were the 
following children: Harm H.. l)orn in Wrisse, 
Ostfi'iesland, May 20, 1848, is now a merchant 
of (iolden. Ileniy II. was born in St. Louis, 
.Missoin-i, in Kebruary, 18r)0, and died when only 
eiij-ht (l;iy-~ old. llniry II.. the second of that 
name, was lioru in Adams county, July 16, 1851, 
and died nbout Kaster, 1856.'.John H. died 
about llic close of the year 1855 at the age of 
twenty months. Henry H., born August 30, 
1860, is a resident of Gothenburg, Nebi'aska. 
Lena H.. born July 24. 1863. is the wife of Eilei-t 
J. Buss, of Golden, -lolin II.. of this review, is 
the next in order of birth. Anna II.. born Oc- 
tober 2, 1868, is the wife of Dirk Harms, of Ilil- 
dreth, Nebraska. For further ancestral recoi'd 
refer to the sketches of H. II. Ennninga and ^Irs. 
Franzen-Buss I'lsewliere in this volume. 

John II. Fr,-in/eii ^n-w to manhood in this 
connt>'. and was here married on th<' 13th of 
April. ls;»0. to Miss Wuebke Meints, who was 
born A]ii-il 8, 1867, but their happy married 
life was of short duration, for ill's. Franzen died 
March 5, 1893, after giving birth to their second 
child two days before. When the little infant 
son was buried the mother, closed her eyes for 
this life. The only remaining child is Anna, 
who was born July 4, 1891, and is a great con- 
solation and comfort to her father on his now 
lonely way in life. ilrs. Franzen was a daughter 
of Jolian J. and Frauke (Keiser) ]\Ieints. who 
are still living on their old homestead only a few 
miles from Mr. Franzen. The father was horn 
in Sti-ackholt, June 7, 1831, while his wife was 
lioi'ii in Nendorf, Ostfriesland. December 28, 
is4r>. It was in the latter part of 1854 that he 
came to America and settled in this county. His 
father, Johan II. ileints, was born in Amt 
Ehrenburg, Hanover, October 15, 1794, and died 
here February 4, 1882, and his wife, who bore 
the maiden name of Mareke Lubinus, was born 
in Strackholt, Ostfriesland, Novembei' 20. 1809, 
and died here February 15, 1878. 

At the ])i'esent time ilr. Franzen is |n-incipally 
engagi>d in handling lightning rods and house 
ornaments as a inember of the firm of Cassens & 
Franzen, his partner being William Cassens. 
They have made their work a special study and 
it is their intention to protect the people from 
being humbugged by worthless fixtures at ex- 
treme prices, so nnich having lieen heard of 
lightning rod swindlers. Thev handle a heavv 



jmre copjter cable rod ami thoroughly test it 
by artificial means before considering a job 
finished. They are meeting with good success, 
for they enjoy the confidence of the public and 
stand high in the esteem of their fellow citizens. 
Religiously ilr. Franzen is a member of the 
Ijiitlu-ran church. 



WILLTA:\I S. WOLFE, ]\L D. 

Dr. William S. Wolfe, physician and surgeon 
of Quincy, was born March 6, 1878, in Rushville, 
Illinois, his parents being Dr. J. B. and Isabella 
(Storts) Wolfe. The father was born in Bond 
county, Illinois, in 1843, and for many years, 
from 1867 until 1900, was a prominent member 
of the Illinois Methodi.st Episcopal conference. 
In the latter year he left the ministry and is now 
associated with the IMutual Life Insurance Com- 
]>any of New York, for which he is now serving 
as district manager and confidential agent. TTnto 
him and his wife were born four sons and three 
daughters, namely: Bertha, who was drowned 
at two years of age: Ralph, who is mar- 
ried and living in Springfield, Missouri, and is 
in the em])loy of the St. Loviis & San Francisco 
Railroad Company, running out of St. Louis: 
Leonai'd, Mho makes his home in Springfield, Mis- 
souri, and is in the em])loy of the St. Louis & San 
Francisco Railroad Coiiipany: Charles, an attor- 
ney, who is mai-i-ied and lives in Beardstown, Illi- 
nois: Viola, the wife of R. J. ilontgomery, a resi- 
dent of Cincinnat, Ohio: and Grace, who is at 
home with her parents and eiii|)Ioyed as teacher 
in the public schools. 

Dr. Wolfe liegan his education in the schools 
of Mattoon, Illinois, and was a student in the 
high school of Carlinville, this state. He after- 
ward continued his literary course in the Illinois 
Wesleyan University at Bloom ington, where he 
spent finir years, and in 1898 he matriculated in 
the Riish Medical College of Chicago, where he 
spent one year. He next entered the INIarion 
Sims-Beaumont College of Medicine, at St. Louis, 
and was graduated in 1902, locating for practice 
in Cottonwood county. Miiniesota, where he re- 
mained for a year and a half. In the fall of 1903 
he came to Quincy, whei-e he has established an 
excei)tionally fine iii'actice in a very short time, 
the public and the profession accm'ding him an 
enviable position as a representative of the medi- 
cal fraternity. He belongs to the Adams County 
iledical Society, the Illinois State Medical Soci- 
ety and the Aniei'ican Medical Association. 

Dr. Wolfe was married to ]\Ii,ss ilartha E. 
Kobel of Quincy, a daughter of Laurence and 
Anna Kobel of this eitv. Her father is in the 




DR. \V. S. WOLFE 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



1083 



employ of the street railway company. The wed- 
ding was celebrated October 31, 1901. In his 
political views Dr. Wolfe is largely independent. 
His energies are concentrated upon the duties 
of his profession, which are veiy conscientiously 
and promptly performed, and he is now the 
youngest physician in the city. 



WILLIAM S. KXAPIIEIDK, M. D. 

Dr. William S. Knapheide, a skilled and emi- 
nent surgeon of Quincy, in which city he was 
born April 14, 1865, and who under some of 
the most distinguished medical educators of this 
country and of Eui-ope prepared for his chosen 
profession, is a son of Henry and Katharyn 
(Achelpohl) Knapheide. The father, a native 
of Germany, learned the wagoumaking trade in 
Hanover, and in 1848 crossed the Atlantic to 
New Orleans, whence he proceeded up the river 
to St. Louis, working at his trade there for two 
years. He was also married in that city. In 
1850 he came to Quincy and organized the Knap- 
heide Wagon Company, which was started on a 
very small scale, but which was expanded into 
an extensive indiistry, a large number of wagons 
and trucks being annually manufactured in the 
factory. In this business j\Ir. Knapheide con- 
tinued until his death, which occurred in 1891. 
Emplojmient was furnished to twenty-five men 
and the business became one of the leading pro- 
ductive industries of the city. At the time of 
his death the business was re-organized as a 
stock company with Henry Knapheide, Jr., as 
manager and the factory is located at the corner 
of Sixth and State streets. The trade has con- 
tiniially increased and employment is furnished 
to forty-five men, while with the use of modern 
improved machinery the output of the factory 
is four or five times what it was at the time of 
the death of the father. Mr. Knapheide, how- 
ever, was a very industrious and enterprising 
man and deserved much credit for the success 
which he achieved in the control of his indus- 
trial interests. In his family were three sons 
and three daughters: Mary, the wife of Henry 
Huffman, of Sigourney, Iowa; Henry E., who 
married Augusta Beck and is the manager of 
the Knapheide Wagon Company; Emma, the 
wife of John Hopmeister, of Kingston, Illinois; 
Edward J., of Quincy: ^lelinda. who is now Dr. 
Germann, the wife of Henry Germann, a drug- 
gist of Quincy; and William S. The mother is 
still living at the age of eighty-two years and 
is well preserved. She makes her home with 
her fon Henry. 

Dr. Knapheide attended the grammar and 
high schools of Quincy, and at the age of twelve 



.years entered the employ of the Holbach-Schroe- 
der Dry Goods Company, with whom he re- 
mained until fifteen yeai's of age. when he be- 
came a student in the Gem City Business Col- 
lege, from which he was graduated in 1885. 
Later he became bookkeeper for Behrensmeyer 
& Compan.y, with whom he remained for four 
years, after which he attended the Quincy Col- 
lege of Medicine and was graduated in 1889, 
meeting the expenses of his college course by 
acting as bookkeeijer at night for the firm with 
whom he had formerly been associated. Later 
he spent a year in study in the east and was 
graduated from the Long Island College Hos- 
pital at Brooklyn, New York, in 1890. Desiring 
to attain a still higher degree of efficiency, he 
\\'ent abroad and spent some time in the city 
of Vienna, Austria, studying under the famous 
surgeon. Professor Rudolph von Bilroth, for a 
year in a surgical hospital containing five thou- 
sand beds, and in which all kinds of cases were 
met with, thus bringing him a most varied expe- 
rience. He entered a competitive examination 
at the Royal Surgical Hospital at Beiiin under 
the direction of Professor von Bergman, and for 
one season held a position as intei-ne. That hos- 
pital is the most perfectly appointed surgical 
hospital in the world, and his position there was 
not only an evidence of his superior qualifica- 
tions but also greatly promoted his efficiency. 
He next went to Strausburg, where he studied 
pathology under Professor von Ricklinghaitsen, 
after which he traveled through Germany, Switz- 
erland, Austria, France and England. 

Dr. Knapheide returned to America in 1893, 
splendidly equipped and prepared for his chosen 
life work, and opened an office in Quincy, Au- 
gust 1, 1893. For four years, from 189.3 until 
1897. he was physician in charge of Blessing 
Hospital. In the latter year he began practice 
according to the rotary system. His practice is 
extensive and involves the most inti'icate prob- 
lems which confront the surgeon. At different 
times he has been consulting siirgeon and gyne- 
cologist to Blessing Hospital, and his skill and 
comprehensive knowledge of the science have 
made him one of the most eminent surgeons of 
Illinois. He is now associated in practice with 
his sister. Dr. ilelinda Germann. under the firm 
name of Drs. Knapheide & Germann. with main 
office at No. 639 J\Iaine street, and another office 
at the corner of Eighth and State streets. After 
graduating from the Quincy College of Medicine, 
Dr. Germann also went to Eui-ope, where she 
studied under Professor Charcot Tuffier Possi, 
of Paris. France, and also at Vienna, Austria, 
and Zurich. Switzerland. She is a noted gyne- 
cologist and has a large practice in Qiiincy. 

Dr. Knapheide is a member of the Adams 
Countv ^lodical Societv, the Illinois State ^ledi- 



1084 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



t'al Society and the American ^[edical Assucia- 
tion. Fraternal] V he is connected with liodley 
lodge, No. 1, A. F. & A. U.. of Quincy. and be- 
longs to the Methdilist churcli. In imlitics he is 
a republican, bnt lln- dciiiands of liis i)rofes- 
sion leave him ))ut little lime for either political 
or social activity. 

On the ITtli'of Septi'iiihei', 1894, Dr. Knap- 
heide was united in inai-i'ia^e to Jliss Mai'y Ellen 
Brenner, a d.-niuhter (if Henry Brenner, of ;\Ien- 
don, Illindis. They have one child, ^Terle Dong- 
ias, attending kindergarten. I)i-. and iMrs. Knap- 
heide have a \vidi> aei|naiiitaiiee in (Quincy and 
the circle (if their friends is cdnstantlv gi'owing. 



All's. Alkire are members of the Christian ehnreh 
and their Avell spent lives have gained for them 
nnifoirii I'espect and regard. 



ROBEirr S. ALKIRE. 



Robert S. Alkire, who is now living a retired 
life in Ursa and is the owner of valuable farming 
intere.sts, -was born Alarch 31. 1851, in Chalmers, 
^^^aite eonnty, Indiana, and is the sou of John 
and JVIargaret L. (Adams) Alkire, who were also 
natives of that state. "Sir. Alkii-e has three broth- 
ers living: W. J., who lives in Delphi, Indiana; 
Henry N.. who lives in Clialmers, Indiana; 
Franidin 11., who resides at ISattle (Iround, In- 
diana. 

Our subject came to Adams county in 1883, 
locating north of Ursa on a farm owned by his 
fathei'-in-law. He had been educated in the 
public schools of White c(mnty, Indiana, had 
been reared to farm life and after leaving school 
was mari-ied on the 18th of December, 1887, to 
iliss Elnora Alice Wren, a daughter of Nicholas 
and Maria (Burroughs) Wren, Ix.ith of Adams 
county, Illinois. Her father was a fanner and 
owned and lived on his farm noi'tli of Ursa until 
his deatli. Mhieh occurred Scptemlier 1^:'>. IIMII. 
His wife died in duly, I8!>(;i. Mrs. .\lkire was 
born in this county, .\pril '2i, 1853. 

After livint;- on his father-in-law's farm for 
sevei-.d yeai-s, .Mi-. Al]<ire retii'ed from active life 
and removed to Ui'sa. lie bought a tine residence 
and is now enjoying the fruits of his early labor. 
He has a beautiful home here surrounded by 
three acres of ground which is tastefully kept. 
He also has the rents and pi-otits of two hundred 
and sixteen acres of land in Ursa township 
ow'ned by his father-in-law. and this fai-in returns 
him a desirable income. 

In politics Mr. Alkire is a republican and has 
se)-v(xl as school director for six years. He is 
an active mend^er of Mai'celline lodge, No. 127, 
I. 0. O. F., and is true to the teachings of the 
organization, exemplifying in his life its benefi- 
cent spirit. He and his wife are both connected 
with the Reb(^kah lodge and he also belonus to the 
]\rod(-i-n Woodmen camp at Ursa. Both Air. and 



ANDREW J. CUTTER. 



Andrew J. Cutter, a retired farmer of Beverly 
tOAviiship wliose home is on secton 22, was born in 
Woodbridge, New Jersey, July 25, 1824, and is 
a worthy representative of an old and highly 
respected fannly of this county, which was 
founded here in 18.35, when tliis region was 
largely Avild and unimproved. At that time 
be,-ii-s, woh'es and deei' were still ([uite numerous 
and all kinds of feathei'ed game was plentiful, 
furnishing maii>- a meal for the early settlers. 

Saiuiiel Cutter, our subject's father, was also 
a native of New Jersey and by trade w^as a car- 
riage-malcer, though he followed farming to a 
tireat extent throughout life. He married Miss 
Xancy Inslee, who was born in New York, 
though her parents, William and Experience 
(Aloore) Inslee, were from New Jersey. In 1835 
Samuel Cutter lirought his family to Adams 
counly. Illinois, and located in Beverly township. 
He had eleven clii 1(1 1'cii, namely: Charles, who 
was tlrowned in a creek in infancy; Andrew J., 
of this sketch: William, now a resident of Junc- 
tion City, Kansas; Exjx'rience, who died in 
Baylis, Illinois; Henry, Stephen and Samuel, 
who all died in infancy; Charlotte, the wife 
of Hon. Jam(.^s Harvey, who served as a soldier 
of the Civil war and was governor of Kansas for 
two terms, having previously represented that 
state in the Unitetl States senate for three terms; 
Taliitha, wife of William P. Rubai't, of Kansas; 
Samuel, also a i-esideiit of that state, and Eliza- 
beth, wife of William Lawson, of Beverly, Illi- 
nois. 

Befoi-e leaving New Jersey, Andrew J. (^'utter 
began his education in tlie scliools of that state, 
and later attended the schools of Adams county. 
On stai'ting out in life for himself he commenced 
farming, but dui-iim- the gold excitement on the 
Pacific co:ist. he went to California in 1850, 
leaving home in Januar\' and arriving at his des- 
tination on the 15th of the following August. 
The trip was made in a sailing vessel around 
Cape Horn, and after spending two or three 
years in the gold fields he returned to the east 
by way of the Nicaragua route and the Carri- 
bean Sea, having in the meantime made enough 
to jiay all of his expenses. Since then he has 
devoted his energies to agricultural pursuits, 
and is to day the owner of a fine farm of four 
hundred acres on .sections 22, 14 and 15, Beverly 
township. In connection with general farming 
lie condncted a nursery and also engaged in 




MR. AND MRS. R. S. ALKIRE 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



1087 



stock-raisino-. but foi' the past few years has 
practically lived retired, enjoying a rest which 
he has truly earned and richly deserves. He 
cast his first presidential vote for Franklin 
Pierce and now supports the men and measures 
of the republican party. 

Having never married, ilr. Cutter makes his 
home with his youngest sister, Mrs. William 
Lawson, of Beverly, who had nine children, 
namely : Elsie, now the wife of Addison Cor- 
baugh, of Beverly township ; Frank, a resident 
of Barry, Illinois: Grace, wife of Charles Wells, 
of California: Samuel, of Beverly; Clarence, at 
home; Katie, wife of James E. Richardson: 
Sherman, at home, and William and Mamie, who 
both died young. 



JACOB REICHERT, SR. 

Jacob Reichert, Sr., who died March 22, 1905, 
at his home on section 12, ]Melrose township, was 
one of the worthy farmers that Germany has fur- 
nished to Adams county and manifested in his 
life many of the sterling characteristics that 
have ever marked the Teutonic race. His birth 
occurred on the river Rhine, in Germany, May 
9, 1830, his parents being Jacob and Elizabeth 
(Dietrich) Reichert, the former a farmer of Ger- 
many, owning a tract of land there. 

Jacob Reichert spent his boyhood days upon 
his father's farm and acquired a good education 
in the schools of his native country. Between 
the ages of twenty and twenty-three years he was 
a member of the German army and after receiv- 
ing an honorable discharge he came to America 
at the age of twenty-four years with his father 
and family. Thirty days were spent upon a sail- 
ing vessel, which eventually dropped anchor in 
the harbor of New Orleans in the year 1854. They 
proceeded up the river to Quincy, where they ar- 
rived on the 9th of 'Slay. The father was at that 
time fifty-four years of age and he was accom- 
panied by five children — Jacob, John, Mike, 
Elizabeth and Clara. Upon their arrival the fath- 
er and his sons engaged in farming. At the time 
of the Civil war John responded to the call of his 
adopted country for aid and became a lieutenant 
of the Illinois Regiment, but died during the ser- 
vice at Richmond, Virginia. Mike remained in 
Adams county until he attained his majority, 
when he went to ^Minnesota and afterward con- 
tinued his travel westAvard with the intention 
of entering land in a frontier district. He was 
killed by the Indians while i-esiding in the far 
west. The father purchased eighty acres of land 
in Adams count.v and continued farming opera- 
tions here until his death, which occurred in 



1869, he being at that time seventy years of age, 
his birth having occurred in 1799. 

Jacob Reichert made his home with his father 
until the latter 's death, but at dift:erent times was 
emploj'ed by others. The first woi'k he did in 
this countiy was for Nichols Herlemann, and 
later he worked for George Wells, of Burton 
township, being employed as a farm hand for two 
years. After his father made purchase of the 
home farm he continued upon that place. Only 
ten acres had been cleared and the remainder was 
covered with timber and brush. Jacob Reichert, 
to acquire this land, bore all the hardships and 
trials incident to the development of a new farm. 
He was always an earnest and untiring worker 
and became the owner of one hundred and twen- 
ty-six acres of good land which is the visible evi- 
dence of his life of thrift and industry. The 
farm is located seven miles south and east of 
Quincy and he engaged there in the raising of 
stock, making a specialty of cattle. 

In 1859 ilr. Reichert was married to Miss 
Mary M. Hoi'neeker, who was born in Germany 
and was a daughter of Andrew Hornecker, who 
came to Adams county in 1857. i\Irs. Reichert 
died, in 1904, at the age of sixty-five years. By 
her marriage she had become the mother of six 
children : Jacob, who is now a progressive and 
practical farmer of Melrose township ; Charles, 
who owns and operates a farm of eighty acres in 
Ellin <iton township; Henry, a resident farmer 
of ]\Iendon township ; John, who rents and cul- 
tivates a farm of three hundred and sixty acres 
in IMelrose township ; William, who died June 
26, 1904, at the age of thirty years, and ^Mary. 
who has charge of the home farm since her 
father's death. 

ilr. Reichert was a democrat in his political 
views and a Catholic in religious faith. After 
coming to Illinois his attention was always given 
to farm labor and he prospered because he 
worked untiringly, and his labors were guided 
by sound judgment and business ability. He was 
a popular man with his neighbors and friends 
because of his genial disposition and many ster- 
ling traits of character. 



W. H. BEAVERS. 



One of the most progressive, energetic and suc- 
cessful farmers of Richfield township is W. H. 
Beavers, who is the owner of an excellent farm 
of two hundred acres on sections 21 and 28. A 
native of Illinois, he was born in ^Morgan county 
on the 14th of June. 1844, and has spent his 
entire life in this state, watching with interest 
its gi-owth and development. His father, Wil- 
liam Beavei-s, was a native of Enirland, and on 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



(•oiiiing- to the I'nited States in 1S;?() loeated near 
-Jaeksonville. in Alortian county, Illinois. He 
wedded ;\Iiss ;\lary Stout, who was born in In- 
diana, and they beeaiiie the piirents of ten ehil- 
(In n, namely: t'avilia, now living' in Sedali.i, 
.Mi-^sdui'i, lirst niai-ried James Melleni'N' and 
after his death wedded William Huston, wliile 
h< r third husband is Thomas Christie. Robert is 
a resident of ilorgan county. Nancy is the wife 
of Schweril Cain of Plainville, Illinois. Sarah 
J. is the wife of Jett'erson Carter of Plainville. 
W. H. is the next in order of birth. Rachel C. 
died at the age of tw'o years. .Mary J. is the 
wife of Samuel McGlaixghan of I'lainville. 
(icorge W. is deceased. Faiuiie is the wife of 
Jesse Lighter of Morgan county. Lydia L. died 
when young. 

W. II. lieavers obtained his education in the 
])n]ilic schools of Morgan county and since put- 
ting aside his text-bodk-s has devdteil his time 
and energies to agi-iiMilt ural jiursuits witli most 
gratifying success. As previously stated, he now 
has a tine farm of two hundred acres in Richfield 
township, upon which he raises j)rincipally 
wheat, corn and hay. and he devotes considerable 
attention to the raising' of cattle and hogs. 

In 1865 Ml'. Beavers was xinited in marriage to 
^liss Nancy Ceoi'ge, who died on the 8th day of 
IMay, 1!)(>1. There were two sons born of that 
uiiiim: Cliai'les. \\liii was born Axigust 9, 1867, 
antl is now a pi'actieiug physician of Barry, Illi- 
nois ; and Virgil, who was born Felu-uary 3, 187] , 
and is a physician of Plutchinson, Kansas, Mr. 
Beavers was again mari'ied ]\Iay 14, 1902, his 
second union being with Mrs. .Margaret (Mc- 
Card(jll) iloorehonse, whose parents were born 
in Xew Orleans, and from that city reuKiVed to 
St. Louis and later to Canton. ^Missouri. In his 
political views Mr. Beavers is independent, and 
in religious faith is a Baptist. His life has been 
upright and honorable and he justl\' di'serves the 
success that has eome to him and the high vo- 
gard in which he is unifoi-mlv held. 



ED. r. SMITH. 



Ed. p. Smith, who is acceptably filling the 
po.sition of county sherift' of Adams county, 
was born in Meudon township in 1852. His par- 
ents were Patrick and Margaret (Carlin) Smith, 
both natives of Ireland, The father came to the 
ITnited States in 1847, locating in Mendon town- 
ship, where he followed the occupation of farm- 
ing. He was a man of marked industry and en- 
terprise, and through the careful conduct of his 
business affairs aecxnnulated considerable prop- 
erty. His political allegiance was given to the 
democracy and he was a member of the Catholic 



church. His death occurred in 1900, when he 
was .seventy-four years of age. His wife passed 
away in 1886, at the age of sixty-two years. She 
came to the United States at the same time her 
husband crossed the Atlantic, being accompanied 
by her mother and brother, and in this country 
she gave her hand in marriage to Mr. Smith. 
They became the parents of ten children, six 
sons and four daughters, of whom eight are yet 
living. 

Ed. P. Smith, educated in the district schools 
of Mendon township, was reared upon a farm, 
but, believing that he would find other occxxpa- 
tions more congenial, he turned his attention to 
the grocery business, which he followed for a 
year and a half at Bloomfield. He was after- 
ward engaged in various enterprises, including 
the poultry business at Camp Point, which 
claimed his attention for five years. While re- 
siding there he sei'ved for eight years as depxity 
sheriff, being for four years under John W. 
Vaneil and four years under A. F. Roth. In 
1S!)S he came to Quincy and became city deputy 
shei-iff under John W. Roth, and in "1902 he 
was elected sheriff and has since acted in that 
capacity, proving a very capable officer and 
one who is ever fearless and prompt in the dis- 
charge of his duties. 

In 1878 Mr. Smith was married to Jliss Anna 
McCann, a daughter of i\Iichael and Jane (Mc- 
Laughlin) McCann. She was born in Adams 
county, Illinois, in 1853, and her parents were 
natives of Ireland, her father coming to Adams 
county in 1847, at which time he settled in Men- 
don township. For a long period he carried on 
agricultural jnirsuits, but is now living in 
Quincy. Mr. and Mrs. Smith became the parents 
of nine children and two are now living, Jennie 
and Russell. 

The parents are members of St. Rose church 
and iMr. Smith belongs to the Order of Hiber- 
nians and the Knights of Coliunbus. He is also 
a inember of the Illinois Sheriffs Association and 
the International A.ssociation, and is vice-presi- 
dent of the latter and treasurer of the former. 
No public trust reposed in him has ever been 
betrayed in the slightest degree, and he ranks 
with that class of representative citizens who 
have due I'egard of the duties devolving upon 
them. 



JOHN HERMAN DT'KER. 

John HiM'man Duker. pi'oprietoi- ol' one of tlie 
oldest furnitiu'e and undertalcing estaljlishments 
of Quincy. was born October 10, 1855, in the 
city which is still his phice of residence, his par- 
ents being Fran!-: and <'ai-oliiie (Schmidt) Duker. 




ED P. SMITH 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



logi 



His father was born at Ankuiu, Hauover, Ger- 
many, March 5, 182(3. and learned the cabinet- 
maker's trade in his native land. He emigrated 
to America in 1845, when nineteen years of age. 
landing at New Orleans on the 1st of December. 
He proceeded up the Jlississippi river by boat to 
St. Louis and thence came to Quincy, where he 
conducted an undertaking lousiness for three 
years. He established the oldest undertaking 
and furniture business in Quincy, and during 
the period of the Civil war he and a Mr. Bartlett 
were the leading undertakers of Quincy, main- 
taining that position in the city's trade relations 
for some time. At that time an undertaking 
establishment was simply a shop in which coffins 
were made to order by hand. The business which 
he established, however, was the foundation of 
what has developed by steady growth into the 
present dimensions of the Duker undertaking 
and furniture establishment, which has been 
conducted at No. 712 ;\Iaine sti'eet, for many 
years under the firm style of Frank Duker 's 
Sons. Mr. Duker continued in active connec- 
tion with the business until his death, which oc- 
curred on the 14th of July, 1894. He had been 
in America but two years when in 1847 his 
mother and three brothers, Henry, Theodore and 
Herman, came to the United States and settled 
in Quincy, joining him in his new home. Frank 
Duker was an honorable and energetic business 
man, straightforward in all his dealings. In 
1850 he married Miss Caroline C. Schmidt, who 
still survives him and is now residing in Quincy. 
They became the parents of eleven children. 
Those living are Elizabeth, widow of William 
Schmitt: Mary and Anna, at home; and John 
Herman. One son, Theodore, died three weeks 
before the father. At that time there were other 
members of the family living, namely: George, 
Ilein-y. Caroline and John. 

John Herman Duker was reared in Quincy and 
acquired a collegiate education, also attending 
the Gem City Business College. When not en- 
gaged with the duties of the schoolroom he as- 
sisted his father in the management of the under- 
taking business, beginning in 187-3. and ultimate- 
ly became associated with him in the ownership 
of the enterprise. Later the firm of Frank 
Duker 's Sons was formed, the partners being 
John Herman and his brothers. Theodore. John. 
George and Henry, but the first named is now 
the only one of these living. He has had charge 
of the business since 1880 and is now condiict- 
ing a prospei'ons undertaking establishment, as- 
sisted l)y his two sons. Frank and Albert. The 
old firm style, however, has always been retained. 
He is a man of marked business enterprise, mak- 
ing continuous progress in the line of his trade 
and he now has a very liberal patronage. 

On the 22d of April. 18^!0. :\rr. Dnker was 



united in marriage to iliss Mai'garet Schwab, a 
daughter nt Casper Schwab, of Quincy. Th"-"'- 
children are Frank, Albert, Carrie. Elizabetn, 
Lenora, Estella, Bertha and John. Mr. Duker 
is a member of the Western Benevolent Associa- 
tion and the Catholic church, and is a mem- 
ber of St. Nicholas Branch of the Western Catho- 
lic Union. 



TBIOTHY P. CASTLE. 

Timothy P. Castle, secretary and treasurer of 
the Coms'tock-Castle Stove Company, and thus 
a representative of one of the leading industrial 
enterprises of Quincy, has attained a creditable 
position in the business circles of his native city, 
and although he entered upon a business al- 
ready established he has shown marked enter- 
prise and diligence in cariying it forward. Born 
in Quincy, in September, 1873, he is a son of 
Chauncey H. and Mary E. (Parker) Castle. The 
father, who was born in Columbus, this county, 
in 1843, took up his abode in Quincy, in 1857, 
coming with his father, Timothy Hunt Castle, 
who pui'chased an interest in the business of A. 
Comstock & Company, stove manufacturers, the 
name being then changed to Collins, Comstock 
& Company. In 1884 the business was incor- 
porated as the Comstock-Castle Company, with 
Chauncey H. Castle as president. The factory 
is located at Front and Washington streets, 
where are manufactured various kinds of 
"Economy" wood and coal stoves, employment 
being furnished to two hundred and fifty men. 

Timothy P. Castle continued his education 
through the successive grades of the primary 
and grammar schools of Quincy and spent one 
year in the high school, after which he attended 
a private school in the w'est and later entered 
Phillips Academy, at Andover. Massachusetts. 
In 1893 he was enrolled as a student at Harvard 
University, spending two years within the classic 
walls of that institution, and in 1895 he returned 
to Quincy. wliere he became connected with the 
stove manufacturing business as shipping clerk 
in the house in which his father was a leading 
stockholder. In 1897 he was appointed to the 
position of secretary and treasurer, in which 
capacity he has since served. This is a very re- 
sponsible position for so young a man, but he 
has shown himself well qualified for the dis- 
charge of the onerous duties which devolve upon 
him. He has not been favored because of his 
connection with the president of the company, 
but has made a thorough and conscientious stud.v 
of the business and his labors and efforts have 
been a factor in its capable control. 



1092 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



Mr. Castle was married Oetolier tj, 1897, to 
Edith Hathaway Berry, daughter of Colonel AV. 
W, Berry, and they bow have two children : 
Georgiana, born December 2, 1898. and Eliza- 
beth, born August 31, 1901. Mr. Castle belongs 
to Lambert lodge. No. fi59, A. F. & A. M., and 
in his political views is a republican. In addi- 
tion to his other interests he is a director of the 
F. W. Molly Orchard Company, composed of 
business men of Quincy owning extensive orch- 
ards in Texas. He is a typical business man of 
the time, with a well trained mind, marked en- 
terprise, a power of utilizing opportunities and 
with a capability that enables him to jiromote 
the general welfare whik^ advancing individi;al 
interests. 



EDGAR S. BUTTERWORTII. 

Edgar S. Butterworth is a well-to-do farmer 
and orchardist living on section 11, Ellington 
township. He was born in Shelby comity. Jlis- 
souri, October 29, 1848, and is a son of Sylvanus 
Butterworth, whose birth occurred in Orange 
county, New York, his parents being Henry and 
Charlotte (Fowler) Butterworth, who eame 
from Birmingham, England, soon after the Rev- 
olutionary war and lived in Newburg, New 
York. In their family were oue daughter. 
Gloriana B. Smith, and five sons, the others be- 
ing Samuel, who l)ecame president of a govern- 
ment mint ; John F., who was commissioner of 
Central Park, New York city, for many years; 
and Henry, Jr., and Theron, who were promi- 
nent business men. The family was of (Quaker 
origin. 

Coming west in 1840, Sylvanus Butterworth 
settled in Shelby county, ]\Iissouri, where he 
bought six hundred acres of land and began its 
cultivation. In 1843 he returned to New York 
and bought three head of impoited shoi'thorn or 
Durham cattle, the first pure bred cattle taken 
west of the Mississippi river. They were shipped 
by water to New Orleans, thence by boat to Ilan- 
nibal, ^Missouri, and driven across the country to 
the Butterworth farm near Shelbyville. Syl- 
vanus Butterworth was married in Missouri to 
Miss Virginia Vandiver, a native of Virginia, 
who had removed with her parents from the Old 
Dominion to Missouri in 1834. Ihito them were 
born three children who are still living, namely : 
Theodore; ]\Irs. Gloriana Virginia Settle. 
a resident of Monroe City, ^Missouri; and 
Edgar S. Theodore came to Quincy in 
1866 and two yeai's later established the 
Western Agricultiu'ist and Live Stock Jour- 
nal, but in 1892 he removed to Chicago, 
where he now publishes the paper as The Live 



Stock Journal, it being a prominent weekly. 
Tlie father died at the age of forty years. Al- 
though a comparatively young man at that time 
he had jirospered in his business undertakings 
and left his family in comfortable circumstances. 

Edgar S. Butterworth received a good high- 
school education at Shelbyville, Missouri, and 
remained at home until 1866, when he came to 
<^uincy with his brother Theodore, remaining 
in this state for three years. In 1870 he was 
united in marriage with ^liss il. C. Alexander, 
who died leaving one child, IMabel, now employed 
as secretary in the University of Chicago, which 
position she has filled for the past six years. 

Following his marriage jNIr. Butterworth re- 
turned to Missouri, where he engaged in farm- 
ing on the old home place for three years. He 
then sold his property there and returned to 
Quincy, where he engaged in the drug business 
as a member of the finn of W. II. Alexander & 
Company at the corner of Fourth and ]\Iaine 
streets. He was thus identified with the com- 
mercial interests of the city for four years, when 
he became advertising manager of the Western 
Agriculturist and Live Stock Journal, published 
hy his bi'other. He acted in that capacity for 
eight years and contributed in no small degree 
to the success of the paper because of the large 
amount of advertising he .secured. Since 1891 
he has devoted his time and energies to agricul- 
tural pursuits, taking up his abode in that year 
(m hi,s present farm, which is located only a half 
mile from the city liiiuts of Quincy. He has 
thirty-nine acres in this tract and also forty 
acres of timber land in another tract. The farm 
is devoted to the raising of fruit and garden 
prodixcts, twenty acres being planted to apples, 
])eaches and vegetables. ]\Ir. Butterworth rents 
a part of his land and receives from the remain- 
dei- an annual ]iroduct which is sufficient to sup- 
jily him with all the comforts and many of the 
luxuries of life. The fruit and vegetables which 
lie raises are of excellent size and quality and, 
therefore, find a ready sale on the market 

In 1891 I\Ir. Butterworth was again married, 
his second union being with Miss Sophia M. 
Kidney, who was born in Adams county in 1854, 
and they have one son, Edgar, now eight years 
of age. Her father, Thomas Kidney, was a na- 
tive of Pennsylvania, born in 1822, and was 
about nineteen years of ase when he eame to 
Quincy in the fall of 1837. with his pai'ents. 
John and ^latilda Kidney, the journey westward 
lieiug made by way of the river route. Return- 
ing to the east, John Kidney died in New York 
city about 1879. at the advanced age of eighty- 
six years, while his wife was eighty-one years of 
age at the time of her death. In their family 
were three children : Jacob, who died in Kan- 
sas: Ann ilaria ; and Thomas. Coming to Ad- 





MR. AND MRS. THOMAS KIDNEY 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



1095 



ams coimty a young man without capital, Thom- 
as Kidney made the most of his advantases and 
by earnest and persistent labor succeeded in ac- 
quiring a handsome competence. He became the 
owner of a fine farm which was divided at the 
time of his death, ^March 8. 1889, Mr. and Mrs. 
Butterworth coming into possession of the tract 
upon which they now reside. In early manhood 
Mr. Kidney married Sophia L. Rerrian. and to 
them were born six children, of whom two are 
still living : ^Mrs. Sophia M. Butterworth ; and 
William A., who lives on Broadway in Quincy. 
He married Clara Rentze, and they have one 
daughter, Louise. After a useful and well spent 
life, Mrs. Sophia L. Kidney died at her home in 
Ellington township, January 23, 1904. She had 
lived for almost a half century in Adams county 
and her estimable qualities of mind and heai't 
endeared her to the many friends she had made 
during her long residence here. She made her 
home with IMr. and Mrs. Butterworth ui^on the 
old homestead, where she had resided for forty- 
two years. 

IMr. and IMrs. Butterworth were mai'ried liy 
Rev. Dana, a Congregational minister, having 
both been members of the Congregational church 
since early life. In his political views ^Ir. But- 
terworth is a democrat but though he keeps well 
informed on the qiiestions and issues of the day. 
as every true American citizen should do, he has 
never sought office. Fraternally he is connected 
with the Modern "Woodmen of America. His 
entire life has been spent in the Mississippi val- 
ley and he possesses the enterprising spirit which 
has been the dominant factor in the rapid up- 
building and progress of this portion of the 
countrv. 



WILLIA:\r F. BACON. 



William F. Bacon, deceased, was a resident of 
Adams county for many years and was identified 
in early life •with its agricultural interests and 
afterward with mercantile pui-suits. He was a 
native of ^fassachusetts, born Jul.y 18, 1834, his 
parents being Benjamin and Mary (Smith) 
Bacon, the former a native of England and the 
latter of Pennsylvania. At an early day the 
father came to America, settlins in .Alassachu- 
setts, where he was married and resided for sev- 
eral years. He afterward removed to Saratoga 
Springs. New York, and was there engaged in 
the hotel business until his death. His wife also 
died at Saratoga. They were the parents of 
eleven children, one son being a resident of 
Saratoga Springs. New York, while another son 
makes his home in Scranton, Pennsvlvania. 



William F. Bacon acquired his early education 
in the common schools of his native state and 
then began to study pharmacy, completing a full 
course in that branch. He afterward engaged in 
teaching school in ilassachusetts for a few years, 
when, attracted by the business conditions and 
opportunities of the west, he came to Illinois, 
settling first in Chicago. There he was engaged 
in railroading for a few .vears, after which he 
came to Adams county and settled upon a farm 
in Liberty township in 1S59. He continued in 
the tilling Ol the sdil until after the outbreak 
of the Civil war, when he enlisted in the Fiftieth 
Illinois Infantry, the company going soon aftei'- 
ward to the soiith. He participated in the battle 
of Shiloh, and in that engagement was shot in 
the hand, after which he was taken to the hos- 
pital at St. Jose]ih, i\Iissouri, where he remained 
for some time and was then discharged, being in- 
capacitated for further duty by his wound. 

When IMr. Bacon could no longer render his 
country active aid in the field he returned to his 
farm in Libert.v township and was actively en- 
gaged in agricultural pursuits for a brief period. 
He then removed to the village of Liberty, and 
soon afterward established his home in the vil- 
lage of Fairweather. A few years later he re- 
moved to the village of Eldara, Pike county, 
where he conducted a drug business, continuing 
to carry on that business with gratifying success 
up to the time of his death, being a reliable, 
enterprising merchant, whose prosperity was 
attributable entirel.v to his well directed efforts 
and Imsiness sagacity. 

Mr. Bacon was married, October 2, 1862, to 
^liss Sarah E. Harkness, a native of Liberty 
township, born March 30, 1838, and a daughter 
of Ebenezer and Sarah (Golden) Harkness, the 
latter born in Virginia. Mr. Harkness was a 
native of Maine and became on(> of the eai'ly set- 
tlers of Fall Creek township, where he engaged 
in general farming during the greater part of his 
life. In his later years he removed to the vil- 
lage of Payson ancl lived retired until called to 
his final rest. Mr. and ^Irs. Bacon had but one 
child. Edna E., now the wife of Henry H. Bar- 
tholomew, a registered ])harinacist who is em- 
ployed in the Newcomli pharmacy in Quincy and 
they make their home with her mother. Mr. 
Bacon departed this life November 17, 1884. 

In politics he was a very .stanch republican 
and did all in his power to promote the groAvth 
and insure the success of his party. The gov- 
ernment granted him a liberal pension for his 
services in the war and by reason of liis good 
business ability and carefiil management in mer- 
cantile affairs he was enabled to leave his widow 
in comfortable financial circumstances. He was 
numbered among the pioneers of the county and 
had many warm friends in Quincy, so that his 



1096 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



death was the occasion of deep and widespread 
regret. After her husband's death ]\Irs. Bacon 
sold the drng- store in Eldara and removed to 
Qiiiney, having promised her hnsband to do so. 
and she now resides at No. 425 Sixth avenne 
north. She is a member of the Baptist church 
of this city and, like her husband, enjoys the 
favorable regard of manj^ friends here. 



GEOPidE W. BERRIAN. 

(ieorge W. Bei'riim. deceased, was one of the 
eavly farmers of Ellington township. He was 
born in New York city in 1823. and is descended 
from French ancestors, who came to America at 
an early period in the colonization of the new 
woi-Jd. His paternal grandfather was William 
Berrian, his father William A. Berrian. The 
latter was bf)rn in New York city and married 
Miss Sopliia TJiker, who was also a native of the 
eastern nieti-opolis and was a daughtei- of James 
Riker. William A. Berrian engaged in merchan- 
dising in the east and in 1833 came with his 
family to Adams coiinty, being six weeks in mak- 
ing the tri}). On the 7th of November. 1833, he 
arrived in (^uincy. which was then a mere hamlet, 
containing only a few houses, Avhile the outlying 
districts were largely unsettled, the work of im- 
provement and progress having scarcely begun in 
this part of the state. After a year spent in 
Quincy. Jlr. Berrian purchased a farm from 
his brother, Washington Berrian, wlio liad en- 
tered land a mile east of the farm ujion which 
Mrs. George Berrian now resides. Taking up 
his abode thereon he continued its cultivation 
until his death, which occurred when he was 
seventy years of age, while his wife reached the 
age of seventy-seven years. He was a M'hig in 
his political views and was one of the worthy 
pioneer residents of the county, advocating and 
supporting all pr-ogi-essive measures which pro- 
moted the early and sulistantial development of 
the county. 

George W. Berrian was ten years of age when 
his parents came to HHnois and was educated and 
reared in this county. His father purchnsed the 
present Berrian farm soon after their ari'ival 
and George Berrian resided thereon until his 
death. In his youth he worked in the fields 
through the summer months and in the winter 
season pursued his education in the public 
schools, and later his undivided attention was 
given to the farm work, which he continued to 
carry on with luireniitting energy until his death. 

Mr. Berrian was married to Miss Elizabeth 
Anderson, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1827 
and came to Adams county with her brother 



John K. Anderson in 1848. She is still living 
ujaon the old homestead, to which her husband 
took her as a bride and on which she spent her 
entire married life. Their children are: Mrs. 
Sophia Hunsaker: Ella, the wife of Charles 
TTirth; Walter E.. wlio has purchased and 
operates the home fai'ui : 'I'heodore ; Etta; Wil- 
liam and George. 

Mr. Berrian died at the comparatively early 
age of foi'ty-four yeai's. He was a republican 
in politics and his fellow citizens called him to a 
number of township offices, the diaties of which he 
discharged with promptness and fidelity. In 
his biisiiiess affairs he (n-ospered, becoming the 
owner nf a valiiahle farm of one hundred and 
twelve acres seven miles northeast of the court- 
house of Quincy. on which he placed excellent 
improvements. He worked earnestly and per- 
sistently in (U'der to provide well for his family 
for his interests centered in his home. 



GEORGE \V. ALEXANDER. 

George W. Alexander, who is filling the posi- 
tion of fireman at Dick's Brewery, was born in 
Quincy, February 22, 1856, and has always re- 
sided in this city. His parents were George 
Noble and Jane Emily Alexander, the former 
a native of Scotland and the latter of County 
IMonauhan, Ii'cland. The mother came t<i Amer- 
ica when :i little maiden of seven years and was 
mai'ried in Quincy in 1853. Her death occurred 
in November, 1903, when she was seventy-two 
years of age. The father was a soldier of the 
Civil war, having enli.sted in 1861 in Company 
D, One Hundred and Nineteenth Illinois Volun- 
teer Infantry, and when hostilities ceased he 
was honorably discharged on the 15th of Septem- 
ber, ]Sti5. 

To the ])iiblie school .system of Quincy George 
W. Alexander is indebted for the educational 
privileges he enjoyed, and on putting aside his 
text-books he began earning his own living, hav- 
ing since been dependent upon his own exertions. 
He has been variously employed but is now fire- 
man at Dick's Brewery. 

On the 15th of September, 1.SS5, .Mr. .Vlexan- 
der was united in marriage to iliss Octavia 
Frances Roland, who was born February 14, 
1860, and they have become the parents of five 
children: Lee Earlv, the eldest, was born July 
12, 1886. Glenn Roland, born July 5, 1888, 
died when three and a half vears of age. Lil- 
lian Bell, liorn ^^Fay 22, ISlH.'died November 14. 
1898; Chauncey jVrthnr was named for Chaun- 
cey Castle, a wr-ll k-nnwii business man of Quincy; 
and William Bryan. wIid was lioi-n June 14, 1900, 




G. W. BERRIAN 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



1099 



was named for the Hon. William Jennings 
Bryan, of Lincoln^ Nebi-aska. 

Mr. Alexander is a democrat in his political 
views, but while he always exercises his right of 
franchise in support of the men and measures 
of the party, he has never sought or desired of- 
fice. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity and 
to the Royal Arcanum, and he has many friends 
in Quiney, where he has spent his entire lifi'. 



FKAXCIS DWIGllT SCllERMERHORN. 

Francis D. Schermerhorn, for many years 
active and jirominent in business circles iu 
Quiney, wa.s born in Geneva, Ontario couuty, 
New York, February 26, lH:Mi. His father, John 
Van Rensselaer Schermerhorn, was boim in the 
city of Albany, New York, October 8, 1795, the 
family removing some years later to Geneva, New 
York. On November 30, 1852, he was accidentally 
killed in the city of New York. On Ajari] 24, 
1817, he was married to Amia Charlotte Mantz, 
who was born in the city of Frederick, Maryland, 
January 14, 1796. This marriage was blessed 
with ten children, all of whom have passed away 
with the exception of Francis D., of this review. 

He received his education in the public schools 
of his native town. His father's death caused 
the family home to be broken up, and he came 
to Quiney, November 18, 1853, when seventeen 
years of age. He was employed as rodman in 
the engineering party locating and on construc- 
tion of the Northern Cross Railroad, between 
Quiney and Galesburg, now a part of the Chi- 
cago. Burlington & Quiney Railroad, and later 
he held a similar position on the location and 
construction of the Hannibal & St. Joseph Rail- 
road. In the fall of 185(i he returned to Quiney 
and secured employment as clerk in the road- 
master's department of the Northern Cross Rail- 
road, which position he held until the road 
passed into control of the Chicago, Burlington & 
Quiney Railroad, when he was given charge of 
the ticket-office. He opened the first up-town 
ticket-office in the city, located in the old Quiney 
House. In 1858 he resigned this place to accept 
the position of bookkeeper in the Quiney Savings 
& Insurance Company's Bank, now the Fir.st Na- 
tional Bank. In 1863 he resigned this position 
on account of ill health and engaged in the grain 
and connnission business on Front street between 
Maine and Hampshire streets. This he con- 
tinued until November, 1875, when the ware- 
houses and contents were destroyed by fire. These 
.years were busy ones for river commerce, many 
large steamboats coming daily to our landing, 
secnriiio' cargoes of hay, corn, oats, flour, etc. 



Frequently during these years our levee was one 
vast storehouse piled with produce awaiting ship- 
ment. During the season of navigation, every 
day was a busy one on the river fi"ont. In 1866 
he accepted the position of general agent for the 
Merchants Despatch Past Freight Line for the 
southwestern district, with headquarters at In- 
dianapolis, Indiana. In 1868 he resigned that 
position to accept the general agency at Quiney 
for the Toledo, Wabash & Western Railroad. In 
1871 he was contracting agent for the Chicago, 
Burlington & Quinej' Railroad and Merchants 
Despatch Fast Freight Line ; agent for the St. 
Louis & Keokuk Packet Company ; and was 
elected harbor master for Quiney. In 1875 he 
was commissioned by President U. S. Grant as* 
surveyor of the port of Quiney, and held this 
latter position until the port was closed. In 1877 
was appointed general superintendent of the 
Quiney, I\lissouri & Pacific Railroad; in 1880 
was division superintendent of the Quiney, Mis- 
souri & Pacific branch of the Wabash Railroad. 
In 1885 he was appointed superintendent, gen- 
eral freight and ticket agent of the Quiney, Mis- 
soin-i & Pacific Railroad, which road had been 
turned over to the trustees of the first mortgage 
bondholders and which was reorganized as the 
Quiney, Omaha & Kansas City Railroad. He 
gave it the name "0. K." Quiney Route, by 
which the road is known today. In April, 1889, 
he resigned the position he held with this com- 
pany. Later he became resident agent for the 
Mutual Life Insurance Company of New Yorjc, 
acting in that capacity a few years, and then re- 
tired from business life. This briefly embraces 
the history of a busy life. 

]\Ir. Schermerhorn was married in 1859 to Miss 
Mary Emily Marsh, who died in 1865. They 
were parents of three children, but one only is 
now living, Mr. A. D. Schermerhorn, of Omaha, 
Nebraska. On the 7th of January, 1868, Mr. 
Schermerhorn was again married, his second 
union being with Miss Anna B. Burns, who was 
born in Payson, Adams county, Illinois, on the 
10th of September, 1841. Six children were the 
result of this union, of whom four are living : 
Anna B., Avho is the wife of Addison N. Calkins 
of Quinc.v ; Francis D., Jr.. of Omaha, Nebraska ; 
Helen E., who is the wife of AY. Leonard Smith 
of Dallas, Texas: and William, at home. 

The parents are active, influential and helpful 
members of the Presbyterian church. Politically 
Mr. SchermeT'horn is a strong republican, unfal- 
tering in his allegiance to the part.v which he 
has supported continuously since its organiza- 
tion; thj'ouah more than a half century he has 
been familiar with Quiney and its history, has 
been acquainted with the men of prominence 
here, and has formed strong friendships with 
many of tlie leading citizens, a fact which is in- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



dieativo of liis own stri'linii' worth. His lioii 
at l;3:2(i North Ei.dith street. 



JOSEPH EIFF. 



Joseph Eift', who is doing a eontraeting busi- 
ness in plastering in Quiucy, is numbered among 
the native sons of this city, his birth having oc- 
enrred on the 1st of September, 1858, his parents 
being Barnard and Christina (Terlisner) Eiff, 
both of whom were natives of Holland. They 
came to the United States in early life and were 
residents of Quiney nntil called to their final 
rest. In their family were twelve children, of 
whom four are now living: Joseph; Anna, tlie 
wife of Frank Ernst; Lena, the wife of Georgi> 
JManning; and Bariuird. 

Joseph Eiff is iiidelited to the pai'ochial school 
system of Qniney for tlu' educational privileges 
he enjoyed and wiiich jn-epared him for life's 
lU'iictieal duties. Aftei' putting aside his text- 
li(i(il;s he was employed :is a general workuian for 
aliout four years and then learned the plasterer's 
trade. «'hich he followed for five years. On the 
expiration of that period he began business on 
his own account and has since taken contracts 
for plastering, being to-day one of the leading 
representatives of that line of business in Quiney. 
A good patronage is accorded him because of his 
excellent work, his faithfulness in the execution 
of a contract and his straightfoi'ward, honorable 
dealing. He has r<'ceived soiue important con- 
tracts and has made for himself an honorable 
name in business i'ii-eles. 

On the 3d of May, 1882, Mr. Eiff was married 
to ]\Iiss ]\Iary Vogel, wlio was born in Quiney, 
July 2, 1S;58, and they have become tlie parents 
of two children : Edward J., who is now twenty- 
one years of age and is in the employ of the 
Quiney Grocery Company; and Emilt M. C, who 
is nineteen years of age and is attending the St. 
Joseph Academy. The parents are members of 
St. Francis Catholic church and ^Ir. Eiff be- 
longs to the Firemen's Benevolent Association 
and the "Western Catholic Union. As the archi- 
tect of his own fortune he has Iniilded wisely and 
well, ;ind bis life record ]>roves the foi-ce and 
valui' of unf.dti'ring effoi't as a factor in wiiniing 
prosperity. 



ANDREW OBLANDER. 

Andrew Oblander, deceased, was long a r(>si- 
dent of Adams coTinty, identified at times with 
industrial interests in Quiney and at otlier timi's 
with agricultural interests in Rivei-side town- 
ship. He stood esjiecially high in the regard of 



the German-American citizens of his locality. He 
was a native of the fatherland, his birth having 
occurred in Baden, in 1831, and his parents spent 
their entire lives in that country, the father fol- 
lowing the occupation of farming in order to pro- 
vide for his family. 

Andrew Oblander, reared upon his father's 
farm, was educated in the connnon schools of 
Germany and when a young man left his native 
country in the hope that he might find more fa- 
vorable business opportunities in the new world. 
He made his way direct to Quiney and was first 
employed in this city at wagon-making, following 
that trade here for two years. lie then purchased 
a farm of one hundred and thirty acres near 
Newark, Missouri, and, taking up his abode 
thereon, he engaged in general farming for about 
foiu' Vicars. On the expiration of that period he 
returned to (Quiney. where he resumed work at 
the wagon-making ti'ade; but after a time his 
health failed and hoping that he might be bene- 
fited by a business pursuit whicli would release 
hiiu from tlie <'losi' confinement of the shop, he 
removed to a J'arm in Riverside township, near 
.Quiney, and gave his attention to agricultural 
liursuits and gardening, but his health gradually 
grew worse and his life's labors were ended in 
death on the 5th of March, 1!)01. 

]\Ir. Oblander had been married in Quiney to 
IMiss Vassaline Bosmann, who was born in Ger- 
many, October 16, 1835, a daughter of Paul F. 
and Christine Bosmann. The father was a baker 
by ti'ade and conducted a bakery in Germany 
until his death. His widow afterward married 
again in that country aiul later emigrated to 
America, settling first in New Orleans and after- 
ward coming to Quiney, where she and her sec- 
ond husbanci died. Unto Mr. and IMrs. Oblander 
were born nine children, but only four are now 
living. Pauline, the eldest, is the wife of E. 
Hopke, a farmer residing in Riverside township ; 
George also owns and operates a farm in that 
township ; Katie, living with hei' mother, is a 
milliner by trade and is employed in Quiney; 
and Frederick, pursuing a course of study in the 
Gem City Business College, also ri'sides with his 
mother. 

^Ir. Oblander gave his political allegiance to 
the republican party and was deeply interested 
in its success, for he believed that its platform 
contained the best elements of good government. 
His life was piire and upright, in consistent har- 
mony with his professions as a member of the 
New Jerusalem church, of Quiney, and those 
qualities which awaken respect and confidence 
he possessed in an eminent degree. His widow 
is also a member of the New Jerusalem church, 
of this city. After her husband's death Mrs. 
<)blander sold the farm and removed to Quiney, 
purchasing her present home at No. 312 South 




MR. AND MRS. ANDREW OBLANDER 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



1103 



Seventh street, where she and her two children 
reside. She also owns other property in Quiney, 
which she rents, and thus has a good income, her 
husband having left her in comfortable eireum- 
stanoes. All that he possessed and en.joyed was 
gained through his own labors, for when he came 
to the United States he had very little capital. 



REV. WILLIAM SCHALLER. 

Rev. William Schaller, pastor of the Evangel- 
ical Lutheran church of St. John in Quiney, and 
residing at No. 331 South Seventh street, was 
boi-n in St. Louis, Missouri, March 23, 1868. His 
father, Gottlieb Schaller, was a native of Bavaria, 
born in Kirchenlamitz, February 12, 1819. He 
was educated in Germany for the ministry and 
■was graduated from the Germany university at 
Ei'langen, Bavaria. In Bremen he was married 
to Miss Bertha Volck, whose birth occurred in 
Augsburg, Bavaria, December 18, 1826. Almost 
immediately after their marriage they sailed for 
the new world, crossing the Atlantic in 1848. 
Here the father entered iipon the active work 
of the ministry, his first charge being in Phila- 
delphia, and later he went to Baltimore and 
thence to Detroit, Michigan. Removing to St. 
Louis, Missouri, he was pastor of Trinity church 
from 1854 until 1872, when he accepted the chair 
of church history in Concordia Seminary, filling 
that position \intil his death, which occurred on 
the 19th of November, 1887. His entire life was 
devoted to the work of the ministry and kindred 
labors and the world is better for his having 
lived. He was a poet of no slight mark, who en- 
riched by his deep and well flowing verse the 
treasury of German sacred song. His poems 
were collected after his death by his son Adelbei't 
and were published at St. Louis, in 1891, under 
the title of "Leider und Gediehte. " 

In his family were ten children, of whom six 
(iro now living: Lucie, the wife of Pi'ofessor 
'l'lici)c](if(i Brohm, a member of the faculty of 
('(iiicoi'dia Seminary, at Addison, Illinois: Aiuia, 
the widow of Professor D. August Graebner. who 
died December 7, 1904 : John, the director of the 
Dr. IMartin Luther College, at New Ulm, Minne- 
sota: Hedwig, the wife of Rev. William Heyne, 
of Decatur. Illinois: Adelbert, who is assistant 
editor of The Herold at Milwaukee. Wisconsin : 
and William, of this review. 

Rev. William Schaller obtaine^l his jiriniai-y 
education in the Lutheran pai'ish schools of St, 
Louis and continiied his studies at Walther Col- 
lege in that city, where he was a student for 
three years. He next entered Concordia College 
at Ft. Wayne, Indiana, and later pursued his 



theological studies in the Theological Seminary 
of St. Louis, from which he was graduated in 
1889. His first charge was at Baltimore, Mary- 
land, and he became the founder of St. Thomas 
Lutheran church in that city. After remaining 
there for twelve years he came to Quiney and has 
since been pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran 
church of St. John. He has done an excellent 
work here and the difi:'erent societies of his 
church are now in a flourishing condition. He 
has the entire respect and love of his people and 
the good-will of the representatives of other de- 
nominations. He is a man of strong intellectual- 
ity and high attainments and added to these is a 
broad, humanitarian spirit which is evident in 
his kindly sympathy for all. 



CHARLES J, CORDSIEMON. 

Charles J. Cord.siemon, manager of the Cord- 
siemon Implement Company of Quiney, was born 
in this city, on the 6th of July, 1866. His father, 
C. S, Cordsiemon, a native of Germany, came to 
America with his parents, the family home be- 
ing established in Quiney, where he has since re- 
sided. He Avas an iron moulder by trade and 
worked ah)ng that line of industi-ial activity for 
twenty-eight years, connected with stove manu- 
factories of Quiney. lie is now farm superin- 
tendent at the Illinois Soldiers and Sailors Home 
in Quiney. He married Miss Francesca H. Over- 
jolin, who was also a native of Germany and 
came to Quincj' with her parents. Unto this mar- 
riage were born seven childi'en, the three 
brothers and three sisters of our siib,iect being: 
Rosa, Ida, Henry, ^lary, Walter and Albert 
Cordsiemon, 

Chailes J. Cordsiemon pursued his education 
in the German and public schools of this city and 
on putting aside his text-books went upon a 
farm, where he remained until nineteen years of 
age. He then returned to the city and secured a 
position in an agricultural implement house, act- 
ing as salesman for several years. In 1900 lie 
secured a position in a grocery store at the corner 
of Eleventh and State streets, where he remained 
for two years, when he became manager for the 
Cordsiemon Implement Company, dealers in all 
kinds of farm machinery and agricultural im- 
plements. His former connection with this line 
of trade well ((ualified him for the work which he 
undertook in his present position, and under his 
guidance the business is growing. He is enter- 
prisino'. possesses considerable executive force 
and Imsiness sagacity, and has made for him- 
self a creditable position among the young busi- 
ness men of the city. 

In 1893 Mr, Cordsiemon was married to ^Fiss 
Cora H, Bnrgdorff, who was liorn in ^lelrose 



II04 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



towii.ship, Adams connty, and has spent lier 
entire life within tlie l>orders of thi.'-: county. 
They now have one child. Edith V. H., who is 
now attendino- school. The parents are mem- 
bers of the Salem Evangelistic church and they 
have gaiued many friends, both within and out 
of the church. In his political views ^Ir. Cord- 
sienion is a stalwart republican and, keeping well 
informed on the questions and issues of the day, 
is enabled to support his position by intelligent 
argument. He belongs to several fraternal or- 
ganizations — the Knights of Pythias, Knights of 
;\Iaceal)ees, the ^Mutual Protective League and 
tlr> Sons of Veterans, acting as treasurer of the 
last named and past chancellor of the Knights of 
Pythias. He is in hearty .sympathy with the 
purposes of these orders, shaping his life in ac- 
cordance with their beneficent principles. That 
his life is worthy of admiration is indicated by 
the fact that many of his stanchest friends are 
those who have known him from lioyliood and 
are familiar with his history from his youth to 
the present time. 



AMOS SHARP. 



Amos Shai'p, who has now passed away, was 
for a number of years accounted one of the 
(enterprising and prosperous farmers of Concord 
township. He was born, March 23, 1836, in 
Yorkshire, England, and pursued a good educa- 
tio}i in the schools of his native land, thus being 
well equipped for life's practical and responsible 
duties. On the 24th of December, 1858, he was 
united in marriage to Miss Hylas Nelson, who 
■was also a native of Yorkshire, born July 1.5, 
1836, her parents being Richai'd and Helen 
(Miehler) Nelson, natives of Yorkshire. She 
has two brothers and three sisters living, namely : 
William Nelson, who resides in Detroit; Francis 
Nelson, who is still living in England; Sirs. 
Emma Mendick, a resident of Canada ; Mrs. 
Mary Ann ilarflett and Miss Anna, Nelson, both 
of whom are living in England. 

Hearing favorable reports of America, its ad- 
vantages and business opportunities, Mr. Sharp 
strongly desired to come to the new world, but 
in this was opposed by his wife, who dreaded 
leaving her native land, so with a friend he 
sailed for the new world in 1872, without bidding 
adieu to his family, knowing that when he had 
come to the United States his wife ^vould then 
bo willing to follow him. He landed in New 
York, in j\Iay, 1872, and at once sent for Mrs. 
Sharp, who, accompanied by her four small 
children, made the voyage across the Atlantic, 
arriving in the eastern metropolis in the month 
of October. The family then made their wav 



into the interior of the country, and Mr. Sharp 
pui-ehased a farm on section 20, Concord town- 
ship, Adams county, Illinois, where his wife now 
resides. With characteristic energy he began 
the development of his farm and within a few 
years had placed his land under a high state of 
cultivation, the tields becoming very productive. 
He used good farm machinery in operating his 
place and in all his work was practical as well as 
progressive, so that as years went by he gained 
a fair measure of prosperity. He was also active 
and influential in public affairs in his locality 
and his fellow townsmen, recognizing his worth 
and ability, called him to office, serving as town 
clerk and also as highway commissioner. Mr. 
and Mrs. Sharp became the parents ' of seven 
children, namely : John, who resides in Keller- 
ville, Illinois; Ellen, who is the wife of Theodore 
Kesting, and lives in Clayton, Illinois: Amos, 
who resides near the old homestead; Richard, 
who makes his home with his mother ; Hylas, the 
wife of Charles Beckman, living in Concord 
township : Mrs. Eliza Childs, who resides in Ok- 
lahoma ; and Emma, who married Charles Amen 
and lives on the home place. 

It was on the 21th of May, 1886. that Mr. 
Sharp was calh-d to his final rest, being then fifty 
years of age. He was a self-made man, owing 
his prosperity enlirely to his own labors. He 
worked persistentl\' and enei-getically year after 
year and his life record showed what could be 
accomplished through perseverance and dili- 
gence. IMrs. Sharp still remains on the old home 
fai'ni and is the owner of one hundred and sixty 
acres of fine land on section 20, Concord to\'\TQ- 
.ship. Tliis jiroiiei-ty is superintended and op- 
erated by hei- son-iii-law, Mr. Amen. Mrs. 
Sharj) is a most jileasant lady, courteous and 
kindly in mannei', and enjoys the wai"m friend- 
ship of many with whom she has been brought in 
contact during the third of a century in which 
she has lived in Adams countv. 



WILLIAi\[ APPENBRINK. 

William Appenbi-ink, who has been chief en- 
gineer of Dick Bi-othei-s Brewery for numy years, 
and whose residence in Quiney covers thirty-five 
years, is a native of (iermany, his birth having 
thei'e occurred on the 14th of February, 1846. 
He is a son of William and Hannah (Brinkman) 
Appenbrink, lioth of whom were native of Ger- 
many, and they emigrated to America about 
187;}, settling in Quincy, where he lived a re- 
tired life. Both he and his wife died in this 
city. There were four children born unto them, 
as follows : Henry, William, August and Albert. 

In the common schools of his native country 
the son William acquired his early education, re- 




AMOS SHARP 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



1107 



iiiaining a resident of Germany until 1869, when, 
at the age of twenty -three yeai's, he sailed for the 
new world, landing at Castle Garden, New York. 
He then came direct to Qnincy, where he began 
work at the machinist's trade and at the same 
time learning the engineer's trade. He worked 
as a maehinist for abont three years and 
then accepted his present position as engineer 
in Dick Brothers Brewery, where he has re- 
mained for thirty-five years, a fact which indi- 
cates that he lias given excellent satisfaction 
through capable service and fidelity. 

Mr. Appenbrink was married, in 1875, in 
Quincy, to Miss Philipina Ronnte, also a native 
of Germany, and they have become the parents 
of ten children, namely : Hannah, Aldrich, Wil- 
liam, Tom. Lena, Albert, Lizzie, Emma, John 
and Ida. The family home is at No. 1.536 State 
street, Mr. Appenbrink having purchased this 
property in 1884. The parents are members of 
the Salem Evangelical church and Mr. Appen- 
brink gives his political support to the democ- 
racy, l)ut the honors and emoluments of office have 
no attraction for him. He is a busy man and it 
was liis faithfulness to duty and excellent work 
that caused his promotion in the brewery until 
he has long served as chief engineer in an estab- 
lishment which is one of the largest productive 
industi'ies of this character in the country. Mr. 
Appenbrink displays excellent mechanical in- 
genuity, and in his leisure hours invented a flue 
scraper Mhieh he has patented and which he 
hopes will prove very remunerative. He has the 
entire confidence of the business community, and 
his success is the outcome of his unfaltering and 
earnest purpose. 



FERDINAND KLENE. 



Ferdinand Klene, who is engaged in business 
as the proprietor of a wholesale and retail cigar 
factory, having been a representative of this line 
of trade in Quincy since 1869 and now located at 
No. 127 South Fourth street, was born in Han- 
over, Germany, January 21, 1835, and was one 
of four children, only two of whom are now liv- 
ing, his sister being Mi's. Elizabeth ilenke. He 
came to America in 1852, being then a young 
man of seventeen years, and locating in Quincy, 
he remained in this city for two years. On the 
expiration of that period he i-emoved to Califor- 
nia, crossing the plains with two ox-teams. He 
spent nine years on the Pacific coast, engaging 
in mining and cigar making, after which he re- 
turned to Quincy by way of the Lsthmus of Pan- 
ama. Here in 1869 he began business on his own 
account as a cigar manufacturer and has since 
contiinied in this line, building up an excellent 



trade. He is conducting an extensive enterpri.se, 
in which are associated with him his two sons, J. 
Ferdinand and Harry A. Klene. 

Mr. Klene was married to ^Miss Mary Lennert 
in 1871, who was born in Quincy, and the chil- 
dren of this union are the two sons mentioned. 
Sir. Klene is a self-made man, deserving much 
credit for what he has accomplished, for when 
he came to the new world he had no capital, but 
he placed his dependence in reliable qualities, 
close application and untiring energy, and these 
have proved the basis of his success. He has 
given to the public a product from liis factory 
that because of its excellence and his reasonable 
prices has won a large sale on the market and 
brought to him financial return that makes him 
one of the sulistantial citizens of Quincy. He 
built considerable property in this city. 



HENRY F. JOSEPH RICKER, SR. 

Henry J. F. Ricker, Sr., banker, promoter and 
capitalist, rose from obscurity, to a position that 
commanded the attention of financial circles in 
America and that made him a recognized leader 
in the material improvement and the commercial 
and industrial upbuilding of Quincy. Honored 
of all men liecause his success was so worthily won 
and honorably used, he had been so closely con- 
nected with many measvires of direct benefit to 
the general public that his death was the occasion 
of deep and uniform sorrow throughout Quincy, 
when on the 4th of March, 1904, he passed away. 

Blr. Ricker was a representative of the Teu- 
tonic race which has planted the seeds of civiliza- 
tion in many lands. He was born in Lotten, Han- 
over, Germany, August 31, 1822, and in the 
schools of his native land accjuired his education, 
which was by no means superior to that given 
the average German youth. He was in his sev- 
enteenth year when he came with his parents to 
America, landing at New Orleans, whence they 
proceeded up the Mississippi river to St. Louis. 
On the 4th of March, 1840. they arrived in Quin- 
cy, then a town of small pretentions, but even 
early in his business career Mr. Ricker recog- 
nized its possibilities and labored for its devel- 
opment. Without financial assistance he entered 
upon his business career here, being first em- 
ployed as an ordinary laborer by Governor John 
Wood, in order to assist in paying for two town 
lots which his father had purchased of the gov- 
ernor. Not long afterward he secured a position 
as salesman in a retail grocery house belonging 
to Mr. Hunt, and his business capacity, integrity 
and energy won recognition and led to the offer 
of a position from the well known firm of Syl- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



vester & Thayer, with whom he remained for a 
]>eriod of years, being' subsequently employed 
l)y Charles Holmes and Albert Daneke, early 
merchants of the city. The careful husbandin"' 
of his resonrees enabled him to become a factor 
iu the commercial life of Quinoy in 1849, when 
he formed a partnership with Leopold Arntzen, 
in a general store, under the firm style of Ricker 
& Arntzen. Sueee.ss attended tlie new venture 
and the firm later extended its field of labor by 
engaging also in the produce business. As the 
years had pa.ssed Mr. Ricker had become well 
known in Quincy as a man of unquestioned pro- 
bity, of business capacity and .sterling w^orth, and 
in 1858 he was elected to the office of police mag- 
istrate, being continued therein, by re-election, 
for four years. In 1859 he began selling steam- 
ship tickets, at the corner of Seventh and Hamp- 
shire streets, removing later to 508 Hampshire, 
and from this beginning he developed a banking 
and exchange business, beginning operations on 
a small scale as commensurate with his limited 
capital. The business, however, grew constantly 
and with rapidity and in 1865 he pui'chased the 
banking business of John Wood & Company, on 
Fifth and Maine streets, while not long after- 
ward Bernard H. F. Hoene w'as admitted to a 
l)artnereship. In 1875 ground was purchased 
and a modern bank building was erected on 
Hanqishire, between Fourth and Fifth streets— 
the present home of the Ricker National Bank. 
In the meantime" the business of the bank was 
constantly growing until ilr. Ricker was in con- 
trol of one of the largest private banks of the 
state. On the 4th of April, 1881 it was reorgan- 
ized as the Ricker National Bank, and through 
rontinued develupment became one of the greatest 
banking institutions of the west, with resources 
of more than three million dollars. In the mean- 
time the extent and importance of his operations 
had \\on for Mr. Ricker the attention and admira- 
tion of financiers throughout the country and his 
ability became recognized by all the great finan- 
cial leaders. 

What ]\Ir. Ricker accomplished in connection 
with the upbuilding of this splendid banking in- 
stitution would alone entitle him to distinction 
and class him with the foremost men wdio have 
ever made Quincy their home, and yet his efforts 
were extended to varioi;s other lines, which had 
direct bearing upon the w-elfare and prosperity 
ol the city, while promoting his individual inter- 
ests. He became a financial factor in many en- 
terprises and his opinion also proved of value in 
their management. He was one of the organizers 
of the German Insurance & Savings Institution, 
a director in the Gas & Electi'ic Light Com- 
panies, treasurer of the ]\Ienke & Grimm Planing 
Mill Company, and was active in the promotion 



of the Quincy, Missouri & Pacific Railroad Com- 
pany, iu which he owned a large amount of stock. 
He labored in another field that proved of de- 
cided advntage to the city as well as a source of 
large profit to himself — that of speculative build- 
ing. Under his direction unsightly parts of the 
city, lacking all modern improvements, were 
turned into beautiful residence districts or im- 
l)roved with industrial or commercial houses. 
Perhaps no man has done .so much for Quincy in 
this direction. 

Mr. Ricker was at one time the choice of the 
democratic party for state treasure)", a position 
for which his financial ability would have well 
(jualified him. The nomination came ixnsolicited, 
foi- he cared not for tlie honors or emoluments of 
public office, preferring to do his service for the 
public as a private citizen. No measure of prac- 
tical value to Quincy sought his co-operation in 
vain. He furthered every moment for the public 
good and his endorsement thereof furnished an 
example that others followed. His wealth was so 
honorably won that the most envious could not 
grudge him his success, and he stood as a splendid 
type of the American citizen who in the utiliza- 
tion of opportunity and the strength of his man- 
hood conquers an adverse environment and wins 
respect and honor no less than prosperity. 



HENRY OTTMAN. 



Henry Ottman. for thirty-eight years a resi- 
dent of Quincy, where he was engaged in the 
engraving business, was born in Germany, July 
4, 1833. His parents spent their entire lives in 
that country and the father and all of his broth- 
ers w'ere engravers and artists. In the public 
schools of the fatherland Heni'y Ottman was 
educated, pursuing his studies until fifteen years 
of age, W'hen he sailed for America to join an 
uncle, an engraver of Cincinnati, Ohio. Mr. Ott- 
num proceeded directly to that city and began 
learning the trade with his uncle, continuing in 
his employ for a few years, after M-hich he re- 
moved to Chicago, where he was similarly em- 
ployed until 1866. 

That year witnessed his arrival in Quincy and 
here he began business on his own account as a 
designer and engraver in a small room on Fourth 
street, between Hampshire and A'ermont streets. 
In 1896 he purchased the present building in 
which the business is now carried on and in 
which his widow yet resides, the upper floors 
being made into flats, Mr. Ottman succeeded from 
the beginning and with the growth of his jiatron- 
age he employed twelve men, making all kinds 
of badges and doing all kinds of engi-aving, be- 
ing the first and only manufacturer in this line 




HENRY OTTMAN 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



ill Quincy. Himself a practical and proficient 
workman, he was enabled to intelligently direct 
the efforts of those whom he employed so as to 
produce the best results for his customers and 
at the same time secure a fair profit from their 
labors. ]\Ir. Ottman continued the business until 
his death, which occurred October 11. 1904, when 
he was succeeded in the management by- his 
grandson, August H. ]\Ieyer, his widow yet re- 
taining a financial interest in the enterprise. 

Mr. Ottman was married in Cincinnati to 
^[iss Adelaide "Wilzbacher. a native of Ger- 
many, where her parents resided until their 
deaths. Seven children were born unto J\Ir. and 
Mrs. Ottman, of whom four are living: Agnes 
H., the wife of August S. Meyer, a resident of 
Quiney; Elizabeth, the wife of William Hasse, 
who is sole agent in Quincy for Joseph Schlitz 
beer: Mrs. Pauline Glaser, who is a graduate 
nur.se and with her three children. Adelaide. 
Emil and Elsa. reside with her mother : and Rose, 
also at home. Tho.se deceased are Henry, Antoi- 
nette and Annie. 

In the early days of his residence in Quincy 
Ifr. Ottman held several local offices and was al- 
ways a stanch republican. He belonged to Hum- 
boldt Lodge. A. 0. U. TV., and his family belong 
to St. Boniface Catholic church. He was a very 
industrious, energetic and successful business 
man, reliable in all his dealings and his pros- 
perity was well deserved. He left as the visible 
evidence of his life of industry the Ottman 
building, located at Nos. 615-617 Maine street, 
where the business is still carried on. while Mrs. 
Ottman and her daiighters occupv the second 
flat. 



IMA J OR JOSEPH L. :\IORGAN. 

]Major Joseph L. ^Morgan, deceased of Quincy. 
— a man of spotless integrity and worthy of the 
highest honors — an opinion voiced by many and 
.shared by all who knew him, left the impression 
of his life and efforts for good upon the material 
and moral development of the city in which he 
long made his home. He was bom in Alton, 
Illinois, March 8, 1843. His father, James ilad- 
ison Morgan, was a representative of one of the 
old and honored families of ^Maryland and emi- 
grated from Baltimore to Alton, Illinois, in 1836. 
taking an active and helpful part in the develop- 
ment of the latter city. It was there that JIajor 
Morgan acquired a thorough education, well pre- 
paring him for life's responsible and practical 
duties and his entrance into the business world 
was in the capacity of a clerk, but ambitions to 
benefit by further intellectual instruction and 
training, he entered college in Quincy in 1861. 



Events of greater importance, however, crowded 
out his desires in this direction and he put aside 
his text books on the 10th of Aiigust, 1862, in 
order to respond to his country's call for assist- 
ance to crush out the armed rebellion in the 
south. 

Ma.jor ^Morgan was then only nineteen years of 
age but no veteran of twice or thrice his years 
was more loyal to the stars and stripes. He be- 
came a member of Company H, Seventy-third 
Illinois Vohmteer Infantry and was appointed 
.sergeant, while, on February 28, 1863, he was 
elected first lieutenant, and in April following 
was commissioned captain of his company in re- 
cognition of meritorious and faithful service. In 
June, 1864, he was detached from his command 
and detailed as assistant inspector general, serv- 
ing in that capacity during the Atlanta campaign 
with the Second Division, Fourth Army Corps of 
the Army of the Cumberland. In December, 1864. 
he was brevetted ma,ior by President Lincoln, in 
recognition of his courage and efficient service at 
the battle of Na.shville. He served at different 
times on the staff' of General John Newton, Gen- 
eral Wagner and General Washington L. Elliott 
and continued at the front until after the close 
of the war. His service was particularly arduous, 
his command being frequently in the fiercest 
campaign. He had been a soldier only four 
months, when, on the 12th of December, 1862, he 
took part in the five-days sanguinary conflict at 
Stone River under General Rosenkranz, and in 
the succeeding March he participated in the spe- 
cial campaign around Fi-anklin, Tennessee, while 
on the 16th of June he started with his troops in 
an advance which was to drive Bragg 's army out 
of the state. He participated in the hard fought 
engagement.s of Cliickamauga and Lookout IMoun- 
tain, and in the former engagement Colonel 
Castle, who was by his side was wounded five 
times. Major Morgan's command was in the ad- 
vance at Mission Ridge, proceeding up the moun- 
tain side immediately in front of General Bragg 's 
headquarters and capturing a part of his staff. 
Not long afterwards the division to which he was 
attached was ordered to Knoxville to relieve 
Burnside, and in that campaign he was in com- 
mand of the regiment. I\Ia.jor Morgan served 
throughout the Atlanta campaign, taking part in 
the engagements of Rocky Face Creek, Dalton. 
New Ilope Church, Peach Tree Creek, the seige 
and capture of the city of Atlanta and the cam- 
paign to Jonesboro. He was almost constantly 
on active duty from ilay 3 until September 8, 
getting little rest night or day and the service was 
fraught with much peril. In the fall of 1864 his 
division was ordered to Pulaski, Tennessee, to 
check Hood's progress and also impede the rebel 
advance and from Pulaski to Nashville — seventy- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



two miles — there \\as almost constant fighting for 
four or five days. Major Morgan's division 
formed the rear guard of the army until Frank- 
lin, Tennessee was i-eached. and at that place, 
November 30. 1864, his division bore the brnnt of 
the battle. At midnight following the battle his 
command marched to Nashville where General 
Thomas reorganized the army, and on the 14th 
and 15th a hard fonght battle occurred there, 
Hood's army being completely i-oiited the second 
afternoon. In winter quarters at Huntsville, Al- 
abama, with the opening of spring, in 1865 Major 
Morgan's command participated in the campaign 
in eastern Tennessee and on the 12th of June, 
1865 was mustered out at Nashville. ]\Iajor jMoi'- 
gan's entire service was marked by unfaltering 
loyalty, by unquestioned performance of every 
duty assigned him by his superior officers, and 
by unwavering fidelity to the cause which he 
espoused, and yet he was no more faithful to his 
country in times of strife than in days of peace. 

Following the close of hostilities Major Mor- 
gan accepted a clerkship in Quincy and was thus 
em.ployed until April, 1871. when he joined 
James H. Clark in the establishment of a bakery 
and confectionery business, which under the firm 
name of Clark & Morgan was conducted with 
success until 1903. They became leaders in their 
line in the city and they also dealt in imported 
fruits, enjoying a constantly growing trade 
which brought with it a rich financial return. So 
closely did Major Morgan apply himself to the 
upbuilding of the business that his health began 
to fail and this led him to sell his interest to his 
partner, September 25, 1903, although the busi- 
ness was continued under the old firm name. 
Major Morgan then turned his attention to the 
insurance business and only the day before his 
death was preparing for the opening of a local 
office for the Northwestern Mutual Life Insur- 
ance Company. The energy and integrity of Ma- 
jor Morgan were valuable assets in the business 
enterprises with which he was connected. He con- 
centrated his entire attention, for the time being, 
upon anji;hing which he undertook, and his busi- 
ness judgment was sound, his methods above 
question. The city also profited by his labors and 
his co-operation proved an effective factor in 
many public measures whose results were far- 
reaching and beneficial. 

In politics, earnest and enthusiastic, he never 
wavered in his allegiance to republican principles 
but he was never bitter in his opposition. In his 
personal life he proved that one could be a gen- 
tleman, Avith high ideals and lofty purposes, and 
yet be actively connected with political and com- 
mercial life. Indeed he took his high ideals into 
these relations, and they were purified or elevated 
thereby. He did not care for office, although 



many positions were proferred him, but he 
worked with unfaltering loyalty in support of a 
friend who was a candidate. At the time of his 
death many were urging his appointment to of- 
fice under the new state administration and over 
their signatures many of the leading citizens of 
Quincy said he ' ' was worthy of the highest public 
honors." He belonged to the Royal Arcanum 
and the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and 
he was for many years a devoted member of the 
Congregational church, a .service of which he at- 
tended the night before his death. 

In his home Major Morgan largely displays 
the relations of the ideal husband and father. He 
was married, February 7, 1867, to ]\Iiss Helen 
Van Doom, the eldest daughter of John K. Van 
Doom, at one time pi-ominent in Quincy. They 
became the pai-ents of two children : Jessie A., 
wife of Dr. Herman F. Goetz, of St. Louis, and 
Frederick D. Morgan, clerk in the Gibson House, 
at Cincinnati. Death came to him suddenly, oc- 
casioned by a stroke of apoplexy on the morning 
of December 16, 1904. No word of criticism 
could be said against him in any relation of life, 
for his motives were always the highest, 
prompted by a regard for his fellow men that had 
its root in Christian teaching. A Quincy paper 
said of him : "It would be difficult to designate 
a man in the city of Quincy m(ire thoroughly re- 
spected than was Major ]\Iorgan. He fought a 
good fight and he kept the faith. In his business 
career he was tireless, and always an example of 
commercial probity. He faced many obstacles 
in his time, but always with courage and cheer 
and he was ever ready to sacrifice his own efforts 
for the good of others. He was therefore a shin- 
ing model in both civil and domestic life. ' ' Fight- 
ing the battles of his countrj' as he entered upon 
manhood, the soldierly qualities which he there 
developed were manifest throughout his career, 
and the willingness with which he undertook 
every service which came to him, was an inspira- 
tion to those with whom he was associated. 



PETER HENRY MUEGGE. 

Peter H. iMuegge, who is engaged in the up- 
holstering business at No. 609 Maine street, has 
been a resident of QuiTu\v since the fall of 1865, 
and throughout the intervening years has been 
actively connected with the industrial inter- 
ests of the city. He is a native of Germany, 
his birth having oecured near Herford in West- 
phalia, on the 1st of July, 1851. His paternal 
grandfather -was Prederich Christoff Muegge, 
in whose family were the following children : 
Franz Christoff, David, Minna, Haiina and 




p. H. MUEGGE 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



1115 



Frederika. Our subject's father, Franz C. 
Muegge, was born in Germany, June 27, 1819, 
and served for three years in the German 
army. He first married a ;\Iiss Jiemann, by 
whom he had one child, J. Henrj', and after 
her death he wedded ]\Iiss Louise A. Koch, 
who was born April 18, 1822, and they became 
the parents of six children: Peter Heni-y, Au- 
gust, Frederika, who died at the age of nine 
years ; one who died in Quinc}' during infancy ; 
Louise and Hanna. The father brought the 
famih' to the LTnited States and located in 
Quincy, 111., in the fall of 1865. He secured 
employment in a brickyard, where he remained 
until a short time prior to his death, which 
occurred on the 9th of December, 1891. His 
second wife died in Quincy, January 6, 1894. 

In the schools of Germany Peter H. Muegge 
acquired his early education and was a youth 
of fourteen years when he accompanied his 
parents on their emigration to the new world. 
He attended private school in Quincy for a 
time, and after putting aside his text-books 
worked in the brickyard with his father for 
two years. Later he learned the trades of 
upholstering, mattress-making and carpet-lay- 
ing with Charles Hanbach, and at the end of 
three years took charge of F. W. Jansen's up- 
holstering department, remaining with the 
firm for seventeen years, when they discon- 
tinued business. Mr. IMuegge then embarked 
in the upholstering and wall paper business 
on his own account as a member of the firm 
of iluegge & Garrett, but this partnership has 
since been dissolved and he is now alone. He 
has directed his efforts toward the develop- 
ment of a business which has now reached ex- 
tensive proportions. He has a good patronage 
and his labors are proving profitable, so that 
he is now numbered among the substantial 
business men of the city. He is a worthy 
representative of industrialism here, and his 
life record proves the force of energy and de- 
termination as resultant factors in the world 
of trade. He has a thorough, practical knowl- 
edge of the bu.siness and the excellent work 
which he does insures a continuation of patron- 
age from those whose trade he once secures. 

Mr. Muegge was married October 17, 1874, 
to Miss Mary Sickman, who died September 
14, 1888. The children born of this union were 
Franz H., who was born December 21, 1875, 
and died July 24. 1877; J. F. Oscar, born No- 
vember 3, 1877 ; H. L. Amelia, born August 
18, 1880; J. Louis, born May 10, 1883, and 
John H. A., born January 9, 1886. On the 
7th of April, 1889, Mr. Muegge was united in 
marriage to JMrs. Julia Prante, a widow, who 
had one child, Karl Prante, by her first mar- 
riage. The children bv the second union are 



George A. P., who was born December 17, 1889; 
G. P. Albert, born January 26, 1891; Lidia, who 
was born February 17, 1892, and died August 
23, 1892 ; Lorenz, born June 1, 1893 ; Gilbert H., 
who was born September 16, 1895, and died 
June 1, 1896, and Edwin P. H., born Julv 13, 
1900. 

In his political views I\Ir. IMuegge is a 
stanch rei^ubliean and keeps well informed 
on the questions and issues of the day, but is 
not an office seeker. He and his wife are 
members of St. Paul's Evangelical church, 
with which he has been connected since 1874, 
and has taken a very active and prominent 
part in its work, serving as trustee for twelve 
years and superintendent of the Sunday-school 
for eighteen years. He does all in his power 
to promote the moral interests of the city and 
was the organizer of the German Young Men's 
Christian Association. He is a member of the 
National Union, T. 0. M. A., and of other so- 
cieties. For many years a resident of Quincy, 
he has a wide acquaintance here and has al- 
ways been a champion of progressive move- 
ments in the city. 



HON. ALBERT W. WELLS. 

Hon. Albert W. Wells, at one time a leading 
member of the Quincy bar, was born in Wood- 
stock, Connecticut, May 9, 1839, his parents being 
John Ward and ]\Iaria (Cheney) Wells. The 
father was a farmer by occupation and was a man 
of .sterling integrity and a quiet Christian char- 
acter. His ancestors came to ^Massachusetts in 
1633 and representatives of the family have since 
been found in New England with the succeeding 
generations. The ancestry of the Cheney family 
came to the new world on the jMayflower and both 
names were represented in the Patriot army dur- 
ing the war of the Revolution. 

Hon. Albert W. Wells began his education in 
the district schools of his native county and con- 
tinued his more specifically literary education in 
Woodstock Academy, whei'e he was graduated 
about 1869. He prepared for his chosen profes- 
sion in the Columbia Law School of New York 
city and in early life he engaged in teaching in 
New Jersey. It was in his early manhood also 
that he became a soldier of the Civil war, enlist- 
ing with the New Jersey regiment soon after the 
inauguration of hostilities. On the expiration of 
his first term he enlisted and remained in this 
conunand until the close of the war, participating 
in a number of important engagements. 

]Mr. Wells became n resident of Quincy. and 
here entered upon the practice of law, where he 
was destined to achieve success, owing to his care- 



iii6 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY 



till preparation for the profession, his huidiWe 
ambition and his devotion to his clients' interests. 
He carefully studied his cases so that he entered 
the court-room well equipped to meet any attack 
of his adversary and in his x'easoning he was log- 
ical, his deductions following in natural se- 
quence. He presented his case clearly and co- 
gently and the force of his argument seldom 
failed to convince. He was, therefore, accorded 
a distinctively representative clientage and the 
public as well as the profession acknowledged 
his right to rank with the leading members of the 
Quiney bar. 

On the 27th of July. 1S76, in this city he was 
married to Miss Amanda Pomeroy, and they Idc- 
oame the parents of a daughter and two sons: 
R.uth, Albert W. and Edward P. In early life 
Mr. Wells became a member of the Baptist 
church and he was deply interested in the welfare 
and progress of his adopted city, becoming the 
champion of measures which he deemed would 
prove of public good. His life was one of con- 
tinuous activity in which was accorded due recog- 
nition of his labor and talent. His interests were 
thoroughly identified with those of the west and 
at all times he was ready to lend his aid and co- 
operation in every movement calculated to benefit 
this section of the country or advance its won- 
derful development. In private life he gained 
that warm personal regard which arises fi-om true 
nobility of character, deference for the opinions 
of others, kindliness and geniality. 



MRS. MARGARET J. WILLARD. 

Mrs. Margaret Jane Willard, whose home is 
pleasantly located about five and a half miles 
from Golden, in Houston township, has resided 
in Adams county since early pioneer times, hav- 
ing been brought to the county in 1834. Quiney 
was then a small village with little promise of 
rapid development in the near future. The ma- 
jority of towns in the county that are now fiour- 
ishins and enterprising centers of trade had not 
then sprung into existence, and much of the land 
was still in its primitive condition, being covered 
only by the native prairie grasses. There have 
lieen many pictures hung upon memory 's wall by 
l\Irs. "Willard as the years have passed, bringing 
many changes to the county and its people. 

Born in Kentucky, November 23, 1832, ^Mrs. 
Willard was a daughter of Samuel and Amanda 
(]\rori-ow) Woods. Her father M'as born in Ken- 
tucky, November 27, 1800, and his wife's birth 
occurred December 9, 1812. They came to Illi- 
nois when Mrs. Willard was only six months old 
and spent two years in Sangamon county, after 
which they came to Adams county in 1834 and 



assisted materially in the pioneer development 
of this part of the state, Mr. Woods aiding in 
laying broad and deep the foundation for the 
present development and progress of the county. 
He lived to see wonderful changes here, passing 
away July 24, 1885, while his wife's death oc- 
curred on the 21st of September of the same year. 

Their daughter, ]\Iargaret Jane, was reared iin- 
der the parental roof, sharing with the family in 
the privileges, privations and pleasures which 
formed the lot of the settlers in frontier districts. 
After reaching womanhood she gave her hand in 
marriage to Thomas 0. Willard on the 24th of 
June. 1855. He was born February 11, 1825, his 
parents being Tennessee people. He was edu- 
cated in the common schools, was trained to farm 
life, and throiTghoiit his business career engaged 
in the tilling of the soil. The young couple be- 
gan their domestic life on a farm, and at the time 
of his death Mr. Willard was the owner of five 
hundred and ninety-eight acres of rich land in 
Adams county. All this indicated much labor on 
the part of Mr. Willard and capable management 
of the household affairs on the part of his wife. 
He possessed good business judgment, untiring 
energy and determination and, as the years 
passed by, his unremitting diligence and .judicious 
inve.stments made him the owner of valuable 
property interests. 

I\Ir. and ilrs. Willard became the parents of 
three children, but all are now deceased, and the 
husband and father passed away February 10, 
1900. TTad he lived a day longer he would have 
reached the age of seventy-five years. Men re- 
spected him for his straightforward business deal- 
ing, and his friends entertained for him warm 
]iersonal regard. Mrs. Willard is now the o^vner 
of one hundred and seventy acres of land on sec- 
tion 27, Houston township, and this valuable 
farming property returns to her an excellent in- 
come. She is a member of the Methodist church 
at Golden, of which she has long been a repre- 
sentative, and her life has been in keeping with 
the teachings of the church. She is liked by 
young and old. rich and poor, and is. indeed, one 
of the worthy pioneer ladies of the county. 



W. T. CRAIG. 



W. T. Craig, who cari-ies on general farming on 
section 5, Concord township, where he owns and 
cultivates an excellent farm of two hundred and 
eighty acres, was born April 21st, 1860, in Liber- 
ty township, his parents being Henry and "Vir- 
ginia Craig. The ancestory can be traced back 
to Ii-eland, whence his great-grandfather came to 
America. His grandfather, John Craig, was a 
native of Kentuckv and served in the war of 1812, 




MR. AND MRS. T. O. WILLARD 
MR. AND MRS. SAMUEL WOODS 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



1119 



being stationed most of the time at Jefferson 
Barracks, at St. Loiiis, and holding the rank of 
first lieutenant. Removing to Indiana, he became 
one of the prominent settlers of Scott county and 
assisted in founding the to-nii of Vienna, where 
he conducted a hotel for a number of years. He 
married Lulu Crampton, and among their chil- 
dren was Henry Craig, whose birth occurred in 
Seott county, Indiana, in 1818. 

Henry Craig acquired his education in the sub- 
scription .schools of Indiana and accompanied his 
parents to Adams county, Illinois, the family 
starting by boat. The vessel on which they took 
passage, however, sank, and although the parents 
and children escaped, their goods went to the 
bottom of the river and when they arrived in 
Adams county their cash capital consisted of only 
fifty dollars. The father, however, secured a 
farm, devoting his attention to its futher im- 
provement throughout his remaining days. 
Henry Craig assisted in its development and later 
he carried on farming for himself in Liberty 
to^vnship for a number of years, purchasing one 
hundred and .sixty acres of land for which he 
paid two hundred dollars. When thirty-two 
years of age he took up his abode in Kingston, 
where he engaged in the purchase and sale of 
horses and cattle until 1853, when he went to 
Brown county, Illinois, where he purchased a 
tract of one hundred and ten acres of land. He 
made many improvements upon that farm and 
at length sold it for five thousand dollars. He 
then returned to Libert}' township, Adams 
county, where he engaged in speculation and 
through careful investment and well directed 
business efforts he accumulated a handsome com- 
petence. Later he lived retired in Clayton, where 
he passed away September 20, 1897. He was mar- 
ried in 1837 to Virginia Palmer, who was born in 
1820 and died December 8, 1897. Their children 
are as follows : John W., who was born in Adams 
county, Januaiy 4, 1839, and died in 1852 ; Rob- 
ert A.", born October 14, 1840, and died March 20, 



1862 ; Margaret E., who was born ^larch 4, 1842, 
and is the wife of George Ausmus, a liverjinan 
of Clayton; Emily S., who was born November 
17, 1843, and is the widow of Lafayette Ausmus ; 
Martha J., born September 18, 1845, Oscar P., 
February 27, 1847, Lucinda, August 10, 1849, 
and Susanna, November 20, 1851, all now de- 
ceased ; Charles H., who was born December 23, 
1854, and died in 1870; and Warren T., of this 
review. 

Warren T. Craig pursued his education in Clay- 
ton and in Gem City Business College of Quincy 
and has since devoted his time and energies to 
farming. In this he has prospered and is today 
the owner of two hundred and eighty acres of val- 
uable land, the fields being very productive and 
return him good harvests. He also has a fine 
home in Clayton and other property and his 
realty interests are the visible evidence of his life 
of thrift and industry. 

On the 24th of November, 1881, Mr. Craig was 
married to Miss Lizzie Sargent, who was born in 
Maine and came to Adams county in her girlhood 
days with her parents, Walter and Lydia 
(Wheeler) Sargent. Her father, who was born 
February 10, 1822, died January 21, 1901, while 
her mother, who was born September 17, 1824, is 
now living in Concord to-miship. Mrs. Craig 
was born November 26, 1853, and by her marriage 
has become the mother of two children: Walter 
H., who was born November 27, 1882, is now a 
student in Knox College, at Galesburg; and 
Elsie v., born January 17, 1888, is at home. Mrs. 
Craig belongs to the United Presbyterian church. 
Mr. Craig is a democrat in his political views 
and both are well known and highlj' esteemed in 
Clayton and the surrounding district, having 
gained many friends during a long residence 
here. Mr. Craig is regarded as a reliable and 
enterprising business man, his carefully directed 
efforts as a fanner and stock-raiser having re- 
sulted in bringing him a very desirable compe- 
tence. 




INDE^ 

HISTORY OF QUINCY 
Part I. 



Hiiiytoi' I — Illinois Country 5 Chapter 

CUapter II — First White Men B Chapter 

Chapter III — Events of 1821 9 Chapter 

Chapter IV — Events of 1822 11 Chapter 

Chapter V — Events of 1823 V.i Chapter 

Chapter VI — Events of 1824 15 Chapter 

Chapter VII — Events of 1825 IS Chapter 

Chapter VIII — Events of 1826 24 Chapter 

Chapter IX — Events of 1827 27 Chapter 

Chapter X— Events of 1828 20 Chapter 

Chapter XI — Events of 1829 35 Chapter 

Chapter XII — Events of 1835 37 Chapter 



XIII— Events of 1836 56 Ciiapter 

XIV — Banks and Banking. . 50 Chapter 

XV — Events of 1837-8 62 Chapter 

XVI — Events of 1839 64 Chapter 

XVII — Events of 1837 60 Chapter 

XVIII — Events of 1840 77 Chapter 

XIX — Events of 1841 81 Chapter 

XX — Events of 1S42 S6 Chapter 

XXI— Events of 1843 91 Chapter 

XXII — Events of 1844 96 Chapter 

XXm— Events of 1845 101 Chapter 

XXIV — Events of 1846 105 



XXV — Events of 1847... 
XXVI— Events of 1S4S. . 
XXVII— Events of 1849. 
XXVm — Events of 1850. 
XXIX— Events of 1851.. 
XXX — Events of 1852 . . . 
XXXI— Events of 1853.. 
XXXII— Events ol 1854. . 
XXXIII — Events of 1855. 
XXXIV — Events of 1856. 
XXXV — Events of 1857.. 



.109 
.115 
.119 
.131 
.137 
.140 
.145 
.150 
.158 
.163 
.168 



Part II. 



Introductory 17 1 

Chapter XXXVI — Municipal Affairs.. 179 
Chapter XXXVII — Bonded Indebted- 
ness 1S3 

Chapter XXXVIII — Water Works... 104 



Chapter XXXIX — Transportation ... 100 
Chapter XL — Educational Facilities. .199 
Chapter XLI — Protestant Churches.. 2U5 

Chapter XLII — Catholic Church 215 

Chapter XLIII — Banking History . . . 220 



Chapter XLIV — Pioneer Reminis- 
cences 223 

Chapter XLV — Public Buildings 232 

Chapter XLVI — Business Enterprise8.237 
Chapter XLVII — Notable Events, etc. 250 



HISTORY OF ADAMS COUNTY 



Introduction 255 

Chapter XLVIII — Geology 257 

Chapter XLIX — Agriculture, Horti- 
culture 261 

Chapter L — Bench and Bar 270 



Chapter Lll — Educational 278 

Chapter LIII — War Items 289 

Chapter LI V — Birds 298 

Chapter LV — Soldiers and Sailors 

Home 305 



— County J'^dicr.i joclety.809 

Chapter LVI — Poo- Far-" 311 

'• lut- ' iBceps 312 

Chapter 1 \ i hips 315 



BIOGRAPHICAI 



Abbott, W. K 991 

Achelpohl, A. H 570 

Achelpohl, C. H 419 

Adair, Mrs. Martha A 457 

Adams. John 469 

Agard, Mrs. Virginia 706 

Alexander, G. W 1096 

Alkire, R. S 10S4 

Altenhein, Frederic 645 

Ament, A. C 326 

Aneals, F. A 702 

Appenbrlnk, William 1 104 

Arenas, G. G 368 

Arnold, Seth S 748 

Arrowsmith. George '"•57 



Arrowsmith, J. B 1<^48 

Aumann, Christian H 390 

Ansmus, .7. A G&2 

Awerkamp, Bernar _ 751 

Babcock, Chester A 658 

Bacon, v^ iHiatn , F 1095 

Bailey I'ttaiuaB 422 

Baker, (.pilot E "54 

Bskerbowor, Mrs. .\uua 705 

Baldwin, George II 849 

Ballow, Charles 712 

Barbour, Dr. W. J 1072 

Harnett. D. X 895 

BariiPtt. William 753 



Bartlett, Henry 627 

Bartlett. S. P 652 

Batschy, John 886 

Baughman, George 381 

Beatty, E. W 957 

Beavers, W. II 1087 

Becker, Carl 682 

Behrensmeyer, H. P 724 

Bennett, Mrs. S. J 718 

Bennett. Walter H 532 

Benton, Abrara 584 

Berrian. G. W 1096 

Bert, John L 1051 

Bisell. Webster 711 

Bishop. Frank M 361 



\'^ 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



Kixl.y. W. A 985 

Blakesley, A. W 761 

Blessing Hospital 505 

Blickhan. Dr. A. J 421 

Bliven, Iliram 380 

Boser, Rudolph C 728 

Bolt, David 833 

Bolt, J. W 677 

Bond, George 834 

Boquet, Louis 1040 

Bornmann, Henry 494 

Botsford, E. M 456 

Bowles, William 728 

Bradford, Alexander 1032 

Bradford, E. F 455 

Bradley, S. H 522 

Bragg, S. 1 1031 

Brinton, William P 896 

Brockschmidt, A. J 1071 

Brockschmidt, J. H 969 

Brown, H. S 961 

Browning, O. H 386 

Bull, Charles H 534 

Bull, Lorenzo 34.') 

Burch, Dr. G. W 483 

Bush, Clement 966 

BUS.S, Mrs. Altje H TS5 

Butler, G. W. H 468 

Butterworth. E. S 1092 

Cadogan, John P 812 

Cain, Philip 595 

Caldwell, J. W 421 

Campbell, James 866 

Campbell, John 865 

Carlin, Thomas S 877 

Carter, Joseph N 366 

Cassidy, J. W 490 

Castle, Chauncey H 596 

Castle, T. P 1091 

Center, Dr. C. D 822 

Chaddock Boys' School 930 

Channon, H. 796 

Channon, W. H 372 

Chase, M. L 1068 

Chittenden, C. A 520 

Chittenden, H. P 470 

Chittende i, John A 692 

Chittenden, S. E 628 

Christie, Dr. E. J 408 

Cleveland, Edwin 780 

Clingan, Rev. Edwin M S65 

Cober, Henry H 814 

Coe, Mrs. Helen M 743 

Collins, W. H 438 

Conover, T. E 445 

Cook, Samuel N S'ts 

Cordsiemon, C. J 1103 

Cornelius, G. B 877 

Cort, Mrs Mary B 5f>3 

Cox, Loren C 736 

Craig, W. T 1116 

Crawford, Edmond 1000 

Crawford, John 850 

Cruttenden, John S 395 

Cupp, Henry C 687 

Cupp, Jacob 695 

Curry, B A 688 

Curry, C. S 945 

Cutter, A. J 1084 

Cyru.s, George W S74 

Darrah, Dr. Joel 929 

Daugherty, J. P 779 



Daugherty. J. M 774 

Davis, Hope S 352 

Davis, Mrs. Jennie 716 

Dazey, C. T 951 

De Groot, W. H 332 

DeMoss, W. D 533 

Dick, Jacob 768 

Dick. John , 798 

Dickerman. F. 467 

Dickhut, Walter 995 

Dines, H. B 538 

Dines, Homer D 497 

Dirks, Bernd 1930 

Diiker, Charles 1956 

Duker, Frank 952 

Duker, Henry 355 

Duker, John H joSS 

Duker, J. Herman 439 

Duker, W. T 563 

Duncan, W. B 676 

Dunn, D. 981 

Durant. Dr, .7. F S3l 

Ebert, Jacob 542 

Echols, B. B 411 

Eckles, Mrs. Virginia K 946 

Eiff, Joseph 1190 

Elliott. Dr. F. M 681 

Elliott. T. S 676 

Ellis, Perry C 767 

Emery, J. W 978 

Emery, Rev. S. H 512 

Emery. Walter F 962 

Emminga, H. H 952 

Ensminger, John L 537 

Ertel. George 914 

Farlow, Samuel 379 

Fawcett, M. Edward 476 

Featheringill, G. T 658 

Felt, J. A 832 

Felt, Lulu M 621 

Fischer, A. J §57 

Fisher, John J 707 

Fletcher, Dr. Joseph 766 

Flynn. J. J 666 

Foote, Rev. Horatio 600 

Foote. Thomas W 600 

Fowinkle, C. E 796 

Franzen, John H 1076 

Eraser, John S 570 

Prazier, T. J 724 

Freund, F. A 463 

Frisbie, J. B., Sr 614 

Frost, W. E 568 

Gardner, R. W 412 

Gi^rner, J. F 511 

Gay,, A. P 335 

GillilaV- Dr. W. E 474 

Gordon, 0^ B 591 

Govert, William H 497 

Gramke, B. A..v 901 

Grammer, Edward C 813 

Grammer, G. W. . . .":">."r: .-. 451 

Bray, R. M 667 

Green, Amos 376 

Grewe, William 926 

Griffith, W. M 1052 

Grove, Isaac 499 

Guseman, William A 735 

Guthrie, James R 479 



Halhaeh, F. W 1919 

Haley, Mortimer 591 

Halligan, J. E 765 

Hamilton, E. B 721 

Hancock, Fred L 871 

Harness, Richard 691 

Harris, D. C 520 

Harris, W. F 913 

Hart, Dr. Henry 595 

Hase. A. E 1056 

Haselwood, Willis 554 

Hatch, Dr. Henry 1955 

Heaney, N. M 1043 

Hearn, C. S 592 

Heidbreder, Herman 392 

Heimann, Carl 508 

Heller. John A 841 

Hill, De Witt C 641 

Hill, H. D 370 

Holtman, Fred 881 

Howe, David E 506 

Hubbard. S. A 370 

Huck, Oscar P 817 

Hudson, William 543 

Hughes, Albert 396 

Hughes, William 667 

Hutchison, John R 705 

Hynes, P. B 992 

Unig, George 695 

Inghram, James S 821 

Inghram, John T 786 

Inman, James 838 

Inman, William H 672 

Inslee, John 837 

Irwin, Dr. Grant 589 

Jacobs, E. P 923 

Jacobs, P. M 717 

Janes, Rev. Lester 493 

Jnn.sen, F. W 49S 

Jefferson, Joseph 937 

Jenter, Henry 1003 

Johnston, F. G 853 

Joseph. Martin 882 

Judy, W. H 542 

Justice, Dr. J. D 452 

Kadeski, Leo J 732 

Keath. Uriah H 401 

Kells, Robert G 1044 

Kelly, Dr. J. R 662 

Kerr, Rev. J. P 1020 

Keyes. Willard 430 

Kidder, Rev. George 826 

Kiely, John C 447 

Klein. Christian 1035 

Klemme, Julius L 698 

Klene, Ferdinand 1107 

Knapheide, Dr. W. S 1083 

Knapp, Dr. D. M 582 

Knittel, Joseph 487 

Knox, James 762 

Knox, Samuel 946 

Koch, Dr. John A 1064 

Kraber, C. L 906 

Kuhns, M. B 933 

Lackey, A. M 999 

Landcraft, S. P 942 

Langdon, J. J 854 

Larimore, A. W 752 

Laritfiore, I. M 735 



PAST AND PRESENT OP ADAMS COUNTY. 



1123 



Larimore. W. 551 

Larkworthy, W. B 675 

Lauter, Charles H 791 

Lawless, D. P 1008 

Lease. John \V 723 

Leenerts. Klaus 666 

Leenerts, O. R 1027 

Lester, M. F 937 

Lewis, H. M 918 

Lierle. Rev. W. R 686 

Linihan, J. E 668 

Linn, Charles W 390 

Lionberger, Charles 757 

Lloyd, Mrs. Ida M 779 

Logue, W. M 671 

Lummis, H. F 429 

McAdams, George 553 

McAnulty, S. R 974 

McCann, F. M 541 

McClelland, Mrs. Eleanor 861 

McClintock, Mrs. Eliza A 625 

McClintock, S. W 656 

McCrory, C. B 416 

McElroy, Mrs. M. L 647 

McGinley, J. N 584 

McKee, W. 1 1039 

McKenna, L. B 832 

McNay, C. R 578 

Maertz, C. A 602 

Marsh, L. W 519 

Martz, W. S 511 

Mast, Christian F 1071 

Merker. George J 1039 

Michael, Joseph J 1028 

Millen, Dr. W. A 73T 

Miller, E. M 634 

Miller, L. W 873 

Miller, W. E 612 

Miller, W. W 480 

Moecker, Herman 638 

Moller, Frederick E 890 

Montgomery, Dr. E. B 4S9 

Montgomery, G. W 825 

Moore, John L 788 

Morgan, J. L 1111 

Morton, Zalmunna 371 

Muegge, P. H 1112 

Mueller, Dr. H. C . . . . 731 

Murrah, P. E 77I 

Musselman, D. L 434 

Musselman, D. L., Jr 910 

Myers, J. W 1048 

Myers, L. L 973 

Naumann, Dr. H. F 686 

Neweomb, R. F 448 

Nicholson, J. W 1076 

Nickerson, Dr. L. H. A 938 

Niemeyer, A. J 677 

Niswander, J. L 1067 

Oblander, Andrew 1100 

Odear, Mrs. Mary 858 

Oenning, Henry A 1035 

Ogle, I. J 787 

Omer, George W 845 

Orton, Mrs M. A. E 754 

Osborn, F. W 622 

Osgood, George W 1015 

Ottman, Henry 1108 

Pape, Theodore B 420 

Parker, E. J 362 



Parsons. J. E 1036 

Pearce, J. R 846 

Pease. Nathaniel 872 

Pendleton, Dr. F. M 930 

Penfield, Uri S 696 

Perry, C. F 382 

Perry, J. J 738 

Pfanschmidt, C. C 1016 

Pfanschmidt, G. F 941 

Pfeitfer, Dr. C. W 811 

Pitney, S. C 1023 

Pieper, J. P 923 

Pittman, Lewis 772 

Poling, Theodore C 427 

Powell, W. 534 

Putnam, R. W 795 

Raglanrl, I.,. W 1047 

Randies, I. W 360 

Rapp, Don J 792 

Rawlins, D. B 744 

Redmond, Thomas 973 

Reece, Joseph S 1024 

Reece, W. H 712 

Reeder, D. A 1075 

Reichert, Jacob, Sr 1087 

Reichert, Jacob, Jr 1052 

Reticker, Dr. J. K 1011 

Reynolds, G. S 399 

Reynolds, J. 441 

Rice, Dr. J. H 685 

Rice, Joel 862 

Rice, Mrs. Mary 924 

Richardson, Eva E 1023 

Richardson, J. H 806 

Richardson, W. A 402 

Richardson, W. A., Jr 642 

Rickart, John 889 

Ricker, H. F.. Sr 110? 

Riddle, Mason V 934 

Rifenberick, J. M 581 

Rodefeld, Dr. Henry 605 

Rogers, T. M 552 

Rohrbough, Adam 583 

Roy, Joseph A 1007 

Ruddell, John M 464 

Ruddell, J. T 391 

Rust, Charles W 805 

Sammis, Ebenezer, P 611 

Sanftleben, Miss Ida 708 

Sawyer, E. E. B 773 

Scarborough, H. F 505 

Scarborough, J. K 500 

Sehaller, Rev. William 1103 

Scheid, William 1012 

Scherer, Thomas A 1064 

Schermerhorn, F. D 1099 

Schlag, George J 547 

Schlagenhauf, William 437 

Schlinkmann, Rev. William 981 

Schmidt, Dr. John 360 

Schmiedeskamp, H. E 853 

Schmitt, L. M 838 

Schmitt, Valentine 874 

Schnering. Henry 996 

Schott, John B 772 

Schroeder, Louis C 590 

Schroer, P. A. D 467 

Seals, Christopher 506 

Seals, Mrs. Nellie 415 

Selby, E. C 662 

Selby, HE 646 



Selby. William F 727 

Seymour, Charles W 678 

Seymour Family 544 

Sharp, Amos 1104 

Sheer, David ;... 718 

Sheets, W. B 543 

Shelton, B. 978 

Shriver, L. C 612 

Sibbing, August G 846 

Sinnock, Thomas 878 

Sivertson, E. C 429 

Sloan, C. M 917 

Smith, B. A 682 

Smith, Ed P 1088 

Smith, George W 416 

Smith, Dr. H. J 1008 

Smith. Rev. James R 445 

Smith, John 970 

Smith, Thomas B 369 

Smith, W. L 569 

Sohm, Dr. A. H 910 

Somerville, William 484 

Sonnet, Frank 898 

Speckhart, Adam 747 

Speckhart. Frederick 818 

Speckhart. John 701 

Spindler. Dorothy E. K 996 

Spink, W. R 818 

Sprick, H. C 1024 

Sprigg, James N 1063 

Springer, Henry F 577 

St. Francis Solanus College 982 

Steinbach. John A 842 

Steiner, Dr. D. D 898 

Steiner, George 1044 

Steiner, Michael 992 

Steinkamp, Henry 626 

Steinwedell, William 606 

Stern, David 574 

Sterne, Charles T 617 

Sterne, W. C. W 637 

Stevens, James M 528 

Still. Rev. .Toseph 1000 

Strickler, David P 557 

Strickler, Wilber 1059 

StrothotE, J. B 1019 

Tandy, H. L 531 

Tarr, Charles 488 

Taylor, Fred P 573 

Taylor, Joseph B 905 

Taylor, J. T 601 

Taylor, William 456 

Tenhaeff, C. F 901 

Thietten, Mrs. Mary 881 

Thomasmeyer, Frederick 655 

Thompson, E. E 521 

Thompson, J. C 618 

Thompson, M. L 1060 

Thompson, P. E 799 

Thornton, James S 452 

Thornton. Lewis L 665 

Thron, G. Adam 642 

Tillson, Col. John 356 

Tobie, Miss E. A 933 

Toole, Dr. E. H 958 

Tout, Asbury 902 

Tout, John S 672 

Turner, S. B 909 

Dpham, Willard P 885 

Urban, Andrew 626 

Urech, J. R 507 



I I 24 



PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY. 



Vanden Boom, Gerry W 747 

Vanden Boom. J. B 651 

Vanden Boom, J. H 55S 

Van Dyke. B. A 61 « 

Van Frank, C. D 44(> 

Varner, Robert A 1003 

Varnier. M. C 476 

Vasen, B. G 995 

Wagner, J. J lOlli 

Wagy, Orren 897 

Wall, John E 475 

Wallace. Albert M 895 

Walton H. P 800 

Warfleld, W. S 359 



Webster. John K 551 

Weems. .T. E 578 

Weerts, Eilert K 1067 

Weis. Uev. Michael 548 

Wells, Albert W 1115 

Wenniug, Herman 965 

Wetzel, Andrew 986 

Wheat, Almeron 508 

Wheeler, H. N 977 

Whipple, Dr. A. A 516 

White, Wiltou E 954 

Whitlock, Dr. G. E 641 

Wilcox, Uav.ia F 371 

Wilkes, Mrs. Sarah H 681 

Willard, Mr.s. Margaret J 1116 

Williamson, C. 11 567 



Williama.in. II. A 564 

Wilson, Georse 11 531 

Wisman, Phillip 934 

Wolf, Louis 758 

Wolfe. Dr. W. S 1080 

Wood, Daniel C 442 

Wood, Gov. John 348 

Woodruff. Mrs. .A. H 463 

Woodruff. Freeman 858 

Woodruff, I. 458 

Woodruff. James 648 

Woodruff, John W 1004 

Yeldell. J. II 743 

Yenter. George A ili>7 




235 90 





















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